A spouse visa lets you live in the UK with your husband or wife if they are a British or Irish citizen or settled here. It is granted for two years and nine months, extended for two years and six months, and leads to settlement after five years.

Who qualifies

You are both 18 or over and your marriage is recognised in UK law.
Your partner is British or Irish, has indefinite leave to remain or settled status, has pre-settled status and was living in the UK before 1 January 2021, or has refugee or humanitarian protection status.
Your relationship is genuine and continuing and you intend to live together permanently in the UK.
You meet the financial requirement: £29,000 a year combined income, or savings, or both.
You can speak English at CEFR level A1 (a test from an approved provider or a degree taught in English), unless exempt.
You have somewhere adequate to live without public funds.

Documents the Home Office expects

Marriage certificate, and proof any previous marriages have ended.
Evidence of a genuine relationship: cohabitation documents over the relationship, correspondence, photographs with context, travel records and statements from both of you.
Financial evidence in the exact form Appendix FM-SE requires: payslips, bank statements and an employer letter for salaried income; accounts and tax returns for self-employment; bank statements for savings held for six months.
English test certificate or degree evidence.
Accommodation evidence: tenancy or ownership documents and, where the property is shared, a property inspection report.
Passports and TB certificate where your country requires one.

Most refusals are for evidence in the wrong form rather than for failing the rule itself. We check every document against the rule before submission.

This is not a complete list. What you need depends on your circumstances, and the documents vary from case to case. Your solicitor will tell you exactly what applies to you.

Applying from inside or outside the UK

Wherever you are, the application can be made through us as your legal representatives in the UK. We prepare and submit the application online, upload the evidence, deal with the Home Office on your behalf and keep you informed, so you do not need to be in Manchester or even in the UK to instruct us.

From outside the UK the application is for entry clearance; decisions usually take 12 weeks. From inside the UK you can switch from most visas, but not from a visit visa or with less than six months' leave in most categories; decisions usually take 8 weeks where the requirements are met.

If you are refused

Partner refusals carry a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal on human rights grounds. We advise on whether to appeal, reapply or both; see visa refusals and appeals.

After the visa

Apply to extend before your leave expires, then for settlement as a spouse after five years. If your relationship breaks down because of domestic abuse, a separate route to settlement exists; see ILR for victims of domestic abuse.

Fees and costs

Home Office figures correct on 13 October 2026; they change, usually in April, and we confirm them when we advise you.

Application fee: £2,064 from outside the UK, £1,407 from inside the UK.
Immigration health surcharge: £1,035 a year for an adult, paid for the whole period of the visa.
Our fixed fee: £1,500 for a spouse, partner or fiancé visa application for one applicant. This is our professional fee; the Home Office fee and health surcharge are paid on top, and where VAT applies it is charged on our fee. For additional applicants, such as children, we assess the case and can arrange a fixed fee. See our fees.

Ask a question

If you are not sure which route applies, ask a solicitor and we will reply by phone or email. For an open discussion with other applicants, see ukspousevisa.co.uk, our separate site about partner visas.

Spouse visa