UK Citizens/ permanent residents can be guaranteed to stay long-term or settle in the UK. Your spouse who is not a UK citizen must apply for a UK Spouse visa to legally enter the UK. You can stay for 33 months (30 months if you apply for a visa within the UK) and extend for another 30 months and apply for permanent residence when eligible.
>> The conditions, required documents and processing time are summarized below:
Table of Contents
What is the UK Spouse visa?
UK Spouse visa is the UK Immigrant visa. This visa allows people to immigrate and live with their UK spouse for 33 months ( 2 years 9 months) if applying outside the UK.
After this time, the eligible spouse can extend for another 30 months (equivalent to 2 years and 6 months). While living in the UK, you can apply for an Indefinite leave to remain card (ILR) and eventually apply for British citizenship.
There are two ways to apply for a UK Spouse visa:
- Submit the visa application within the United Kingdom.
- Submit the visa application outside the United Kingdom.
>> Nhi Gia will instruct you on how to submit the application (depending on each case).
Conditions to apply for the UK Spouse visa
The conditions to apply for the UK Spouse visa:
- Both must be 18 years or older
- The applicant and sponsor must intend to live together permanently in the UK after applying
- Married to a spouse who is a UK citizen (or UK resident)
- It is necessary for both parties to meet in person at least once before submitting the application
- Or have lived together in a relationship for the past 2 years and can prove it
- Or hold a UK fiancé/fiancée visa and will get married within 6 months before the visa expires
- Proof of satisfactory English proficiency
- Prove the financial ability of the couple to meet the minimum prescribed level
- Proof that you have a qualified accommodation arrangement to live in the UK.
The visa application - Updated 2023
To ensure a successful application for a UK spouse visa, applicants need to have the following documents:
- Marriage Certificate
- Passport valid for at least 6 months (submit with the old passport - if any)
- Certificate of English at A1 level or higher (visa extension requires A2 level)
- Proof of standard UK accommodation for both (rental agreement, utility bill, etc.)
- Proof of the relationship is real, such as travel photos together, rental agreement together, bill of money transfer/gift to each other, etc.
- Proof of income for one or both with a minimum income threshold of £18,600/year
- Proof of being married to a UK citizen/settler (can send a copy of the UK citizen spouse's passport).
Notice: If all the documents are not written in English, these documents must be notarized and translated. The documents have to be format required by the Home Office.
The fees to apply for the UK Spouse visa
The UK marriage visa application fee is as follows:
- Apply from outside the UK: £1,538/application
- Apply from within the UK: £1,048/application
During the procedure, the applicant must pay other related fees: Notarized translation fee, Immigration Medical Surcharge (NHS) of £624 per year (for all Spouse visa applicants), Application processing fee, etc.
>> To know exactly all the fees, contact [+84] 1900 6654 - [+84] 906 736 788!
How long does the processing time take?
The minimum processing time for a spouse visa application is approximately 6 months when submitting from outside the UK (minimum 2 months when submitting within the UK). However, the processing time for UK visa marriage may vary depending on the application, and documents provided as well as depending on the country where the applicant is registered.
To get the complimentary consultation
This visa application is quite complicated so it is difficult for people who don’t have any experience. From there, UK immigration specialists tend to encourage the clients to get advice - instruction from prestigious and experienced agencies.
The clients can contact Nhi Gia directly to get the complimentary consultation. The contact information is below:
- Hotline: [+84] 1900 6654 - [+84] 906 736 788
- Email: info@nhigia.vn
- Address: 186-188 Nguyen Duy, Ward 09, District 08, HCMC
Nhi Gia can support the clients for each case. Including:
- Complimentary consultation about the conditions of the UK Spouse visa.
- Evaluate the pass rate of the visa base on the documents
- On behalf of the client to complete the visa application and related processes and procedures
- Monitor the progress of the application, supplement and update new information from the Consulate
- Support customers with other services: Notarized translation, Air ticket booking, Visa extension, Immigration procedures, and some services on demand.
>> Contact Nhi Gia to get support from the experts!
Q&A
What documents prove the genuine relationship?
When applying for the UK Spouse visa, the applicants and the guarantors must prove their relationship. Some documents need to be proved:
- Mortgage / joint tenancy agreement
- Birth certificate of common child
- Pictures of time spent together often
- Bank account or joint savings
- Text messages or social media chat logs
- Travel documents proving that both of them visited each other at least once before getting married
- Documents prove the two intend to live together in the UK.
What are the financial requirements for a spouse visa?
The applicant and sponsor must demonstrate a minimum income of £18,600/year, pre-tax income if there are no dependent children. If you have dependent children, proof of an income of £22,400/year is required to meet the requirement.
Some income can be used to prove finances when applying for a visa:
- Savings of more than £16,000
- Income from employment or self-employment
- Pension or other income such as (rent, shares, etc.)
Can I be exempted from checking my English level?
To live permanently in the UK with your spouse, you will need to prove you can speak English. And pass the English proficiency test by at least A1.
Applicants are only exempted from testing and proving their English proficiency if: you are a citizen of one of the English-speaking countries; you are over 65 years of age, you have an unsatisfactory physical or mental condition,...
What are the requirements when applying for a UK Spouse visa?
The applicant must prove that the accommodation must meet the standard of living for both. Including dependent applicants (if any) while living in the UK. The Department of Home Affairs will ask the applicant to provide documents to prove such as
- Description of the house where you plan to live together.
- Proof of having enough rooms to live in, and being able to afford accommodation for the whole family.
What notice when applying for a UK spouse visa?
If the Department of Home Affairs is not accepted, the applicant should not come to the United Kingdom. The procedure to apply for the UK Spouse visa starts when the applicants register at the FM Appendix online and other forms.
The applicants must come to the Visa Application Center to provide their biometrics (follow the procedure). During the processing time, the Ministry of Home Affairs might invite you to the interview. This interview is to provide and confirm the information. This will help the Ministry of Home Affairs evaluate the accuracy of the relationship between the applicant and the guarantor.
If you prepare the required documents carefully, the approval time will be fast and the visa pass rate is high.
Can the UK Spouse visa be extended?
Yes! The applicant can extend the UK Spouse visa for 2 years and 6 months. However, you must be eligible for all the conditions and must extend before the visa expires.
After 5 years of living in the United Kingdom, the applicant can apply to adjust the Indefinite leave to remain (ILR). To know how to extend the visa, look for the information at https://nhigia.vn/en or contact Nhi Gia through the hotline: [+84] 1900 6654 to get the complimentary consultation!
