Your spouse or partner can come to live with you in the UK or apply to remain with you if already in the UK.

What is a spouse visa?

A spouse visa allows your spouse to live with you in the UK.  The spouse visa is a route to settlement (indefinite leave to remain) and then British Citizenship. There are two routes to settlement called the 5 year route and the 10 year route. You will be granted a visa on one of the routes depending on whether you meet certain requirements. The visa will be valid for 30 months and you will need to extend it until you complete your route to settlement.

Who can apply for a spouse visa?

You can apply for a spouse visa for the UK if you are:

• Aged 18 years or over
• Married or in a civil partnership with a British citizen or a person that is settled in the UK

What if you are not married?

You can still apply for a spouse visa for the UK if you are not married if you have been living together in a relationship for 2 years.

What are the requirements of a spouse visa?

You will need to show that you meet the following requirements:

• You are in a genuine relationship with your partner
• The minimum income threshold can be met
• You can demonstrate knowledge of the English Language to the necessary level

You may also need to pass a medical test to show that you do not have Tuberculosis.

What happens if the spouse visa application is successful?

You will be granted a spouse visa to live in the UK for 30 months. You can extend this for a further 30 months until you have completed your route to settlement. You can then apply for indefinite leave to remain.

What happens if the spouse visa application is refused?

If your application is refused, you may be able to appeal against the decision in the immigration court. An independent judge will assess whether or not the Home Office’s decision was correct.