A spouse visa, which is also known as a UK marriage visa, enables married partners of UK citizens to immigrate to the United Kingdom because they are married to someone who is ‘settled in the UK.’ This refers to a person who is ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and does not have any immigration restrictions on how long they can stay in the United Kingdom.
After the visa has been approved, you will be able to pursue either employment or education in the United Kingdom.
To be eligible for a spouse or marriage visa for the United Kingdom, you will need to satisfy all of the following requirements:
• Both you and your partner must be at least 18 years old to proceed.
• Because of the prevalence of arranged marriages, the two of you are required to have already met and to be legally married.
• You need to have the intention of staying together forever.
• You are not allowed to receive financial assistance from the government unless you have sufficient funds to support yourself and any dependents.
• To be able to sponsor you, your sponsoring partner’s annual income needs to be greater than £18,600, or they need to have sufficient savings.
• If they are also sponsoring children who are financially dependent on them, there is a higher minimum financial requirement.
• You must have suitable accommodation for you, your spouse and any dependents.
• You are required to demonstrate sufficient proficiency in the English language.
How long does a spouse visa last?
When a petition for a spouse visa is submitted from outside the country, the visa will initially be valid for 33 months.
When an application for a spouse visa is made from within the United Kingdom, the visa is valid for a period of thirty months.
Can I extend my spouse visa?
You have the option to apply for an extension that will allow you to stay in the UK for an additional 30 months, bringing the total amount of time you can spend there on this visa to a maximum of five years.
You are now eligible to submit an application for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), provided that you are still married, continue to reside in the United Kingdom with your spouse, and continue to fulfill the requirements for maintenance.
If you have been granted ILR, you may be able to submit an application to become a naturalized citizen of the United Kingdom.
Spouse visa entry clearance
Before you travel to the United Kingdom, you are required to apply for entry clearance if you intend to enter the country on the basis of your relationship with a citizen of the United Kingdom.
If you are applying from within the United Kingdom, you are required to have permission to remain in the country in the form of a visa that is valid for at least six months at the time you submit your application.
If you are already in the United Kingdom and your initial admission was for a period of less than six months — for instance, if you were initially admitted entry as a visitor or prospective student — you will not be able to switch to a visa that allows you to marry in the United Kingdom.