Apply for a spouse visa UK

One way to settle legally in the United Kingdom is to go through the family visa route of a spouse or partner visa. This means that you’re committed to staying in the UK with your husband, wife or partner, who must be a settled British or Irish citizen, or have settled here.

At Truth Legal, our spouse visa solicitors understand how difficult it can be to gain entry clearance or leave to remain in the UK. That’s why we offer immigration law expertise. From looking at your circumstances to helping you fill out forms and support your family, we’ll take the stress out of your spouse visa UK application.

Contact the Truth Legal team today to start your spouse visa consultation with one of our lawyers.

What is a spouse or partner visa in the UK?

A spouse visa is a type of UK family visa, sometimes known as a UK partner visa. This allows you to live with your spouse or partner in the UK for up to 30 months. Your partner must be a British citizen or ‘settled’ in the UK, which means they have Indefinite Leave to Remain or EU Settled Status.

There are many requirements for you to legally live in the UK on a spouse visa. If applying from outside the UK, then this visa category lasts for two years and nine months. If applied for from within the UK, it’s 30 months.

A spouse visa is the first step towards Indefinite Leave to Remain, which can then lead to British citizenship. It will qualify you to work in the UK, but you won’t be able to access public funds like benefits or tax credits.

We’re here to help you understand the eligibility requirements of your UK spouse visa. Our expert immigration lawyers will guide you through application forms to keep you and your family safe and settled.

Who can apply for a spouse visa for the UK?

To meet the eligibility criteria for a spouse visa, you must be married to, or in a civil partnership, with a British citizen. Your partner may also be a settled person (somebody with Indefinite Leave to Remain) or a refugee (humanitarian protection).

You don’t always need to be married – for example, if you can prove you have lived with a partner for two years, then you may qualify. Similarly, if you hold a UK fiancé visa and have plans to marry within six months of being in the UK, you may qualify. Both you and your partner must be over the age of 18 and you’ll need to meet strict requirements.

It’s important to note that a spouse visa isn’t the same as a UK Marriage visitor visa. These will only allow you to come to the UK to get married or enter into a civil partnership, regardless of where your partner is from.

What is required for a spouse visa?

There are four key criteria to pass your UK spouse visa application. These relate to you and your spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner. The latest UK spouse visa requirements 2025 include financial updates. Our experts will keep you updated with the latest immigration advice.

‘Genuine relationship’

You must be able to pass the ‘genuine relationship test’. Whether it’s a wife or husband, fiancé or proposed civil partner, you need to prove it’s genuine.

Your marriage or civil partnership must be legally recognised in the country in which it took place, or you must have been living in a relationship akin to marriage for at least two years (and preferably have cohabited for two years, although this isn’t always necessary). A fiancé visa only requires you to have plans to marry or enter a civil partnership within six months of arrival on your fiance visa.

Our solicitors will help you gather evidence to prove you have a real, subsisting relationship. This may include documents such as:

• Bank statements or bills from utility providers (less than four years old)
• Signed declarations from the government, landlords or medical professionals (less than four years old)
• A civil partnership or marriage certificate
• Mortgage or tenancy agreements
• Evidence of any children together such as a birth certificate
• Details of shared bank accounts of savings
• Travel documents that prove you visited one another before your marriage/civil partnership
• Supporting evidence such as social media chat logs or photographs together.

We understand that it’s not always easy to prove you live together or you may not yet due to studies or cultural reasons. That’s why we’ll work hard to gather the evidence you need, from your names on student finance to vet bills or home repairs.

Financial requirements for UK spouse visas

You and your partner, who is also known as a ‘sponsor’ must generally have a minimum joint annual income of £29,000. A lower threshold of £18,600 applies if you entered this route before 11 April 2024. There are many ways to meet your minimum income requirement.

If the two of you don’t meet this income threshold through employment or self-employment, you can also use:

• Pensions allowances from you or your partner
• Your partner’s maternity allowances or bereavement benefits
• Any additional income or savings.

You can meet the visa financial requirement on savings alone. You need to be able to prove that you can live in the UK together for two-and-a-half years on these savings. Based on the gross annual income threshold of £29,000, this means you would need to have £88,500 in readily available cash savings.

Exceptions to the minimum financial requirements

If your partner (sponsor) receives any of these benefits, then you will be exempt from the £29,000 annual income threshold. As an applicant, you will still need to prove that you can support yourself in the UK without receiving benefits.

The qualifying benefits that your partner may receive are:

• Armed Forces Independence Payment/Guaranteed Income Payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
• Attendance Allowance
• Carers’ Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance
• Industrial Injury Disablement Benefit
• Mobility Supplement/Constant Attendance Allowance/War Disablement Pension (War Pensions Scheme)
• Police Injury Pension
• Severe Disablement Allowance.

We understand how strict UK immigration rules around financial thresholds can be, so speak to our friendly teams for unbiased legal advice.

Accommodation requirements

You must be able to prove that you have ‘adequate accommodation’ in the UK. This means a safe place to live that meets public health regulations, and is not overcrowded. You must have bedrooms available for your exclusive occupation..

Acceptable living arrangements may include:

• Couples sharing a bedroom
• Living rooms counting as bedrooms
• Children under 1 sharing a room
• Children aged 1-9 counting as half a person
• Children aged over 10 counting as an adult, with no mixed-sex shared rooms.

The Home Office will ask for proof of your living arrangements, including a description, details of the number of rooms and evidence that you can afford to live there.

English language requirement for spouse or partner visa

Spouse visa holders will need to satisfy an English language requirement, which may involve taking a test. You may not have to take this if you are from a recognised majority English speaking country. You can see the full list at Gov.uk. This also states that you don’t have to take the test if you’re over 65 or have a long-term health condition that stops you from doing so.

If you do need to prove your knowledge of the English language, you can do so by:

1. Passing an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) test to level A1. This level is basic and you’ll need to reach A2 if you extend your visa, and achieve level B1 by the time you apply for indefinite leave to remain.
2. Holding a degree from a UK university.
3. Holding an academic qualification that was taught in English overseas. This must be validated by Ectiss and you must be able to prove that it was taught in English.

What supporting documents do I need for a spouse visa UK?

We’re on hand to support you with the application process, which starts with the right documents. We’ll help you to gather documents including:

• Your completed visa application form and application fee
• Passports, current and previous, plus two valid passport photos
• Proof of your relationship such as evidence of cohabitation, travel trips together, photographs and bills
• Evidence that you meet the English language requirement.
• Details of your living arrangements in the UK
• Financial requirements, like bank statements and payslips
• Biometric information including fingerprints and digital photos
• Information about your immigration status including previous applications
• Your national insurance number, if you have one
• Tuberculosis test results (if you’re a national of countries where they’re required)
• Any criminal records details.

What is the new rule for UK spouse visas?

In April 2024, new rules were introduced for UK spouse visas concerning financial arrangements. Before April 2024, the minimum salary requirement was £18,600. It is now £29,000 to align with worker visa requirements and reflect today’s cost of living.

What if I applied for a spouse visa UK before April 2024?

If you first applied as a partner before the new rules were introduced, you are likely to have the lower threshold to meet. It’s always best to speak to our immigration solicitors who can review your case as an individual and advise you.

How long does it take to get a spouse visa in the UK?

The standard processing time for UK spouse visas is 12 weeks. If you need yours processing faster, you can pay extra for a priority service if outside the UK. This usually takes 30 working days, though it can be quicker if you have covered everything thoroughly. If applying from within the UK, there is super-priority service, which brings a decision within 48 hours.

What happens after 5 years on a UK spouse visa?

After five years living as the spouse of a British citizen or settled person, you may be able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). You’ll need to be able to prove that you’ve lived with your partner permanently in the UK during this time.

You’ll also need to pass a Life in the UK test, which is a 45-minute, 24-question on British culture, costing £50. You must meet the English language requirements. When you qualify for ILR, you’ll be able to use public funds such as the NHS without surcharges.

What happens if a spouse visa gets rejected?

Rejections can happen for many reasons, from matters of security to simple admin errors. You may have forgotten to pay the immigration healthcare surcharge (IHS) or not provided sufficient information about your living arrangements.

Our expert immigration solicitors can help you appeal your visa refusal. While you don’t have to have a solicitor, it is a lengthy process and you’ll need to lodge an appeal within 14 days or 28 days if you’re out of the UK. We’ll review your case and let you know your best options, as well as help to ensure there are no administrative errors in your first application.

Can I apply again if my visa is rejected?

You can apply for a UK spouse visa again if your application or appeal was refused. It’s always best to check through your application and ensure you meet all requirements to avoid wasting time and money. Our lawyers will talk you through the whole process to avoid any errors.

Why choose Truth Legal for your UK spouse visa?

At Truth Legal, we understand that applying for a UK spouse visa can be daunting and complex. We offer multilingual solicitors with over a decade’s experience in immigration law. We’ll help you through everything from filling out forms to appealing visa refusals. When it comes to your family’s safety, there are no compromises – so speak to us for friendly, unbiased legal advice today.

UK spouse visa FAQs

How much does a UK spousal visa cost?

Your UK spousal visa costs include application fees, charges for dependent children, and immigration health surcharges. If you want to speed up the process, you’ll have to pay extra fees too.

As of January 2025, the costs are:

• Applications outside the UK: £1,846
• Applications inside the UK: £1,258
• Immigration health surcharge (per year, adult): £1,035
• Immigration health surcharge (per year, child): £776
• Priority/Super priority service applications: £500/£1,000.

Remember that there may be other costs such as English language test fees, which vary.

How much money is required for a UK spouse visa?

As of April 2024, you must have a dual income of £29,000 per year with your partner, unless you entered the route before 11 April 2024, in which case it’s £18,600. You may be exempt from this if your partner qualifies for certain benefits, or if you have cash savings of at least £88,500.

Can I work in the UK on a spouse visa?

You can work in the UK on a spouse visa, either as an employed worker or self-employed. You’ll be able to work for the full duration of your visa after which you can extend your visa. After five years in the UK, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.