UK spouse visa applications

The financial requirement

Meeting the financial requirement and evidencing it are two different exercises. Salaried employment, self-employment, savings and combinations of sources each have their own specified evidence, and the period the evidence has to cover matters as much as the amount.

Relationship and accommodation evidence

Relationship evidence is strongest when it covers the whole history rather than a single moment: cohabitation, correspondence at a shared address, contact during periods apart, and consistency between the accounts given by each partner. Accommodation evidence needs to show the property, the occupancy and the right to live there.

Solicitor-led support for spouse and partner applications

Our work on spouse and partner matters is carried out under the supervision of a solicitor. We review your circumstances, explain the requirements that apply on those facts, set out the evidence the Home Office expects to see, and prepare the application and the written submissions that accompany it. Advice is confirmed in writing so you have a record of the position and of the decisions taken.

Who this page is for

• Couples applying for a partner visa for the first time, from inside or outside the UK
• Applicants extending existing leave as a spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner
• Partners approaching settlement at the end of the partner route
• Sponsors who are self-employed, employed on variable hours, or relying on more than one income source
• Applicants who have had an application refused and want the refusal reviewed before deciding what to do next
• Applicants with children or other dependent family members included in the application

Common application scenarios

• First application made from overseas, with entry to the UK planned around the decision
• Switching into the partner route from another form of leave already held in the UK
• Extension applications where the couple's circumstances have changed since the last grant
• Applications where the sponsor's income has recently changed, or where savings are being relied on
• Applications where the couple have spent periods living apart and the relationship history needs explaining
• Applications where accommodation is shared with family members and occupancy needs evidencing

Eligibility overview

In general terms, partner applications look at the genuineness and durability of the relationship, whether the financial requirement is met and evidenced in the specified form, whether there is adequate accommodation, whether the English language requirement is met, and whether there is anything in the immigration or wider history that needs to be addressed. The detail of how each requirement applies depends entirely on your own circumstances and on the rules in force at the date of application. Nothing on this page is advice on your case, and no assessment of eligibility can be given without a review by a solicitor.

Evidence and document preparation

• A structured list of the documents needed for your particular circumstances
• Review of the documents you already hold, and identification of gaps before submission
• Advice on the periods that financial evidence needs to cover and on the order in which documents are best obtained
• Help presenting relationship history in a clear, consistent and verifiable way
• Written submissions explaining how the evidence provided addresses each requirement
• Advice on timing where a document is not yet available

Areas that most often cause difficulty

Refusals frequently follow from evidence that is incomplete rather than from a relationship or income that is not genuine. Common risk areas include financial evidence that does not cover the required period or is not in the specified format, inconsistencies between the accounts given by each partner, gaps in the relationship history that are not explained, accommodation evidence that does not show occupancy or the right to live at the property, English language evidence obtained from a provider that is not acceptable, and previous immigration history that has not been addressed in the submissions. These are general observations, not a prediction about any individual application.

How we help

• An initial appointment with a solicitor to establish the facts and the route
• Written confirmation of the requirements that apply and the evidence needed
• Preparation of the application, the document bundle and the covering submissions
• A single point of contact at the firm while the matter is open
• Review of any Home Office correspondence or request for further information
• Review of a refusal and advice on the available options and the deadlines that apply to them

How the process works

• 1. Enquiry — you contact the firm by telephone, email or the enquiry form and we confirm whether we can help.
• 2. Advice appointment — a solicitor reviews your circumstances and explains the position and the options.
• 3. Scope and fees agreed in writing — no application work begins before this is confirmed.
• 4. Evidence preparation — we set out what is needed, review what you provide and identify gaps.
• 5. Submission — the application and submissions are checked and approved by a solicitor before they are filed.
• 6. After submission — we deal with correspondence and keep you updated until the matter concludes.

Fees

Fees for spouse and partner work depend on the route, the complexity of the evidence and the stage the matter has reached. We confirm the scope of work and the fees in writing before any application work begins, and we tell you separately about Home Office application fees and any surcharges, which are payable to the Home Office rather than to the firm. Our fees page explains how we price work and what is included.

Important

No solicitor can guarantee the outcome of an immigration application. Decisions are made by the Home Office on the evidence submitted and on the rules in force at the time. This page is general information about the support we provide and is not legal advice. Sending an enquiry does not create a solicitor and client relationship; we will confirm in writing if we are able to act for you.