Spouse Visa UK Requirements 2020

Do I meet the Spouse Visa Requirements (UK 2020)?

If you want to apply for a spouse visa, we can help you to understand how you can fulfil all of the spouse visa UK requirements and get you on the right track to live in the UK together with your partner.

Get in touch today for expert help and advice from our immigration solicitors.

What is a UK Spouse Visa?

A UK Spouse Visa is a particular type of visa that will allow you to join your partner in the UK if they are a British citizen of if they are already settled in the UK. If you are from a country outside of the European Economic Area and you are in a genuine relationship or civil partnership, then you may be able to take advantage of this visa.

When you apply for your spouse visa from outside the UK you will be granted permission to stay in the UK for up to 33 months.

After you have lived in the UK for these 33 months, you can then apply for a 30 month extension.

If you apply from within the UK you will be granted permission to stay 30 months, after which you can also apply for a further 30 months extension. If you are granted a spouse visa extension, then afterwards you can apply to settle in the UK indefinitely.

What are the Spouse Visa UK Requirements?

There are a number of different requirements that you must be able to prove in order to be granted with a spouse or partner visa.

These requirements include:

• Being able to pass a test that will confirm the genuine nature of the relationship between you and your partner
• Being able to provide evidence that you will be living together in acceptable accommodation
• Reaching the minimum income requirement
• Being able to prove that you can speak, read and write to an acceptable level of English

The extremely high levels of applications that the Home Office receives for this kind of UK spouse settlement visa means that they are very strict on the individuals that they accept for spouse visas, and they will scrutinise your application very carefully to make sure that you are in a genuine relationship. A high number of these applications are refused and then many couples have to go to appeal in order to be able to stay together.

To ensure your visa application is as strong as it can be, you will benefit from the support of an expert immigration solicitor. At Cartwright King, our immigration solicitors will help you assess your chances of success, help you collect all the relevant evidence and complete and submit your application on your behalf.

The Minimum Income Requirement

The main issue for many couples who are wishing to enter or continue to live in the UK under a spouse visa is the minimum income requirement. Since 2012, around 25% of applicants have been refused visas due to them failing to prove that they meet the criteria that demands that the spouse who the visa applicant is reliant upon must earn a minimum of £18, 600 per year. They are allowed to meet this threshold through either salaried employment, self-employment or savings.

Failing to meet the English language requirements is another cause for a large number of rejections. Our solicitors can help you understand these language requirements and help you set out steps to take in order to meet these spouse visa requirements before you proceed with your visa application.

You may at this stage not meet the spouse visa requirements, which will likely cause your application to be rejected. Our solicitors can help you assess the best route to take, as you may benefit from initially applying for another, temporary visa, whilst you proceed to work towards meeting the spouse visa requirements in the near future.

What Documents Will You Need To Provide?

To get permission to stay in the UK on a spouse visa, you must provide documents to prove that you can meet the financial requirements. These can include:

• Income evidence from employment or self-employment, such as payslips or tax returns
• Non-employment income, such as from property rentals, investments, and stocks or shares
• Proof of a pension that you or your partner receives. This can be either a state pension – UK or foreign – or a private pension.
• Any maternity allowance or bereavement benefits that you or your partner receive in the UK.

Is It Possible For Me To Apply For An Extension For This Visa?

Once you are in possession of a spouse visa, you can apply for an extension online at any time before your current spouse visa expires. The standard cost of applying for a spouse visa extension is £1,033, and you must also pay the handling fee for your biometric information. There is a chance that you may also be liable to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, but you will consequently have access to the NHS for your time in the UK. If you are on a low income, there might be some other options available to help you with these costs.

Do You Meet the UK Spouse Visa Requirements? Get Started

If you believe you meet the spouse visa requirements, and you want to get started with your spouse visa application with the added benefit of our immigration knowledge and experience, then get in touch.

Here at Cartwright King, we have a vast amount of experience with successful spouse visa applications. We can help you to make sure that you fulfil all of the requirements and get your application approved as efficiently as possible.

Contact us today to take the first steps to life in the UK.