Can I Apply For Spouse Visa In Uk

Are you a British Citizen living in United Kingdom and your Loved One is living abroad? Are you thinking of applying for spouse visa? If yes, then you have come to the right place. Spouse Visa UK application is not an easy process and at Expats Legal Solution we can guide you throughout the process as well as help you with the paperwork required.

Immigrating to the UK with your family may sound like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. The fact is that the spouse visa requirements in the UK are often not well understood by those who are interested in this form of immigration.

Can I Apply For Spouse Visa In Uk

If you are looking for a visa to get your spouse to the United Kingdom, you’ll have to apply for one of more than a dozen visas depending on your nationality, relationship and other factors. Your family may need something other than the standard UK visa if your spouse is a non-European Union (non-EU) national or if you can’t describe your relationship, for example. The news about which visa options are available will depend on whether you’re a British citizen or not.

How do I apply for a spouse visa?

You can apply for a spouse visa from overseas or from within the UK.

If you are already in the UK on a fiance visa, work visa, or student visa valid for more than six months, you may be able to switch into a spouse visa.

How long does the application take?

The average processing time for a spouse visa application is 2 – 12 weeks from the date we submit the application to the UKBA. Processing times vary depending on the country where the application is made.

How long does a spouse visa last?

If applying from overseas, a spouse visa is initially issued for 33 months. If you are applying from within the UK a spouse visa is issued for a period of 30 months.

Can I extend my spouse visa?

You can apply for an extension for an additional 30 months which can take your total time in the UK on this visa up to five years. At this point you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) provided you are still married and living in the UK with your spouse and continue to meet the maintenance requirements. After you have been granted ILR you may be eligible to apply for naturalisation as British citizen.

Spouse visa entry clearance

If you are seeking to enter the UK on the basis of your relationship with a UK national you must apply for entry clearance before coming to the UK.

If you are applying from inside the UK you must have leave to remain in the UK on a visa that is valid for six months at the time you apply.

You cannot switch to a spouse visa if you are already in the UK and were initially admitted for a period of less than six months – for example, if you were initially admitted entry as a visitor or prospective student.

English language requirements for partners

As a spouse visa applicant you must be able to show that you can speak and understand English.

You must meet the English language requirement if:

  • You are a national of a country outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland; and
  • You are in a relationship with a British citizen or a person settled in the UK; and
  • You want to immigrate to the UK as that person’s spouse.

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country or do not have a degree taught in English then you will need to pass an English language test from an approved test provider.

If you are applying from overseas we can make arrangements for you to take an approved English language test in your home country.

Contact us to find out more about the English language requirements.

Spouse visa dependants

Children under 18 years of age can enter the UK as your dependants. You should make an application for them at the same time that you make your spouse visa application. Please note that your sponsoring spouse must show income of a specified amount, the level of which varies depending on the number of dependant children being sponsored.

What if your relationship ends?

If your relationship ends while your partner only has limited permission to enter or remain in the UK (i.e. during the probationary period before they can apply to live here permanently) you should notify the UKBA by writing to:

Evidence and Enquiry Unit
Lunar House
12th Floor (Long) Corridor
40 Wellesley Road
Croydon
Surrey
CR9 2BY

Include your partner’s full name as shown in their passport, their date of birth, and their entry clearance or UKBA reference number (if known)

The UKBA will decide whether to cancel your former partner’s permission to stay in the UK. However, this will not automatically happen if the basis of their stay has changed. For example, they may qualify to remain in the UK on another basis, or there might be compassionate or other reasons why it would be inappropriate to cancel their stay.

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