UK Family Visas: Spouse and Fiancé/Fiancée Visas

What are UK Family Visas?

There are several visa categories for foreign nationals who are getting married to a UK citizen or settled person:

1. UK Spouse and Civil Partner visa
2. UK Visa for unmarried partners, including same-sex partners
3. Fiancé, fiancée and proposed civil partner visa.

There is also a Marriage Visitor visa – a special immigration category designed for those who want to come to the UK and get married or engaged with no plan of staying or settling here. If a UK marriage Visitor visa holder intends to stay in the UK with their spouse, they must apply for a UK spouse visa from outside the country. 

The first two visa categories mentioned above allow you to apply for indefinite leave to remain and UK citizenship in the future.

All you need to know about family visas to the UK

An overview of different UK family visas: application process and requirements

UK Spouse and Civil Partner Visa

You can apply for this visa both from inside and outside the UK. This visa route covers same-sex partners as well.

A UK spouse and civil partner visa will give you an unrestricted right to work and study in the UK.

Eligibility

If you want to apply for a UK spouse and civil partner visa, you must meet the following criteria:

1. Your spouse or partner must be a British citizen or permanent resident.
   The applicant must prove that their husband (or wife or civil partner) has UK citizenship or legal grounds for permanent residence in the UK. Such grounds may be indefinite leave to remain and EU citizenship combined with UK permanent residence status, or EU citizenship combined with a pre-approved residence permit and actual residence until 1 January 2021.Once again, it is the fact that your partner is permanently resident in the UK that matters, rather than whether they have permission to enter and remain in the UK. Therefore, British nationals living abroad can only be considered ‘resident in the UK’ when they return to their home country and stay there.
2. You are in a genuine relationship.
   You need to prove the authenticity of your relationship with your partner. As a minimum, there must be convincing evidence that the couple have spent a lot of time together and that they have known each other for a long time.The British immigration authorities will not consider marriages between British and foreign nationals who have never seen each other in person and who have married remotely. Therefore, together with the marriage registration certificate, prepare:
   • joint photos, preferably not only wedding photos, but also from joint holidays, trips, trips to cafes, etc.;
   • old tickets, travel vouchers, joint hotel bookings – in short, any documentary evidence of the couple’s time together;
   • joint utility or rent bills of the spouses, as well as documents on the joint bank account.
     You’ve probably noticed that in almost all the examples, the proofs are documents. Technological progress is inexorable, but for Home Office it is still important that the couple meet in real life. However, a long correspondence on social media is also seen as evidence of a strong relationship.
3. You are in a marriage or civil partnership recognised in the UK
   The most important thing is that your legally registered marriage or partnership should be recognised in the UK. It is usually sufficient to show the UK immigration authorities a marriage certificate obtained from the relevant authorities in your home country.
   It is somewhat more complicated with a marriage contracted in a religious institution. In order for the UK officials to recognise such a union, it must be concluded in the British Isles in an Anglican church. In all other cases, the couple must additionally hold a civil marriage ceremony, i.e. they must formalise their marital relationship.
4. You have enough income or savings to financially support yourself without relying on public funds
   It can be your or your British spouse’s income, or personal savings.
   The minimum income must now be £29,000 a year and savings must be at least £88,500.
   Income is defined as any funds received on a regular basis by the host (sponsor) and/or visa applicant if the latter is applying from the UK where he/she earns/receives the required amount. This can be wages, business income, pensions, benefits and non-labour income. The savings can belong to either the sponsor or the spouse visa applicant in England.
   Interestingly, for those applicants who were granted a spousal visa before 11 April 2024 and are now applying to extend their immigration status or apply for permanent residence, the old requirements for income (£18,600) and savings (£62,500) apply.
   How can you prove that you or your sponsor has enough money? With the help of documents, of course. For example, such proof can be:
   • bank statement ;
   • reference from the IRS;
   • labour contract;
   • financial records of the company, if the income is generated by the business;
   • a letter from work.
5. The couple must have their own or rented accommodation of adequate quality and size in the United Kingdom.
   It is assumed that you and your partner will have a place to live in the UK and will not need to apply for government assistance. The accommodation can be owned or rented. It must meet the relevant regulations so that the house or flat can comfortably accommodate your partner, you and your children if you are moving to England as a family.
   To clarify the accommodation requirements for your circumstances, please contact our consultants.
6. The spouse visa applicant must have at least a basic knowledge of English.
   The UK officials assess language proficiency using the European classification, where the minimum acceptable level for a foreign spouse or partner is labelled as beginner or A1. You will need to prove your knowledge by taking an English language test.Please note that an entry level A1 is only acceptable when applying for a spousal visa for the first time. If you need to extend your status, the English language requirements will be at A2 level.
7. You and your partner must confirm your intention to continue living together in the UK once your partner’s UK visa has been granted.
   It is important that this intention is demonstrated not only by the applicant but also by the UK host partner. A firm intention to continue living together in the UK partner’s flat or house after obtaining a spouse’s visa is evidenced by letters of commitment. Such letters are drawn up by both overseas and UK resident spouses.
   If a non-UK spouse or partner does not comply with one or several requirements of the Home Office, there will be exceptional circumstances that will allow them to apply for a UK family visa or extend their current visa.

Which are Exceptional Circumstances?

• Your child is a British citizen or has lived in the UK for 7 years and it makes no sense for them to leave the country;
• The denial of the wife’s English visa will result in a move to another country, which could result in significant and insurmountable difficulties for the spouse/partner;
• Barring or forcing you to leave England will be recognised as a breach of your human rights.

If your UK spouse and civil partner visa is refused, immigration advisors at Imperial & Legal can provide legal support and assistance: we will prepare and submit your appeal and represent you in the UK Immigration Tribunal – an independent court responsible for handling this kind of issues.

Information and Documents you Must Provide to Get Your UK Spouse and Civil Partner Visa

1. All your names (in full) 
2. Date of birth
3. Your current passport or another valid ID
4. Copies of the photo page and any visa or entry stamps in your previous passports
5. Your parents’ date of birth and nationality if you’re applying from outside the UK
6. Your criminal record
7. A copy of your biometric residence permit (if you are applying to extend a UK spouse and civil partner visa)
8. Your national insurance number (if you are applying to extend your visa)
9. Details of any previous immigration applications you have made
10.  Your tuberculosis test results (for citizens of some countries).

You must provide a certified translation of any document that is not in English. The best you can do to save yourself time and effort is to book a consultation with experienced immigration advisors who will prepare all necessary documents and cover letters, help you gather evidence, fill in all necessary forms and submit an application for a UK spouse and civil partner visa on your behalf in full compliance with the Home Office requirements.

Duration of UK Family Visas

A UK spouse and Civil Partner visa is issued for 2.5 years if you apply from inside the UK and for 2 years and 9 months if you apply from outside of the country; it is subject to extension. If you want to extend your visa, you must apply before your current visa expires, but not earlier than 28 days before the expiry date.

UK Visa for Unmarried Partners

The Home Office considers a relationship outside of marriage just as important as a matrimonial one.

Eligibility for a UK Visa for Unmarried or Same-Sex Partners

Home Office requirements for an applicant of a UK visa for unmarried or same-sex partners and their British partner (including a same-sex partner) are similar to those for applicants of a UK spouse and civil partner visa:

1. One of the partners must be a British citizen or settled person
2. To fall under the definition of “unmarried partners”, you have to prove that you have been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years at the same address by providing utility bills you have been paying together, confirming letters from relevant authorities, etc. 
3. The partner who is a UK citizen or settled person and is acting as a sponsor must have sufficient income to support both of you without relying on public funds
4. You must pass at least level A1 English test on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale  
5. Both of you plan to stay together in the UK once the UK family visa is granted.

UK Fiancé, Fiancée and Proposed Civil Partner Visa

This immigration category is designed for fiancés, fiancées and same-sex proposed partners who are going to marry a British citizen or settled person.

A UK fiancé, fiancée and proposed civil partner visa is issued for six months, and you can only apply for it from your home country. During the six months, the partners must get married and apply for a UK spouse and civil partner visa from inside the country.

You cannot run a business or get a job in the UK under this visa route.

Eligibility for UK Fiancé, Fiancée and Proposed Civil Partner Visa

1. Partners must know each other and be 18 or over.
2. The UK partner must be a British citizen or settled person and must live permanently in the UK.
3. Partners are not currently married to anyone else and any previous marriage or civil partnership has ended.
4. You plan to marry or register a civil partnership within 6 months of arriving in the UK.
5. The UK partner must have enough savings or income to support both of you.
6. An applicant for a UK fiancé, fiancée and proposed civil partner visa must be in good health, have a clean criminal record and pass at least level A1 English test on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.

How much money will it take to apply for a spouse or fiancé/fiancée visa to England?

For your convenience, we have made a comparative table with the costs of obtaining visas of these categories:

Foreign spouses will also need to pay for medical care for the duration of the visa:

• £2,587.5 – if the visa is for 30 months;
• £3,105 – if the visa is for 33 months.

UK Marriage Visitor Visa

This immigration category is not a type of a UK family visa; a UK Marriage Visitor visa is a subcategory of a UK Standard Visitor visa, designed for those who plan to get married in the UK but have no intention to stay in the country.

A UK Marriage Visitor visa is issued for six months and cannot be extended. You cannot study, work, run a business or get public funds and benefits in the UK under this visa route.

A UK Fiancé/Fiancée visa allows you to get married to a British citizen and apply for a UK spouse/civil partner visa from inside the country. A UK spouse and partner visa allows you to stay, work and study in the UK, and in several years, you can apply for indefinite leave to remain and subsequently UK citizenship. Immigration advisors at Imperial & Legal will make sure your UK family visa is not refused.

Vasily Kluev

Client Service Director, Immigration Adviser (OISC)

UK Indefinite Leave to Remain

To become eligible for UK indefinite leave to remain (ILR), or settlement, you need to live in the UK for five years without any considerable periods of absence as a spouse/partner of a British citizen or settled person. The period you stayed in the UK as a fiancé/fiancée is not included. You also need to meet the following criteria:

• Spouses/partners have to prove to the Home Office their intention to remain together.
• The couple meets financial and accommodation requirements and is not going to rely on public funds.
• The applicant for ILR must pass at least the level B1 English test on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale and the Life in the UK test.

UK citizenship and passport

A UK settled person has almost the same rights and freedoms as a British national. But if you need a British passport – for example, for travelling – you do not have to wait for 12 months and can apply for British citizenship straight after obtaining ILR. You must comply with the following criteria:

1. You are still married to a UK citizen and live together;
2. In the 3 years before applying for citizenship you cannot spend more than 270 days outside the UK and more than 90 days in the last year;
3. You have no criminal or administrative offence record, and you have not violated immigration rules;
4. You must pass at least level B1 English test on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale or confirm studying for your degree in the English language;
5. You must pass the Life in the UK test.

Getting a UK Family Visa with Imperial & Legal

If you plan to get a UK family visa, get married in the UK or relocate to the UK to join your spouse, book a consultation with our immigration advisors to take all the hassle out of the process of getting a UK visa and to make sure that your celebrations are not ruined by a visa refusal.

Experienced regulated immigration advisors at Imperial & Legal can offer high-quality legal assistance to those who plan to get a UK Marriage Visitor visa, a UK Fiancé, Fiancée and Proposed Civil Partner visa, or a UK spouse and Civil Partner visa. Contact us right now to begin the preparation of your application. Here is a timeline for a UK family visa application: it only consists of three steps.

Advantages of Applying for a UK Family Visa with Imperial & Legal

• You will be advised by licensed immigration attorneys with a vast experience of success;
• Before submitting an application, we conduct a thorough risk analysis to minimise the likelihood of rejection;
• We take on a significant part of the work of sourcing the necessary documents, certificates and letters required for a family visa;
• We provide professional translation of supporting documents;
• Our experts even take care of filling out the official visa application form to eliminate the possibility of error and rejection;
• The lawyers at Imperial & Legal provide reliable legal support at every stage of the visa application process.

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