British Dependent Spouse

To Join Your Partner (Spouse, Civil or Unmarried Partner) in UK

This visa is for non-EEA national who is married to a British national or someone with indefinite leave to remain (permanent residence).

You will require a UK spouse visa to live and work in the UK. This visa is required to live with a family member in the UK for more than 6 months.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

You and your partner both need to be 18 or over

Your partner must also either:

• be a British citizen
• have settled in the UK – for example, they have indefinite leave to remain, settled status or proof of permanent residence
• have refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK

RELATIONSHIP STATUS

Documents proof of any of these is mandatory:

• you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK
• you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply
• you are a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner and will marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arriving

The proof should be specific, accurate and original.

In addition, if you are applying as unmarried partner you will also be required to provide supporting documentation to prove that you have been cohabiting and that your relationship has been genuine and subsisting for a period of at least 2 years.

KNOWLEDGE OF ENGLISH

You can prove it with an academic qualification (NARIC), or by taking a test with at least a CEFR level A1 in speaking and listening.

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

You and your partner must have a combined income of at least £18,600 a year.

You’ll need to earn an extra:

• £3,800 for your first child
• £2,400 for each child you have after your first child

This is the called the ‘minimum income requirement’.

ACCOMMODATION

Your sponsor will need to ensure that there will be an adequate accommodation for you to live in the UK. Your sponsor will need to factor in who will be living in the property (if you won’t be living in the property exclusively with your sponsor, and ensure that there are enough rooms in the property to avoid overcrowding.

TYPE OF VISA WILL YOU GET

This visa entitles you to get leave to remain in the UK for an initial period of 30 months. You will be required to extend your visa at the end of this visa period and if your application is successful, you will be granted a further 30 months extension. This period is known as ‘probationary period’.

Once you have completed the 5 years period, you will be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain and then British citizenship.