UK Spouse Visa
Commonly known as UK marriage visa, a spouse visa allows married partners of UK citizens to come, live and work in the UK
We understand that spouse Visa applications can be complex and using the services of an immigration expert are highly recommended. We pride ourselves on being approachable and proactive in understanding and meeting our clients’ needs. You will need to ensure that you meet all of the mandatory requirements before you apply. You will need to complete the relevant forms and collate your evidence for submission. This will need to be extensive and prove that your relationship is genuine.
UK Spouse Visa application requirements:
To qualify for a UK spouse / marriage visa you must satisfy the following UK Visas and Immigration requirements:
You can apply for a UK Spouse Visa if you are:
You can submit an application from outside or within the United Kingdom depending on your circumstances.
How can you meet financial requirements for the spouse visa:
The minimum income of £18,600 before tax is required to meet the spouse visa financial requirement if there are no dependent children. If you have one dependent child, you will need an income of £22,400 before tax to meet the financial requirement. For any other children, the sponsor will need an extra £2,400 for each subsequent child.
You and your partner can use:
Can you use income from benefits to meet spouse visa financial requirement?
Where your partner is in receipt of any of the following benefits or allowances in the UK, you will be able to meet the financial requirement by providing evidence of “adequate maintenance” rather than meeting an income threshold:
If you have already joined your spouse or partner in the UK, you may apply to switch to a spouse visa or a partner visa from a different immigration category. You will not be allowed to switch categories if you are here as a visitor on temporary admission if permission to stay was given for a period of less than 6 months (unless that leave was specifically as a fiancée or proposed civil partner on the relevant visa), or you are in breach of the Immigration Rules (a period of overstaying of less than 28 days will not be taken into account).
Duration and conditions of spouse visa:
If the you meet the requirements you will be granted spouse visa for a period not exceeding 33 months and subject to a condition of no recourse to public funds. After a 5-year period you can apply for settlement, commonly known as Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK.
Priority and super priority visa service
Our Immigration Services include specialist 24-hour visa service with UKVI, Home Office, UK Passport Office or UKVCAS. We can prepare and submit your application to the UKVCAS service point by accompanying you and get a decision within 24 hours on your application by guiding you at each step from enrolment of your biometrics to liaising with the Home Office Immigration Caseworker in achieving the desired result in one day.
We can arrange an appointment for earliest available date which will be within 6 weeks from the time you instruct us. We also provide assistance with the Home Office priority and super priority service to obtain a decision on your application in matter of few days for the applications submitted from outside the United Kingdom.
Child Visa: Bringing your child to the UK
The dependent child visa category is for the parents who are British Citizens currently living abroad and would like to bring your child with you to the UK, or you are already in the UK with limited or have settled status (indefinite leave to remain) in the UK or granted a refugee status and wish for your children to join you.
The rules are different depending on whether you, as a parent, have been granted limited leave, or indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
We understand that UK dependent child visa application can be complex and using the services of an immigration expert are highly recommended. We pride ourselves on being approachable and proactive in understanding and meeting our clients’ needs. You will need to ensure that you meet all of the mandatory requirements before you apply. You will need to complete the relevant forms and collate your evidence for submission. This will need to be extensive and prove that your relationship is genuine.
UK dependent child visa for indefinite leave application requirements:
Where both parents are British or have settled status (or where the British or settled parent has sole responsibility for the child), the application must be made under Immigration Rules, Part 8, paras 297–298.
To qualify for a UK dependent child visa, you must satisfy the following UK Visas and Immigration requirements:
Who can apply for UK dependent child visa:
You can apply for a UK dependent child visa if:
How can you apply for UK dependent child visa:
UK dependent child visa application requirements for limited leave: Entry Clearance
If you, as a parent, have or are applying for limited leave to remain in the UK, the entry clearance requirements for your child are as follows:
How can you prove Sole Responsibility for the child’s upbringing:
One of the requirements for entrance to the UK as a child of a parent, is that the applicant must show that the parent inviting the child has sole responsibility for the child’s upbringing.
Where the UK-based parent is already in the UK, but their child remains in the country of origin with the other parent, relatives or friends. In the circumstances it is likely that day-to-day responsibility (or decision making) for the child’s welfare may necessarily be shared with others (such as relatives or friends) because of the geographical separation between the parent and child; that, however, does not prevent the parent having sole responsibility within the meaning of the Immigration Rules. The test is not whether anyone else has day-to-day responsibility, but whether the parent has continuing control and direction of the child’s upbringing including making all the important decisions in the child’s life.
In order to prove that and to make a successful application, which can be evidenced the parent needs to demonstrate financial and emotional support, ongoing communications, the delegation of duties and if there are serious and compelling reasons, why the exclusion of the child is undesirable.
What happens if your dependent child visa application is refused:
At ILS, team of our immigration law specialists’ can advise you on the merits of making a fresh application and/or challenging the decision by way of an appeal to the Immigration Tribunal.
Commonly known as UK marriage visa, a spouse visa allows married partners of UK citizens to come, live and work in the UK
We understand that spouse Visa applications can be complex and using the services of an immigration expert are highly recommended. We pride ourselves on being approachable and proactive in understanding and meeting our clients’ needs. You will need to ensure that you meet all of the mandatory requirements before you apply. You will need to complete the relevant forms and collate your evidence for submission. This will need to be extensive and prove that your relationship is genuine.
UK Spouse Visa application requirements:
To qualify for a UK spouse / marriage visa you must satisfy the following UK Visas and Immigration requirements:
- you have met in person
- are in a genuine and subsisting relationship with your sponsor partner
- intend to live together permanently in the UK with your partner
- your partner can provide specified evidence of a specified gross annual income of at least—£18,600 and have suitable accommodation
- that you meet the English Language requirement
You can apply for a UK Spouse Visa if you are:
- Aged 18 years or over
- Married or in a civil partnership that is recognised by the UK
- Married to a British citizen or UK settled person or a person with refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK
- You have been living together in a relationship for the past 2 years and you can prove it
- You are engaged, or you hold a Fiancé Visa UK and will get married within 6 months of being in the UK
You can submit an application from outside or within the United Kingdom depending on your circumstances.
How can you meet financial requirements for the spouse visa:
The minimum income of £18,600 before tax is required to meet the spouse visa financial requirement if there are no dependent children. If you have one dependent child, you will need an income of £22,400 before tax to meet the financial requirement. For any other children, the sponsor will need an extra £2,400 for each subsequent child.
You and your partner can use:
- Salaried or non-salaried income from employment before tax
- Income from self-employment or as a director of a limited company in the UK
- Cash savings above £16,000
- Money from a pension
- Non-work income, for example from property rentals or dividends
Can you use income from benefits to meet spouse visa financial requirement?
Where your partner is in receipt of any of the following benefits or allowances in the UK, you will be able to meet the financial requirement by providing evidence of “adequate maintenance” rather than meeting an income threshold:
- Carer’s Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
- Attendance Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment
- Armed Forces Independence Payment or Guaranteed Income Payment
- Constant Attendance Allowance, Mobility Supplement or War Disablement Pension
- Police Injury Pension
If you have already joined your spouse or partner in the UK, you may apply to switch to a spouse visa or a partner visa from a different immigration category. You will not be allowed to switch categories if you are here as a visitor on temporary admission if permission to stay was given for a period of less than 6 months (unless that leave was specifically as a fiancée or proposed civil partner on the relevant visa), or you are in breach of the Immigration Rules (a period of overstaying of less than 28 days will not be taken into account).
Duration and conditions of spouse visa:
If the you meet the requirements you will be granted spouse visa for a period not exceeding 33 months and subject to a condition of no recourse to public funds. After a 5-year period you can apply for settlement, commonly known as Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK.
Priority and super priority visa service
Our Immigration Services include specialist 24-hour visa service with UKVI, Home Office, UK Passport Office or UKVCAS. We can prepare and submit your application to the UKVCAS service point by accompanying you and get a decision within 24 hours on your application by guiding you at each step from enrolment of your biometrics to liaising with the Home Office Immigration Caseworker in achieving the desired result in one day.
We can arrange an appointment for earliest available date which will be within 6 weeks from the time you instruct us. We also provide assistance with the Home Office priority and super priority service to obtain a decision on your application in matter of few days for the applications submitted from outside the United Kingdom.
Child Visa: Bringing your child to the UK
The dependent child visa category is for the parents who are British Citizens currently living abroad and would like to bring your child with you to the UK, or you are already in the UK with limited or have settled status (indefinite leave to remain) in the UK or granted a refugee status and wish for your children to join you.
The rules are different depending on whether you, as a parent, have been granted limited leave, or indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
We understand that UK dependent child visa application can be complex and using the services of an immigration expert are highly recommended. We pride ourselves on being approachable and proactive in understanding and meeting our clients’ needs. You will need to ensure that you meet all of the mandatory requirements before you apply. You will need to complete the relevant forms and collate your evidence for submission. This will need to be extensive and prove that your relationship is genuine.
UK dependent child visa for indefinite leave application requirements:
Where both parents are British or have settled status (or where the British or settled parent has sole responsibility for the child), the application must be made under Immigration Rules, Part 8, paras 297–298.
To qualify for a UK dependent child visa, you must satisfy the following UK Visas and Immigration requirements:
- Both parents are present and settled in the UK or are being admitted on the same occasion for settlement
- One parent is present and settled in the UK and the other is being admitted on the same occasion for settlement
- One parent is present and settled in the UK or being admitted on the same occasion for settlement and the other parent is dead
- One parent is present and settled in the UK or being admitted on the same occasion for settlement and has had sole responsibility for the child's upbringing, or
- One parent or a relative is present and settled in the UK or is being admitted on the same occasion for settlement, there are serious and compelling family or other considerations which make exclusion of the child undesirable, and suitable arrangements have been made for the child's care
Who can apply for UK dependent child visa:
You can apply for a UK dependent child visa if:
- the child is under the age of 18 at the date of application and is not leading an independent life
- the child is unmarried and not a civil partner
- the child has not formed an independent family unit
- the child is can, and will, be accommodated adequately by the parent, parents or relative the child is seeking to join (without recourse to public funds) in accommodation which the parent, parents or relative the child is seeking to join, owns or occupies exclusively
- the child is does not fall for refusal under the general grounds for refusal, and
- the child is not the child of a parent in a polygamous marriage or civil partnership, whose parent's application for settlement would be refused
How can you apply for UK dependent child visa:
- You can submit an application from outside the United Kingdom
UK dependent child visa application requirements for limited leave: Entry Clearance
If you, as a parent, have or are applying for limited leave to remain in the UK, the entry clearance requirements for your child are as follows:
- The child must be under the age of 18 at the date of application;
- The child must not be married or in a civil partnership;
- The child must not have formed an independent family unit;
- The child must not be leading an independent life; and
- Either your current partner is the child’s other parent, or you have had and continue to have sole responsibility for the child’s upbringing.
How can you prove Sole Responsibility for the child’s upbringing:
One of the requirements for entrance to the UK as a child of a parent, is that the applicant must show that the parent inviting the child has sole responsibility for the child’s upbringing.
Where the UK-based parent is already in the UK, but their child remains in the country of origin with the other parent, relatives or friends. In the circumstances it is likely that day-to-day responsibility (or decision making) for the child’s welfare may necessarily be shared with others (such as relatives or friends) because of the geographical separation between the parent and child; that, however, does not prevent the parent having sole responsibility within the meaning of the Immigration Rules. The test is not whether anyone else has day-to-day responsibility, but whether the parent has continuing control and direction of the child’s upbringing including making all the important decisions in the child’s life.
In order to prove that and to make a successful application, which can be evidenced the parent needs to demonstrate financial and emotional support, ongoing communications, the delegation of duties and if there are serious and compelling reasons, why the exclusion of the child is undesirable.
What happens if your dependent child visa application is refused:
At ILS, team of our immigration law specialists’ can advise you on the merits of making a fresh application and/or challenging the decision by way of an appeal to the Immigration Tribunal.
Standard Visitor visa
Visitors are who come to the UK for short period of time and intend to leave the UK at the end of their visit.
The definition of a visitor as set out in the Immigration Rules is that: a visitor is a person who is coming to the UK, usually for up to six months, for a temporary purpose, for example as a tourist, to visit friends or family or to carry out a business activity. Visitors cannot work or study in the UK unless this is allowed by the permitted activities that are set out in these Visitor Rules.
The Standard Visitor visa has replaced the:
UK Standard Visitor visa application requirements:
To qualify for UK Standard Visitor visa, you must satisfy the following UK Visas and Immigration requirements:
What supporting documents will you need for a standard visitor visa application:
This section provides guidance on the types of documents that you may want to provide to succeed in your application to the Entry Clearance Officer:
How long the UK Standard Visitor visa is valid for:
A standard visit visa is valid for 6 months. However, if you need to visit the UK regularly over a longer period, you can apply for a long-term visit visa that lasts 2, 5 or 10 years.
You can stay in the UK for up to 6 months during each visit, although you must ensure you are not habitually resident in the UK through frequent and successive visits.
What happens if your UK Standard Visitor visa application is refused:
Should you fail to meet the requirements, it is likely that any future applications for temporary migration will be subjected to greater scrutiny so contact us at Immigration Law Specialists to obtain no obligation guidance.
Visitors are who come to the UK for short period of time and intend to leave the UK at the end of their visit.
The definition of a visitor as set out in the Immigration Rules is that: a visitor is a person who is coming to the UK, usually for up to six months, for a temporary purpose, for example as a tourist, to visit friends or family or to carry out a business activity. Visitors cannot work or study in the UK unless this is allowed by the permitted activities that are set out in these Visitor Rules.
The Standard Visitor visa has replaced the:
- Family Visitor visa
- General Visitor visa
- Child Visitor visa
- Business Visitor visa, including visas for academics, doctors and dentists
- Sports Visitor visa
- Entertainer Visitor visa
- Prospective Entrepreneur visa
- Private Medical Treatment Visitor visa
- Approved Destination Status (ADS) visa
UK Standard Visitor visa application requirements:
To qualify for UK Standard Visitor visa, you must satisfy the following UK Visas and Immigration requirements:
- You must satisfy that you are a genuine visitor specifically, that you will leave the UK at the end of your visit and will not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits or make the UK your main home
- You are genuinely seeking entry to undertake permitted activities set out in the Immigration Rules
- You will not undertake work in the UK, which is defined as including the following activities unless these also fall within the scope of the Immigration Rules:
- being employed in the UK
- working for an organisation or business in the UK
- setting up or running a business on a self-employed basis
- participating in a work placement or internship
- direct selling to the public
- providing goods and services
- You will not be paid from a UK source, subject to the permitted exceptions set out in the Immigration Rules,
- You do not intend to study in the UK other than as allowed under the Immigration Rules
- You do not intend to access private medical treatment or to be an organ donor (unless they meet additional requirements for these purposes)
- You do not intend to marry or form a civil partnership in the UK, or to give notice to do so in the UK, unless their visit visa has been assessed and endorsed for this purpose
What supporting documents will you need for a standard visitor visa application:
This section provides guidance on the types of documents that you may want to provide to succeed in your application to the Entry Clearance Officer:
- Your current valid passport or travel document
- Previous travel documents/passports, which show previous travel
- Financial documents showing that you have sufficient funds available
- Letter from employer confirming employment details
- Where a third party is providing financial support to you e.g. a business, a friend or a relative, documents to show they have sufficient resources to support you
- Confirmation of legal residence, if you are not a national of the country in which you are applying
- Details of employment or studies from your employer or your education provider
- If self-employed: business registration documents confirming the business owner’s name and the date the business started trading
- Where you are coming to the UK in order to undertake activities relating to your occupation/employment outside the UK you should submit documents showing what you will be doing in the UK, including any letters from inviting organisations.
How long the UK Standard Visitor visa is valid for:
A standard visit visa is valid for 6 months. However, if you need to visit the UK regularly over a longer period, you can apply for a long-term visit visa that lasts 2, 5 or 10 years.
You can stay in the UK for up to 6 months during each visit, although you must ensure you are not habitually resident in the UK through frequent and successive visits.
What happens if your UK Standard Visitor visa application is refused:
Should you fail to meet the requirements, it is likely that any future applications for temporary migration will be subjected to greater scrutiny so contact us at Immigration Law Specialists to obtain no obligation guidance.