UK Spouse or Partner visa

What it is and who it is for

The partner/spouse visa is for a person who wants to join or remain with their partner in the UK on a long-term basis. It is the main route for couples where one person is British or Irish, settled in the UK, or holds another qualifying status, and the couple intend to live together permanently.

Both the applicant and the sponsoring partner must be aged 18 or over.

• The UK-based partner (the sponsor) must be one of the following: a British or Irish citizen; someone with settled status (indefinite leave to remain, settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, or proof of permanent residence); a person with pre-settled status who was living in the UK before 1 January 2021; a Turkish Worker or Businessperson visa holder; a person with refugee status or humanitarian protection; or a person with stateless permission.
• The couple must intend to live together permanently in the UK.

Relationship requirement

Applicants must prove a genuine and subsisting relationship. One of the following situations must apply.

• You are married or in a civil partnership that is recognised in the UK; or
• You have been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years at the date you apply (unmarried partners); or
• You are engaged or a proposed civil partner and intend to marry or form a civil partnership within 6 months of arriving (the fiancé(e) route — see below); or
• You are in a long-distance relationship and can show ongoing commitment, for example regular communication, financial support, or shared children.
• Supporting evidence should generally come from independent sources such as a government body, bank, landlord, utility provider or medical professional, and is normally expected to be less than 4 years old.

Fiancé(e)s and proposed civil partners

Fiancé(e)s and proposed civil partners apply within the same family visa route but on different terms. Rather than being granted a long period of leave, they are given 6 months to come to the UK and marry or form a civil partnership.

During those 6 months a fiancé(e) cannot work or study. After the marriage or civil partnership takes place, they must apply (switch) to the partner route to live, work and study in the UK. If you are already married or in a civil partnership, or have lived together for two years, you should apply directly as a partner rather than as a fiancé(e).

Financial requirement

Applicants must show the couple can support themselves financially. The standard minimum income requirement is £29,000 a year, which can be met from the combined income of the applicant and their sponsoring partner.

A lower threshold of £18,600 a year still applies to people who first applied as a partner before 11 April 2024 and are extending that same visa. The £29,000 figure is the level that has applied to new applicants since 11 April 2024.

Cash savings can be used instead of, or alongside, income to meet the requirement, and there is a separate route based on 'adequate maintenance' where an exemption applies. Applicants should check the exact savings figure and the way savings are calculated on gov.uk before applying, as the amount depends on the income shortfall being covered.

• Standard requirement: £29,000 combined annual income.
• Extending a pre-11 April 2024 partner visa: £18,600 may still apply.
• Additional income for dependent children on an extension: £3,800 for the first child and £2,400 for each further child (with the overall figure capped at the £29,000 level). No extra income is needed for children who are British or Irish citizens, have pre-settled status, or are settled in the UK.
• Exemption: no minimum income needs to be shown if the sponsoring partner receives certain disability or carer's benefits (for example Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance or Carer's Allowance). In those cases the couple instead show they can be adequately maintained.

English language requirement

Applicants must meet the knowledge of English requirement for the partner route. This is usually met by passing an approved English language test at the required level, holding a degree taught in English, or being a national of a majority English-speaking country. Some applicants are exempt, for example on grounds of age or a long-term physical or mental condition. The exact level rises at later stages of the route, so check the current requirement before each application.

Costs

There are three main costs: the application fee, the immigration health surcharge (IHS), and showing you meet the financial requirement. Treat all figures as subject to change and confirm them on gov.uk before paying.

• Application fee: £2,064 if applying from outside the UK, or £1,407 if applying from inside the UK. Each dependant added to the application is charged the same amount.
• Immigration health surcharge (IHS): £1,035 per year for each adult applicant. Based on the standard grant lengths this works out at around £3,105 for an adult granted 2 years 9 months, £2,587.50 for 2 years 6 months, and £5,175 for a 5-year grant. Children are charged at a lower rate (£776 per year, e.g. around £2,328 for 2 years 9 months).
• Financial requirement: enough qualifying income and/or savings to meet the threshold (see above).
• Optional faster decisions: priority and super priority services are available for an extra fee (for example around £1,000 for super priority from inside the UK).

Documents you will need

• A valid passport or travel document.
• Proof of your relationship (marriage or civil partnership certificate, or evidence of living together for two years).
• Evidence you meet the financial requirement (payslips, bank statements, employer letters, self-employment records, or proof of savings).
• Evidence of English language ability, or proof of exemption.
• Proof of where you will live in the UK.
• A tuberculosis test certificate if you are applying from a country where this is required.
• Additional documents for any dependent children included in the application.

How to apply

You apply online through gov.uk. The exact online form depends on whether you are applying from outside the UK (entry clearance) or switching or extending inside the UK. After applying online and paying the fees and IHS, you provide your biometric information (fingerprints and a photograph) at a visa application centre, or confirm your identity using the UK Immigration: ID Check app where eligible.

Applicants already in the UK on certain other visas may be able to switch into the partner route without leaving; those on a visitor visa or with very short-term permission generally cannot switch and must usually apply from outside the UK.

Processing times

• Applying from outside the UK: a decision usually within 12 weeks.
• Applying from inside the UK and meeting the requirements: usually within 8 weeks.
• Applying from inside the UK where the requirements are not fully met (for example on an exception basis): this can take around 12 months.
• Priority and super priority services can produce faster decisions for an additional fee.

Length of stay and what you can do

A partner applying from outside the UK is normally granted up to 2 years 9 months; someone switching or extending inside the UK is normally granted up to 2 years 6 months. Fiancé(e)s are granted 6 months.

On the partner visa (once married or in a civil partnership, or as an unmarried partner) you can work and study in the UK. Fiancé(e)s cannot work or study until they have married and switched to the partner route. The family route does not usually give access to public funds.

Dependent children

Children under 18 can normally be included, provided they are under 18 at the date of application (or were under 18 when first granted permission on this route), are not living an independent life, and will be cared for adequately. Extra income may be required for children who are not British or Irish and who are not already settled or holding pre-settled status.

Extending

The partner visa is designed to be extended. Before your current permission ends you apply to extend, normally for a further period of up to 2 years 6 months. You must continue to meet the relationship, financial and English language requirements at each stage. Time spent as a fiancé(e) does not count towards settlement — the qualifying five years is time held as a partner.

Switching from another visa

Some people already in the UK on another eligible visa can switch into the partner route without leaving the country, if they meet the requirements. However, people in the UK as visitors, or with permission granted for six months or less, generally cannot switch and must apply from outside the UK instead. Check whether your current visa allows switching before applying.

Settlement (indefinite leave to remain)

The earliest you can apply to settle as a partner is after five years of continuous residence in the UK on the family route as a partner. At settlement you must still meet the relationship and financial requirements, pass the Life in the UK test, and meet a higher English language requirement. Once you have indefinite leave to remain you no longer need to keep extending, and you may later be eligible to apply for British citizenship.

After your application is approved

If approved, most applicants now receive digital status (an eVisa) rather than a physical document, and access it through their UKVI account. Check the conditions attached to your permission, including its start and end dates and whether you can work, so you know when you need to extend or apply to settle.