Spouse visa legal advice

Solicitors for spouse visa application help

Our specialist immigration lawyers understand the importance of being with loved ones. If you're a UK citizen or settled person wanting to bring your spouse to the UK permanently, navigating the spouse visa process can be daunting.

With a team of more than 20 immigration lawyers, over 10 in London and others around the UK, we are an experienced, affordable choice to advise and represent you in applying for a spouse visa.

Please do get in contact to arrange a call or meeting.

Spouse Visa application process overview

• Eligibility Assessment – to ensure you and your spouse meet the requirements, including being legally married and having a genuine relationship.
• Financial Requirements – to demonstrate sufficient income to support yourself and your spouse without relying on public funds.
• English Language Requirement - your spouse may need to pass an English language test.
• Application Submission - compile a comprehensive application with supporting documentation.
• Home Office Decision -  can take several months, with potential requests for further evidence.

What Can Go Wrong?

Common reasons your spouse visa application may be refused include :-

• Failing to meet the financial threshold -  income requirements are strict and can be complex to calculate. You (or your partner in the UK) must meet a minimum income threshold to show you can financially support yourselves without relying on public funds. This threshold is set to increase in April 2024 and again in early 2025, so it's important to check the latest government figures: https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/partner-spouse. The income can come from various sources like employment, pensions, savings (limited amount), or sponsorships.
• Genuine relationship evidence - failing to provide convincing proof can lead to rejection. You'll need to convince the Home Office that your relationship is genuine and subsisting. This means providing evidence that you have a real and continuing relationship, not just one entered into for immigration purposes. Examples of evidence include being in a legal marriage or civil partnership recognized in the UK, joint bank statements, bills, or tenancy agreements, photographs of you together throughout your relationship and communication records  such as emails or texts.
• Incomplete application - missing documents or errors can cause delays or refusals.
• English language requirements - in most cases, your spouse will need to pass a basic English language test at a minimum level (currently A1 on the CEFR scale) to demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively in the UK.
• Criminal record checks - you and your spouse may need to provide police certificates from your countries of residence.
• Accommodation - the need to show you have suitable accommodation in the UK to house yourselves upon arrival.