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One of the most essential aspects of the UK Spouse visa process is convincing the Home Office that your relationship with your spouse is genuine and subsisting. The Entry Clearance Officers will want to see evidence of a real relationship when they assess your Spouse visa application. This is to prove that your relationship is truly honest and that you aren’t trying to solely enter the UK with dishonest or deceitful reasons. But, how to prove that your relationship is genuine for Spouse visa? What documents do you need to demonstrate that your relationship with your partner is “real and subsisting”?
You will get an answer to all these questions in this article. We’ll explain how you can effectively demonstrate the genuineness of your relationship through a range of required documents, proof and evidence so you can bring your partner to the UK.
Understanding the UK Spouse Visa Relationship Requirement
The genuine and subsisting relationship requirement is one of the key requirements that must be met in order to be eligible for any of the spouse or partner visas. There is a range of evidence that can be used to show that your relationship is genuine and subsisting. However, the evidence you submit must be very specific and dependent on your circumstances.
In case you are unmarried, you should apply for an unmarried partner entry clearance application. For this application, the evidence should also prove, beyond doubt, that you have been together and lived with your partner for at least two years.
Remember that the Home Office is very adamant in recognising and rejecting sham marriages and relationships that are trying to misuse UK visas. The genuine relationship requirement was created to prevent these possibilities. When our clients ask us how to prove genuine relationship for Spouse visa, we advise them to provide as much information as possible about their relationship.
What the Home Office Looks for in a Genuine Relationship
The Home Office considers the following factors when they are reviewing the genuine relationship requirement in Spouse visa applications.
- A current, long-term relationship
- Proof of cohabitation
- Biological, adopted or step-children and the shared responsibility for them
- Shared financial responsibilities through a joint mortgage, bank account, savings, and bills
- Proof of visiting each other’s home country
- Practical future plans for living together in the UK.
The applicant must satisfy all these requirements through in-depth documentation. However, if the Home Office still has doubts about the genuineness of your relationship, they may conduct further checks. This can be a request for additional documents, an interview with the applicant or a home visit.
Is There a Difference in Requirements Between Married vs. Unmarried Partners?
Specifically, for married partners, you must submit a recognised marriage certificate. Meanwhile, for unmarried partners, the application is called an Entry Clearance application as a partner. For this application, you must show you have been in a relationship “akin to marriage” for at least two years prior to the application. Additionally, this evidence can be joint tenancy agreements, shared utility bills, and joint bank statements, along with supporting documents such as photographs and correspondence addressed to both partners. Moreover, these proof of relationship documents can really strengthen your application, even though you are applying as an unmarried partner.
Documents to Prove Your Relationship
To prove genuine relationship for a Spouse visa to the Home Office, there is a wide range of documents you must prepare and submit.
1. Marriage certificate or civil partnership proof:
Your marriage or civil partnership certificate must be legally recognised in the UK. If it is in another language, it needs to be translated into English or Welsh
2. Evidence of living together
Living together is a strong indicator of a real relationship. The applicant must show evidence to prove cohabitation with their partner. Acceptable proof includes:
- Joint tenancy agreement
- Mortgage documents
- Utility bills in both names at the same address
- Joint bank/financial statements showing the same address
- Life insurance and named beneficiaries in policies
- Copies of driving licences or national ID cards which show the same address
- Large purchases with the same billing and delivery address
- Other domestic bills include shared finances, home services, repairs, and veterinary bills.
These proof of relationship documents for a UK Spouse visa illustrate that you have lived together in your relationship. This is a significant factor for the Home Office when they are assessing Spouse visa applications.
3. Travel history (flight tickets, visa stamps, hotel bookings)
Prepare evidence of all the trips you’ve taken together with your partner. For instance, the evidence can be travel itineraries, flight tickets, hotel bookings, and stamps in your passports. This will show the Home Office the genuine and subsisting nature of your relationship. Furthermore, it is even better if you include relevant photographs of your time together during these trips.
4. Communication & Social Proof
Providing proof of communication between each other and photographs taken together over a longer timespan can demonstrate you have been in a relationship These are strong pieces of evidence to prove genuine relationship for Spouse visa.
a) Screenshots of communication history: The Home Office will accept screenshots of online chats, emails or text messages that are sent to each other during your relationship. You don’t need to provide evidence of every conversation, just a few snapshots.
b) Photos together over time: Photos can showcase your relationship journey. For example, include photographs from family gatherings with both your relatives, holiday trips, birthday celebrations, your wedding, anniversaries, and casual moments at home.
c) Social media interactions: Finally, the back-and-forth interactions on social media platforms can be added proof of your relationship, especially with proof of timestamps. Submit screenshots of posts, comments, and photos where you’ve tagged each other.
The Relationship Statement and Letters of Support
To make your relationship proof more solid, you can draft a proof of relationship statement to detail the timeline of your relationship. In this letter, the details should be in chronological order from start to end. You must mention how and when you met your partner, how it developed into a relationship and the true intention to live together in the UK. Ideally, only use no more than 2 A4 pages for the letter.
If a friend or family member is writing a statement for you, they should describe how they know you both as a couple and their observations about your relationship together. Importantly, the statement should show that, according to their knowledge and experience, they believe the couple has a real and ongoing relationship.
Similarly, if your employer is writing a statement for you, they should confirm their knowledge of the relationship. Although this is not a standard requirement, this letter can show evidence of the sponsor’s financial stability, which is crucial for a Spouse visa application.
Handling a Long-Distance Relationship
In some cases, for various reasons, couples had to spend some time away from each other, instead of living together as a couple. Generally, if your time apart is only during holidays, trips to visit family, or work-related trips, this will not affect the genuine relationship requirement. On the other hand, if you have spent longer periods away from each other, you’ll need to think about how to show evidence of continued relationship while living apart from the UK.
The best evidence for long-distance relationships is:
- Screenshot of emails, texts, social media exchanges, and call logs
- Proof of flight bookings when visiting each other
- Evidence of financial commitments like joint accounts and shared bills)
- Receipts and photos of gifts sent or received during special occasions
- Proof of future plans like marriage, cohabitation, or shared life goals
- And, if applicable, shared responsibilities for children.
Along with the evidence of continued relationship while living apart from the UK, you can draft a more personalised relationship statement to explain your relationship more practically.
What to Do If Your Relationship Evidence is Weak
In the end, maybe you did not end up preparing sufficient documentary evidence to prove genuine relationship for Spouse visa. Hence, if you are not able to satisfy the requirement, the Home Office will look for a plausible explanation for the lack of evidence. However, if you submit clear and genuine reasons for the insufficient evidence, there is a possibility that the Home Office will determine that you have met the relationship requirement.
Just in case they are still not satisfied with the explanation provided for the absence of documents, they might choose to interview you. This way, they will ensure to make an appropriate decision based on your circumstances.
Common Reasons for Relationship-Related Visa Refusals & How to Avoid Them
Be aware of the common reasons why UK Spouse visas get refused to avoid mistakes and ensure you apply appropriately. The most common reasons for refusal of Spouse visa applications include:
- Inadequate proof of relationship is the most common reason
- Failing to meet the financial requirement is another key reason
- Poor evidence of accommodation in the UK (overcrowded or not suitable)
- Failed to show that you can speak and understand English at a minimum of A1 level
- Submitted the application form with mistakes or discrepancies
- Did not disclose criminal history, such as visa violations or even minor crimes
- Not consulting with expert immigration lawyers to prevent mistakes.
By strictly following the documentation guidance above, you can prove genuine relationship for Spouse visa and probably prevent a visa refusal. Get assistance from experienced immigration advisors to fully increase your chances of getting a visa approval and avoid a refusal decision at all costs.
Final Checklist for Submitting Relationship Proof
To revise through every required document to prove genuine relationship for Spouse visa to the Home Office, let us go through the final checklist. All the important documents include:
- You and your partner’s passports or travel documents
- A copy of the marriage certificate and translation (if applicable)
- A copy of the children’s birth certificate, if you have them
- Evidence to prove your cohabitation
- Documents showing travel history
- Screenshots showing communication history
- Photos throughout the relationship timeline.
Conclusion:
The Home Office will carefully review each and every document you provide to ensure that your relationship is real and subsisting. So that means, even if you make a single mistake, you will risk your visa getting delayed or refused. This is where our immigration lawyers can make an actual difference. Our team at A Y & J Solicitors can provide end-to-end guidance to prove genuine relationship for Spouse visa. We’ll review your evidence, ensure it meets UK immigration requirements, and provide tailored advice to strengthen your case. We will ensure that the most robust application is submitted to maximise the chances of a successful visa approval. So if you are looking to apply for a Spouse/Partner visa, or have a question about whether you are eligible to meet the eligibility criteria, then contact our expert immigration lawyers.
At A Y & J Solicitors, we have handled over 100s of successful Spouse visa applications. With a 95% success rate, we have achieved an overall track record of 5,000+ successful immigration and visa cases through our result-driven approach to every application. We take on each client with the genuine intention to provide our undivided care and attention to their case. We guide you through every step of your Spouse visa process, so you can trust the experts to manage your application and work toward your success.
Why A Y & J Solicitors?
With over thousands of successful immigration cases to our name, A Y & J Solicitors has built its reputation on trust, care, and real results. Over the 15+ years of working in UK immigration law, we’ve helped individuals and businesses confidently navigate sponsor licences, visas, and ILR applications. We’re proud to be recognised by The Legal 500, but it’s our clients’ peace of mind that matters most. When you work with us, you get clear advice, honest support, and a team that’s truly on your side.
