UK Unmarried Partner Visa 2026: Requirements & Application

A UK Unmarried Partner Visa lets the partner of a British or settled person live in the UK without the couple marrying first, and it opens the same five-year path to settlement a married couple uses. The couple must show they have been in a relationship similar to marriage or a civil partnership for at least two years before they apply, and the sponsor must meet an income requirement of £29,000 a year (as of July 2026). Since 31 January 2024 the couple no longer need to have been living together for those two years, so a couple who have never shared an address can qualify. This guide provides an overview of the requirements, evidence and application process for a UK Unmarried Partner Visa.

What is an Unmarried Partner Visa?

An Unmarried Partner Visa is a grant of leave as the partner of a British citizen or a person settled in the UK, made to a couple who are not married and not in a civil partnership.

The visa is granted for two years and nine months when applied for from outside the UK, and places the applicant on the five-year route to Indefinite Leave to Remain. What separates the unmarried partner from a spouse or civil partner is the way the relationship itself is proved. A married couple produce a marriage certificate. An unmarried couple prove two years in a relationship similar to marriage or a civil partnership.

Who can apply?

An Unmarried Partner Visa is applied for by the partner of a British citizen, an Irish citizen, or a person settled in the UK, where the couple are not married and not in a civil partnership. The applicant and their partner must meet every requirement of the route:

• the couple must have been in a relationship similar to marriage or a civil partnership for at least two years before the date of application
• both the applicant and their partner must be aged 18 or over at the date of application
• the couple must not be within the prohibited degree of relationship, meaning close blood relations
• the applicant and their partner must have met in person
• the relationship must be genuine and subsisting
• any previous relationship of the applicant or their partner must have broken down permanently
• the couple must intend to live together permanently in the UK
• the financial requirement must be met, a gross annual income of £29,000 (as of July 2026), or qualifying cash savings, or a permitted combination
• the English language requirement must be met at CEFR level A1 for a first application
• there must be adequate accommodation for the family, without recourse to public funds
• an applicant applying from a listed country must provide a tuberculosis (TB) test certificate

The applicant must also meet the suitability requirements, the good-character and conduct grounds that can bar a grant. A previous immigration breach or a criminal record does not automatically prevent a grant, and it is assessed against those grounds.

The two-year relationship requirement

An unmarried couple must show they have been together for at least two years in a relationship that resembles a marriage or a civil partnership. This is the definition of an unmarried partner, set out at GEN.1.2 of Appendix FM, which provides:

"For the purposes of this Appendix 'partner' means the applicant's— (i) spouse; or (ii) civil partner; or (iii) fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner; or (iv) unmarried partner, where the couple have been in a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least 2 years before the date of application."

Two elements carry the test. The relationship must be similar to marriage or a civil partnership, which is a question of its character, and it must have lasted at least two years before the date of application, which is a question of its duration. The two years must be complete on the day the application is made, so a couple approaching that point wait until the two years have run rather than apply early.

Do you need to have lived together?

A couple applying today do not need to show they have been living together, and a couple who have never shared an address can meet the two-year test. The words "living together" were removed from the definition of an unmarried partner on 31 January 2024, and the wording quoted above contains no cohabitation requirement.

The change was made by the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules HC 246, laid before Parliament on 7 December 2023 and taking effect on 31 January 2024. Before that date the definition asked whether the couple had been living together in a relationship akin to marriage or a civil partnership for at least two years. From that date the reference to living together was struck out, and the test asks only whether the couple have been in a relationship similar to marriage or a civil partnership for at least two years. The current four-limb wording of GEN.1.2 was substituted later, by the Statement of Changes HC 217, which took effect on 8 October 2024.

Cohabitation therefore sits in the evidence rather than in the rule. A couple who have lived together prove the character of their relationship in the most direct way available, through a shared address over time. Where the couple have lived apart, whether because they work or study in different countries, or because their culture or the law where they live does not permit an unmarried couple to share a home, the same two-year test is met on other evidence of the relationship.

Living together in the past, intending to live together in future

Two different rules deal with a couple sharing a home, and they point in opposite directions in time. Removing the words "living together" from GEN.1.2 changed what the couple must prove about their past. It did not touch what they must show about their future.

The requirement to intend to live together permanently in the UK is set out at E-ECP.2.10 of Appendix FM, and it is unchanged. Every couple on this route, including a couple who have never shared an address, must show that they intend to live together permanently in the UK once the visa is granted. The two-year test looks backwards at the character and duration of the relationship. The intention requirement looks forwards at the life the couple plan to lead here.

Read together, the position is precise. A couple who have never lived together can meet the definition of an unmarried partner, and they must still satisfy the decision-maker that they intend to live together permanently in the UK. Applications from couples who have lived apart are best evidenced where both points are addressed on their own terms: the past through evidence of the relationship, and the future through the couple's plans for living together in the UK, such as the accommodation they will occupy and the arrangements each partner is making to be there.

How do I prove two years without cohabitation?

A couple who have not lived together prove the two-year relationship through a consistent record built across the whole period, drawn from several independent kinds of evidence. Where a shared tenancy or joint bills would ordinarily anchor the two years, the evidence base is broadened, and the aim is a picture that is continuous from the start of the two years to the date of application.

Five kinds of evidence carry the test:

• Communications. Messages, calls and video calls sampled across the whole two years, showing the relationship running continuously rather than in isolated bursts. A short sample from each month of the period demonstrates continuity more effectively than a large volume from one month.
• Visits and travel records. Flight bookings, boarding passes, passport stamps, visas and hotel or accommodation bookings, which date the time the couple have spent together and corroborate the communications.
• Financial interdependence. Money transfers between the partners, shared expenses, joint accounts or joint policies, and evidence of one partner supporting the other, each of which shows commitment of the kind a marriage or civil partnership involves.
• Recognition by family and friends. Photographs across the period, evidence of time spent with each other's families, and attendance at family events, which show the relationship is acknowledged by the people around the couple.
• Statements. A statement from each partner covering how and when the relationship began, how it has been conducted, why the couple have lived apart, and their plans for living together in the UK, supported by statements from family members or friends with direct knowledge of the relationship.

Structure carries as much as volume. Evidence arranged in date order across the two years, with each kind of evidence sampled at intervals rather than concentrated in a single period, shows the relationship as continuous. Where the couple have never lived together, the statements do additional work, because they explain the reason the couple live apart and tie the other evidence into a single account. An application that leaves the reason for living apart unexplained may be refused.

The financial requirement

The sponsor must show a level of income or savings before the visa can be granted, known as the minimum income requirement. It is set out at E-ECP.3.1 of Appendix FM, which requires a specified gross annual income of at least £29,000 (as of July 2026), with the evidence rules at Appendix FM-SE. The requirement can be met through the partner's employment or self-employment, specified pension income, certain specified benefits and payments, other specified non-employment income, qualifying cash savings, or a permitted combination of these.

Cash savings meet the requirement under E-ECP.3.3, which specifies savings of £16,000, plus additional savings equal to 2.5 times the difference between the gross annual income relied on and the amount required. A couple relying on savings alone therefore hold £88,500, being £16,000 plus 2.5 times £29,000 (as of July 2026). The category the sponsor relies on is set by how the income is earned, and each category has its own specified documents and date-coverage rules under Appendix FM-SE.

An applicant who first applied for a partner visa before 11 April 2024 meets the £18,600 threshold that applied then, rather than the £29,000 that applies to new applicants (as of July 2026). This transitional protection continues for as long as the applicant remains on the same five-year partner route, through the extension and on to settlement.

The English language requirement

The applicant must show a basic command of spoken English before the visa is granted, at CEFR level A1 in speaking and listening. This is the English language requirement, set out at E-ECP.4.1 of Appendix FM, which requires the applicant to 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.

The requirement can also be met by holding an academic qualification taught in English and recognised as equivalent to a UK degree, or by being a national of a majority English-speaking country. Applicants aged 65 or over, and those with a long-term physical or mental condition that prevents them meeting it, are exempt.

The level rises across the route rather than repeating. An applicant who meets the requirement at A1 for entry clearance meets it at A2 at the extension, and at B1 at settlement, alongside the Life in the UK Test. A couple planning the five-year route can therefore expect three separate English assessments, at rising levels.

The adequate accommodation requirement

The couple must show they will have somewhere suitable to live in the UK, which they own or occupy exclusively, without relying on public funds. This is the accommodation requirement, set out at E-ECP.3.4 of Appendix FM, which requires evidence that there will be adequate accommodation, without recourse to public funds, for the family, including other family members who are not included in the application but who live in the same household.

Accommodation will not be regarded as adequate if it is, or will be, overcrowded, or if it contravenes public health regulations. Both limbs apply. Overcrowding is measured against the statutory standard in the Housing Act 1985, by the number of rooms against the number of occupants. Accommodation owned or occupied by a family member can satisfy the requirement, provided the couple will occupy at least part of it exclusively.

The tuberculosis (TB) test requirement

An applicant who has been living in a listed country for more than six months must provide a tuberculosis test certificate with the application. The test is taken at a clinic approved by the Home Office, and the certificate is valid for six months from the date of the test.

The requirement is set by where the applicant has been living rather than by their nationality, so an applicant applying from a country that is not on the list does not need a certificate. An application made from a listed country without a valid certificate may be rejected as invalid, which means the fee is not put toward a decision.

Can I include my children?

A child of the applicant can apply as a dependant at the same time, on their own application. The child must not be leading an independent life, and must not be married or in a civil partnership. Each dependent child included pays their own application fee and health surcharge.

The family shows adequate accommodation and maintenance for the additional dependants. The income the family must show reflects which financial threshold applies: the £29,000 requirement covers the partner and any children, while a transitional £18,600 case adds a separate amount for each child (as of July 2026).

What documents do I need?

Appendix FM of the immigration rules is elaborate, and the documents required in any application will depend on the applicant's circumstances. Typically, these will include:

• the applicant's current passport or travel document, and the sponsor's passport or proof of British citizenship or settled status
• relationship evidence covering the full two years before the date of application
• a statement from each partner explaining how the relationship has been conducted, and, where the couple have lived apart, the reason for that
• financial evidence for the relevant income or savings category, in the form specified by Appendix FM-SE
• an English language test certificate at CEFR level A1, or evidence of an exemption
• evidence of adequate accommodation for the family
• a tuberculosis test certificate, where the applicant has been living in a listed country
• evidence that any previous marriage, civil partnership or relationship has broken down permanently, such as a decree absolute

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?

An Unmarried Partner Visa is applied for online from outside the UK, followed by a biometric appointment at a visa application centre and the upload of the supporting documents. The application is made as entry clearance as a partner.

1. Confirm the two years are complete. Check that the relationship reaches two years before the date the application is made.
2. Confirm the financial category. Identify the income or savings category the sponsor relies on, and the documents Appendix FM-SE specifies for it.
3. Prepare the evidence. Assemble the relationship evidence across the whole two years, the financial documents, the English certificate and the accommodation evidence.
4. Apply online and pay. Complete the application, and pay the fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge for the full length of the visa.
5. Enrol biometrics. Attend the appointment at the visa application centre and upload the supporting documents.
6. Await the decision. The Home Office decides and, where the application succeeds, grants two years and nine months.

An applicant already in the UK on another visa can apply to switch to the partner route from inside the UK, where the Rules permit switching from the category they hold. A visitor cannot switch, and an applicant here as a visitor applies from outside the UK.

How much does an Unmarried Partner Visa cost?

The Home Office application fee for an Unmarried Partner Visa applied for from outside the UK is £2,064, and £1,407 where the applicant applies from inside the UK (as of 2026). The Immigration Health Surcharge is charged on top, for the full length of the visa, at £1,035 per year for an adult and £776 per year for a child under 18. A dependent child included in the application pays a further application fee and health surcharge, and an optional priority service is available at extra cost for a faster decision.

How long does it take?

An Unmarried Partner Visa applied for from outside the UK is usually decided within 12 weeks, and an application made from inside the UK within eight weeks. A priority service is available at extra cost for a faster decision. The service standards are published by the Home Office and vary by application centre and by season.

After approval: extension, settlement and citizenship

The first grant of two years and nine months takes the applicant to the first stage of a five-year route. Before it expires, the applicant applies inside the UK to extend as a partner, which grants a further two years and six months and brings the total to five years. The English language requirement rises to CEFR level A2 at that point, and the couple evidence the relationship again for the period since the grant.

After five years of continuous leave on the partner route, the applicant can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. Settlement adds two requirements: the English language requirement rises to CEFR level B1, and the applicant must pass the Life in the UK Test. Indefinite Leave to Remain removes the time limit on the applicant's stay.

British citizenship can follow settlement. An applicant who is married to a British citizen can apply immediately on obtaining settlement, and an unmarried partner applies twelve months after settlement. This is one point at which the two routes genuinely part company, and a couple who marry at any stage move on to the shorter timeline.

Unmarried Partner Visa applications in practice

Three worked examples show how the two-year test and the financial requirement apply together, with the calculation each one uses.

A couple who have lived together. A British sponsor and their partner have shared a flat abroad for three years, on a joint tenancy, and the sponsor has returned to the UK to a fixed annual salary of £31,000. The two years are evidenced by the tenancy, joint bills and the couple's financial records across the period. Because £31,000 is above the £29,000 threshold (as of July 2026), the financial requirement is met on salary alone, under Category A.

A couple who have never lived together. A settled sponsor in the UK and their partner overseas have been together for four years and have never shared an address, because the partner's family and the law where they live do not permit an unmarried couple to live together. The two-year definition at GEN.1.2(iv) contains no cohabitation requirement, so the relationship is evidenced instead by messages sampled across each month of the four years, eleven visits documented by flights and passport stamps, regular money transfers from the sponsor, photographs with both families, and statements from each partner explaining why the couple have lived apart and how they will live together in the UK. The intention to live together permanently under E-ECP.2.10 is evidenced separately, through the accommodation the couple will occupy in the UK.

Salary and savings combined. A sponsor earns £24,000, which is £5,000 below the £29,000 threshold. Cash savings can cover a shortfall using the formula at E-ECP.3.3, being £16,000 + (2.5 × the shortfall). Here that is £16,000 + (2.5 × £5,000) = £28,500. The couple hold £30,000, which is above the £28,500 needed, so the requirement is met (as of July 2026).