UK Spouse Visa: Requirements, Cost, and How to Apply in 2026
What is a UK Spouse Visa?
- The Sponsor (i.e. person who’s spouse is applying) must be a British or Irish citizen, or someone settled with ILR status.
- Pre-settled EU/EEA/Swiss and those with refugee/humanitarian protection are also eligible to be Sponsors for Spouse visas.
Is the UK Spouse Visa right for you?
You're likely eligible if:
- You're the husband, wife, civil partner, or unmarried partner (2+ years in a relationship akin to marriage) of a British or Irish citizen, or someone settled in the UK.
- You're both 18 or over, you've met in person, and you intend to live together permanently in the UK.
- Your relationship is genuine and ongoing, and any previous marriage or civil partnership has permanently broken down.
- Your marriage or partnership is legally recognised in the country where it took place.
- Your sponsor's income is at least £29,000. Savings, or a combination of income and savings, can also work.
- You can show adequate, non-overcrowded UK accommodation and meet the A1 English language level at this stage.
This route may not be right for you if:
- You're only engaged or planning to marry in the UK (in this case you would need the Fiancé visa first).
- Your marriage was a religious or proxy ceremony but never civilly registered, and you haven't checked its legal validity. You may still qualify as an unmarried partner.
- You're relying on savings alone, but don't hold £88,500 for at least six months.
- You're in the UK as a visitor, or on leave granted for six months or less. You would need to apply from outside the UK.
- Your sponsor is in the UK on a work or study visa. You would apply as their dependant instead.
What you’ll need to get a UK Spouse Visa
General Suitability
You can’t have any serious criminal convictions, immigration breaches, or deception in your application history.
UK Accommodation
You must show adequate UK accommodation that isn't overcrowded and doesn't rely on additional public funds to maintain it.
English language
The UK uses the CEFR international scale for language skills. You will need CEFR level A1 English for your initial application, rising to A2 at extension, then rising again to B1, plus passing the Life in the UK test for settlement.
Financial Requirement
Your sponsor must show income of at least £29,000 a year, or meet the threshold through savings, self-employment, or a permitted combination of both. (Purely savings requires a minimum of £85,500 held for at least 6 months.)
Genuine & Legal Relationship
Your relationship must be real, ongoing, and legally recognised where it took place — met in person, prior marriages ended, no unregistered or proxy ceremonies.
Eligible Sponsor
Your partner must be a British or Irish citizen, settled in the UK, hold pre-settled status since before 2021, or have refugee or humanitarian protection status.
Step-by-Step Application Process
Check that you and your partner meet the status, relationship, financial, English and accommodation requirements. Build a complete, well organised evidence bundle based on the checklists above, including relationship proof and financial documents in the correct categories.
Choose between applying outside the UK (entry clearance) or inside the UK (switching or extending), depending on your current immigration status and risk profile. Fill in the family visa as a partner application on the gov.uk website.
Pay the application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge for the full length of the visa.
Provide fingerprints and a digital photo at a visa application centre or UKVCAS centre, unless you use an identity app where available.
Submit your documents via the online portal or at your appointment, following the correct format and labelling conventions.
Processing time depends on whether you choose standard, priority or super priority service and whether UKVI requests more evidence.
If granted, you will usually receive a visa vignette or, increasingly, an e-visa digital status linked to your UKVI account as part of the UK’s digital immigration rollout.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Settlement
You are on the 5-year route if you meet every requirement, including income, English and accommodation. You are on the 10-year route if you only qualify under paragraph EX.1 or exceptional circumstances. On the 10-year route you extend every 30 months and wait 10 years before you can settle.
Settlement
After 5 years on the 5-year route: your first grant of 33 or 30 months, then one extension of 30 months. On the 10-year route, you apply after 10 years. For ILR you must still meet the financial requirement, show B1 English and pass the Life in the UK test.
Eligibility and documents
Yes, if you hold a visa granted for more than 6 months, such as a work or student visa. You cannot switch from a visitor visa or from leave of 6 months or less. In that case you must apply from outside the UK.
Eligibility and documents
The main documents are:
- Passports for you and your partner
- Marriage or civil partnership certificate, or proof you have lived together for 2 years
- Evidence your relationship is genuine, such as photos, messages and joint commitments
- Financial evidence: 6 months of payslips and bank statements, or savings held for 6 months
- Accommodation evidence: tenancy agreement or mortgage statement, and a property inspection report if needed
- English test certificate or exemption evidence
- TB test certificate if you apply from a listed country
Eligibility and documents
Yes. You need CEFR level A1 for the first visa, A2 for the extension and B1 for settlement. A degree taught in English, or being a national of a majority English-speaking country, also meets the requirement.
Eligibility and documents
Not always. Your partner must be a British or Irish citizen, settled in the UK with Indefinite Leave to Remain or settled status, or hold refugee status or humanitarian protection. EU, EEA and Swiss nationals with pre-settled status can also sponsor.
Eligibility and documents
Yes. You can apply as an unmarried partner if you have lived together in a relationship like a marriage for at least 2 years. The other requirements are the same as for married couples.
Living on the visa
You must tell the Home Office, and your visa can be cut short. If the relationship ended because of domestic abuse, you may be able to apply for settlement under a separate route. Speak to a solicitor before you do anything else.
Living on the visa
No. A Spouse Visa carries a "no recourse to public funds" condition, so you cannot claim most benefits. Your British or settled partner can still claim benefits in their own name.
Living on the visa
Yes. You can leave and re-enter the UK freely. Long absences can raise questions about whether you live together in the UK, and they count against the residence rules when you later apply for British citizenship.
Income and processing
Yes, where the service is offered. From outside the UK, the priority service costs around £500 and aims for a decision in about 5 working days. From inside the UK, Super Priority costs £1,000 and aims for a decision by the next working day.
Income and processing
If you apply from outside the UK, only your sponsor's income counts. If you are already in the UK with permission to work, your income can be added to your sponsor's.
Income and processing
Yes. If you rely on savings alone, you need £88,500 held for at least 6 months. Savings above £16,000 can also be combined with income to cover a shortfall.
Income and processing
The Home Office fee is £2,064 if you apply from outside the UK and £1,407 if you apply from inside. You also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge: £3,105 from outside the UK or £2,587.50 from inside. Priority services cost extra. See the full fee table on this page.
Living on the visa
Children who are not British can usually be added as dependants. Each child pays the same fee as the main applicant, with a reduced health surcharge of £776 a year. British and settled children do not need a visa.
Income and processing
Standard processing is about 12 weeks from outside the UK and up to 8 weeks inside the UK. A faster decision may be available for an extra fee. If you apply inside the UK without meeting the financial or English requirements, a decision can take around 12 months.
Living on the visa
Yes. A Spouse Visa allows you to work in any job and for any employer, and to study, without a separate visa. You cannot claim most public funds.
Income and processing
For most new applications the sponsor must show a gross income of at least £29,000 a year. Applicants who were already on the five-year route before 11 April 2024, extending with the same partner, can usually rely on the earlier £18,600 threshold.
Living on the visa
An initial Spouse Visa lasts up to 33 months if you apply from outside the UK, or 30 months if you switch or extend inside the UK. You extend once, then apply for settlement after five years.
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