Family visa as a spouse or partner
This procedure allows you to join your spouse or partner in the United Kingdom, if they are a British citizen or a person settled in the United Kingdom. You and your partner must prove that your relationship is genuine and meet a financial requirement.
Specification reviewed on
Required documents
The list below is exhaustive. Each document is described as it must be submitted, including the most common errors that lead to rejection.
Identity
Valid passport or other valid travel document
You must provide your current passport or another valid travel identity document. This document will be required at your appointment for the collection of your biometric data.
Common errors
- Failing to provide a valid travel document may lead to the refusal of the application.
Previous passports
You must provide copies of the identity page and all pages containing visas or entry stamps from your previous passports.
Common errors
- Failing to provide copies of the relevant visas or stamps that substantiate your travel history.
Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)
If you are applying from within the United Kingdom and you have one, you must provide your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). It can be used for up to 24 months after its expiry date or until 31 December 2026.
Common errors
- Failure to provide the BRP if you hold one when making an application from within the United Kingdom.
Proof of relationship
Provide documents less than 4 years old proving your relationship. They must be from an official source (government, bank, landlord, service provider, healthcare professional). Examples include a marriage certificate, a tenancy agreement, bills (utilities, council tax) or bank statements showing a shared address or shared expenses.
Common errors
- Providing documents that are more than 4 years old or do not come from a recognised official source. Photographs or social media messages are considered weak evidence.
Divorce certificate or certificate of dissolution of civil partnership
If you or your partner have previously been married or in a civil partnership, you must provide proof that these unions have ended, for example a divorce certificate.
Common errors
- Forgetting to provide this document if either partner has been previously married, which is necessary to prove that you are legally free to marry or enter into a partnership.
Resources
Proof of employment income
To prove income from employment in the United Kingdom, you can provide bank statements, the last 6 payslips and a letter from the employer. The letter must be dated, on headed paper, and confirm the employment, the job title, the length of service, the type of contract, the gross salary, the date from which this salary has been paid and the authenticity of the payslips.
Common errors
- Providing an incomplete employer's letter or payslips covering a period of less than 6 months.
Proof of savings
If you use savings to meet the financial requirements, you must prove the funds held. Only savings above £16,000 are taken into account. The exact documents to be provided will be specified during the online application.
Common errors
- Attempting to use savings below the £16,000 threshold or not being able to prove the origin and availability of the funds.
Other documents
Proof of knowledge of English
Prove your knowledge of English with a university degree taught in English and awarded by a UK institution, or an assessment from Ecctis for a foreign degree. Alternatively, provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) certificate from an approved provider, attesting to at least level A1 of the CEFR for a first application.
Common errors
- Providing a non-approved English test (non-SELT) or one at a level below A1. Failing to have a non-UK degree assessed by Ecctis.
Tuberculosis test results
You must provide the results of your tuberculosis test if you come from a country where this test is mandatory. The list of the countries concerned is not provided in the corpus.
Common errors
- Not taking the test before applying if you reside in a country where it is required.
Certified translation
You must provide a certified translation for any document that is not written in English or Welsh. The specific certification requirements are not detailed.
Common errors
- Submitting documents in another language without a certified translation, or with a translation that does not meet the required standards.
Have your situation reviewed
Having the list does not indicate whether your situation will lead to a successful outcome. The questionnaire takes a few minutes and an adviser will send you a written opinion within one working day, whether your application is admissible or not.