United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland · Processing time
Family visa (partner/spouse): how long does it take?
By Sam Parks · Last checked:
GOV.UK publishes 12 weeks outside the UK and up to 6 months during peak periods for spouse/partner visas.
How long does the Family visa (partner/spouse) take to process in United Kingdom?
The typical published decision window is 3 months – 6 months from a complete application. GOV.UK publishes 12 weeks outside the UK and up to 6 months during peak periods for spouse/partner visas.
Verified against GOV.UK — Family visas on 1 June 2026.
Typical wait
3 months – 6 months
from complete application
Government fees
Application fee plus IHS £1,035/year per applicant. See GOV.UK.
Last checked
1 June 2026
What is the Family visa (partner/spouse)?
Visa for partners of British citizens, settled persons, or certain other qualifying sponsors.
The Family route allows partners and children of British citizens, settled persons (ILR/EUSS settled status), and certain work-route holders to live in the UK. The financial minimum income requirement was raised to £29,000 in April 2024, with further increases previously planned.
- Sponsorship: No job offer or employer sponsor is required.
- Settlement: This route can lead to permanent residency in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
- Typical permit length: Initial 2.5 years then extension to 5 years total; leads to settlement.
- Indicative government fees: Application fee plus IHS £1,035/year per applicant. See GOV.UK.
Priority and fast-track options
Priority service available for an additional fee in most countries, reducing to 30 working days.
How to read this estimate
The 3 months – 6 months window is the time GOV.UK — Family visas typically associates with the Family visa (partner/spouse) — measured from a complete, correctly-lodged application through to a decision, not from when you start gathering documents.
- Collecting documents, getting qualifications recognised, and booking consular appointments all happen before the clock starts.
- If the authority requests more information, the clock pauses until you reply — so a fast, complete response keeps your place in the queue.
- Processing times shift with application volumes and policy changes. The GOV.UK — Family visas page linked below is the only figure that is current on the day you apply.
Official source
GOV.UK — Family visas
https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Family visa (partner/spouse) take to process?+
The typical wait is 3 months – 6 months from submitting a complete application. GOV.UK publishes 12 weeks outside the UK and up to 6 months during peak periods for spouse/partner visas. These figures come from GOV.UK — Family visas and were last verified on 2026-06-01. Always confirm on the primary source before you apply.
When does the 3 months – 6 months clock start?+
The clock starts when GOV.UK — Family visas receives a complete, valid application — not when you begin collecting documents. Gathering evidence, getting qualifications recognised, and booking consular appointments all happen before the window starts.
Is there a way to speed up the decision?+
Priority service available for an additional fee in most countries, reducing to 30 working days.
What makes an application take longer than expected?+
The most common reasons for delays beyond the published window are: missing or incorrect documents, a request for more information (which pauses the clock until you reply), background or medical checks, and consular appointment backlogs in your country. Submitting a complete, well-organised application on day one is the single biggest thing you can do to stay inside the published window.
When should I treat my Family visa (partner/spouse) application as delayed?+
Wait until you have passed the upper end of the published window (3 months – 6 months) before treating it as delayed. At that point, a single polite status enquiry through the official channel is reasonable. Do not chase repeatedly, as this tends to slow a case rather than speed it up.
Next steps
Reviewed by Sam Parks, Editor and lead researcher.