Apply for UK Spouse Visa

Apply for UK Spouse Visa

As you apply for UK spouse visa you need to understand the requirements for application for spouse visa UK. UK spouse visa checklist is an absolute necessity as you submit your application for a spouse visa UK.

You need to clearly understand UK spouse visa finance requirements as you apply and renew UK spouse visa for UK.

The cost of spouse visa for UK has been on the rise for the last couple of years. UK spouse renewal fee is on the rise also.

There are additional fees and requirements as you apply for UK spouse visa. 

When are You Eligible to Apply for UK Spouse Visa? 

You are eligible to apply for UK spouse visa when you are one of the following:

• you married a British citizen or a settled person in the UK as part of the fiancé visa application. Your intention is to remain in the UK and live with your British spouse;
• you either married your spouse overseas or formed a civil partnership with your spouse overseas and lived a married life or in civil partnership outside the UK. You are not a British citizen, you do not have indefinite leave to remain and now you are joining your returning British spouse to the UK;
• you are unmarried partner of a British citizen or a settled person in the UK and you have been living together legally for at least 2 years in the UK or outside the UK. You have the necessary records to prove it.

You need to have a reliable UK visa checklist as you apply for UK spouse visa.

It is easy to make mistakes on the application for a spouse visa UK.

The cost of spouse visa for UK have been consistently rising. 

Application for Spouse Visa UK - UK Spouse Visa Checklist - Legal Terms and Requirements Explained

There are important legal UK immigration terms used as you prepare your application ofr spouse visa UK to apply for UK spouse visa.

The UK immigration terms that you need to aware of are: spouse, sponsor, entry clearance application, renew UK spouse visa for UK, indefinite leave to remain, free from UK immigration control.

You also need to understand the UK spouse visa finance requirements.

Spouse

A spouse is your husband or wife or a civil partner. You may also be eligible to apply for a spouse visa even if you are not married to your British partner. However, then you will need to demonstrate that you have been living together for at least 2 years.

Sponsor

For the purposes of your UK visa application, your spouse will be acting as your sponsor. Sponsor means that your spouse needs to demonstrate that s/he has sufficient income or savings to support and finance (sponsor) your application.

UK Spouse visa finance requirements

UK spouse visa finance requirements state that for your application for a spouse visa UK to be successful, your sponsor needs to solely meet UK spouse visa finance requirements. 

Even if you are a financially stronger party or the family breadwinner, you will not be able to sponsor your own UK spouse visa application based on your own financial records.

The historic minimum income requirement for your spouse, which makes her/him eligible to sponsor your UK visa application was £18,600 per year.

UK Spouse visa finance requirements - UK spouse's annual income level

The spouse/partner visa minimum income rose to £29,000 on 11 April 2024, with plans to increase it to around £34,500 at an unspecified point later in 2024 and finally to around £38,700 by early 2025.

If you rely on your investments and savings, the historic minimum cash requirement was £62,500.

UK Spouse visa finance requirements - UK spouse's cash savings

To calculate the level of cash savings required:

You also need to understand the UK spouse visa finance requirements.

1. Take the minimum income requirement, £29,000 for application from 11 April 2024 onwards (adjust for children if required).

2. Multiply by 2.75 or 2.5 (the number of years of leave granted).

3. Add the minimum of £16,000.

To meet the minimum income threshold with cash savings, a partner with no children would therefore, need £88,500 in cash savings for UK spouse renewal.

There are also rules attached on how such income or savings need to be evidenced.

If your spouse does not clearly meet one of these two financial requirements, it is certain that your UK visa application is likely to be rejected.

Entry clearance application

Entry clearance application for a spouse visa UK is when you apply for spouse visa UK from outside the UK.

As the first step, you will need to apply for the entry clearance from British immigration authorities to the UK.

Entry clearance means that UK authorities need to be satisfied that you are the type of person they want in the UK and allow to enter the UK as you apply from the outside of the UK.

You need to be a person of good character and meet all UK spouse visa requirements for your UK visa application to be successful. 

You also need to be aware that you are legally required to provide truthful and accurate information about yourself.

Your visa risks being revoked if this is not the case and some important details emerge after your UK visa application was successful. 

Once your UK spouse visa application is approved you will receive entry clearance for the first 33 months in the UK.

Renew your spouse visa for UK 

Once you arrive in the UK and enjoy your first 32 months, you will need to apply to renew your spouse visa for UK for another 2,5 years and before your current UK spouse visa expires.

It is very important not to miss the deadline and in some cases, it may make sense to start working on your UK visa application to renew your visa 6 months before your UK visa expires.

The main reason is that your circumstances may be tricky and you may not have assembled all the evidence you need in the format required. Therefore, tackling the application early may reduce your chances of a visa refusal.

Indefinite leave to remain

You become eligible to apply for the indefinite leave to remain in the UK after 5 years of continuous residence in the UK. You need to submit your application before your current visa expires.

You still need to meet all the requirements for a UK spouse visa as well as the requirements specific to the indefinite leave to remain.

The good news is that once your application for the indefinite leave to remain is approved, you will become free from UK immigration control and eligible to apply for British citizenship.

Free from UK immigration control

Free from UK immigration control means that you will no longer face any UK immigration restrictions just because you are a foreign passport holder.

In practical terms, you will be eligible to apply for and work any job you like. You will no longer be discriminated against based on your UK immigration status. Your legal status will be similar to that of British citizen.

However, to obtain all rights that are reserved only to British citizens, you will need to apply to become a British citizen.

UK spouse visa from entry clearance to British citizenship

UK spouse visa application is a long and a complicated process until you become eligible to secure your indefinite leave to remain and ultimately, British citizenship.

The process may be difficult, but not impossible. 

Applying for UK Spouse Visa - Entry Clearance - the Process

As your first step on your UK spouse visa journey, you will need to submit your entry clearance application from overseas. This is the country you are applying from or the country where you are currently legally resident.

Unfortunately, this cannot be the UK as you still need to receive the permission to enter the UK, hence, you will need to apply for your entry clearance from overseas.

As you relocate together with your family to the UK, you may have many things on your list such as, selling your current home and finding your new home in the UK, good schools for your children. The list goes on. Clearly, UK spouse visa application may not be the first most important item on your long list.

However, it is still an important item on your to do list and cannot be easily discarded.

The consequence for not following through the correct UK spouse visa application process means to breach UK immigration rules.

Unfortunately, breaching the UK immigration rules has unintended consequences, such as being barred from entry to the UK for 10 years.

Therefore, you need to prioritise your UK spouse visa application and put it on top of your to do list. Your family takes priority. However, you need to take care of yourself, too, to be there for your family during the biggest milestones you celebrate as a family.

The UK government website advises you to apply 3 months before your intended travel date to the UK.

You may have a little bit more flexibility due to your US or Canadian passport. The advice is not to abuse it, so that you were not denied entry in the future and could join your family in the UK at the first opportunity.

How long does the application for a spouse visa UK take? -  "I want to receive my UK spouse visa faster!”

I am with you on this. I understand that it makes the perfect sense to have your visa application decided the soonest.

However, I need to warn you and need to make you aware that a fast decision on your UK visa application may also mean a refusal to join your family in the UK.

Therefore, before you apply for the same day decision of your application for a spouse visa UK, you need to make sure:

• That your application is well prepared;
• There are no gaps in your application;
• All required documents and documents are duly submitted and provided;
• You and your sponsor meet all the requirements for your application to be successful;
• There may be additional requirements that you need to satisfy. Unfortunately, the UK spouse visa checklist provided as part of the application for a spouse visa UK form is not conclusive of requirements for UK spouse visa application to be successful.

Even if your visa application meets all these requirements, please note that same day or faster decisions are only available to renew UK spouse visa for UK or apply for the indefinite leave to remain, but not for the entry clearance visa.

This is even a more important reason to have your application well prepared so that you could minimise your chances of being refused your visa.

What if You also have a European passport?

Prior to Brexit, your EU passport might have been your golden ticket to the UK. However, this is no longer the case.

There may be several instances where you may still be eligible to apply under the old EU rules. However, this is less frequently the case.

For instance, you may still be eligible to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme if you were eligible, but missed the deadline. In real terms, this may be less and less possible as the time passes by. 

However, if you have a strong case, this may still be an option. Therefore, I encourage you to seek relevant UK immigration advice.

Your spouse is an EU national based in the UK

From the 1st January 2021, depending on your relationship with the EU national, you may be eligible to join your spouse under the old EU rules.

If your spouse, an EU national, is already based in the UK, you will also need to seek your UK immigration advice on how to best join your spouse. 

Based on the specific circumstances you may be able to join your EU spouse under:

• Old EU rules;
• UK spouse visa rules that now apply universally to everyone.

Cost of Spouse Visa for UK and UK Spouse Renewal Fee

Rising cost of spouse visa for UK and rising UK spouse renewal fee make the application for a spouse visa UK a complex and important financial decision.

Typically, applications submitted outside the UK are more costly than the applications submitted in the UK.

As you apply for entry clearance to the UK, you are typically required to submit your application for a spouse visa UK from outside the UK.

Over the years, the UK government introduced the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) to help cover NHS medical bills of overseas nationals benefiting from it.

Raised annual income requirement for British UK spouse visa sponsors means that fewer persons are eligible to apply. 

If the annual income requirement is not met or does not apply, this means that adequate savings need to be demonstrated by the sponsoring person when applying for UK spouse visa.

The application for a spouse visa UK requirements are complex and not straightforward, therefore, you will need to hire a regulated UK immigration lawyer to assist you in the process or risk UK spouse visa rejection.

The majorty of cost of spouse visa for UK is and UK spouse visa renewal fee are made of the ability to meet UK spouse visa finance requirements, Home Office application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).

You will also incur legal fees as you hire a regulated UK immigration lawyer who is typically an IAA immigration adviser.

The Home Office can typically change its fees structure twice a year in Spring and Autumn.

Current Cost of UK Spouse Visa UK

The current UK Home Office application for a spouse visa UK fee is £2,064 if you apply from outside the UK or £1,407 if you apply from within the UK.

You will pay IHS for the initial 2 years and 9 months of £3,105 as you apply for UK spouse visa.

Current UK Spouse Renewal Fee

UK spouse renewal fee as you extend your UK spouse in the UK currently is £1,407.

Your IHS will be calculated for 2 years and 6 months at £2,587.50

Additional Charges and Fees for UK Spouse Visa Application and Renewal

There will be smaller expense associated with the application for a spouse visa UK and extending spouse visa in UK, such as paying for visa appointments or providing required documents in a required format.

You may also opt for a faster decision for an additional fee of £1,000.

One of the most important decisions you will make is the choice of immigration lawyer to help you successfully apply for UK spouse visa or renew UK spouse visa for UK.

UK Spouse Visa Checklist as You Apply for UK Spouse Visa or Renew UK Spouse Visa for UK

UK spouse visa checklist as you apply for UK spouse visa or renew UK spouse visa for UK:

• The best practice is to apply for your UK spouse visa is 3 months before your travel date to the UK;
• As a US or Canadian passport holder you may have a little bit more flexibility in how you time your UK visa application. However, you need to make sure that you do not abuse the process;
• You need to make your application a priority, so that you did not breach UK immigration rules, which may bar your entry to the UK for 10 years;
• You need to submit your entry clearance application from outside the UK and the country you are legally resident in (this cannot be the UK);
• Your application needs to be well prepared to secure your UK visa approval.

Your entry clearance application is only a start of your UK immigration journey, which puts you on path to indefinite leave to remain and British citizenship. 

You need to work with a professional UK immigration adviser to give your UK immigration application the best chance to succeed.

Consult the Expert - Apply for UK Spouse Visa or Renew UK Spouse Visa for UK

I am UK immigration adviser regulated by IAA Immigration Advice Authority formerly OISC Office of Immigration Services Commissioner.

Book a call with me if you need assistance with UK visa application.

You may submit your UK immigration enquiry here.

Explore Global Wealth Strategy if your enquiry is wider and you need help to decide the better option for you, how to best apply and organise your business operations as well as a family relocation to the UK.

Saule Voluckyte, M.A.E.S, LL.B, FAIA

I have been working exclusively with UHNWI in Mayfair, London since January 2008. I built specialist knowledge and expertise required to serve ultra high net worth individuals investing, operating and relocating to the UK or Switzerland.

Within the industry, I am the single adviser who is able to traverse the different areas of expertise and bring a comprehensive approach across: global structuring, UK immigration, international taxation and FOREX to develop their global wealth strategy, while they build, grow and expand their wealth worldwide.

Previous experience as one of the senior advisors for the government, made me a go-to person when delicate and uncomfortable scenarios involving heads of state need to be handled with care and preserve privacy.