To apply for a UK Spouse Visa, your partner must also either be: -

• be a British or Irish citizen.
• have settled in the UK - for example, they have indefinite leave to remain, settled status or proof of permanent residence.
• be from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and have pre-settled status (not lived continuously for 5 years) - they must have started living in the UK before 1 January 2021.
• have a Turkish Businessperson visa or Turkish Worker visa.
• have refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK.

You and your partner must intend to live together permanently in the UK after you apply.

This UK Spouse Visa will allow you to live together with your partner in the UK for up to 33 months.It can be extended for another 30 months if you meet certain eligibility conditions.You will need to make sure that an application is made before the expiry of your current visa. The UK Spouse Visa is the first step towards obtaining Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and, eventually, British Citizenship. This can potentially be achieved after spending 5 years in the UK if you meet all the requirements.

You have the right to work within the UK once you have been granted a UK Spouse visa.

You can also apply for a UK Spouse visa if your Spouse is outside the UK, but intending to return to the UK with you.

You must be able to prove one of the following:
1. you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK.
2. you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply.
3. you are a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner and will marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arriving.

You also need to prove you: -
1. You and your partner must have met in person and both be over the age of 18.
2. Your relationship is genuine and that you intend to live together permanently.
3. There is adequate accommodation available for you and any dependents to live in.
4. Have a good knowledge of English which includes being able to speak and understand English to a standard set by the Home Office.
5. You can financially support yourself and your dependants in the UK without recourse to any public funds.
6. Any previous relationships that either of you have been involved in have broken down permanently.

The exact requirements you and your partner will need to satisfy will vary depending on your circumstances. We recommend that you speak to one of our Immigration Specialist for expert advice on the requirements you need to able to prove.

Minimum Income Requirement – For Applications Submitted Before 11 April 2024

In order for you and your partner to demonstrate that you can financially support yourselves without recourse to public funds, you and your partner must have a combined income of at least £18,600 a year if:

• You’re applying as a partner.
• You want to settle in the UK (get ‘indefinite leave to remain’) within 5 years.

You must prove you have extra money if you have children who:

• Are not British or Irish citizens.
• Do not have pre-settled status.
• Are not permanently settled in the UK.

If you need to prove extra money for your children, you will need to earn an additional:

• £3,800 for your first child.
• £2,400 for each additional child after the first.

This is called the ‘minimum income requirement’, and you must demonstrate that you meet it in order to qualify for a UK Spouse Visa.

You may be able to use your savings instead of income. How you prove you have the money depends on how you or your partner received the income.

We recommend speaking to one of our Immigration Specialists for expert advice on whether you meet the financial requirements.

You can also use our financial calculator to assess whether you’re likely to meet the requirements.

 Updated Financial Requirements – For Applications Submitted On or After 11 April 2024

As of 11 April 2024, the UK government has increased the minimum income requirement for spouse and partner visa applications.

Key changes:

• The minimum income threshold is now £29,000 per year (up from £18,600).
• There is no longer an additional income requirement for children. The £29,000 threshold applies regardless of whether the applicant has children.

 Planned Future Increases Are Currently On Hold

The government had announced plans to further raise the income threshold to:

• £34,500 later in 2024, and
• £38,700 by early 2025.

However, these planned increases have been paused pending a review by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). The MAC has advised against increasing the threshold to £38,700, and has suggested a lower figure in the range of £23,000–£25,000 may be more appropriate.

As of now, the minimum income requirement remains at £29,000, and no further increases have been implemented.

We strongly advise checking the date of your application to determine which income requirement applies. If you’re applying on or after 11 April 2024, you must meet the new £29,000 income threshold (or use alternative means such as eligible savings).

Contact our Immigration Specialists for help understanding how these changes affect your case.

You and your partner to need to provide various documentation depending on your personal circumstances. Some of which can be seen below: -
• bank statements showing you or your partner’s income.
• 6 months of payslips.
• a letter from an employer, dated and on headed paper listing various information.

If you do not meet the requirement, you may be able to settle in 10 years rather than 5 years depending on your circumstances.

If you do not meet these requirements you may still be able to apply for a visa or extend your permission to stay if:
1. you have a child in the UK who is a British or Irish citizen or has lived in the UK for 7 years and it would be unreasonable for them to leave the UK.
2. there would be very significant difficulties for you and your partner if you lived together as a couple outside the UK that could not be overcome.
3. it would breach your human rights to stop you coming to the UK or make you leave.