Mandeep Khroud
Partner
Spouse Visa Solicitors
If you’re living permanently in the UK and your spouse or partner wants to join you, they may need a spouse visa. This visa allows non-British nationals to live and work in the UK for five years, until they can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. They can also switch to this visa from inside the UK if eligible.
We help couples in the UK and overseas who want to live here permanently. Spouse visa applications can be complex and require evidence that your relationship is genuine, the financial requirement is met, and all other criteria are satisfied.
Our immigration specialists will advise you on the documents you need and support you through the process. If the Home Office unfairly refuses your application, we can help you appeal the decision.
Whether you’re applying from within the UK or abroad, our solicitors can guide you every step of the way. Contact our team to discuss how we can help.
Who is eligible for a UK spouse visa?
For your partner to be eligible for a spouse visa, you’ll need to prove that:
- You’re allowed to live in the UK permanently – you’ll need to prove that you’re a British citizen, have Indefinite Leave to Remain, or refugee status
- You earn at least £29,000 a year or you or your partner have cash savings of at least £88,500 – you can do this by using payslips or any savings you have
- Your partner can speak English – they can prove this by doing an English language test accepted by the Home Office, or if they have a university degree taught in English, or they’re a citizen of a country where English is the main language
- You’re married or in a civil partnership – you can also prove you have lived together for at least two years as unmarried partners, or in some cases, you may be able to prove that your relationship is similar to a marriage with no or limited cohabitation
- You’re in a genuine relationship – you’ll need to give evidence to support that your relationship is genuine
- You have somewhere to live – if you’re renting a property, you’ll need to get written permission from your landlord that you can both live in the property. If you own the property, or a family member does, different types of documents are needed in order to meet this requirement.
If you’re not married or in a civil partnership, you may be able to apply for a fiancé visa or an unmarried partner visa. We can advise on which visa will suit your particular situation.
Why choose Irwin Mitchell to help you obtain a spouse visa?
Our immigration team have decades of experience in helping couples and families live together in the UK. You’ll get practical advice that relates to yours and your partner’s situation. We’re always available to answer any questions and help you with any concerns that you might have along the way.
Where couples are living apart, we understand that you want to be together as soon as possible. This is why we work efficiently to prepare your application. If you have children who are also non-British nationals, we’ll make sure your application includes them so that they can also join you in the UK too.
By helping many couples with spouse visas we know exactly what the Home Office expects from these types of applications. We can make sure that your application is organised professionally and in a format that the Home Office prefers. If the Home Office rejects your application unfairly, we can also help you to appeal their decision as quickly as possible.
We know that Brexit is still causing a lot of uncertainty for EU nationals wanting to live in the UK. If your partner is an EU national, and has started living here before 01 January 2021, they may be able to apply under the EU Settlement Scheme. If they arrived after, we can provide tailored advice on what options you have to make sure that you can stay together in the UK.
For a private chat about you and your situation, please contact our immigration lawyers today.
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We have the largest private client team in the UK; our team of experts are here to provide discreet legal advice to support you and your family.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Making an enquiry
We have several ways you can contact us, either by completing our online contact form, by phone, or using our live chat. If you start your journey online, here are the first steps to working together.
Complete our online formWe need a few details to understand your situation and the kind of support you need.
We’ll contact you by phoneOn the call our experts will ask you a few more questions to make sure we connect you with the right legal advice from our team.
We arrange a full appointmentIf we’re able to support you further, the next step is an appointment with one of our specialists so we can discuss everything in more detail.