Spouse Visa UK: How to Apply? Documents Required and Cost
UK spouse visa is also known as a UK marriage Visa and it permits the married partners of UK citizens or individuals already settled in the UK to apply for entry clearance to join their spouses in the UK on a settlement basis. It is a type of settlement Visa that allows the spouse to live in the UK for up to 30 months and it can be extended for another 30 months later.
Spouse Visa UK allows the applicant to settle in the UK as they become eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and finally British Citizenship. The main requirement of the Spouse Visa UK is proof that the partner has a genuine relationship with the UK citizen and the sponsor is meeting the financial requirements of immigration rules.
Here at Immigration Solicitors 4 Me, our competent immigration solicitors have extensive experience in dealing with spouse visa applications. Hence, we are capable of managing a 98% Proven Success ratio. Not only this, our immigration lawyers will always be there to help you at any stage of your Spouse Visa Application.
Whether you are applying for a Spouse Visa or want to switch to this Visa (5 Years or 10 Years Route), you can rely on our expertise without any hesitation. Moreover, if you have received a refusal against your spouse's visa application, you can trust our professional skills when filing an appeal.
To confirm your eligibility and avail of free “No obligation Assessment”, please contact us on 0208 124 3222.
Page Content:
What do you need to Know about Spouse Visa Uk?
- The spouse visa extension UK or the UK Marriage visa is a type of settlement visa that allows the applicant to join their partner for two and a half years.
- If you want to apply under the spouse visa then the applicant’s partner needs to be a British citizen or must be settled in the UK.
- In case the applicants are applying as an unmarried partner then the applicant must provide proof that they have lived with each other for at least two years.
- The evidence by unmarried partners must include documents like a joint mortgage, joint bank account, and a tenancy agreement together.
- Same-sex marriage partners also apply under spouse visa rules to join and settle in the UK.
- In case the applicant or the UK partner has been previously married to someone else, it is crucial to include evidence of separation from the previous relationship. This document should be translated into English if it is in another language.
Who can Apply for Spouse Visa Uk?
You can Apply for Spouse Visa UK under the following circumstances:
- If you are 18 or over
- Married either to a British citizen or a person who owns a settled status in the UK
- You can also seek Spouse Visa UK if your spouse is living in the UK under humanitarian protection UK or holds a refugee status
- Both the partners are intended to live together in the UK
- A spouse marriage Visa applies to both homosexual and heterosexual marriages
How to Apply?
You can apply for a spouse visa UK from within the UK or from overseas, so if you are already in the UK on a work visa, fiancée visa, or student visa that is valid for more than six months, then it can be changed to a spouse visa.
To apply for a visa under Appendix FM you will need to submit a valid application, so follow part 1 of immigration rules in paragraph 34. Make use of the correct application form, which has been published most recently.
You also need to submit the right application fee along with the original and valid ID. With your application, you also have to pay the NHS surcharge which is 400 pounds per year. Applications from overseas must be filed online and it is important to print and complete Appendix 2 which consists of financial requirements.
UK applicants also need to file an important form FLR (M) for leave to remain and SET (M) for indefinite leave to remain. Children who are under 18 years of age can also enter the UK as dependents and you need to make an application for them at the same time as a British spouse visa application.
The sponsoring spouse must show an income of a particular amount for the same and this income level depends on the number of dependent children that are being sponsored.
Financial Requirement
- UK citizen who is applying for a visa for their spouse needs to meet the financial requirement. You will need an income of a minimum of 18,600 pounds per year before tax without any child.
- In case your income is less than required then you can use the cash savings to meet the financial requirement.
- These savings must have been in your account for 6 or more months. Applicants must meet these income requirements to receive spouse visa UK approval.
- Income can be sourced from income through employment or self-employment, cash savings larger than 16,000 pounds, pensions, or maternity pay.
- Applicants need to prove their income so you need to provide six months of bank statements, six months’ payslips, and letters from employers along with the time of employment.
Exception-In case you have refugee status or humanitarian protection then you don’t have to meet the financial requirement.
Spouse Visa Requirements
To qualify for the spouse visa UK or marriage visa you need to meet the following requirements:
- You and your spouse need to be over 18 years of age
- You and your spouse must have met each other and be legally married
- You both intend to live permanently together
- You need to have sufficient money to support yourself or any other dependents without claiming the public funds.
- The sponsoring partner must earn more than 18,600 pounds per year and should have sufficient savings to sponsor you. The minimum financial is more if the sponsoring partner also has dependent children.
- The sponsoring partner must have suitable accommodation for himself/herself, her spouse, and other dependents.
- You need to satisfy the English Language requirements.
- Sponsoring partner must be a British citizen.
- The marriage or civil partnership needs to be recognized by the UK government.
- A spouse visa can be applied for as soon as you get your marriage registered inside or outside the UK.
English Language Requirement
If you are a spouse visa UK applicant then you need to show that you can understand and speak English and you must meet the English language requirements if:
- You have a nationality from a country outside the European economic area and Switzerland
- You want to migrate to the UK as the person’s spouse
- You are in a relationship with a British citizen or someone settled in the UK
- You want to immigrate to the UK as the person’s spouse
If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country and don’t have a degree in the English language then you have to pass an English language test from the approved test provider.
Duration of Spouse Visa UK
The average processing time for a spouse visa UK application is 2-12 weeks from the date of submission. If you are applying from overseas then a spouse visa is initially issued for 33 months.
If you are applying from within the UK then a spouse visa is issued for 30 months. Later on, you can apply for an extension of an additional 30 months which can be extended up to five years.
On completion of 5 years, you can also apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) if you are still married and living in the UK and the sponsor continues to meet the financial requirements.
Once ILR has been granted, you are eligible to apply for naturalization as a British citizen. You cannot, however, switch to a spouse visa if you are already in the UK on a visa for at least six months.
Spouse Visa Extension
You can apply for the extension of a spouse visa UK for an additional 30 months.
If you wish to enter the UK based on your relationship with a UK national then you need to apply for entry clearance before coming to the UK.
If you are applying from inside the UK then you need to have leave to remain in the UK on a visa that is valid for 6 months at the time of applying.
Advantages of Spouse Visa
A successful application under Appendix FM will provide you with a grant of leave to enter for 30 months. During this time the person can apply for ILR after 5 years. There is an exception where the application is granted based on exceptional circumstances for which you will need to wait for 10 years before applying for ILR.
What if the Visa is Refused?
If your visa application has been refused, then you can appeal only if you can prove that due to the decision, it will be impossible for you both to be together. However, it’s difficult to appeal and may take a long time. Hence, it would be better to take help from our specialist immigration solicitors, who have years of experience in dealing with refusal cases.
When you get the letter of visa refusal it will also state your chances to appeal the decision. If you can appeal the decision then you can do so within 28 days of receiving the letter of refusal. Our competent and seasoned immigration will provide all kinds of assistance from start till end.
How we can help you?
We at Immigration solicitors 4 Me, make sure that your chances of getting a Spouse visa UK are high and for that, we assign an expert solicitor who assesses the entire situation along with the requirements and eligibility to get a spouse visa in the UK.
We help you with the completion and compiling of applications and documents and will help you apply for a visa easily. It might be difficult for you to understand the various visa categories and choose the right one for you.
To relieve you from this stress, we can provide you with one of our experienced immigration solicitors who can assist you with the application and will help you understand the various options available.
We provide you with these services:
- We make sure that your documents are complete for the application
- We will make sure that you have enough proof to show that the relationship with your spouse is genuine
- We help you prepare the Letter of Representation in which the details of your case and its merits will be listed
- We will be liaising with the Home Office as your representative
- We will complete every part of your application with full attention and care
You can contact us on our official website or can call us on +44 2081243222 to get the best services for spouse visa UK as we have well-experienced and knowledgeable solicitors that specialize in compiling papers and documents.
We can help you apply online with great ease so that you get a spouse visa without any problem. Our team of experts has helped numerous people get a spouse visa in the UK successfully so get expert advice and assistance while applying for the spouse visa.
We at Immigration solicitors 4 Me, make sure that your chances of getting a Spouse visa the UK are high and for that, we assign an expert solicitor who assesses the entire situation along with the requirements and eligibility to get a spouse visa in the UK. Our team of experts will guide you through every step of the process so there is no room for error.
We have helped many people from all over the UK to get their spouses into the country and live happily ever after. Our expertise lies in understanding the immigration rules of various countries like Australia, Canada, New Zealand, etc. as well as the United Kingdom (UK). With our experience of more than 10 years, we can help you understand how best to proceed with your case so that it is successful without any hassles. So, if you’re looking for an experienced team then look no further! Get started today by filling out this form.
Steps to get Spouse Visa Extension
1. After a couple has been married for a year, they should start the application process to get a spouse visa from their own country. They should research this issue on official websites and seek legal advice before applying as it is not easy to do this alone.
2. The first step of the process is to submit an immigrant petition that must be approved by the USCIS (the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services). Once that has been done, it will be sent to the NVC (National Visa Center) which will then transfer it to the relevant US Consulate in your spouse's home country. A medical exam will also be required which shows that you or your partner are free of contagious diseases like tuberculosis, venereal disease, or herpes. The test must be done by an authorized doctor and the results should be clear.
3. Once all these steps are completed, you or your spouse will receive a letter of approval which spells out the next step of the process which is to file Form DS-261 (Choice of Address and Agent). This form allows the US citizen to choose where their new visa will be sent as well as who can pick it up. In most cases, this is either the US Visa Candidate or a family member/friend living in their home country. Medical exams must also be provided at this time but those returned from a recognized clinic will not need to do any more testing.
4. Soon after that, another letter will with instructions on how to pay the fees associated with the visa. After this is done, your spouse must immediately return home to their country and wait for more details on when they will receive their documents.
5. This step involves informing the National Visa Center that you or your partner are returning home. You should do this as soon as possible after arriving back at their place of origin. However, if there are any issues with filling out this form, it may be necessary to stay in your country even longer but only if they can't come back again within the following 30 days.
6. Your partner can expect to have their VISA issued about 5-8 months after returning home unless there are issues with incomplete paperwork which lead to delays of 3-6 months. Again, this is dependent on the consulate in your spouse's country and the current level of processing that particular office has at that time.
7. Once they have their visa, it is possible for them to return to the US provided they are not currently banned from entering due to crimes committed or previous immigration violations. While there, they will be allowed to stay in America for 90 days even if their visa expires earlier which makes it possible for them to find a job before returning home again.
