Spouse or Civil Partnership

The following information is given in order to provide you with a generalised overview of the criteria required for this visa. However if you do not meet all the criteria listed below, or you wish to engage our services and/or require further information regarding this particular application, please complete the details box further down the page to enable a member of our team, to contact you to give you more specific advice and information pertaining to your individual circumstances.

If you are married to or are in a civil partnership with a British citizen or a person who is settled in the UK, you are able to apply for permission to enter the UK as a spouse or civil partner.


Eligibility

In order for this application to be successful the following criteria must be met:

1. You and your spouse or civil partner must be at least 21 years old (or 18 years old if you or they are a serving member of HM Forces), and must be:
   • Currently living and settled in the UK; or
   • Returning to the UK with you to live here permanently.
   • You are legally married to one another or have registered your civil partnership;
   • You and your spouse or civil partner are going to live together permanently in the UK as husband and wife, or as civil partners;
   • You and your spouse or civil partner, have physically met one another;
   • You and your spouse or civil partner can support yourselves and any dependants without recourse to public funds; and,
   • There is adequate accommodation where you, and your spouse or civil partner and your dependants can live without the aid of public funds.

Duration of Visa

Once your application has been approved you will be granted permission to live and work in the UK for up to 27 months. 28 days prior to your visa expiring you are able to apply for permission to remain in the UK indefinitely.


If you are already in the UK

If you entered the UK in a different immigration category (for example, under the tier 1 (general) category), you may be able to switch into the category of spouse or civil partner, if you have a total of more than six months permission to live in the UK since your most recent admission to the UK.

The minimum of more than six months will not apply to you, if you have been given permission to enter as a fiancé (e) or proposed civil partner, or as the spouse, civil partner or unmarried/same-sex partner of a tier 1 migrant, and you are still with the same husband, wife or partner.

To switch into this category and be given permission to remain in the UK as a spouse or civil partner, you must also meet the following requirements:

1. You have not been in the UK in breach of UK immigration laws;
2. Your marriage or civil partnership did not take place after a decision was made to deport or remove you from the UK;

Duration of Visa

If your application is successful, you will obtain permission to live and work in the UK for two years, 28 days prior to this visa expiring you are able to apply for permission to remain in the UK permanently.