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UK Immigration Solicitor Services
Our team of highly responsive Immigration Solicitors and Lawyers are ready to handle your case and secure the best possible result for you in the shortest possible time.
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UK Immigration Solicitor Services
Our team of highly responsive Immigration Solicitors and Lawyers are ready to handle your case and secure the best possible result for you in the shortest possible time.
Request Free Consultation
* Indicates required questions*
Free Eligibility Assessment
Fixed Fee Quote With No Hidden Charges
Dedicated Case Handlers
Nationwide Coverage
Regular Progress Updates
Nottingham's Best Immigration
Solicitors & Lawyers
Our team of highly responsive Immigration Solicitors and Lawyers are ready to handle your case and secure the best possible result for you in the shortest possible time.
- Free eligibility assessment will be provided by an experienced immigration lawyer at the outset
- No-obligation fixed fee quotations will be provided with no hidden fees
- Dedicated case handler will be allocated to your case to progress your case in a timely and efficient manner
- Regular updates will be provided to keep you informed of the progress on your immigration case
Request Free Consultation
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UK Immigration Solicitor Services
UK Spouse VISA
A UK spouse Visa enables an eligible foreign national to join and live with their partner in the UK if their partner is a British Citizen or settled person.
What is the UK Spouse Visa?
The spouse visa (also referred to as the Partner and Spouse visa) enables an eligible foreign national to join and live with their partner in the UK if they are a British citizen or settled person (e.g. a person with Indefinite Leave to Remain or EU Settled Status).
You do not automatically get the right to live in the UK through the marriage to a British citizen. You would have to apply for a Spouse Visa to live in the UK with your partner. Eligible applicants include those who are married, in a civil partnership, or unmarried.
In order to obtain a Partner and Spouse Visa the applicants must meet a set of eligibility criteria as outlined in detail below. If you are granted, a Partner and Spouse Visa it would initially be granted for up to 2 years and 9 months. Following this period, it would then be possible to extend your stay and later acquire a Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), allowing you to remain permanently in the UK without being subject to immigration rules. After gaining ILR, you might be eligible to apply for British citizenship by marriage.
Who can apply for a UK Spouse visa?
As a foreign national, you can apply for a UK Partner and Spouse Visa as long as your partner based in the UK:
- Is a British or Irish citizen (either by birth or naturalisation), or;
- Has settled in the UK and has ILR, permanent residence, or EU Settled Status, or;
- Has refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK, or;
- Has a Turkish Businessperson visa or Turkish Worker visa.
You must intend to live together in the UK after you move here (if you’re not here already), and you will also need to provide evidence of your genuine and subsisting relationship.
UK Spouse Visa requirements 2024
To make a successful application for a UK Partner and Spouse Visa, you will need to meet a set of eligibility requirements, including providing evidence of the following:
- You are in a genuine and eligible relationship;
- Your and your partner's combined gross annual income is at least £18,600 (this is set to rise to £29,000 11 April 2024,followed by gradual increases to £38,700);
- You have suitable accommodation in the UK; and
- You meet the English language requirement at least level A1 for your first visa application
Lets look at each of the requirements in more detail:
Genuine relationship requirement
You will need to show you are in an eligible relationship as follows:
- You are in a civil partnership or marriage that is legally recognised in the UK, or;
- Have been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years, or;
- Plan to get married or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arriving in the UK.
Importantly, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will want to be assured that you are in a genuine and subsisting relationship. As such, they are always alert to the potential for “sham” marriages or relationships, whereby applicants falsely state they are in an eligible relationship when they are not.
Spouse Visa financial requirement
The application requires the applicant and the UK based partner to have a minimum gross annual income of £18,600.
Please note that this minimum income requirement will increase to £29,000 in April 2024, and then rise to £34,500, eventually reaching £38,700.
If the applicant has children, an additional £3,800 per year is needed for the first child and an additional £2,400 for each subsequent child. This means the minimum income for an applicant with two dependant children will be £24,800, and for three children, £27,200.
Source of income also matters and only the following income will be considered:
- Income from employment or self-employment;
- Pension of the applicant and/or partner;
- Maternity allowances or bereavement benefits received by the partner in the UK;
- Any other income and/or savings specified by the applicant and/or partner.
Exemptions from meeting the financial requirement are available where a sponsor is receiving income from any of the following sources:
- Disability living allowance;
- Severe disablement allowance;
- Mobility Supplement, Constant Attendance Allowance, or War Disablement Pension under the War Pensions Scheme;
- Police Injury Pension;
- Industrial injury disablement benefit;
- Attendance allowance;
- Carers’ allowance.
This means that sponsors will not need to show they earn £18,600 (or more). It is important to note, however, that in the event of a partner qualifying for exemption in line with the above, the applicant will still need to show that they have enough funds to maintain themselves in the UK, as well as having adequate accommodation (without having recourse to public funds).
English language requirement
As a Partner and Spouse Visa applicant, you will need to show that you have sufficient knowledge of the English language; this can be achieved in 3 ways:
- Passing an English language test: you will meet the English language requirements if you pass a Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) English test from an approved testing centre. This must be at least level A1 in speaking and writing. If you wish to extend your stay in the UK at a later date, you will need to be able to pass at least a CEFR level A2 to show continuing improvement in line with the time that you have been in the country.
- Academic qualifications: you will also meet the English language requirements if you have a degree or other academic qualification which was taught in English.
There are exemptions to this requirement as follows:
- You are over 65 years of age;
- You have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from meeting the requirement;
- You come from any of the following countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, USA.
Accommodation requirements
Applicants must show they have suitable accommodation in the UK and that it:
- Is owned or occupied exclusively by the applicant and their family members;
- Has sufficient living space;
- Meets any public health requirements
UK Spouse Visa required documents checklist
You will need to provide several documents with your visa application, these may include:
- Completed application form and application fee;
- Valid passport;
- Previous passports;
- Evidence of your genuine and subsisting relationship (e.g. shared bills, photographs, correspondence, messages);
- Proof you meet the English language requirements (e.g. CEFR exam certificate);
- Two passport-sized colour photos that are in line with the requirements set by the UK;
- Proof you meet the financial requirements (e.g. bank statements, savings statement, wage slips);
- Details of any previous immigration applications, if any;
- Details of any criminal convictions;
- Your national insurance number (if you have one);
- Proof of accommodation in the UK;
- Biometric information (fingerprints and a digital photograph).;
- Tuberculosis test results if from a country where you have to take the test;
In order to ensure you receive a decision in your favour on your Partner and Spouse Visa application, it is necessary that you provide all of the evidence and documentation required by UKVI. Failure to provide all items in the correct format (and properly translated where necessary) may lead to refusal or delay of your visa.
How to apply for a UK Spouse Visa
The application process for a UK Partner and Spouse Visa is completed online (on the Home Office website). The application steps are as follows:
- Check your eligibility for a Partner and Spouse Visa;
- Prepare the documents you will need to prove your eligibility;
- Complete the online application form;
- Pay the application fee
- Upload any documents required to support your application;
- Arrange a biometric appointment to have your fingerprints and photo taken;
- Attend an interview if invited
Fees
The application fee in 2024 is £1,048 if your application is made inside the UK and £1,846 if your application is made outside the UK.
Other costs include Immigration Healthcare Surcharge £1,035 for each year from 6 February 2024 and biometric fee of £19.20. The super priority service charge is £1,000 if you want to get a decision by the end of the next working day.
Spouse Visa extension
After the initial period of 2 years and 9 months, it is possible to further extend a Partner and Spouse Visa for a further 2 years and 6 months. You must be in the same eligible relationship with your UK based partner, and you must apply before your current visa expires.
Spouse Visa to ILR
Once you have resided in the UK for 5 years on your Partner and Spouse Visa, you will be able to apply for ILR. This will mean you can remain permanently in the UK and will no longer be subject to immigration control. To obtain ILR, you will need to:
- Have lived in the UK for 5 years on a family visa as a partner;
- Have lived with your partner since you last renewed your visa;
- Be in a genuine and subsisting relationship with your partner;
- Intend to continue your relationship after you apply for ILR;
- Meet the English language and Life in the UK requirements;
- Prove you have suitable accommodation;
- Continue to meet the financial requirements
What happens if Spouse Visa is refused?
There are several grounds on which an application for a Partner and Spouse Visa may be refused, including if:
- The Secretary of State determines that the exclusion of an applicant from the UK is conducive to the public good;
- The applicant is subject to a deportation order as of the date of application;
- The exclusion of the applicant from the UK has been deemed conducive to the public good as a result of the applicant’s conduct, character, or association;
- Without a reasonable excuse, the applicant failed to show up for a compulsory interview, provide specified information, undergo a medical examination, or report when required to do so. It is immaterial whether the misrepresentation is intentional or known to the applicant or not;
- It is undesirable to grant entry clearance for medical reasons;
- The mandatory IHS surcharge, alongside other compulsory charges, have not been paid;
- You have not provided sufficient evidence of maintenance and accommodation.
If your Partner and Spouse Visa application has been refused or you are unsure if you meet the requirements for making an application for a Spouse Visa, you can speak to one of our immigration Solicitors, who will be able to advise on the best steps to take to ensure a successful outcome of your case.
Testimonials
Lynda Arisso Lopez2023-04-19Great Service and very responsive always! They differenced a lot from other solicitors in this aspect. We used them to apply for a Skilled Worker Visa, and We are very pleased with their service. I would recommend them for sure!Grace hechanova2023-03-28Brillant Solicitor, Babul of AMH, very professional, reliable with excellent service. Big ThANK YoU for all your great efforts and time you put into which made my application a very successful one. Best of luck & more power to you! Highly recommended service +++++ Thank you also to Oliver for doing an amazing job. He's positive, calm attitude and prompt actions in dealing with all my queries. Best wishes.Ayla Nasar2023-03-27AMH solicitors have been amazing. They have supported me with my husbands visa. I can not fault the solicitors one bit from start to finish, they have been so helpful and made the process so smooth. Nazia and Oliver were both brilliant from the moment the case was taken on right till the end. I will be coming back to AMH. Highly recommend????????????Jr heating midlands limited2023-03-23Thank you so much Very pleased with the service ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Azizullah Ahmed2023-02-22The best solicitor in Nottinghamshire Fantastic, professional efficient service always. I wouldn't use anyone else. Throughly recommend thank you Nazia????????Nagham Naddour2023-02-03It was a great decision to have immigration lawyers for my visa application. AMH Solicitors fees were reasonable and well deserved for the professional service and the stress relief they provided. I appreciated the communication throughout and the phone call to inform me of the outcome and the final procedures.Sairha Khan2023-02-01A successful decision was made from the home office. This was all because of the hard work Babul and Oliver put into each and ever application. You are an amazing team. Keep up the great work.Pisca Ncube2023-01-29A big thank you to Mr Babul Miah and the AMH team for the excellent and exceptional way they handled my case. My family and I are very grateful. We will highly recommend you to family, friends and anyone who might need your services.Tahir Butt2023-01-20Excellent service. They were very helpful with my immigration matter. I would highly recommend AMH Solicitors. Thank you.
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