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Spouse – Partner Visa

Spouse – Partner Visa

Spouse - Partner Visa

Spouse - Partner Visa

Appendix FM: UK Spouse / Partner Visa
The Spouse or Partner Visa under Appendix FM of the UK Immigration Rules allows British citizens, settled persons, and certain others to sponsor their partner to live with them in the UK.

Who Qualifies as a ‘Partner’?
The term ‘Partner’ includes:

  • A spouse (husband or wife)
  • A civil partner
  • An unmarried partner you’ve lived with for at least 2 years in a relationship akin to marriage

Basic Requirements

  • Your partner must apply for Entry Clearance as a Partner from outside the UK.
  • They must meet suitability requirements (for example, no serious criminal convictions, no Home Office deception, no large NHS debts).
  • You and your partner must meet eligibility requirements in 3 areas:
    • Relationship requirement
    • Financial requirement
    • English language requirement
  • There must be adequate accommodation in the UK.
  • Your partner may need to take a Tuberculosis (TB) test if they’re from a listed country.

Eligibility Requirements in Detail
📌 Relationship Requirements

  • Both of you must be at least 18 years old.
  • You must have met in person.
  • The relationship must be genuine, subsisting, and legally valid (if married or in a civil partnership).
  • Any previous relationships must have permanently ended (proof like a divorce certificate may be required).
  • You must intend to live together permanently in the UK.

📌 Financial Requirements

  • You must have an annual gross income of £29,000.
  • If dependent children are applying:
    • £3,800 extra for the first child
    • £2,400 extra for each additional child
  • Income can come from employment, self-employment, pensions, or certain other permitted sources.
  • Savings over £88,500 can be used to meet the requirement.

📌 English Language Requirements

  • Must meet at least A1 level (speaking and listening) on the CEFR scale.
  • Exemptions:
    • Citizens of majority English-speaking countries
    • Applicants aged 65 or over
    • Those with a degree taught in English and recognised by UK ENIC (formerly NARIC)

Costs and Validity

  • Home Office Application fee: £1,846
  • Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £1035 per year
  • Initial visa granted for 33 months
  • Extension after 33 months:
    • Fee: £1,258
    • IHS: £1035/ Year
  • English requirement increases to A2 level at extension.

Settlement and Citizenship

  • After 5 years in the UK on this route, the partner can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR):
    • Fee: £3,029
    • Must pass the Life in the UK test
    • Must meet English B1 level
  • If married or in a civil partnership, they can apply for British citizenship immediately after ILR is granted.

Fiancée Visa

UK Fiancée / Proposed Civil Partner Visa
If you are from outside Europe and are engaged to be married to or intend to enter into a civil partnership with a UK-based sponsor, you can apply for a Fiancée or Proposed Civil Partner Visa under the ‘Partner’ route of the Immigration Rules.

Key Facts

  • Entry clearance only — you must apply from outside the UK.
  • Visa valid for 6 months — you must marry or enter a civil partnership within this period.
  • No work rights or access to public funds while on this visa.
  • No Immigration Health Surcharge payable for this visa category.

Requirements

📌 Sponsor Requirements
Your UK-based partner (the sponsor) must be:

  • A British citizen or settled person (Indefinite Leave to Remain / EUSS settled status)
  • Or have 5 years’ leave as a refugee or a person with Humanitarian Protection
  • Or an EEA/Swiss citizen with pre-settled status or a Turkish national with ECAA leave

📌 Relationship Requirements
You must show:

  • Your relationship is genuine and subsisting
  • You have met in person
  • Any previous marriages or civil partnerships have ended permanently
  • You intend to live together permanently in the UK
  • You intend to marry or enter a civil partnership within 6 months of arriving in the UK

📌 Financial Requirements

  • Sponsor must have a gross income of £29,000 per year
  • Or be in receipt of certain disability-related benefits
  • Must have adequate accommodation (not overcrowded)

📌 English Language Requirements

  • English level A1 in speaking and listening
  • Can be met via:
    • An approved English test from the UKVI list
    • A Bachelor’s degree or higher taught in English (verified by UK ENIC)
    • Or automatic exemption if from a majority English-speaking country

📌 Other Requirements

  • Good character
  • No debts over £500 to the NHS or litigation debts to the Home Office
  • Clear TB test if applying from a country on the Home Office’s TB list

Costs

  • Application fee: £1,846
  • No Immigration Health Surcharge, as this is a 6-month visa

What Happens After Marriage / Civil Partnership?
Once married or in a civil partnership:

  • Apply for Further Leave to Remain (FLR) as a Partner (30 months)
    • Fee: £1,258
    • Immigration Health Surcharge: £1,035/ Year
  • At this stage, you can work and combine your incomes for future financial requirements.
  • Must prove your relationship is still genuine and subsisting.

Long-Term Progression

  • After 5 years as a partner (not counting time as a fiancée), you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
    • Fee: £3,029
    • Must meet B1 English requirement and pass the Life in the UK test
  • Once settled, you can apply for British citizenship

Alternative Options
If the high cost or restrictions are a concern, you could:

  • Apply for a Marriage Visitor Visa (£100), marry in the UK, then return home and apply for a spouse visa
  • Or marry overseas and apply directly for a spouse visa

Neither option allows work or claiming public funds until the spouse visa is granted.

Leave to remain as a relying partner

Leave to Remain as a Partner – Relying on Exceptional Circumstances
If your partner is already in the UK but:

  • Does not have valid immigration permission
  • Cannot meet the English language requirement
  • Or you do not meet the financial requirement

It is still possible to apply for leave to remain under the partner route — but only if you can demonstrate exceptional circumstances.

What Are “Exceptional Circumstances”?

  • You must show that there are “insurmountable obstacles” to your family life continuing outside the UK.
  • This is a very high threshold and requires strong evidence. The Home Office considers:
  • Whether there are practical, legal, or personal barriers to relocating together
  • Risks or dangers you would face in the country of relocation
  • The impact on children’s welfare (if any)
  • Serious health or dependency issues
  • It’s not enough to show it would be difficult or inconvenient — the obstacles must be truly insurmountable.