Planning to Join Your Partner in the UK? Here’s What You Need to Know

Are you looking for ways to bring your partner or spouse to the UK? Well, this article has everything you need to know. Dating a partner from another country invariably adds one or two complicated issues to any love story. One of these invariably includes dealing with the complicated British immigration laws, coupled with the duration and purpose of the partner’s travel to the UK. This would greatly influence the relevant visa avenue to take. The spouse visa UK is ideal for couples who want to get settled in the UK. The initial visa will be issued for 2 years and 9 months (in which there will be a 90-day period for moving to the UK) and again you may leave and re-enter at the end of this period. You can extend your stay in the UK for a further 2 and a half years by applying for an extension once your initial period has expired. The UK spouse visa settlement also offers you the opportunity for settlement since you will be qualified to apply for ILR (indefinite leave to remain) in the UK after a total of five years there.

Requirements for a UK Spouse Visa 

The spouse or partner visa can only be obtained by people who fall under these categories: 

• Both you and your partner must be 18 years or above
• Your partner must either be an Irish citizen or a British citizen, or must have ILR, settled status, or must have pre-settled status if they are EU, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, or Liechtenstein nationals and were living in the UK before January 1, 2021
• You must be married to, or have been cohabiting for at least two years with, an eligible person.on

• You must be sure the British citizen (your partner) meets the financial requirements; 
• You must fulfill the English language requirement. 

What are the Financial Requirements for a UK spouse visa?

If both the applicant and the partner are British citizens living in the UK, this requirement can be met by either of the partners separately or by both jointly. If the British citizen is resident abroad, then the earnings requirement must be met by them alone. If cash savings are used to meet the requirements, those can be held jointly or separately.

In essence, you must meet one or other of the following financial categories:

• At least £29,000 together in combined gross annual income with your partner.
• Cash savings totaling £88,500.
• Cash savings plus income, in some cases.

What are the Language Criteria for a UK Spouse Visa? 

You will need to demonstrate your knowledge of English as a language. This can be shown by presenting an academic qualification, researched or taught in English. If your qualification is obtained from outside the UK, a certificate from Ecctis will be required to show that your qualification is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in the UK and was taught in English. You can take a test to prove your knowledge of the English language. You must pass a minimum A1 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale for your initial spouse visa application. However, you can take a test at a higher level. If successful in achieving level B1 or higher, the IELTS score will be reused for an extension application.

Obtain a UK visa for unmarried partners.

If you are in a committed long-term relationship of at least two years and unmarried, you may apply for a spouse or partner visa. You need to meet the following requirements to apply for an unmarried partner settlement visa:

• They must show that you have been in a relationship for two years. 
• They must maintain themselves, as well as any dependents, without relying on public funds. 
• Intention to reside with the partner permanently.

How Much Does it Cost to Apply for a UK Spouse Visa? 

The application fee for a spouse visa is 1,84s. You also need to pay an amount of 1,035 pounds towards the immigration health surcharge (IHS) for each year of the validity of your visa. Other costs include a biometric fee of £19.20. The super priority service charge will be an additional £1,000 if you want to receive a decision by the end of the next working day. You may also need to pay additional costs as part of your spouse visa UK fees. 

UK Spouse Visa Extension 

In terms of your spouse visa extension, you can apply to extend your spouse visa only 28 days before its expiration. You must remember that just because you received an initial visa doesn’t mean you’ll automatically receive an extension. Some of the same eligibility criteria that you met when you applied for the initial spouse visa must be met again for a UK spouse visa extension. The English language requirement, however, is based on the assumption that your language proficiency will have improved after living for two and a half years in the United Kingdom. If you made a standard application, you can expect your spouse visa UK processing time to be around 12 weeks. There is a speedy service that promises to deliver a decision about your UK spouse visa extension in 24 hours. 

Genuine Relationship Requirement 

• You will need to demonstrate that your relationship meets one of the following conditions: 
• Marriage or civil partnership recognized by UK law
• Living together in a committed relationship for 2 years or more 
• Get married in the UK or enter into a civil partnership here within 6 months of entering the UK. 

Most importantly, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) expects that you are in a bona fide relationship and are living together. Hence, they are always watchful of any surreptitious marriages or relationships, where applicants falsely declare to be in an eligible relationship when indeed they are not. 

Conclusion 

You can visit the official UK government website to fill out your application form and submit the form along with the required documents. Make sure you meet all requirements including accommodation requirements.