UK Spouse Visa Guide 2026: Requirements, Application & Evidence

The UK Spouse Visa lets the partner of a British or settled person live in the UK, and it is the first step on a five-year path to settlement. It sits under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules, and the applicant and sponsor must meet a financial, relationship, English language and accommodation requirement. Each requirement has to be evidenced in the specified form, and an application that does not may be refused. This guide provides an overview of the requirements, evidence and application process for a UK Spouse Visa.

What is a UK Spouse Visa?

A UK Spouse Visa is leave to enter or remain in the UK as the partner of a British or settled person. It allows the married partner or civil partner of a British citizen, an Irish citizen, or a person settled in the UK to live here.

The Spouse Visa is the married route within a wider partner category. An engaged couple who intend to marry apply on a different route, and a couple in a relationship akin to marriage apply as unmarried partners. The requirements overlap, but the relationship evidence differs.

What can I do on a UK Spouse Visa?

A UK Spouse Visa is granted for two years and nine months when the application is made from outside the UK, and for two and a half years when made from inside. For the length of that leave, the holder can work in any employment, be self-employed, run a business, and study at any level, without restriction.

The visa is granted subject to a no recourse to public funds condition. This limits access to most means-tested benefits and tax credits, and the condition is recorded on the visa. A family that would otherwise face destitution, or where the welfare of a child is at risk, can apply to have the condition lifted through a change of conditions application.

Healthcare is covered by the immigration health surcharge paid with the application, which gives the holder access to the National Health Service on the same basis as a UK resident for the duration of the visa.

Who can apply for a UK Spouse Visa?

A Spouse Visa is applied for by the married partner or civil partner of a person who is settled in the UK, or who is a British citizen. In the Rules, that person is the sponsor, and E-ECP.2.1 of Appendix FM sets out who can sponsor an application. The sponsor must be one of the following:

• a British citizen, whether already in the UK or returning to the UK with the applicant as their partner
• present and settled in the UK, for example with Indefinite Leave to Remain
• in the UK with protection status, as a refugee or with humanitarian protection
• in the UK with limited leave under Appendix EU, the EU Settlement Scheme
• in the UK with limited leave as a worker or business person under Appendix ECAA Extension of Stay
• in the UK with permission as a stateless person

A valid marriage or civil partnership

The relationship must be a marriage or civil partnership that is recognised as valid under the law of England and Wales. A marriage entered into abroad is recognised where it was validly formed under the law of the country in which it took place and both partners were free to marry, which covers most religious, customary and proxy marriages celebrated overseas. Both partners must be aged 18 or over (E-ECP.2.2), and must not be within the prohibited degrees of relationship, meaning close blood relations, under the Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Act 1986 (E-ECP.2.3).

What are the requirements for a UK Spouse Visa?

An applicant must meet all of the requirements set out in Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules. For a Spouse Visa, these are:

• the applicant and their partner must both be aged 18 or over
• the couple must not be within a prohibited degree of relationship, meaning they are not too closely related to marry
• the applicant and their partner must have met in person
• the relationship must be genuine and subsisting
• the marriage or civil partnership must be valid and recognised in the UK
• any previous marriage or relationship of either partner must have permanently broken down
• the couple must intend to live together permanently in the UK
• the financial requirement must be met, currently a gross income of £29,000 a year (as of June 2026)
• the English language requirement must be met
• there must be adequate accommodation for the family, without recourse to public funds
• a tuberculosis (TB) test certificate, where the applicant applies from a listed country

The applicant must also meet the suitability requirements, set out in Section S-EC of Appendix FM: the good-character and conduct grounds that can bar a grant. A previous immigration breach or a criminal record does not automatically prevent an application, but it is assessed against those grounds.

The financial requirement for a Spouse Visa

The Spouse Visa financial requirement is the minimum income requirement: the level of income or savings the sponsor must show for the application to succeed. It is set out at E-ECP.3.1 of Appendix FM, with the evidence rules at Appendix FM-SE, and is currently a gross annual income of £29,000 (as of June 2026). The sponsor can meet it through employment, self-employment, non-employment income, pension income, qualifying cash savings, or a permitted combination of these.

The income has to be evidenced in the exact form the Rules prescribe, including the specified documents and the date-coverage each category requires. The category a sponsor relies on is set by how their income is earned.

Category A: salaried employment held for six months or more

Category A applies where the sponsor has been with the same employer for at least six months on a fixed salary. The requirement is met by showing that the annual salary reaches the threshold, evidenced by six months of payslips and corresponding bank statements.

Category B: variable income or an employer held for less than six months

Category B applies where the sponsor is in current employment but does not meet Category A, for example on variable hours or in a new job held for less than six months. It uses a two-part test that looks at current income and at the income actually received across the preceding twelve months.

Category C: non-employment income

Category C applies where the sponsor or applicant relies on non-employment income, such as rent from a property, dividends from shares, or interest from savings and investments. The income received in the twelve months before the application is counted, evidenced with the documents each source requires.

Category D: cash savings

Category D allows the requirement to be met through qualifying cash savings held for at least six months. Savings above a set floor can be counted, either on their own or to top up income that falls short.

Category E: pension income

Category E applies where the sponsor or applicant receives a pension, whether a state, occupational or private pension. A pension in payment for at least 28 days before the date of application counts in full, evidenced by the provider's documentation.

Categories F and G: self-employment and company directors

Categories F and G apply where the sponsor is self-employed or a director of a specified limited company. Category F uses the last full financial year, and Category G averages the last two, each evidenced with the specified tax and company documents.

Returning sponsors and the financial requirement

A sponsor returning to the UK from abroad can rely on a confirmed job offer here rather than on UK income already earned. The offer must be genuine, and the salary must reach the threshold, evidenced by the employer confirmation the Rules specify. Overseas income earned before the return can also be relied on in defined circumstances.

Combining income sources

Income sources can be combined to reach the threshold, but the Rules limit which combinations are permitted. Employment income can be added to non-employment income, pension income and cash savings, while some self-employment combinations are restricted.

What is the 28-day rule?

Financial documents have to be recent when the application is submitted. Bank statements and payslips must generally be dated within 28 days of the application date, and savings must have been held for the full qualifying period. Evidence outside that window may not be accepted, even where the underlying income clearly meets the threshold.

How do I prove a genuine and subsisting relationship?

The relationship requirement asks the couple to show that their relationship is real and that they intend to build their life together in the UK. In the Rules it divides into three conditions, set out in Section E-ECP of Appendix FM: the couple must have met in person (E-ECP.2.4); the relationship must be genuine and subsisting (E-ECP.2.6); and they must intend to live together permanently in the UK (E-ECP.2.10). A marriage or civil partnership certificate proves the legal relationship, and the couple then evidence that it is real and continuing through cohabitation, communication and shared commitments over time.

Where the couple have lived apart, or married recently, the relationship is examined more closely, and a fuller evidence set helps. The aim is a consistent picture built across the whole relationship.

What a genuine and subsisting relationship means

A genuine and subsisting relationship is one that is real and continuing. What matters is how the relationship began, how it has been maintained, and the couple's intention to live together permanently. A marriage certificate proves the legal tie, and cohabitation, communication and shared commitments over time show that the relationship is subsisting.

Building relationship evidence over time

The strongest evidence spans the length of the relationship. Joint financial commitments, correspondence addressed to both partners, records of visits and communication during any time apart, and statements from people who know the couple together each add to the picture. Where the couple already live together, evidence of cohabitation across a sustained period carries particular weight.

The English language requirement

The English language requirement applies to applicants who are nationals of a country where English is not a majority language. It is met at CEFR level A1 for a first Spouse Visa application, rising to A2 at extension and B1 at settlement, and is set out at E-ECP.4.1 of Appendix FM.

A national of a majority English-speaking country meets the requirement automatically. Other applicants meet it by passing an approved Secure English Language Test, or by holding a degree that was taught in English. Applicants aged 65 or over, and those with a long-term physical or mental condition, are exempt under E-ECP.4.2.

The adequate accommodation requirement

The couple must show that they will have adequate accommodation for the family, including any others who live in the same household, which they own or occupy exclusively, without recourse to public funds. This is the accommodation requirement, set out at E-ECP.3.4 of Appendix FM. Accommodation is not regarded as adequate where it is, or will become, overcrowded, or where it contravenes public health regulations. Overcrowding is measured against the standard in the Housing Act 1985, by the number of rooms against the number of occupants. The couple must also be entitled to live there, whether they own it, rent it, or live with family.

The tuberculosis (TB) test requirement

An applicant applying from a country on the UK's list must provide a tuberculosis (TB) test certificate from a clinic approved by the Home Office. The certificate confirms the applicant is free of infectious TB and is valid for six months from the date of the test. Applicants applying from inside the UK are exempt.

Can I include my children on a Spouse Visa?

A child under 18 at the date of application can apply as a dependant at the same time as the parent, provided they are unmarried, not in a civil partnership, and not living an independent life. Each child makes their own application, and the family must show adequate accommodation and maintenance for the additional dependants.

What documents do I need for a UK Spouse Visa?

A Spouse Visa application is decided on the documents submitted, so the evidence set is prepared to match each requirement. The documents required depend on the circumstances of the application.

• current passport, and the sponsor's passport or proof of settled status
• marriage or civil partnership certificate
• financial evidence for the relevant income category
• relationship evidence showing a genuine and subsisting relationship
• English language test certificate, or evidence of an exemption
• evidence of adequate accommodation, and a tuberculosis test certificate where the applicant is in a listed country

Documents that are not in English

Any document that is not in English or Welsh must be submitted with a full certified translation. The translation must be made by a qualified translator, and must confirm the translator's name and credentials, that it is an accurate translation of the original, and the date of translation. The original document is provided alongside the translation.

How do I apply for a UK Spouse Visa?

A Spouse Visa is applied for online, followed by a biometric appointment and the upload of the supporting documents. An applicant outside the UK applies for entry clearance, and an applicant already in the UK on an eligible visa applies to switch or to extend from inside the country.

1. Confirm eligibility. Check the income category, relationship evidence and English route that fit your circumstances.
2. Prepare the evidence. Assemble the specified documents for each requirement.
3. Apply online. Complete the application form and pay the fee and health surcharge.
4. Enrol biometrics. Attend the biometric appointment and upload the supporting documents.
5. Await the decision. The Home Office decides and, where the application succeeds, grants leave for two and a half years.

Applying from outside the UK

An applicant outside the UK applies for entry clearance as a partner before travelling. The application is made online in the country of residence, biometrics are enrolled at a visa application centre, and the visa is issued for travel once granted. This is the route for a partner joining a British or settled sponsor from abroad.

Can I switch to a Spouse Visa inside the UK?

An applicant already in the UK on an eligible route can switch to a Spouse Visa without leaving the country. Most work, study and family routes permit an in-country switch where the relationship and other requirements are met, though a visitor cannot switch and must apply for entry clearance from abroad. An in-country applicant who applies before their current leave expires keeps a valid status while the decision is pending.

How much does a UK Spouse Visa cost?

A Spouse Visa carries a Home Office application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge, both paid when the application is submitted.

How long does a UK Spouse Visa take?

A Spouse Visa is usually decided within 12 weeks for an application made outside the UK, and within eight weeks for one made inside, with a priority service available at extra cost.

After approval: extension, settlement and citizenship

A Spouse Visa is granted for two and a half years. The holder extends once, then qualifies for Indefinite Leave to Remain at five years. British citizenship can be applied for twelve months later, or immediately where the applicant is married to a British citizen.

What happens if a Spouse Visa is refused?

Where a Spouse Visa is refused, a fresh application that corrects the reason for refusal is usually the most direct route to a grant. A refusal usually results from a single evidential point, and a fresh application that presents the evidence in the exact form the Rules require puts the case on a stronger footing.

The most common reasons a Spouse Visa is refused are:

• financial evidence that does not match the chosen Appendix FM-SE category, or is dated outside the required window
• relationship evidence that does not show the relationship is genuine and subsisting
• a missing specified document, such as a required bank statement or the English test certificate
• suitability grounds arising from a previous immigration breach or criminal record

Spouse Visa applications in practice

Five worked examples show how the minimum income requirement of £29,000 (as of June 2026) can be met, with the calculation each one uses.

Salary alone. A sponsor is on a fixed annual salary of £31,000. Because that salary is above the £29,000 threshold, the requirement is met on income alone, under Category A. No savings are needed.

Salary and savings combined. A sponsor earns £22,000, which is £7,000 below the threshold. Cash savings can cover a shortfall using the formula £16,000 + (2.5 × the shortfall). Here that is £16,000 + (2.5 × £7,000) = £33,500. The couple hold £35,000, which is above the £33,500 needed, so the requirement is met.

Variable income. A sponsor in a new job earns a base salary plus commission that changes each month. Where income varies, two figures must reach £29,000 at once: the current income at the date of application, and the total actually earned over the past twelve months. Here the current income is £30,500 and the twelve-month total is £29,400. Both are above £29,000, so the requirement is met under Category B.

Self-employment. A company director's income was £25,000 in the last financial year and £34,000 the year before. The last year alone falls short. The requirement can instead be met on the average of the last two years: (£34,000 + £25,000) ÷ 2 = £29,500. That average is above £29,000, so the requirement is met under Category G.

Employment and other income combined. A sponsor earns a £20,000 salary and receives £10,000 a year in rental income. Employment income and non-employment income such as rent can be added together: £20,000 + £10,000 = £30,000, which is above the threshold, so the requirement is met.

Upcoming changes to the UK Spouse Visa

The minimum income requirement rose on 11 April 2024, from £18,600 to £29,000. Further increases have been proposed but are not yet in force, and the £29,000 threshold remains the operative figure for a current application (as of June 2026). Any change is expected to come with transitional arrangements for applicants already on the route.