Spouse Visa for UK

Also known as a marriage visa, the spouse visa for UK is necessary for persons who are married to a UK citizen or a permanent resident. It allows the married partner of a UK citizen or permanent resident to immigrate to the UK. In order to apply for a spouse visa in the UK, you have to originate from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. Our immigration solicitors in London can provide you with complete information and guidance if you want to apply for a spouse visa. Support is offered for UK residence card.

Spouse visa eligibility in the UK

In order to be eligible for a spouse visa in the UK, you have to meet the next requirements:

• you and your married partner have to be at least 18 years of age;
• you have a genuine relationship with your married partner, therefore you should have met each other;
• you intend to live together;
• you dispose of enough reserves to sustain yourselves and your dependents, if any, without claiming public funds;
• your sponsoring spouse has to earn an income of more than GBP 18,600 per year or dispose of sufficient savings to sponsor you. The financial requirement is bigger if sponsoring dependent minors;
• you have to dispose of accommodation for you, your partner and children, if any;
• you have to meet the English language requirement unless you are a citizen of certain countries.  Furthermore, if you are interested in learning about the application process, our lawyers can assist you. Or you can also get in touch with our attorneys if you are seeking legal services regarding submitting your application. With the comprehensive and expert services of our lawyers, you can apply for UK citizenship without any unnecessary delays. Because our local UK lawyers have a strong grip on updated rules and regulations in the country. 

Furthermore, if you are also interested in learning about the requirements of an investor visa in UK, the services of our immigration lawyers are at your disposal. An investor visa is an excellent option for wealthy investors. It is the most convenient way to move to the United Kingdom, settle here, and apply for British citizenship through standard or high-speed routes.

Duration of the spouse visa in the UK

The spouse visa is initially issued for 33 months if applying from overseas. After moving to the UK, you have the possibility to extend your visa or settle in the UK permanently. You are allowed to apply for a spouse visa in the UK from outside or within the country. If you already live in the UK with a fiance, work, or have a student visa valid for more than six months, you can change it to a spouse visa. We remind you that our UK immigration lawyer is able to provide you with information and legal assistance if you want to relocate to the country and you need a particular type of visa or UK residence card. Here is an infographic that explains more:

Dependent visas in the UK

Minors can come to the UK as your dependents. You should apply for a spouse visa dependent for them on the same date when you apply for your own visa, also providing proof that your sponsoring spouse meets the financial requirements imposed for such situations.

If you need other legal services in London we can put you in touch with our partners. Besides helping you to get a spouse visa in UK, you can also get in touch with our lawyers for acquiring other visas. For instance; if you are planning to start a business in UK, then a UK innovator visa is recommended to you. Please keep in mind that the business you intend to run in the United Kingdom should be unique from other businesses in the market. 

Work in the UK with a spouse visa

A spouse visa can grant persons outside the UK the legal right to work in the country. One should know that they can have part-time jobs if they also study in the country. In this case, they can have numerous benefits like health insurance, holiday breaks, bonuses, promotions, or training sessions. With a spouse visa, a person can be self-employed once he/she registered for the National Insurance Contributions (NIC) and paid the taxes in accordance with the rules and regulations of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. The same spouse visa will be considered if you search for a job with the help of recruitment agencies in London that are in collaboration with companies with headquarters in UK. Interested in British citizenship? Talk to our UK immigration lawyer for more details.

Are there any language requirements for a spouse visa?

Yes, the UK NARIC Certificate is needed, or you can take an English language test. There are also exceptions for persons over 65 years of age and those with physical or mental illness who do not need to prove English skills. Also, citizens from countries like Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, Australia, Belize, St. Lucia, USA, Grenada, Dominican Republic, and Canada do not need to prove the English language skills. Details about the needed tests can be provided by our London immigration lawyer. The same team can help you obtain a residence permit in UK. Here is a video presentation that explains the spouse visa requirements:

The validity of a spouse visa for UK

A spouse visa for UK is available for 6 months if the application is made by a civil partner, fiancé, or fiancée. Otherwise, such a visa is valid for 2 and a half years, with the possibility of prolonging it or applying for a new type of visa. There is no need to deal with the requirements for spouse visa applications and that because you can get in touch with our London immigration lawyer and solicit legal advice and assistance. We can also give you details about becoming a permanent resident in UK.

Special circumstances for obtaining the spouse visa

There are special cases of persons who cannot afford the fees involved for spouse visas applications. In this case, the online fee waiver request form needs to be filled. Persons who do not have a place to live or those who cannot afford more than essential living costs are exempt from paying the visa fee. Also, families or parents with low incomes are not obliged to pay fees, if this will change the child’s wellbeing in terms of finances. More details in this sense can be offered by our team who can also help you obtain British citizenship.

If you need legal services in Birmingham we can put you in touch with our partners.

Financial requirements for a spouse visa

Besides the above-mentioned requirements for obtaining a spouse visa for UK, the Home Office will also ask for information about your financial status. For instance, the spouse visa for UK and the entry clearance are granted if a minimum income of GBP 18,600/year is provided. In other words, foreigners will have to bring documents showing that their yearly income will be of at least GBP 18,600. Sponsorship is also allowed, and this sponsor can be whether the civil partner or the spouse, as long as he or she can provide information about his/her financial status. In the case children are involved, the threshold of GBP 22,400 needs to be proved. Feel free to get in touch with our immigration solicitors in London and ask for information in this matter. It is recommended to pay attention to the financial requirements for obtaining the spouse visa for UK and get legal help from us as soon as you decide for applying for such a visa.

Extra documents to consider

The spouse visa grants permission to legally stay in UK. Besides the above-mentioned documents you need to present, you should also prepare tax returns, payslips, pension funds (if applicable), maternity allowance, or non-employment incomes from investments, rentals, etc. There are also exemptions for disabled persons who have financial benefits, and this means that they do not need to offer details about their personal financial matters.

Short facts about the marriage visitor visa for UK

The marriage visitor visa for UK is required for persons who intend to register a civil partnership in UK or for those who want to get married. The same type of visa is needed if persons want to give notice of a civil partnership or marriage in the UK. If all the eligibility criteria are respected, such a visa can be issued without complications. First of all, it is important to note that the marriage visa process should start within 3 months prior to the travel to UK, mentioning that the response is normally issued in about 3 weeks. In terms of visa conditions, the following are extremely important:

• one must enter the civil partnership or get married within 6 months of the arrival in UK;
• the family members are not part of the marriage visitor visa. They need to apply separately;
•  foreigners cannot attend courses for more than 30 days;
• such a visa does not allow access to public funds.

Foreigners interested in a marriage visa or residence permit in UK. should know that converting the civil partnership into a marriage requires a standard visitor visa. Please talk to our team for extra details. Any immigration issue can be presented to our team of advisors, as they can propose varied legal solutions.

Visa information for divorce or separation cases

Persons with spouse or marriage visas in UK who intend to separate or divorce from the partner will have to notify the authorities, particularly if the visa is based on the relationship. All the personal details will have to be provided to the Home Office, however, if children are involved, information about child maintenance will be solicited. The next step refers to a new type of visa for ex-partners who continue to live in UK. You should talk to our immigration lawyers in London and find out more about how to get a divorce as an expat and about the type of visa you need after separation. It is important to ask for advice right from the start and avoid any legal problems.

Spouse visas for citizens from North Korea

North Korean citizens must solicit legal support and guidance if interested in a spouse or a marriage visa. The application can be made with the help of our team of immigration lawyers in London who can prepare the documents and explain the conditions imposed. Most of the conditions related to the spouse visa and mentioned above also apply to North Korean citizens, but it is required to have in mind legal support and skip all the possible errors or misunderstandings that might appear during the visa application process. Please feel free to talk to us.

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FAQ about spouse visas for UK

1. Who needs a spouse visa for UK?

Individuals who want to get married to a British citizen or those who want to enter a civil partnership must obtain a spouse visa for UK.

2. What is the validity of a spouse visa?

A spouse visa is available for 6 months, foreigners having then the possibility of settling in UK and extend the visa. Student visas can also be changed to a spouse visa.

3. Can I bring the dependants with a spouse visa for UK?

Yes, minor children can be included in a spouse visa application, mentioning that the financial requirements for such cases must be met.

4. Can I work in UK with a spouse visa?

Yes, foreigners who obtain a spouse visa have the right to work in UK. In the case of students, they can accept part-time jobs. Foreigners working in UK enjoy the same rights as British citizens like health insurance, bonuses, training sessions, and holiday breaks. Also, spouse visas allow foreigners to work as sole traders in UK.

5. What happens if I cannot afford the visa fee?

Foreigners who want to apply for a spouse visa but cannot afford the costs can solicit the fee waiver form, helped by our immigration lawyers in London. Parents with low incomes or persons without a place to live are exempt from paying the visa fee.

6. What are the financial requests for spouse visas for UK?

A minimum income of GBP 18,600 per year is a condition imposed for obtaining the spouse visa. For more details, please feel free to talk to our team of advisors in London and let us help you.

7. Is it hard to obtain a spouse visa for UK?

No, the spouse visa application for UK is not complicated, as long as all the requirements are respected. Legal advice and guidance are recommended for those interested in such matters.

8. Can I extend the spouse visa for UK?

Yes, you can extend the spouse visa after 6 months, however, the application must be made prior to the expiry date, within a couple of weeks. We can provide legal assistance in this matter too.

Spouse visa average costs

Around GBP 1,523 is the spouse entry clearance visa fee in UK, as imposed by the Home Office. Additionally, a fee of approximately GBP 1,000 is solicited by the National Health Service (NHS) for paying the Immigration Health Surcharge, mentioning that such a fee can be paid as soon as the visa is obtained. Priority UK spouse visa is the type of service available for citizens who want to speed up the visa process and obtain the documents faster than the usual time. Such service, named priority UK visa service is normally subject to approximately GBP 573. The spouse visa extension costs around GBP 1,033 and for those wanting to receive the documents in one day, an additional fee of around GBP 800 must be paid. The requirements for applying for a spouse visa for UK can be entirely explained by our team of immigration solicitors in London. Below we have gathered information, statistics, and facts about immigration in UK:

1. more than 226,000 citizens moved to UK during the period between March 2018 and March 2019;
2. in the same period, around 385,000 people left UK;
3. approximately 18,600 people receive humanitarian protection and asylum in UK (June 2018-June 2019);
4. approximately 448,000 EU citizens registered for the National Insurance Number in UK (June 2018-June 2019).