The application process for the UK Spouse Visa is complex and filled with intricate requirements that can be easily overlooked. When you try to apply without legal assistance, you risk missing crucial details, which could result in a refusal and ultimately prevent you and your loved ones from being together. That's where our team comes in. We assess your unique circumstances, offer professional advice, and see that everything is in order with your application, including the financial threshold, accommodation standards, and proof of relationship. Our personalised approach will maximise your chances of success, enabling you to reunite with your loved ones in the UK without any unnecessary delays or refusals.
At A Y & J Solicitors in London, we’ve helped reunite hundreds of family members in the UK. We understand the complexities that come with applying for this type of visa, which is why we meticulously prepare your application, handling all administrative communication with immigration authorities on your behalf. Your peace of mind is our priority, and we look forward to helping you understand and navigate all spouse visa requirements.
Mr. A’s immigration journey began over a decade ago when he moved to the UK for his studies, leading to an overstayed visa, a romantic relationship, and several failed attempts to regularise his status. Mr. A overcame the hurdles and secured a visa to register his marriage and extend his stay in the UK.
“We have worked with Sunny for the last 3 years and he has been absolutely brilliant in handling our case for a spouse visa. Sunny is always available via phone and text so communication was extremely easy. A clear list of items needed for the spouse visa was provided so we could collate all the documentation systematically. All the hard work related to dealing with the Home Office, forms and uploading of documentation is taken care of by Sunny and his team. Would strongly recommend Sunny and his team for a quick and easy way to deal with your immigration needs.”
Kartik Udhas
We are specialists in immigration law and have supported more than 4,000 business owners and professionals around the globe to successfully navigate the UK system. We work quickly, always responding to any queries within 24 working hours. And we work closely with the Home Office to pre-empt issues before they jeopardise sponsorship applications or breach compliance. We manage all United Kingdom immigration matters, including visa applications under the new points-based immigration system, Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), Spouse Visas, nationality and more. We also handle complex cases of appeal, administrative reviews, judicial reviews and the many immigration challenges involving European Union law and human rights.
With over 1,200 glowing client reviews on Google and Trustpilot, A Y & J Solicitors has earned a strong reputation. Our inclusion in The Legal top 500 best UK law firms further attests to our commitment to excellence. When you follow these three straightforward steps, you can have peace of mind knowing that your immigration challenges are in capable hands.
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"We were initially reluctant on spending the money to hire an immigration lawyer. However, it ended up being the best decision we could ever make! Imad and Amy responded to our questions, sometimes within minutes. We just had our visa approved. 100% recommend AY & J!"
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"Recently we had a pleasure of working with Ikra Ahmed from AY&J solicitors team for a skilled worker visa application which was successfully processed. Ikra was very professional, knowledgeable and clearly communicated us at every step of the process. Can't appreciate Ikra highly enough for her patience in clarifying every query from the applicant and UKVI team. Highly recommend Ikra & AY&J team for this service. Once again Thank you Ikra for your help and support on this matter."
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To successfully obtain a family visa as a partner or spouse, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) officials will want to see the following documents (though not an exhaustive list) included with your application:
You need to complete an online application to attend a physical (biometric) appointment whether applying from inside or outside the UK.
A spouse visa application made from outside the UK could take around 3 months to be processed. Priority services are available in some countries, for expedited processing. On approval, your passport would be endorsed with a “vignette” to allow you to travel to the UK. You would need to collect your biometric residence permit on arrival to the UK from a pre-selected Post Office.
From inside the UK the normal service standard is 8 weeks. Although the decision would normally be issued within 8 weeks of your biometric appointment your biometric residence permit will usually take a further 7 working days to be issued from the date of the decision.
The cost of a spouse visa application made within the UK is £1,048.
If applying from outside the UK, the spouse visa application fee (classified as a ‘settlement visa’ for entry clearance) is £1,846. Additionally, the settlement priority service, if available in the application country, incurs an extra £500 fee.
Applicants are also required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, currently £624, set to increase to £1,035 per year (£312 for every 6-month period). For a spouse visa granted for 30 months (2.5 years) within the UK, the total surcharge amounts to £1,560 for leave to remain. For visas granted outside the UK for 33 months, the total surcharge is £1,872.
Yes, there is a fast-track option available for the spouse visa UK application process. The fast-track service is known as the Priority or Premium Service, which allows applicants to expedite the processing of their spouse visa UK applications.
By opting for the fast-track service, applicants can typically receive a decision on their partner visa UK application within a shorter timeframe compared to the standard processing times. It’s important to note that the availability of the fast-track service may vary depending on the specific circumstances and the location where the application is submitted.
We recommend working with a spouse visa lawyer at A Y & J Solicitors to access the most up-to-date information on the availability and requirements of the spouse visa UK fast-track service.
Yes! Use our calculator below to calculate your marriage visa cost.
Please answer the questions and you will be able to calculate the approx. cost for The UK Spouse Visa
As highly experienced immigration experts, our lawyers will work with you to check that your application is filled in correctly and that all of the correct documentation is provided. This will prevent immigration officials from being able to refuse your submission due to a mistake.
By working with us, you can be confident that your best interests will be protected, and the visa application process will go through smoothly. We work hard and aim for the best possible results. Read our success stories on Spouse Visas here.
If you apply as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner, you will be given a 6-month visa to enable you to enter the UK to enable your marriage or civil partnership to take place here; otherwise, you will be granted 33 months (Entry Clearance) or 30 Months if the application is made inside the UK. You can extend your visa, and you would normally be able to apply for settlement no more than 28 days before completing 60 months on your spouse visa UK. If you apply successfully to settle in the UK, you would be free from immigration restrictions – that means that there would be no time limit on your permission to live in the UK.
Applicants need to show they meet the English language requirements, in Speaking and Listening. For your initial spouse visa UK application you will need to pass an approved English language test at least a CEFR level A1 in speaking and listening, which is beginner’s level. For your extension after 2.5 years, you must prove that you pass an approved English language test at least a CEFR level A2, which could be considered as elementary level and is slightly more difficult than A1. For settlement, you must demonstrate that you can speak English at B1 level, which is intermediate level. If you have a recognised degree level qualification taught in English or are the national of a majority English language speaking country, you would normally be exempt from sitting an approved test.
You normally need to show that you have adequate accommodation for yourself and your partner (and anyone else who is part of your family unit). This means that the space you occupy must not be overcrowded and is affordable to you. You can own or rent the property. You may even be staying somewhere rent-free, for example with family members.
In every case, you will still need to submit evidence that there is sufficient space for you and your partner in the home.
If you do not have a home in the UK and plan to secure a property later on down the line (for example if you are relocating back to the UK from overseas) you will still need to show that you have a realistic prospect of moving into adequate accommodation by the time you travel to the UK.
In order to make a successful application as a partner or spouse, the couple must provide specified evidence to show that they have sufficient income or means to support themselves in the UK. This requirement applies if the partner is joining the UK sponsor from overseas, if the couple is already living together in the UK, or if the couple is returning to the UK from overseas.
The evidence required depends on the couple’s individual circumstances, but generally speaking, the financial requirement for a partner visa is £18,600 (this is set to rise to £29,000 in Spring 2024, followed by gradual increases to £38,700). So, for example, if the sponsor has been in permanent paid employment for more than 6 months, earning a fixed salary of over £18,600 per annum (this is set to rise to £29,000 in Spring 2024, followed by gradual increases to £38,700), the couple could use evidence of the sponsor’s income to meet the financial requirement.
Evidence of savings can also be used or combined with employment income evidence to meet the financial requirement. Extensive additional evidence would be required for self-employed individuals who are relying on their self-employed income to meet the financial requirement.
If the couple has children who would be sponsored as dependents of the main applicant partner, the financial threshold is increased for each child included in the application. Specifically, in addition to the £18,600 (this is set to rise to £29,000 in Spring 2024, followed by gradual increases to £38,700) threshold for the partner, an additional £3,800 is required for the first child and a further £2,400 for each additional child.
You can apply online. You also need to attend an appointment at a visa application centre to enrol biometric data (photograph and fingerprints) as part of the process.
Not only will you need to fill in the application form correctly, you will also need to upload copies of the required supporting documents, which can be extensive.
If the caseworker examining your application has doubts about the genuineness of your relationship, you may be asked to attend a spouse visa UK interview. You will be asked questions about your relationship and each other to see if your marriage is authentic, and not a sham.
Being separated from your partner or spouse can be heartbreaking for you and your children. If you have fallen in love and married someone from the UK, obtaining a UK family visa can allow you to come to the UK and live with your partner or spouse.
Our team can provide the legal advice and representation you require so you and your spouse/partner can live, work, and build a future together in Britain.
An application under this category can get refused if not prepared carefully. The British government has a goal to lower net migration. To achieve these targets, it is likely that immigration officials will refuse family visas on even the most tenuous grounds, so there is no room for error.
To add to the misery, when a UK family visa is refused, it is not always an option to make an appeal or an administrative review. Therefore, your only option when faced with a refusal may be to submit a new application entirely or to apply for a judicial review.
We understand the emotional rollercoaster couples can go through when they are forced to battle with government officials. Our spouse visa lawyers provide a sensitive and compassionate service to our clients and have the expertise and experience needed to swiftly challenge a negative decision by Home Office and provide you with a positive result.
Yes, provided you meet the requirements, you should be able to extend your partner visa UK for 30 months (2.5 years) at a time. You will need to extend your visa at least once to complete your 60-month (5-year) qualifying period for settlement as a partner or spouse. You might also need to extend if you don’t fully meet the requirements for settlement after 5 years, for example, if you cannot yet speak English to the required level for settlement or if you fail the Life in the UK test.
If your application is approved, you will be granted 33 months (entry clearance) or 30 months (leave to remain). If you apply as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner, you will be given a 6-month visa to enable you to enter the UK to enable your marriage or civil partnership to take place here.
When applying from overseas, your passport would initially be issued with a 30-day “vignette,” which will allow you to travel to the United Kingdom. You will need to collect your biometric residence permit within 10 days of arrival to the UK from a Post Office you would have selected during the application process.
During the period of your visa, you will be able to live and work in the United Kingdom. You will not be able to access public funds whilst on a spouse visa, but you will have access to the NHS, as you will have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge as part of your visa application. Note that you cannot work in the UK under a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner visa.
Although you are permitted to travel overseas, you will need to reside with your partner in the UK continuously to qualify for an extension of leave/ILR after 60 months. You should keep evidence of living together from the date your visa is granted, for example, bills, bank statements, and other official letters and correspondence addressed to you and your partner at your shared home.
If your spouse visa UK application is rejected as invalid or refused, you will be issued with a letter confirming the decision. If the application is refused, the letter would also confirm if you have the right of appeal. Depending on the grounds for refusal, you may consider re-applying or challenging the decision if you believe the decision is wrong or unfair.
Time limits may apply for challenging a decision, so you should contact a lawyer as soon as possible. If you are already in the UK, your current status may also be affected by the negative decision, so you it is advisable to seek legal advice to check how your status and future applications may be affected.
It is possible to switch into the spouse visa UK category, provided you do not have leave as a visitor or leave granted for 6 months or less (with the exception of fiancé(e) visas, which are granted for 6 months, but allow you to switch into the spouse route).
To renew your visa, you will need to submit an online form (also known as an FLR(M) form). Having paid the relevant application fees, you would need to upload scanned copies of your supporting documents to an online portal managed by the Home Office’s commercial partner, Sopra Steria (UKVCAS). Sopra Steria also manages UK visa appointments, and you would need to book and attend a physical appointment to enrol your biometrics.
Applicants also have the option of bringing the documentation to their appointment, which will be scanned and uploaded by the UKVCAS staff to the online portal (additional fees might apply).
The type of questions which may be asked at a spouse visa UK interview will depend on the individual caseworker. However, examples may include:
Our team can conduct a mock interview with you both to help you prepare for the interview.
Following a high profile Supreme Court decision in 2017, the Home Office has changed the immigration rules to allow caseworkers to consider, in specific circumstances, any third-party funding when examining whether the minimum income threshold has been met.
One of the most difficult aspects of a UK spouse visa application would be where you are required to provide evidence as the sole director/owner of a UK company, or a self-employed as a sole trader to meet the financial requirement Extensive evidence is required (specified evidence of self-employment) and here, the advice from a lawyer would be invaluable.
The applicant will have to provide the original passport and the remaining supporting documentation can be either copies or original documents.
After the submission of the online application, the applicant will be able to upload scanned copies of the supporting documents to an online portal managed by the Home Office’s commercial partner (Sopra Steria for applications submitted in the UK or VFS Global/TLS Contact for applications submitted overseas). The applicant also has the option of bringing the documentation to their appointment, which will be scanned and uploaded to the online portal (additional fees might apply).
