A UK Spouse Visa application that relies on savings must include a signed declaration of where those savings came from. The declaration is a short letter from the account holder, required by Appendix FM-SE alongside six months of bank statements. An application that provides the statements but omits the declaration, or declares a source the evidence does not support, may be refused. This post provides an overview of the cash savings declaration for a UK Spouse Visa.
What is a cash savings declaration for a UK Spouse Visa?
A cash savings declaration is a signed statement from the account holder confirming where the savings used in the application came from. It accompanies the bank statements and tells the Home Office the origin of the money, such as accumulated income, a gift, or the proceeds of a sale. The declaration is required by Appendix FM-SE of the Immigration Rules, which sets the specified evidence for the financial requirement.
The declaration matters because the financial requirement can be met through cash savings, and the rules treat the source of those savings as part of the evidence. How the savings figure itself is calculated is covered in the UK Spouse Visa cash savings guide. This post focuses on the declaration of source that must sit alongside the bank statements.
Is a cash savings declaration required for a spouse visa?
A cash savings declaration is required wherever an application relies on cash savings to meet the financial requirement. Paragraph 11 of Appendix FM-SE sets out two things that must be provided for cash savings. The first is personal bank statements showing the savings held in the account throughout the six months before the application. The second is a declaration by the account holder of the source of the cash savings.
The declaration is therefore not optional where savings are used. An application that supplies the bank statements but no declaration of source has not met the specified evidence in full. Where the savings derive from a sale or a transfer within the six-month period, further evidence is also needed, as set out in the section on accompanying evidence below.
Whose savings can be declared, and who signs the declaration?
The savings can belong to the applicant, the sponsor, or both jointly, and the account holder signs the declaration. The rules allow cash savings held in the name of the applicant, in the name of their partner, or in a joint account, provided the funds are under the control of one or both of them. Where the savings sit in the sponsor’s sole account, the sponsor is the account holder and signs the declaration.
The funds must have been held for at least six months before the date of application and be under the control of the applicant, the sponsor, or both. The declaration confirms that control, alongside the source. Where savings are spread across more than one account, a declaration covers each account holder’s funds, so a couple relying on two accounts may provide a declaration from each.
What should a cash savings declaration include?
A cash savings declaration should identify the parties, the account, the balance held, the source of the funds, and confirm the holder’s control. The Home Office is the addressee, and the letter is dated and signed by the account holder. It names the applicant and the account holder, and states the route as a partner application under Appendix FM.
The body of the declaration should cover the following points:
- The applicant’s full name and date of birth, and the account holder’s identity.
- The account in which the savings are held, with the bank, account number, sort code and opening date.
- Confirmation that the required balance has been held continuously for at least six months before the application.
- The source of the savings, such as accumulated income, a gift, or the proceeds of a sale.
- Confirmation that the funds are held in cash, are under the holder’s control, and are freely accessible.
What evidence must go with the declaration?
The declaration is one part of the cash savings evidence, and it sits alongside the bank statements the rules specify. Appendix FM-SE requires personal bank statements showing that the level of savings relied upon was held in the account, in the name of the applicant or the applicant and partner jointly, throughout the six months before the application. The statements and the declaration are read together.
Where the savings entered the account during the six-month period, the source must be evidenced as well as declared. Proceeds from the sale of a property require evidence of the sale and the net amount received, and transferred investments require a portfolio report or equivalent from a regulated institution. The amount of savings that counts towards the financial requirement is set out on the cash savings guide. Where savings are combined with a salary or other income, the rules on combining income sources and on employment income also apply, and the live figure sits on the financial requirement guide.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Appendix FM-SE requires a declaration by the account holder of the source of the cash savings, in addition to the bank statements. An application that relies on savings without a declaration of source has not provided the specified evidence in full. The declaration is a short signed letter, not a prescribed form.
The account holder signs the declaration. Where the savings are in the sponsor’s account, the sponsor signs. Where they are in the applicant’s account, the applicant signs, and where the account is joint, both may sign. The signatory is the person whose account holds the funds.
No. The declaration and the bank statements are both required and are read together. The statements show that the savings were held for six months, and the declaration explains where the savings came from. One does not substitute for the other.
The declaration should state that origin rather than describe the funds as accumulated income. Savings from a property sale or transferred investments need further evidence of the source under Appendix FM-SE. A gift should be declared as a gift, with confirmation that the funds are now under the account holder’s control.
No. The cash savings declaration is a signed statement by the account holder and does not need to be witnessed or notarised. It should be dated, signed, and consistent with the bank statements. Accuracy and consistency matter more than any formality
How Whytecroft Ford can help
The Whytecroft Ford immigration team advises applicants and sponsors across the family visa routes, including Spouse Visa applications that rely on cash savings. The firm checks that the savings evidence, the declaration and the source documents are consistent, alongside the relationship evidence the application requires, before it is submitted. This is particularly important for the couple meeting the requirement from savings held in one partner’s account, or from a recent gift or sale.
To discuss a savings-based application with our immigration team, call 0208 757 5751 or use the contact form.
Sources
Written and reviewed by the Whytecroft Ford immigration team. IAA Accredited. All guidance is researched against primary sources, including the Immigration Rules, Home Office caseworker guidance and GOV.UK. Reviewed every six months, or sooner following a rule change.
