Spouse Visa Extension UK / Civil Partnership Visa Extension
Spouse Visa Extension or Civil Partnership Extension is required to continue your stay in the UK being a spouse or a partner of a British citizen, a settled person, or a person in the UK with limited leave under Appendix EU, in the UK as a Turkish ECAA worker or business person, or has refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK. You will be given the opportunity to extend the visa for a further 30 months. After this period, you may be entitled to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
To successfully extend your Spouse/Civil Partnership Visa, you must show you and your sponsor continue to meet the requirement of the spouse visa route, including the minimum income threshold. It is noticeable that Home Office polices are very strict and this can lead to devastating situation when Spouse Visa extensions get refused.
Our team provides expert legal advice and representation to those who are applying for a UK Spouse/Civil Partnership Visa extension, and we have a strong track record of successful applications. We are committed to help families with their immigration matter, so they can remain together.
What Are the Requirements for a UK Spouse / Civil Partnership Visa Extension?
To successfully obtain a UK Spouse/Civil Partnership visa, you must meet the following (non-exhaustive) criteria:
- You were granted initial leave under spouse/civil partner category
- You intend to live with your sponsor and have adequate accommodation
- Your sponsor meets the financial requirements of £18,600 per year (this increases if you have children)
- You meet the English language requirements
All these requirements must be evidenced when you apply for a UK Spouse/Civil Partnership Visa extension.
How Do I Apply for a UK Spouse / Civil Partnership Visa Extension?
To apply to extend your UK Spouse/Civil Partnership Visa, you will need to apply using the Form FLR(M).
For the application to be valid, you need to ensure you:
- apply online using form FLR (M)
- pay the correct fee
- ensure the correct payment has been made towards the Immigration Health Surcharge, if applicable.
- provide a valid or most recent passport, national identity card or travel document for yourself and any dependents who are applying as specified in the application form, as evidence of your identity and nationality, unless it is not available for reasons beyond your control
- complete all sections of the form as required
- make sure the relevant declarations are signed by you and your sponsor
- book an appointment with UKVCAS to enroll your biometrics upload all supporting documents to UKVCAS before you attend your appointment for biometrics Our lawyers can assist you with correctly preparing your extension application. It is essential that it is filled in correctly as if it is returned to you, not only will you have wasted precious time and energy, if your Spouse Visa expires you may lose your right to remain or work in the country.
What Supporting Documents Will I Need for Spouse / Civil Partnership Visa Extension?
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) officials may want to see the following (non-exhaustive) list of documents included with your application:
- Your current passport or other travel documents
- Your marriage or civil partnership certificate
- Details of any criminal convictions, if applicable
- Evidence that you and your spouse have been living together continuously in the UK since you were last granted the visa in this category
- Your National Insurance number (if you have one)
- Details of your accommodation in the UK
- Bank statements and details of salary showing you or your sponsor can meet the minimum income threshold
- Your sponsor’s British passport or Indefinite Leave to remain documents
- Details of any children who are also coming to the UK
What Are the Advantages of Having Your UK Spouse / Civil Partnership Visa Extended?
By choosing to extend your UK Spouse/Civil Partnership Visa, not only will you be able to remain in the country, you will be one step closer to being able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain and eventually, British Citizenship.
What Can I Do if My Spouse Visa Extension is Refused?
It is possible that Spouse Visa Extension is refused. The British government has a goal to bring net migration down into the tens of thousands despite growing opposition to what is considered an unrealistic and harsh target. One group of applicants who have been targeted to bring down immigration can be families. This can result in refusing family visas, including Spouse/Civil Partnership Visa extensions on even the smallest grounds.
We understand the emotional rollercoaster couples can go through when they are forced to challenge the Home Office. Our lawyers provide sensitive and compassionate service and have the expertise and experience needed to appeal a negative decision by the UKVI.
Why Choose Us to Help You Apply for a UK Spouse / Civil Partnership Visa Extension?
As highly experienced immigration experts, our lawyers will work with you to ensure your application is filled in correctly and all the correct documentation is provided. We have helped many clients and received successful outcome for them. By working with us, you can be confident your best interests will be protected, and the visa extension application process will go through smoothly.
Although there are no mandatory restrictions on the amount of time you can spend out of the country, there is a general requirement that you and your spouse must prove that you genuinely intend to ‘permanently reside together in the UK’. If you spend vast periods of time abroad, this can be difficult to establish. Therefore, it is wise to talk to our team if you need to spend large chunks of time overseas so that we can advise you on any possible detriment to the extension application.
The best way to prove you and your spouse/civil partner have been cohabitating over the course of your visa is to provide items such as utility bills in both your names and bank statements showing rent or mortgage payments coming out of a joint account as part of the documents you submit with your visa extension application. There can be many evidences to prove your cohabitation.
Success Story on UK Spouse Visa Extension
Spouse Visa UK Successful! Income Requirement, Subsisting Relationship Issues Involved
A Y & J Solicitors was approached by Mrs. A, a NON-EEA national who first arrived in the UK in September 2010 on a Tier 2 (General) dependent visa. She had varied her leave to remain in a new immigration category as the spouse of a person present and settled in the UK, and she…
Video
Requirements for Applying UK Spouse Visa
We are a specialised UK immigration law firm.
Today I want to talk to you about the UK Spouse Visa.
If you’re married, it’s only natural, you as a couple wanting to live together in the same country. But sometimes the Home Office gets in the way of acquiring a spouse visa.
The first step is to make sure that the sponsoring spouse is living in the UK either with a settlement or British Citizenship. The next challenge is often the financial requirement under appendix fm. One of the option of meeting this requirement is by showing The sponsoring partner earning a minimum of 18,600 pounds annually. Even though the spouse can work in the UK when they arrive on a spouse visa, this income criteria must be met to apply.
You must both be over 18 years of age, and legally married or have been in a civil partnership for more than 2 years. You need to show in your application that you have adequate accommodation and you will be living together. You also need to prove English proficiency if you do not come from a country where English is the primary language. This can be proven with a degree that was taught in English or by passing an approved English language test. All documents and certificates need to be in English or translated into English by a certified translator.
Keep in mind that Home Office will scrutinise your application carefully, make sure you have all the documents required, either originals or certified copies. You should also include documents to demonstrate your genuine and subsisting relationship.
Once your spouse visa is approved you can live, work and study in the UK, and travel in and out of the U.K. throughout the visa duration. The visa is valid for 2 years and 9 months. You can then apply for an extension of 2 years and 6 months which will allow you to reach the 5-year residency requirement to apply for Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or settlement. You could then also qualify British Citizenship.
The spouse visa application is challenging due to its strict requirement. We’re experienced in submitting successful spouse visa applications, and we love it when we can help bring people together. If you would like us to help, please get in touch. Our contact details are at the bottom of this video. Thank you for watching.
Professional and comprehensive service that was faultless. The attention to detail and the guidance provided in completing the application and the required documentation was perfect. My consultant lawyer Sok Wei Low was extremely helpful and was always accessible to answer any questions I had at any time. I would highly recommend The service and was extremely pleased with the final outcome.