UK Spouse Visa Document Checklist: What You Need for Your Application to be Successful

Documents to include in your UK Spouse/Partner Visa Application

In order to prove that the applicant satisfies all of the requirements to be granted a UK Spouse or Partner Visa, they must submit relevant supporting documents that will be assessed by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) as part of the application.

The documents that you need to submit for your UK spouse/partner visa application are:

• Valid passport
• Proof that your relationship is genuine
• Evidence of meeting the financial requirement
• Proof of meeting the English language requirement
• Adequate accommodation

If applying to come to the UK as a Spouse/Partner, you may also need to provide:

• Evidence the applicant has the right to live in the country where they are applying from
• TB Test certificate (where applicable).

What are the requirements for a UK Spouse/Partner Visa?

Relationship Requirement

At the time of making an application, both the applicant and sponsor partner must:

• Be over 18
• Have met in person
• Not be related to each other
• Be in a genuine and subsisting relationship
• If either person were previously married/in a civil partnership, the previous marriage/s must have permanently broken down
• Intend to live together permanently in the UK once the visa is granted

If you are married or civil partners, you must be able to prove that you are in a legal marriage/civil partnership that is recognised in the UK.

If making an application as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner, you must show evidence that you are intending to get married in the UK.

If not married (and have no current intention of getting married), you must provide evidence that you and your partner have been in a relationship akin to a marriage, for 2 years or more.

Financial Requirement

For spouse visas being made outside the UK (Entry Clearance/Leave to Enter), the applicant and/or sponsor must meet the current minimum income threshold of £29,000 gross per annum.

For partners that were first granted leave as a spouse/partner before 11 April 2024 and are extending that visa (including if you first applied as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner), the previous minimum income threshold of *£18,600 gross per annum applies. *This threshold increases to £22,400 if you are applying to extend with a dependant child, and then further increments of £2,400 for each additional child you are applying with (up to a maximum threshold of £29,000).

Income sources that qualify to meet the minimum income threshold are:

• Salary from Employment*;
• Non-employment income e.g. rental income from property;
• Cash savings;
• Pension Income;
• Self-Employment income*;
• Income as a Director and/or Employee of a specified UK Limited company*

*Denotes Income Source can only be met by the Sponsor if the Application is for Entry Clearance. - Unless, the Applicant is already in the UK (with permission to work) and applying to extend their current partner visa / switch to the partner route inside the UK. In which case, they can rely on their own income from any of the above sources to meet the financial requirement.

Exemption from the Financial Requirement

If the sponsor is in receipt of specific benefits or allowances, the applicant is exempt from having to meet the minimum income threshold. These include:

• Disability living allowance
• Severe disablement allowance
• Personal Independence Payment
• Carers’ allowance
• Attendance allowance
• Child Disability Payment
• Adult Disability Payment
• Industrial injury disablement benefit
• Police Injury Pension
• Armed Forces Independence Payment or Guaranteed Income Payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
• Constant Attendance Allowance, Mobility Supplement or War Disablement Pension under the War Pensions Scheme
• Industrial injury disablement benefit

In this instance, evidence must be submitted to prove that the sponsor has sufficient funds to support them, the applicant and any other dependants without any additional public funds. - The Sponsor's total income and housing costs will be need to be assessed.

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The English Language Requirement

Another requirement of the Spouse Visa Application is evidence of sufficient knowledge of the English Language. Unless you reside in a country where English is the primary/dominant language e.g. USA or Australia, you will need to take an English Language Test which assesses your speaking and listening ability. This must be at a minimum level of A1.

If you have a degree or academic qualification that was taught or researched in English and recognised by Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC), the English language requirement may also be satisfied.

Other Requirements

TB Test

If you are a resident of a country where Tuberculosis screening is required by the UK, you will need to have a TB test at an approved clinic by the Home Office in order to come to the UK.

Accommodation Requirement

You must also show that you have adequate accommodation for both of you (and any dependant children) to live in when you are in the UK.  Adequate meaning that there will be no overcrowding as a result of you staying in the property.

What type of Documents do I need to prove I meet the requirements for the UK Spouse/Partner Visa?

It is important to note as everyone's case is different with many possible variables of an applicant's/sponsor's personal circumstances.

Therefore, there is no one size fits all list of specific documents applicants must submit. - Your own set of documents must be tailored according to your and/or your partner's situation.

That being said, below are the type of items the UKVI will generally expect applicants to provide for their UK Spouse/Partner Visa application.

Documents to prove Relationship Requirement is met

For married/civil partners, the marriage/civil partnership certificate should be included in the application.

If unmarried partners, you must provide evidence that you have been in a relationship akin to a marriage for 2 years or more, so either:

• Evidence of Cohabitation (continuously) e.g. Joint Tenancy Agreement/s, letters of correspondence (If you have lived/are living together throughout the last 2 years).
• Evidence of Ongoing commitment to each other which demonstrates:

        -  you communicate regularly with each other;

        - you support each other financially;

        - you care for any children you have together;

        - you spend time together as a couple, for example on holiday or at events

If applying as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner, you should provide evidence that you have made arrangements for your marriage/civil partnership in the UK,

For applicants applying to come to the UK, to further prove that the relationship is genuine and subsisting, you must also provide documents evidencing contact between yourselves e.g. emails, chat logs, proof of travel to see each other etc.

Documents to prove Financial Requirement is met

The documents you must provide need to prove the source of income being used to meet the minimum income requirement. For example if the sponsor is relying on employment income, they will need to provide payslips, bank statements and employment contracts.

Documents to prove English Language Requirement is met

If the applicants are required to evidence a sufficient level of English Language, they must provide a copy of their English Language Test Certificate or their Degree certificate.

Documents to prove other requirements are met

If the applicant is required to have a TB Test, a copy of the TB Test certificate must be provided.

For the accommodation requirement, the documents to be provided will depend on whether the property is owned, rented etc. So the relevant documents could be a copy of the tenancy agreement, letter from landlord, land registry title etc.

Translation of Documents

Any supporting documents that are not in English or Welsh must be translated. This will typically apply to items such as Marriage and Birth Certificates that originate from non-English speaking countries. The Home Office's official rule on this is the following: Each original document must be accompanied by a full translation that can be independently verified by the Home Office. Each translated document must contain:

• confirmation from the translator that it is an accurate translation of the original document
• the date of the translation
• the translator's full name and signature
• the translator's contact details

For a Complete List of Supporting Documents you will need to submit for your own UK partner visa application, head over Here.