United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland · family · Leads to settlement
Family visa (partner/spouse)
By Sam Parks · Last reviewed:
Guidance updated 12 September 2026. Full-review date shown above.
Source check: all 8 official citations reconfirmed 13 September 2026
Visa for partners of British citizens, settled persons, or certain other qualifying sponsors.
- Processing time
- Typically 8–12 weeks from outside the UK.
- Government fees
- Application: £2,064 outside the UK or £1,407 inside. Adult IHS is additional and depends on the grant length; under-18s use a reduced rate. The itemised fee guide separates these cases.
- Typical duration
- An initial partner grant is normally up to 2 years 9 months; an extension or in-country switch is normally up to 2 years 6 months. Some grants are shorter, including qualifying protection-status cases tied to the sponsor’s expiry.
- Sponsorship required
- No
- Leads to permanent residency
- Yes
In short
Visa for partners of British citizens, settled persons, or certain other qualifying sponsors. Guidance updated 12 September 2026. Costs, application stages and eligibility conditions are set out with their sources below.
Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/uk/family-spouse#answer
What is the Family visa (partner/spouse) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Family visa (partner/spouse) is an unsponsored United Kingdom route. Indicative government fees are Application: £2,064 outside the UK or £1,407 inside. Adult IHS is additional and depends on the grant length; under-18s use a reduced rate. The itemised fee guide separates these cases; indicative processing time is Typically 8–12 weeks from outside the UK; typical duration is An initial partner grant is normally up to 2 years 9 months; an extension or in-country switch is normally up to 2 years 6 months. Some grants are shorter, including qualifying protection-status cases tied to the sponsor’s expiry. This route can lead to permanent residence.
Primary guidance checked with UK Home Office on 1 June 2026.
Overview
The partner route is for a qualifying relationship with a British or Irish citizen, a settled person or someone with another expressly eligible status. Ordinary work-visa and Student dependants use their own routes; a partner relationship alone does not make this the correct family application.
Guidance by nationality
Specific information for applicants from these countries. Don’t see yours? The general eligibility criteria above apply to everyone.
Indian applicants
Indian spouse-visa applications are the largest single national cohort. Indian marriage certificates from civil registra…
Nigerian applicants
Nigerian spouse-visa applications face heightened scrutiny on bona-fide-marriage evidence and source-of-funds for the in…
Filipino applicants
Filipino spouse-visa applicants are a substantial cohort, often joining UK-based Filipino healthcare and care-worker spo…
Additional sources
Primary source
GOV.UK: family application charges and dependant-route distinction ↗ · UK Home Office
Link last verified:
Primary source
GOV.UK: partner status, evidence and permission length ↗ · UK Home Office
Link last verified:
Eligibility
Typical criteria
- ✓Genuine and subsisting relationship with a qualifying sponsor.UK Home Office ↗
- ✓Minimum income requirement (£29,000 from April 2024) or qualifying savings, unless exempt.UK Home Office ↗
- ✓Adequate accommodation in the UK.UK Home Office ↗
- ✓English at CEFR A1 at entry, A2 at extension, B1 at settlement.UK Home Office ↗
Common blockers
- !Income falls below the minimum threshold and no qualifying savings route applies.UK Home Office ↗
- !Relationship evidence insufficient to show genuine and subsisting.
Typical evidence
- ·Evidence of the qualifying relationship. For an unmarried partnership of at least two years, living together is not always required: explain and evidence a qualifying reason for living apart.UK Home Office ↗
- ·Payslips, employment contracts, or other income evidence.UK Home Office ↗
- ·English-language test or exemption.UK Home Office ↗
Application pathway
Verify sponsor eligibility
Confirm sponsor's status (British citizen, settled, or qualifying other) and ability to meet income or savings requirement.
Gather relationship evidence
Assemble evidence of a genuine relationship — messages, photos, joint finances, cohabitation records.
Use the correct application channel
Use entry clearance when applying outside the UK, or the appropriate extension or switch process if eligible inside the UK. The fee and usual grant length differ.
Record the actual grant and extension dates
Use the permission issued, not a fixed anniversary. Standard entry and in-country grants have different lengths, and some cases are shorter. Settlement needs a separate qualifying-period and eligibility check.
After approval: prepare for your next step
For Family visa (partner/spouse), use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.
- 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
- 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
- 3. Confirm what you may do. Check the conditions for your own permission, including work, and keep evidence of the qualifying relationship. The principal applicant’s conditions may differ.
- 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
- 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Plan the practical side of your stay
Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in United Kingdom. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.
Official application links
Where to actually go next
These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.
- ApplyApplicantApply as a partner or spouse ↗
Use this GOV.UK page to start the partner or spouse family visa application and confirm route-specific evidence.
UK Home Office · verified
- ChecklistApplicant + sponsorCheck family visa evidence ↗
Applicant and sponsor use this checklist to prepare relationship, income and accommodation documents.
UK Home Office · verified
Fees and processing time
A typical Family visa (partner/spouse) application runs about £5,169 in government fees (one adult partner applying outside the UK for 33 months, without a fee waiver or priority service). A decision then typically takes 3 months – 6 months. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum income for a UK spouse visa?+
As of April 2024, the minimum income requirement is £29,000 per year. The government had announced further increases but has reviewed the trajectory. Always check GOV.UK for the current figure.
Does the sponsor need to be a British citizen?+
No. Irish citizens, settled people and certain other expressly eligible statuses can also qualify. This is not the same as being a dependant of an ordinary work-visa or Student holder; use the relevant dependant route in those cases.
Can my sister or another relative sponsor me for a UK family visa?+
The Family (partner/spouse) route is for partners and spouses of British citizens or settled persons, partners of certain qualifying work or study route holders, and parents of British or settled children. A sibling is not listed among the qualifying sponsors for this route. Check the full list of who can sponsor on GOV.UK.
How long does it take to get settlement (ILR) on the UK spouse visa?+
The Family (partner/spouse) route runs as an initial 2.5 years, then an extension to 5 years total, after which you can apply for settlement if all requirements are met. Your English level must rise from CEFR A1 at entry to A2 at extension and B1 at settlement. Verify the current requirements on GOV.UK.
What counts as proof of a genuine relationship for a UK spouse visa?+
You typically provide a marriage or civil partnership certificate, or evidence of cohabitation for two or more years, alongside supporting evidence such as messages, photos, joint finances and cohabitation records. The application must show a genuine and subsisting relationship with a qualifying sponsor. See GOV.UK for the document checklist.
Need tailored advice?
We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.
Find a regulated advisor in United KingdomHow we verified this
We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.
Primary source: UK Home Office
Last checked: 1 June 2026