FLR M Visa 2023 Supporting Documents

Last updated: 05 January 2023

Once in the UK with leave as a spouse, fiancé or if you are switching from within the UK from another eligible visa, you can apply to extend your leave to remain, also known as Further Leave to Remain or FLR M Application, providing that you meet the requirements set out in Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules. This post discusses the supporting documents required for an FLR M Spouse Visa Extension application.

To qualify, you must meet three main requirements: the financial requirements, the accommodation requirement, and the ‘genuine relationship’ test. Please visit our Spouse Visa Extension page for further information about extending your spouse visa.

The Immigration Rules contain strict requirements in terms of the supporting documents that you must provide in support of your spouse visa extension FLR M application, as well as the content and format of the documents.  All documents will be submitted in their original form. Depending on your situation, some of the information which you will need to provide includes:

Proof of address

Correspondence addressed to both the applicant and the sponsor spanning the applicant’s stay in the UK, evidencing that you are both in a genuine relationship and have been living together before applying for further leave to remain as a spouse. The items of correspondence should be addressed to you jointly or in both your names:

• Letters or documents from government departments or agencies, e.g. HM Revenue and Customs, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), DVLA or the Home Office
• Letters or other documents from your Doctor/GP or a hospital about appointments, medical treatments or follow-up matters
• Council Tax Bills
• Utility Bills or Statements, e.g. water rates bills, electricity bills or gas bill
• Telephone Bills
• Mortgage Statements and/or mortgage agreement(s)
• Tenancy Agreement(s).

You must also prove that you have exclusive use of the property where you and your family reside to meet the FLR M Visa accommodation requirement.

Bank Statements for FLR M Application

The bank statements must correspond to the same periods as the payslips showing that the salary has been paid into an account in the person’s name or in the person’s name and their partner’s jointly before your FLR M application. Also:

• Be on official bank stationary or electronic bank statements, which are either accompanied by a letter from the bank on its headed stationery confirming that the documents are authentic or which bear the official stamp of the issuing bank on every page
• All income and savings must be lawfully derived
• Savings must be held in cash
• Where there is income or cash savings in different foreign currencies, each will be converted into pounds sterling before being added together and then added to any UK income or savings to give a total amount.

Evidence of income from employment in the UK

• Payslips covering a period of 6 months prior to the date of the FLR M application if the person has been employed by their current employer for at least 6 months or any period of salaried employment in the period of 12 months prior to the date of application if the person has been employed by their current employer for less than 6 months 
• The employment or self-employment income of an applicant will be taken into account if they are in the UK, aged 18 years or over and working legally, and prospective employment income will not be taken into account
• A letter from the employer(s) who issued the payslips confirming the person’s employment and gross annual salary and the length of their employment; the period over which they have been or were paid the level of salary relied upon in the application; and the type of employment (permanent, fixed-term contract or agency)
• The latest Annual Return filed at Companies House if the applicant is a director in a limited company
• Where a person appointed as a non-executive director of a limited company based in the UK, is paid a fee instead of a salary, this income may be treated and evidenced as though it were income received for employment in that capacity
• In respect of salaried employment in the UK statutory or contractual maternity, paternity, adoption or sick pay in the UK, or a director’s salary paid to a self-employed person, the applicant may, in addition to the payslips and personal bank statements required under that paragraph, submit the P60 for the relevant period(s) of employment relied upon (if issued).

The documents required to meet the FLR M Visa financial requirement with employment income will depend on the nature and duration of employment. Also, different documents will be required if your British Spouse is working abroad and is returning with you to the UK.

Evidence of property rental income

In respect of non-employment income, all the following evidence, in relation to the form of income relied upon, must be provided. To prove property rental income, it must be dated before you apply for further leave to remain:

• Confirmation that the person or the person and their partner jointly own the property for which the rental income is received through
• A copy of the title deeds of the property or the title register from the Land Registry (or overseas equivalent); or
• A mortgage statement
• Personal bank statements for or from the 12 months before the date of application showing the income relied upon was paid into an account in the name of the person or of the person and their partner jointly
• A rental agreement or contract.

Evidence of income from dividends, investments, etc

To evidence dividends or other income from investments, stocks, shares, bonds or trust funds:

• A certificate showing proof of ownership and the amount(s) of any investment(s)
• A portfolio report (for a financial institution regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (and the Prudential Regulation Authority where applicable) in the UK) or a dividend voucher showing the company and person’s details with the person’s net dividend amount
• Personal bank statements for or from the 12 months before the date of application showing that the income relied upon was paid into an account in the name of the person or of the person and their partner jointly.

Evidence of Cash savings

Appendix FM-SE sets out specific requirements for the required evidence in paragraphs 11 and 11A. Any bank statements provided must be dated no earlier than 28 days before the date of application. When relying on cash savings held in a personal bank account to meet the FLR M Visa financial requirement, the following documentary evidence must be provided:

• Personal bank statements showing that at least the level of cash savings relied upon in the application has been held in an account(s) in the names of the person and their partner jointly throughout six months before the date of application, and 
• A signed declaration by the account holder(s) specifying the source of the cash savings.

Evidence of other income from Allowances and Benefits

You won’t need to meet the financial requirement if you have one or more of the following benefits: Carer’s Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Severe Disablement Allowance, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, Attendance Allowance or Personal Independence Payment or Armed Forces Independence Payment or Guaranteed Income Payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme or Constant Attendance Allowance, Mobility Supplement or War Disablement Pension under the War Pensions Scheme, or a Police Injury Pension, all the following evidence must be provided:

• Official documentation from the Department for Work and Pensions, Veterans Agency or Police Pension Authority confirming the current entitlement and the amount currently received
• At least one personal bank statement in the 12-month period prior to the date of application showing payment of the amount of the benefit or allowance to which the person is currently entitled into their account.

Evidence of Dependents

You must provide a full birth certificate, which shows the parents’ names of all your children. This includes children applying for further leave to remain in the UK with you. 

The minimum income requirement will increase by £3800 for the first child dependent and £2400 for each subsequent child dependent.

Evidence of meeting the English Language Requirement

Suppose the applicant has not met the requirement in a previous application for entry clearance or leave to remain as a partner or parent. In that case, the applicant must provide specified evidence that they:

• are a national of a majority English-speaking country, or
• have passed an English language test in speaking and listening at a minimum of level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages with a provider approved by the Secretary of State; or
• have an academic qualification which is either a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or PhD awarded by an educational establishment in the UK; or, if awarded by an educational establishment outside the UK, is deemed by UK NARIC to meet or exceed the recognised standard of a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or PhD in the UK, and UK NARIC has confirmed that the degree was taught or researched in English to level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or above; or
• are exempt from the English language requirement if one of the following applies – the applicant is aged 65 or over; the applicant has a disability (physical or mental condition) which prevents the applicant from meeting the requirement, or there are exceptional circumstances which prevent the applicant from being able to meet the requirement.

To read more on how to meet the English language requirement, please see English Language Requirement for Partner Visa.

How can we help

The documentary requirements for FLR M applications can get complicated. An experienced immigration advisor from our team can assist with your visa extension application. To discuss your application, call our friendly team today at 02087575751 or use our contact form.

FLR M Documents Frequently asked questions