Spouse visas are one of the most sought after visa’s in the UK. Here at Thomas Chase Immigration, we receive many recurring questions surrounding the Spouse visa, the application process and the eligibility requirements. In this article, we answer the 5 most asked questions about the Spouse visa.
1. Can my partner cancel my Spouse visa?
No, your partner cannot cancel your Spouse visa. Only the Home Office can cancel your visa. Your partner does not have the power nor the right to cancel your Spouse visa.
The Spouse visa is granted for a limited period of time and it remains valid until it runs out, is curtailed or it is revoked by the Home Office. Your Spouse visa can only be cut short or cancelled by the Home Office. It is up to the Home Office to decide.
What will happen if my relationship ends under a Spouse visa?
Although your partner cannot cancel your Spouse visa, there are steps that you need to take if your relationship ends. If you are staying in the UK on a Spouse visa, you must inform the Home Office when you divorce or separate from your partner, your partner, the sponsor must do the same.
It may be possible to continue living in the UK even if your relationship has come to an end. This is why it is important to inform the Home Office.
If you have an British national passport, you do not need to inform the Home Office of your separation or divorce because you have the right to remain in the UK permanently.
What to do if your partner threatens to cancel your Spouse visa
As stated above, your partner cannot cancel your Spouse visa. Inform the Home Office is your relationship has ended.
Those subject to domestic violence or abuse must first protect themselves by seeking shelter and may be able to stay in the country permanently if certain steps are taken.
If you require help with domestic violence or abuse, you have options. Domestic abuse or violence is a crime and should be reported to the police – there are also other organisations who can offer you help and support. We at Thomas Chase can offer immigration advise. Your safety and wellbeing come first.
2. How much is a UK Spouse visa?
Spouse visa application fees vary depending on who the applicant is joining and how they apply.
| Family member | Applying from outside the UK | Applying from within the UK |
| Cost of joining a partner, parent or child | £2,064 | £1,407 |
| Cost of each dependent added to the application | £2,064 per family member | £1,407 per family member |
Immigration Health Surcharge
The Immigration Health Surcharge costs £1,035 per year of the length of the visa. For example, £3,105 for a 3 year visa.
Visas that have been granted for more than 6 months but less than a year have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for one year £1,035.
The Immigration Health Surcharge is an additional fee that applicants need to pay at the same time as their application visa fee. The Immigration Health Surcharge costs £1,035 per year of the length of the visa.
Example of Immigration Health Surcharge fees in different scenarios:
Example 1: Mrs. Aarons is an American citizen applying to join her British partner in the UK. She will be issued a visa for 3 years and would pay £3,105 for the Immigration Health Surcharge as part of her online application.
Example 2: Mr. Kante is a Ghanaian national who is applying to join his British partner. His 3 Ghanian children aged 3, 9 and 14 will also join him. Mr. Kante will incur £3,105 per applicant. The total Immigration Health Surcharge payable would be £12,420.
Immigration Health Surcharge has to be paid at the same time that you submit your online visa application in order for your visa application to be considered.
The financial requirements
The minimum income required to sponsor someone for a spouse visa has increased from £18,600 per year to £29,000. This means that to be eligible for a Spouse visa, you and your partner must earn a minimum income of £29,000 a year. The threshold was set to increase to £38,700 in early 2025, though this remains under review.
3. How to apply for a Spouse visa in the UK
The Spouse visa application is document intensive because the Home Office must be satisfied that the requirements are met and the relationship is genuine.
To apply for a Spouse visa as a partner, you and your partner must be 18 years and over. Your partner must be:
- A British or Irish citizen.
- Have settled status in the UK (e.g. indefinite leave to remain).
- 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.
- Hold a Turkish Worker visa or a Turkish Businessperson visa.
- Have protection status (e.g. leave to remain as a refugee).
- Have permission to stay as a stateless person.
To successfully apply for a Spouse visa, you must be able to prove that you are one of the following:
- In a civil partnership of marriage that is recognise in the UK.
- Have been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years at the time of application.
- You are a fiancé, fiancée or propose civil partner and will marry or enter a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arriving.
- You have been in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply but you are unable to live together, for example because you’re working or studying in different places or its not accepted in your culture.
If you are applying as a fiancé, fiancee or proposed civil partner, you must prove that:
- Any previous marriages or civil partnerships have ended.
- You plan to marry or become civil partners within 6 months of arriving in the UK.
You also need to prove that you have a good knowledge of English and meet the financial requirements. If you cannot provide this proof, you still may be able to apply for a visa or extend your permission to stay if:
- You have a child in the UK who is a British or Irish citizen or has lived in the UK for 7 years and it would be unreasonable for them to leave the UK.
- It would breach your human rights to stop you coming to the UK or make you leave.
4. How do I prove that my relationship is real?
Proving your relationship to the Home Office is an essential part of the application. The Home Office may reject your application if they think that your relationship is not real and that To you prove your relationship to the Home Office, you need to send specific 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.
- The evidence that you provide to the Home Office such as utility bills or government documents must be less than 4 years old.
You can use things like:
- Proof of relationship and cohabitation
- A bank statement from a joint bank account, or confirming that you live at the same address or pay bills together.
If you do not have evidence that meets the criteria above, there is other evidence that you can prove instead:
- Student Finance paperwork confirming that you live at the same address.
- Letters combining that you and your partner are on the voting register for the same address.
- A one of bill like a vet’s fee or home repair costs.
5. How long does it take to get a UK Spouse visa?
The length of time that it takes to receive a decision on your Spouse visa application depends on several factors listed below:
Where you apply from:
- If you apply from outside of the UK, you can normally expect to receive a decision within 12 weeks or less.
- Applications made from within the UK normally receive a decision within 8 weeks.
- If you apply from within the UK but you do not meet the financial requirements and the English language requirements, it will take considerably longer to get a decision.
- If you require a faster decision, you may be able to apply to expedite the decision for an addition Home Office fee.
Call to action
If you have questions or concerns or you would like straightforward immigration advice, or help with applying for a sponsor licence, Thomas Chase Immigration can help. Our processes are tried and tested. We offer an individual touch when assisting you and presenting the matter to UKVI.
