Unmarried Or Same Sex Partners

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 visa, 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 subject to immigration control and you are the unmarried/same-sex partner of a British citizen or person who is settled here, you can apply for permission to come to the UK in this category.

Your settled partner must be:

• Currently living and settled in the UK or
• Returning to the UK with you to live here permanently.

Eligibility

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

1. Any previous marriage or civil partnership that either of you had been in has permanently broken down;
2. You have both been living together as if you were married or in a civil partnership for a minimum of two years;
3. You both intend to live together permanently;
4. You both have enough money to support and adequately accommodate yourselves and any dependants without help from public funds; and
5. You are both at least 21 years old (or 18 years old if either of you is a serving member of HM Forces).

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 permanently.

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 could be allowed to switch into the unmarried/same-sex partner category if you have been given a total of more than six months' permission to live in the UK.

The minimum of more than six months does not apply to you if you have been given permission to enter as the unmarried/same-sex partner of a tier 1 migrant, and you are applying to extend your stay as that person's partner.

To switch into this category and be given permission to remain in the UK as an unmarried/same-sex partner, you must also meet all of the following requirements:

• You have not remained in the UK in breach of the immigration laws;
• You and your partner are not related by blood;
• Your relationship did not begin 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.