Spouse and partner visa
Last verified 4 September 2026 against GOV.UK sources·Page updated 5 September 2026
| Who sponsors | A British citizen or a person settled in the UK (ILR or equivalent) |
|---|---|
| Financial requirement | £29,000 (transitional £18,600 for pre-April-2024 applicants); savings can substitute |
| English | A1 for entry, A2 at extension, higher for ILR |
| Fee | £2,064 applying from outside the UK, plus IHS £1,035 a year |
| Work and study | Unrestricted |
| Settlement | ILR after 5 years (10-year route if requirements unmet) |
The partner route under Appendix FM is for spouses, civil partners and long-term unmarried partners of British citizens and settled residents. It carries full work and study rights — and the strictest financial test in the UK system.
The financial requirement
Applications made since 11 April 2024 must meet a minimum income requirement of £29,000 a year. This is not simply “the sponsor’s salary”: the rules define which income counts — the sponsor’s employment or self-employment income for entry applications, and, for in-country extensions and switching, the applicant’s own UK earnings as well. Cash savings above £16,000 can substitute for income (held for at least six months), with £62,500 covering the full requirement on its own. Couples who first applied before 11 April 2024 stay on the transitional £18,600 figure through extension and settlement.
Relationship and English requirements
Married couples and civil partners prove the relationship is genuine and subsisting. Unmarried partners must show a relationship akin to marriage lasting at least two years — since the 2024 rule change, two years of cohabitation itself is no longer mandatory, and couples kept apart by work or other circumstances can still qualify with strong evidence. English is required at A1 for entry, A2 at the 2.5-year extension, and a higher level for settlement.
Settlement requirements
On the 5-year route the first grant is 2 years 9 months when you apply from outside the UK (2.5 years when you switch or extend inside it); after five years you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. Unlike work routes, the partner route has no fixed 180-day absence cap — the Home Office instead looks at whether the couple intend to live together permanently in the UK, considering the length and reasons for time abroad. Applicants who cannot meet the financial or English requirements may still get permission on the 10-year route where refusal would breach family-life rights.
Route to settlement and citizenship
- Spouse and partner visa
- Indefinite Leave to Remain after 5 years (10 years on the alternative route)
- British citizenship
On the 5-year partner route you can apply for ILR after five years. There is no fixed 180-day absence cap; the Home Office instead considers whether you and your partner intend to live together permanently in the UK. Those granted permission on the 10-year route reach ILR after ten years.
If your partner is a British citizen, you can apply for citizenship as soon as you hold ILR, without waiting a further twelve months. Otherwise the standard twelve-month period applies.
Related guides
- Settlement: Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) Permanent residence in the UK: the 5-year routes, absence rules, the £3,226 fee, English rising to B2 in 2027 and the earned settlement proposal.
- Fiancé(e) visa Six months to enter the UK and marry, then switch to the partner route — same financial requirement, but no work rights until you switch.
- Parent visa: joining a child in the UK For a parent of a British or settled child, or a child with seven years' residence, who is not with the other parent: the 5-year and 10-year routes and what each needs.