Family visa — partner or spouse

To apply as a partner, you and your partner both need to be 18 or over.

You and your partner must intend to live together permanently in the UK after you apply.

you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply you are a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner and will marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arriving you’ve been in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply but you cannot live together, for example because you’re working or studying in different places, or it’s not accepted in your culture

Your partner must also either: be a British or Irish citizen have settled in the UK - for example, they have indefinite leave to remain, settled status or proof of permanent residence be from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and have pre-settled status - they must have started living in the UK before 1 January 2021 have a Turkish Businessperson visa or Turkish Worker visa have protection status (leave to remain as a refugee, permission to stay as a refugee or a person with humanitarian protection) have got permission to stay as a stateless person before you became their partner

You cannot apply for a family visa if your family member is in the UK temporarily on a work visa or student visa .

Send evidence that: comes from the government, a bank, landlord, utility provider, or a medical professional confirms your relationship with your partner - for example, that you live together, share expenses or are married or in a civil partnership is less than 4 years old You can use things like: a marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate a tenancy agreement, utility bills or Council Tax bills confirming that you live at the same address or pay bills together a bank statement from a joint bank account, or confirming that you live at the same address a letter from your doctor or dentist confirming that you live at the same address

If you cannot live together because of work or study, or for cultural reasons, you’ll need to prove that you have an ongoing commitment to each other. You can do this by providing evidence that you: communicate regularly with each other support each other financially care for any children you have together spend time together as a couple, for example on holiday or at events

If you apply for a family visa as a partner, you and your partner usually need to prove that your combined income is at least £29,000 a year.

You may be able to use your savings instead of income to show you meet the requirement.

cash savings above £16,000

You do not need to meet a minimum income requirement if your partner gets one of the following benefits:

You need to show you and your family have enough money to house and support yourselves without relying on additional public funds .

you first applied as a partner before 11 April 2024 and you’re extending that visa

If you’re extending your stay with the same partner, you and your partner will need to prove that your combined income is at least £18,600 a year.

If you need to prove extra money for children, you’ll need to prove an extra: £3,800 a year for the first child £2,400 a year for each additional child you have after the first child

If your partner is getting disability or carer’s benefits You do not need to meet a minimum income requirement if your partner gets one of the following benefits:

Outside the UK You must apply online from outside the UK . In the UK You must apply online in the UK .

If you apply outside the UK you’ll usually get a decision within 12 weeks. If you apply inside the UK and you meet the financial requirements and English language requirements , you’ll usually get a decision within 8 weeks. If you apply inside the UK and you do not meet the financial requirements and English language requirements, it currently takes about 12 months to get a decision.

You can stay in the UK for up to 2 years and 9 months.

If you extend your family visa or switch to this visa you can stay in the UK for up to a further 2 years and 6 months. You can extend your visa more than once.

You can: work study You cannot: usually get benefits or other public funds for you or your dependants

The earliest you can apply to settle in the UK (called ‘indefinite leave to remain’) is after you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years continuously on a family visa as a partner.

If you do not meet the financial requirements, the earliest you’ll be able to apply to settle is after 10 years in the UK.