Spouse Visa Extension

If your spouse is not an EEA citizen and you want them to live with you in the UK then they will require a spouse visa also known as a marriage visa. The marriage visa allows your partner to stay and work in the UK for 33 months (30 if applying from within the UK) this can be extended by a further 30 months, at this point the spouse would be eligible for permanent residence.

As one of the more sought after visas, the spouse visa is an excellent route for those who are married to UK nationals or those from the EEA. You can also apply if your partner has permanently settled in the UK. It is one of the most straightforward visas for those in a genuine relationship and offers an excellent opportunity for partners to live with their loved ones in the UK. In this article, we look at the visa in a little more detail and see what is required to gain the visa.

Spouse visa requirement

As with all UK visas, there are strict eligibility criteria and as one of the more desirable ones, the spouse visa is of specific interest to UKBA officials. It is a well-used route for those who try to slip around the eye of UKBA, but in recent years has become a strong focus. For those in a genuine relationship, the process is straightforward with the right guidance. The criteria is as follows;

• In a civil partnership visa or marriage that's legal in the UK.
• Been living together for at least 2 years prior to application (documentary proof may be needed).
• You are a fiance or proposed civil partner that intends to marry within the first 6 months of entering the UK.
• Proof of strong English language skills (this is provable from either an academic background or a test).

You must also be able to support yourself and your dependants (you and your partner must have a combined income of at least £18,600. This goes up if there are children involved who are not British or EEA nationals or permanently settled).

You can extend the visa by an extra 30 months after the original 33 (30 if applied for within the UK) this takes the total time to over 60 months (5 years) and would make the holder eligible to apply to become a permanent resident. We can help with extensions as well as the original application.

How we can help

We are experienced immigration lawyers with proven experience and expertise in helping with spouse visa queries and will almost certainly be able to help you. With years of experience, we can help at any stage from application to appeals in the event that you have had an application rejected. So why not get a team of experienced immigration solicitors in your corner and give yourself the best chance of success with your application to live in the UK? We are waiting to help you so why not get in touch today?