Spouses and Civil Partners

If you are the husband, wife or civil partner of a British citizen or someone who has indefinite leave to remain in the UK, then you may be able to apply to join, or stay with them, in the UK.  You can also apply if your partner is outside the UK, but intending to return to the UK with you.

If your partner is in the UK but is not settled or British, you may be still able to join, or accompany, them as either a PBS Dependent or as an EEA family member.

Initial applications: UK spouse or civil partner visa

General Requirements

In order to qualify for entry clearance or leave to remain as a spouse or civil partner, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

  • Your partner is British or holds Indefinite Leave to Remain;
  • You are both over the age of 18;

If you have any convictions or a poor immigration history, this may affect your suitability for leave in the spouse and civil partner category.

Financial Requirement

In order to demonstrate that you can be adequately maintained in the UK without recourse to public funds, you will also need to satisfy a financial requirement.

You will need to demonstrate that your partner (or both of you jointly if you are in the UK with valid leave to remain) has a gross annual income of at least:

  • £18,600; plus
  • £3,800 for a first child (who is not British, settled or an EEA national); plus
  • £2,400 for each additional child (who is not British, settled or an EEA national).

Grant of Leave

If your application for entry clearance as a spouse or civil partner is successful then your spouse or civil partner visa will be valid for 33 months initially. If you apply for leave to remain in the UK as a spouse or civil partner then you will be granted leave valid for 30 months. You will then be on a five year route to settlement in the UK.

Extension Applications: UK spouse or civil partner visa

Before your initial grant of leave expires, you will need to apply to UK Visas and Immigration to extend your stay. The requirements for further leave to remain in the UK as a spouse or civil partner are broadly the same as those that apply to initial applications in the spouse and civil partner visa category.

Settlement Applications: UK spouse or civil partner visa

After spending 5 years (60 months) in the UK as the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen or settled person, you may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

UNMARRIED PARTNERSHIPS

  • If you are the unmarried partner of a British citizen or a person with indefinite leave to remain in the UK, then you may be able to apply to join, or stay with them, in the UK. You can also apply if your unmarried partner is outside the UK, but intending to return to the UK with you.
    If your unmarried partner is in the UK but is not settled or British, you may be still able to join, or accompany, them as either a PBS Dependent or as an EEA family member.
    General Requirements
    In order to qualify for entry clearance or leave to remain as an unmarried partner, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:
    • Your partner is British or holds Indefinite Leave to Remain;
    • You are both over the age of 18;
    • You are not in the UK illegally;
    • You have met in person and have lived together in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partnership for at least 2 years;

If you have any convictions or a poor immigration history, this may affect your suitability for leave in the unmarried partner category.

Financial Requirement

In order to demonstrate that you can be adequately maintained in the UK without recourse to public funds, you will also need to satisfy a financial requirement.

You will need to demonstrate that your partner (or both of you jointly if you are in the UK with valid leave to remain) has a gross annual income of at least:

  • £18,600; plus

Grant of Leave

If your application for entry clearance as an unmarried partner is successful then your unmarried partner visa will be valid for 33 months initially.  If you apply for leave to remain in the UK as an unmarried partner then you will be granted leave valid for 30 months.  You will then be on a five year route to settlement in the UK.

Extension Applications: UK unmarried partner visa

Before your initial grant of leave expires, you will need to apply to UK Visas and Immigration to extend your stay. The requirements for further leave to remain in the UK as an unmarried partner are broadly the same as those that apply to initial applications in the unmarried partner visa category.

Settlement Applications: UK unmarried partner visa

After spending 5 years (60 months) in the UK as the unmarried partner of a British citizen or settled person, you may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

Extension Applications: UK unmarried partner visa

Before your initial grant of leave expires, you will need to apply to UK Visas and Immigration to extend your stay. The requirements for further leave to remain in the UK as an unmarried partner are broadly the same as those that apply to initial applications in the unmarried partner visa category.

Fiancé(e)s and Proposed Civil Partners

If you are engaged to a British citizen or someone who has indefinite leave to remain in the UK, then you may be able to apply to join them as their fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner. You can only apply for a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner visa from outside the UK.

Initial applications: UK fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner visa

General Requirements

In order to qualify for entry clearance as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

  • Your partner is British or holds Indefinite Leave to Remain;
  • You are both over the age of 18;

If you have any convictions or a poor immigration history, this may affect your suitability for leave in the fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner category.

Financial Requirement

In order to demonstrate that you can be adequately maintained in the UK without recourse to public funds, you will also need to satisfy a financial requirement.
You will need to demonstrate that your UK fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner has a gross annual income of at least:
• £18,600; plus

Grant of Leave

If your application for a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner visa is successful, you will be granted permission to enter and remain in the United Kingdom for a period of 6 months.  After your wedding or civil partnership ceremony has taken place, you will then be eligible to apply to switch into the Spouse and Civil Partner category without having to leave the UK.

Grant of Leave

If the child’s application for a visa as the child of a parent or relative settled, or applying for settlement, in the UK is approved then they will be granted indefinite leave to enter the United Kingdom.

Child of a Parent or Relative Settled, or applying for Settlement, in the UK

  • An application for indefinite leave to enter the UK as the child of a settled parent or relative may be appropriate in the following circumstances:
  • Where the child is coming to the UK to live with both parents and either:
  • Both parents are British citizens or have indefinite leave to remain, or are being admitted on the same occasion for settlement; or
  • One parent is a British citizen or has indefinite leave to remain, and the other parent is applying to come to the UK.
  • Where the child is coming to the UK to live with only one parent and either:
  • One parent is a British citizen or has indefinite leave to remain, and the other parent is dead; or
  • One parent is a British citizen or has indefinite leave to remain, and that parent has had sole responsibility for the child’s upbringing; or
  • One parent is a British citizen or has indefinite leave to remain, and there are serious and compelling family or other considerations that mean that it would be undesirable to exclude the child from the UK.
  • Where the child is coming to live with another relative who is not their parent and:
  • The relative is a British citizen or has indefinite leave to remain, and there are serious and compelling family or other considerations that mean that it would be undesirable to exclude the child from the UK.

Adult Dependent Relatives

If you are a non-EEA adult dependent relative of a British citizen in the UK, a person settled in the UK, or a person in the UK with refugee leave or humanitarian protection status, you may qualify to settle in the UK permanently under the Adult Dependent Relative visa category.

You will need to demonstrate that, as a result of age, illness or disability, you require a level of long-term personal care that can only be provided by your relative(s) in the UK and without recourse to public funds. This route is only available to applicants outside the UK.

Requirements for an Adult Dependent Relative visa

In order to qualify for indefinite leave to enter as an Adult Dependent Relative, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

  • You are the parent aged 18 years or over, grandparent, brother or sister aged 18 years or over or son or daughter aged 18 years or over of a person who is in the UK and that person is over 18 and either a British citizen, settled in the UK or a person with refugee leave or humanitarian protection status;
  • As a result of age, illness or disability, you require long-term personal care (that is help performing everyday tasks, e.g. washing, dressing and cooking);
  • You are unable, even with the practical and financial help of your family member in the UK, to obtain the required level of care in the country where you are living because it is not available and there is no person (close relative, home-help, housekeeper, nurse, carer, care or nursing home) in your country who can reasonably provide it, or because it is not affordable;
  • You will be adequately maintained, accommodated and cared for in the UK by your family member, without recourse to public funds (if your family member is a British citizen or settled in the UK, they will be required to sign a 5-year undertaking to this effect).

Duration of Stay

If you are granted an Adult Dependent Relative visa then you will be permitted to enter, and remain in the UK, indefinitely.

Alternative Immigration Routes

The circumstances in which an adult dependent relative of a British citizen or person settled in the UK may qualify to settle permanently in the UK are limited. Non-EEA national family members and extended family members of EEA nationals who are exercising Treaty rights in the United Kingdom enjoy more generous provisions under the Immigration (EEA) Regulations 2006. In certain circumstances, British citizens may also be able to bring their adult dependent relatives to the UK by relying on these provisions.  For more information, see EEA Nationals and Family.