Requirements for a UK Spouse Visa

 A UK spouse visa (also called a UK partner or family visa) allows a foreign spouse or partner of a British citizen or settled person to live in the UK. Applicants must meet strict eligibility rules.

In general, both partners must be at least 18 and intend to live together permanently in the UK. The UK sponsor (British/Irish citizen or person with “settled status” such as indefinite leave to remain) must have genuine relationship ties to the applicant. These requirements apply worldwide – whether you live in Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, or anywhere else – though some nationals (e.g. Nigeria, India, Pakistan) face extra steps like TB testing. Below we explain all major criteria: relationship proof, financial rules, language tests, health checks and more.

Who Is Eligible to Sponsor and Apply

• Age and intention: Both partners must be 18 or older. You and your sponsor must plan to live together permanently in the UK after your visa is granted.

• Sponsor’s status: Your UK partner must be a British or Irish citizen, or “settled” in the UK (for example with indefinite leave to remain, settled status, or permanent residence). EU/EEA/Swiss nationals can sponsor if they have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (with residence from before Jan 2021). Other eligible sponsors include people on Turkish Businessperson/Worker visas or those granted refugee/humanitarian protection.

• Visa categories: The spouse/partner visa covers married couples and civil partners, as well as unmarried partners and fiancés (see next section). If your partner is on a temporary UK work or student visa, you cannot apply for a family visa – instead you would apply as their dependent on that visa. Likewise, if you’re on a visitor visa (or any stay under 6 months), you generally must apply from abroad (exceptions are limited, e.g. for those on a pending divorce or fiancé route).

In short, to qualify you must have a genuine family or partner link: either marriage/civil partnership or a long-term committed relationship.

The official rule is that your marriage or civil partnership must be legally recognized in the UK, or you have lived together as a couple for at least two years. (Civil partnerships are treated as marriages for UK immigration purposes.)

Relationship Criteria and Evidence

To meet the relationship requirement, you must prove that you and your partner are in a genuine, ongoing relationship. Possible categories are:

• Married or civil partners: You and your sponsor are legally married or in a civil partnership recognized in the UK. In this case, your marriage/civil ceremony must be fully legal (for example, in line with local laws, not a “sham”).

• Unmarried cohabiting partners: You have lived together in a relationship akin to marriage for at least 2 years when you apply. This means sharing a home or household like a married couple, even if not officially married.

• Fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner: You plan to marry or form a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of your arrival. (A separate fiancé visa category applies initially, then you must switch to a spouse visa after marriage.)

• Long-distance commitment: If you have been in a relationship for 2+ years but have not lived together (for example, due to work, study or cultural reasons), you can still qualify. You will need strong evidence of ongoing commitment despite the distance.

Evidence of a genuine relationship is critically important. Commonly accepted documents include:

• Marriage/civil partnership certificate (if married). This must be translated into English/Welsh if not already.

• Joint household documents: tenancy or mortgage agreements, utility bills, council tax or insurance policies showing both names at the same address. Bank statements from a joint account or separate accounts (if both list the shared address) are also strong proof.

• Additional cohabitation proof: letters from your doctor, dentist or employer confirming you live at the same address; official correspondence or benefits letters with both names at one address. Basically any authoritative source that links you as a couple (address, joint finances, etc.).

• Photographs and personal evidence: While not strictly required, photos of you together over time, evidence of joint travel (plane tickets, hotel bookings), or communication logs (screenshots of messages, emails) can support your case. These are especially useful if you sometimes live apart or have a child together.

• Relationship statement/letters: A personal letter outlining the history of your relationship (how you met, marriage plans, future intentions) can be helpful. Letters of support from friends or family (explaining how they know you both as a couple) may also be submitted, though they carry less official weight.

If you do not live together, you must prove you still have an ongoing commitment. This can include evidence that you regularly communicate (calls, messages), financially support each other, care for shared children, or meet up (holiday/trip evidence). For example, phone records, flight tickets for visits, or evidence of money transfers can demonstrate a continued relationship over distance.

Key point: The Home Office must be convinced your relationship is real and not solely for immigration. Inadequate or inconsistent evidence is a common cause of refusal. Providing clear, up-to-date documentation (even mundane things like joint utility bills or photographs) is crucial to proving your commitment.

Financial (Income and Accommodation) Requirements

UK spouse/partner visa rules impose strict financial conditions to ensure the couple can support themselves. The sponsor (and applicant) must show sufficient income or savings:

• Minimum income threshold: For new applications from 11 April 2024 onward, the combined minimum income requirement is £29,000 per year. (This replaced the previous £18,600 threshold.) Essentially, the UK partner (or both partners together) must be able to earn at least £29,000 annually to sponsor the visa.

• Children allowances: If you have children who are not British/Irish citizens or settled in the UK, you must show additional funds. Currently, you need an extra £3,800 for your first child and £2,400 for each additional child. (These sums are in addition to the £29,000 baseline, up to a maximum combined requirement of £29,000 – i.e. four or more children push the requirement up to £29,000). For example, one child adds £3,800 (total £32,800) and two children adds £6,200 (total £35,200), but in practice the requirement is capped at £29,000 once it reaches that figure. Note: Children who are British, Irish, or have settled status do not increase the requirement.

• Disability benefit exemption: If your UK partner receives certain disability or carer’s benefits (e.g. Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Carer’s Allowance, etc.), the income requirement is waived. In this case, you must still show you have adequate means to support the family, but you do not need the £29,000 income.

• Savings: If you cannot meet the income purely through earnings, you can use cash savings. However, the rules are very strict: only savings above £16,000 count towards the requirement. For example, to meet a £29,000 gap with savings alone, you would need about £88,500 in cash savings (that is £16,000 plus 2.5×£29,000, as the Home Office views only the amount above £16k). In practice, using savings instead of income typically requires extremely large amounts. (If part of the funds come from earnings and the rest from savings, the calculation changes, but substantial savings are needed.)

• Types of income: Acceptable income includes wages/salary (from P60s or payslips), self-employment income (from tax returns), bona fide cash savings above £16k, income from property rentals or dividends, and pensions. The key is that the money must be legal, regular, and documented. All income must be counted before tax.

• Adequate accommodation: You must show that you have adequate housing for yourselves and any dependents, without recourse to public funds. “Adequate” means your home is not overcrowded or in disrepair. In practice, this requirement is assessed along with the financial one – the caseworker will consider your income/savings and calculate whether that is enough to cover rent/mortgage and living costs. If you have savings or benefits, they will look to ensure you can afford appropriate housing in your area. (For example, living with relatives without paying rent can still be acceptable, but if your sponsor’s income is very low, it must still be enough to cover the accommodation costs.)

Summary: In most cases you need to demonstrate a combined annual income of £29,000 or savings equivalent. This is one of the strictest parts of the application. Common reasons for refusal include failing to meet the income threshold or providing poor evidence of finances. Therefore, applicants often present multiple documents: employer letters, tax returns, bank statements, savings account statements, etc. The Home Office guidance provides worked examples of how these calculations are made; refer to those if you have complex income sources.

English Language and Other Requirements

Besides the relationship and financial criteria, you must satisfy a few other key conditions:

• English language test: Generally, applicants aged 18 to 65 must prove a basic knowledge of English. You do this by passing an approved English test at CEFR level A1 (speaking and listening). Tests like IELTS Life Skills (A1) or SELT (Secure English Language Tests) are accepted.

  • Exemptions: You do not need to test if any of the following apply: you’re applying as a child, you’ve already had 5 years on a family visa and are renewing, you’re over 65, or you have a disabling condition preventing you from being tested. Also, nationals of certain majority English-speaking countries (e.g. USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, most other Caribbean states, Malta) do not need to prove English.

  • Academic qualifications: If you hold a degree that was taught or researched in English, that can exempt you. UK degree certificates are accepted outright; if your degree is from outside the UK, you can have it assessed by UK ENIC/Ecctis to confirm it meets English-language requirements.

  • Note on extension: For the initial visa you need A1. When you apply to extend the visa at 2.5 years and later apply for indefinite leave, you may need higher levels (A2 or B1) depending on which level you passed initially.

• Tuberculosis (TB) test: If you are coming to the UK for more than 6 months and you have lived in a listed high-risk country for at least 6 of the last 12 months, you must take a TB test and include the certificate in your application. The UK publishes a list of TB countries (mostly in Africa, Asia, etc.). For example, applicants from Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and many African nations need a chest X-ray certificate from an approved clinic. Saudi Arabia is not on the TB list, so applicants from there do not need this test. If required, get the test done before you apply (it is only valid for 6 months).

• Immigration health surcharge (IHS): Most spouse visa applicants must pay the NHS surcharge as part of the application. The charge is £1,035 per year for each adult (children under 18 pay less). For example, a 2-year 9-month visa will cost about £3,105 in surcharge. You must pay this via the online system, or your visa will be refused. (The IHS gives you access to UK healthcare services on the same basis as UK residents.)

• Good character/Criminal history: You must disclose any criminal convictions, prior immigration refusals or removals, and any other issues that may affect your “good character.” Failing to disclose a relevant conviction (even a minor offence) is a common refusal reason. The UK will conduct background checks, so full honesty is critical. Generally, serious offences (especially those leading to prison) or past immigration violations can make you ineligible.

• No public funds: A spouse visa is a “no recourse to public funds” visa. This means you cannot claim UK benefits or most state-funded welfare while on this visa. (You can, however, generally work full-time.) The accommodation requirement mentioned above ties into this: you must be able to support yourselves without benefits. Breaching this condition can invalidate your visa.

• Dependents: If you have children under 18 who are also applying, they must meet basic criteria too (e.g. live with you, be unmarried, have permission). They will be included in your visa application. Children are covered by the same relationship and financial rules (and their IHS is lower).

Application Process and Timing

The application is submitted online on the UK government website. There are two main routes:

• Applying from outside the UK: If you do not already have permission in the UK, you must apply online from your home country (or country of residence). After submission, you attend a local visa application centre (e.g. VFS Global) to give your biometrics (photo and fingerprints) and submit supporting documents. The decision typically comes within 12 weeks.

• Applying from inside the UK: If you are already in the UK on a valid visa (for example, a previous spouse visa that you are extending), you apply online from within the UK. You still submit biometrics (via appointment) and documents. The decision for in-UK applications is usually 8 weeks if all requirements (finances, English) are met. If you do not meet the financial or language criteria for an extension, processing can be much slower (currently about 12 months).

You must apply before any current visa expires. If you applied as a fiancé(e), the initial visa is only 6 months, after which you must get married and then switch to a spouse visa (another application). Otherwise, the initial spouse/partner visa you get outside the UK is typically 2 years 9 months. If you switch/extend an existing family visa inside the UK, you get 2 years 6 months.

There are optional priority services for faster decisions (for example, a premium service that gives a 24-hour decision for a high fee), but these are only available to in-UK applications.

At your biometric appointment you should bring all required documents (passport, marriage certificate, proof of finances, English test certificate, TB certificate if needed, etc.). The UK may also request an interview in some cases, especially if the relationship evidence is deemed weak.

Fees and Costs

• Application fee: As of 2023/24, the fee for a spouse/partner visa is approximately £1,938 if applying from outside the UK (for a 30-month entry clearance). If you are already in the UK and applying to extend your spouse visa, the fee is about £1,321. Each dependant (e.g. child) also pays the same fee.

• Healthcare surcharge (IHS): As noted above, about £3,105 for a 2 year 9 month visa. (This is paid per year of leave – roughly £1,035 × years of visa.)

• Other costs: You may need to pay for English tests (£100–200), TB tests (vary by country), translations of documents (if any are not in English/Welsh), and travel to the visa centre. If you use a legal adviser or migration agent, there will be additional fees (use only reputable, regulated advisors).

If you genuinely cannot afford the visa fee, you can apply for a fee waiver (called a “remission”) in certain hardship cases (e.g. very low income). However, waivers are uncommon and only for extreme cases.

After the Visa: Extension and Settlement

A UK spouse visa is a temporary visa leading to settlement. Here’s what happens after you arrive:

• Initial period: You are allowed to stay for 2 years 9 months (outside applications) or 2 years 6 months (extensions from inside UK). During this time you can work and study in the UK.

• Extension: Before your leave expires, you must apply to extend your visa for another 2 years 6 months under the same partner/family category. You will need to meet essentially the same requirements again (income, English, etc.) for the extension.

• Indefinite Leave (Settlement): After you have lived in the UK continuously for 5 years on a family visa as a partner, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), i.e. permanent residence. (Note: time on a fiancé visa or other routes does not count; only the 5 years on spouse/partner visas.) At ILR stage you also must meet the income requirement (currently still £18,600 for ILR) and usually the English requirement again (B1 level).

• Citizenship: Once you have ILR and meet other criteria, you may be eligible for British citizenship (usually after 6 more months).

Keep in mind that any break in status (like leaving the UK for a long time) can affect continuity. Always follow visa conditions (no public funds, etc.) throughout the 5-year period.

Common Pitfalls and Tips

Applying for a UK spouse visa can be complex. To maximize your chances:

• Prepare a complete evidence pack. Double- and triple-check that you have all required documents: passports, birth certificates, marriage certificate, tenancy agreement, bank statements, payslips, employer letter, English test certificate, TB test (if needed), sponsorship declaration, etc. UK Visas & Immigration provides checklists, but it’s wise to over-document rather than under.

• Be thorough on finances. Missing or unclear financial evidence is a frequent refusal reason. Provide enough bank statements, payslips, and letters to clearly show the income. If relying on savings, remember to show the full 6 months holding of funds above £16k. Make sure the source of any large lump sums is explained (e.g. savings from salary, sale of an asset with documentation).

• Show a credible home. If your income is near the threshold, you should explicitly demonstrate that your accommodation is affordable and uncrowded. Include evidence of rent/mortgage payments and the number of bedrooms. Overcrowding (e.g. a family of five in a one-bedroom flat) can trigger refusal. Even if your sponsor is staying with relatives, clarify the situation (e.g. “we live with my sister who owns a 3-bedroom house”) so it’s clear you will have sufficient space.

• Avoid mistakes and discrepancies. Ensure that names, dates, and details match across all forms and documents. Inconsistencies (even minor) can lead caseworkers to doubt your evidence. For example, use the same name spelling on your visa form and your passport. If you have a prior visa refusal or criminal conviction, be honest and provide details – attempts to conceal information often cause refusals.

• Demonstrate genuine intention. The UK must believe your relationship is real. Beyond legal documents, small details can help: plane tickets from visits, letters to each other, photos together on holiday, etc. A short personal relationship letter (2 pages max) can tie together your story: when and how you met, how you maintain the relationship, wedding plans, and future goals. If any evidence is unusual (for example, you have no joint bank account), provide an explanation.

• Check English exemptions. If you’re from a country on the exemption list (USA, Canada, etc.), include proof of nationality so you don’t take the English test unnecessarily. If taking the test, ensure you use an approved test centre (GOV.UK lists them).

• Budget for all fees. The visa fees and health surcharge add up to several thousand pounds. Make sure you have these funds ready. Inform your bank in advance of any large foreign payment, or the transfer might be blocked.

• Get professional advice if needed. UK immigration law is complex. If your case is not straightforward (for example, low income but high savings, or unusual relationship circumstances), consider consulting a regulated immigration adviser or solicitor. They can help ensure forms are filled correctly and evidence is organized.

Summary

In summary, a UK spouse visa requires meeting multiple detailed conditions: an eligible sponsor, a genuine relationship, sufficient income, basic English skills, and more.

You must carefully prepare your application with certified documents and clear evidence for each requirement. While the rules are strict, many couples successfully apply each year.

Always rely on the latest official guidance (the UK government’s visa website) and consider professional advice if in doubt. By following all the criteria above, you can increase the chances of obtaining a UK spouse visa and starting your new life together in the UK.