How to Apply for UK Spouse Visa

Do you want to join your spouse or partner in the UK? If you’re not a British citizen yourself, you’ll need to apply for a UK Spouse Visa to legally stay in the country with your loved one. if you are married to a UK citizen, you may be eligible to apply for a spouse visa to live in the UK with your husband or wife.

Applying for a UK spouse visa can be intimidating. The government lays out the process in great detail, and it can be difficult to know where to start and what to expect at each step of the way. Fortunately, we’ve compiled this guide to help you through the process from start to finish – and we’ll even walk you through what happens after you’ve received your UK spouse visa! So whether you have just decided to get married or have been together with your spouse-to-be for years, here’s everything you need to know about applying for a UK spouse visa.

Moreover,  Because UK immigration laws can be quite complex, the UK Border Agency encourages you to read this step-by-step guide on how to apply for a UK spouse visa before starting your application process. This way, you’ll have an idea of what documents you’ll need and where to find them before you even begin the application process!

What is a UK Spouse Visa?

The UK Spouse Visa, otherwise known as the UK Marriage Visa, is a permit granted by United Kingdom (UK) law, which allows foreign citizens to live and work in England, Wales, or Scotland with their British spouses. The UK spouse visa falls into the category of a family visa and there is UK family immigration law. 

If you have recently married a British citizen and want to live with your husband or wife in England, Wales, or Scotland, a spouse visa will allow you to do so. The process of obtaining a spouse visa can be complicated and time-consuming; however, it can also provide valuable insight into the immigration process as well as help you stay informed about the steps that need to be taken before moving overseas.

The Spouse Visa UK allows the legal spouse of UK citizens and permanent residents to come live with their partner and work in the UK for up to 33 months. After two and a half years, the applicant must renew their Spouse Visa. Eventually, Spouses can progress onto Indefinite Leave to Remain and then British Citizenship. However, before you apply for a spouse visa, it’s important that you know what they are and how they work. A spouse visa will allow your partner (husband or wife) to enter and live in Great Britain.

Essentially, if your husband or wife is unable to enter Britain on their own passport, then he or she may be able to enter using your passport. To apply for a spouse visa, you will need to show documents proving that you are married and have been living together with your spouse for at least two years. Some of the most common documents include joint bank statements, travel tickets from when you last traveled together, photos of both spouses taken within six months of each other with the same clothes on, rent agreements that both spouses have signed, and copies of passports.

Who Can Apply for a UK Spouse Visa?

You can apply for a UK Spouse Visa if you are:

• Aged 18 years or over
• Married or in a civil partnership that is recognized by the UK
• Married to a British citizen or UK settled person
• You have been living together in a relationship for the past 2 years and you can prove it
• You are engaged, or you hold a Fiance Visa UK and will get married within 6 months of being in the UK

UK Spouse Visa Requirements

To apply as a partner, you and your partner both need to be 18 or over.

Your partner must also either:

• be a British or Irish citizen
• have settled in the UK - for example, they have indefinite leave to remain, settled status, or proof of permanent residence
• be from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein and have the pre-settled status
• have refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK
• You and your partner must intend to live together permanently in the UK after you apply.

You must be able to prove one of the following:

• you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognized in the UK
• you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply
• you are a fiancé, fiancée, or proposed civil partner and will marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arriving

Moreover, you also need to prove you:

• have a good knowledge of English
• can financially support yourself and your dependents

However, you can prove your relationship by sending evidence that comes from the government; a bank; a landlord, a utility provider, or a medical professional. The evidence must also confirm your relationship with your partner, and must be less than 4 years old.

Meanwhile, you can provide things like:

• a marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate
• a tenancy agreement, utility bills, or council tax bills confirming that you live at the same address or pay bills together
• a bank statement from a joint bank account, or confirming that you live at the same address
• a letter from your doctor or dentist confirming that you live at the same address

How to Apply for UK Spouse Visa

How you apply for your visa depends on whether you are in or outside the United Kingdom/ However, you will need to prepare the necessary information and documents to provide with your application.

You will need to apply online if you are applying from outside of the UK. To begin your UK spouse visa application you have to complete Form VAF4A. Whereas, if you are in the UK you have two choices. You can apply online, or by post. You can also apply at a premium service center. In order to do so, you will have to fill in the form and book an appointment, or make an online application and book an appointment. If you are already in the UK on a fiance visa, work visa, or student visa valid for more than six months, you may be able to switch to a spouse visa.

How to Sponsor a Spouse Visa

Furthermore, just like most types of visas in the United Kingdom immigration law, foreign nationals seeking entry into the country must have a ‘sponsor’ to endorse their application. The immigration status of the non-UK visa national is dependent on the sponsorship, whether this is their employer for a Work Visa or partner for a Spouse Visa. This means that if the sponsorship is withdrawn, the immigration status of the applicant becomes insecure.

In the case of the UK Spouse Visa, the British national or Settled person who resides in the UK becomes the sponsor. To successfully sponsor their loved one, the sponsor must support their spouse’s application via an in-depth Sponsorship Letter.

This letter must detail:

• The sponsor’s position in the UK – i.e. A British Citizen since birth or by naturalization
• The sponsor’s income, such as via employment and a regular salary
• The relationship with the applicant that outlines where the relationship began, where the couple met, and why they decided to marry with specified dates for each
• Information about the sponsor’s home to ensure it is up to UK living standards and has adequate room for their spouse

UK Spouse Visa Extension

Moreover, it is possible to renew and extend your UK Marriage Visa for a further 30 months after your initial application, providing that you seek to apply within the UK. You will be permitted to apply for a UK spouse visa extension, 28 days before the expiration of your current UK visa. Among others, you will have to prove that you and your partner have been continuously living together during your time in the UK, in order to get a visa extension. It is crucial that you seek an extension of your leave to remain before your current Spouse's Visa expires.

To extend your Spouse Visa, you must:

• Apply within 28 days of the visa’s expiry date
• Demonstrate that you have been living with your partner and intend to live together permanently
• Provide evidence that the relationship is genuine and subsisting
• Supply proof of accommodation for yourselves and any children
• Still meet the financial requirement of £18,600 per year

How Much Does it Cost?

Applying for a spouse visa costs £1,890, plus an additional £336 if you have dependent children with you. You should be aware that any fees you pay will not be refunded in case your application is refused. In fact, if your application gets turned down and you decide to appeal, it’s quite likely that more money will be spent on legal fees. All of these charges are payable by non-EU citizens who wish to move their spouse and/or children into Britain.

Final Thoughts

Before you go ahead and actually apply, make sure that you have met all of your intended spouse’s requirements for entry into the United Kingdom. Requirements will vary depending on whether or not your intended has been granted indefinite leave to remain, but it’s best not to get caught off guard by any potential hurdles along the way. Additionally, don’t forget that U.K. Visas are generally limited to six months at a time. If you're planning on staying with your loved one for an extended period of time, you'll need to reapply for a new visa every six months. If you intend to work in the U.K., then it's possible that your eligibility will be contingent upon how long you plan on staying in the country; check with the authorities before applying! Proceed with the link below for more information.