Spouse Visa UK Solicitors

To apply for a Spouse Visa, you must show that your marriage is genuine and legally recognised. You will need to prove that you have met in person, that your relationship is still ongoing, and that you plan to live together permanently in the UK. The financial requirement is also key – Your or your partner must usually earn £29,000 annually or have sufficient savings. You must also meet the English language requirement (unless you’re exempt) and have suitable accommodation arranged in the UK. Our Spouse Visa UK Solicitors will make sure your evidence is strong in every category, so your application stands the best chance of success.

If your Spouse Visa is refused, do not worry. If your visa is rejected, you will have a right of appeal on human rights grounds. If you are outside of the UK, then the deadline to submit this appeal is 28 days.
 
It will be important to consider the reasons for the decision made by the Home Office to consider whether there are grounds to challenge that decision. Sometimes applications may be refused because insufficient evidence has been provided, and in that situation the better course of action may be to re-apply rather than to appeal. However, if you feel that your application was well evidenced and the Home Office decision is unreasonable, then an appeal may be the best course of action.
 
Our experience and highly qualified legal representatives will be able to review your circumstances and provide you with advice on what the best approach is to secure your spouse visa to the UK.

Please Note
 
This guide is intended to act as a useful summary of some of the key points that apply to Spouse Visa applications – however it is not a substitute for legal advice. There are many complexities and intricacies contained within the immigration rules and it is not possible to cover every possible scenario. We therefore strongly recommend speaking to an experienced professional who specialises in these types of applications to ensure that your application for a spouse visa runs as smoothly as possible.

The time it takes can vary, depending on whether you are applying from inside the UK or overseas. On average, overseas applications take around 12–24 weeks, while in-country applications can take about 8 -12 weeks using the standard service. There are priority and super-priority options available at an extra cost, which can speed things up. Delays are usually caused by missing documents or unclear information, so getting everything right the first time makes a big difference. That is why many people choose to work with our Spouse Visa UK Solicitors – to make sure the process runs smoothly, and nothing is missed.

The main application fee for a Spouse Visa is currently £1,938 if you’re applying from outside the UK, or £1,321 if you’re applying from within the UK. Additionally, you’ll need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), which is £3105 if you’re applying from outside the UK or £2587.50 if you’re applying from inside the UK. You might also need to pay for biometric appointments, English tests, or translation services etc. Using a solicitor will cost extra, but many people see it as an investment in getting their visa approved the first-time round. Our Spouse Visa UK Solicitors at OTB legal offer fixed-fee services with clear advice, so you always know where you stand.

It is not mandatory to use a solicitor, However, immigration law is complex. Many people try applying on their own and end up with a refusal due to a simple mistake or lack of evidence. Working with experienced our experienced Spouse Visa UK Solicitors at OTB Legal gives you peace of mind that your case is being handled properly, by someone who knows exactly what the Home Office is looking for. We will prepare your application from start to finish and deal with any issues that arise, so you can focus on your future together.

If you have applied on the basis of being married, in a civil partnership or as an unmarried partner, then you will be granted a period of 33 months leave to enter if your spouse visa application is approved.
 
Initially your passport will have a sticker (also called a ‘vignette’) which will be valid for a period of 90 days. You can use this to travel to the UK.
 
When your application is approved you will also be sent instructions on how to set up an eVisa so that you can prove your immigration status going forward. This is a digital system and will be linked to your passport so that you are able to travel to the UK and provide evidence of your immigration status including your right to work.
 
If you applied as a fiancé/e or on the basis of intending to enter into a civil partnership in the UK, your initial grant of leave will be for a period of 6 months. This provides time to get married / enter into a civil partnership in the UK. Once the marriage / civil partnership has taken place, then you will need to make an extension application (before the 6 months expires) and if approved, you will be granted 2 ½ years leave to remain at that point. Please note that during the initial 6 month period granted as a fiancé/e / intended civil partner, you will not have a right to work and you will have to pay for NHS services.

If you are granted permission to stay on the spouse visa route, you will usually be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain after having lived in the UK for a period of 5 years. As the initial grant of leave is for a period of 33 months, you will therefore have to make at least one extension application for a further 2 ½ years of leave to remain before you can then apply for indefinite leave to remain at the 5 year point.
 
There are some situations where someone on a partner route can only apply for indefinite leave to remain after a period of 10 years. This includes where a person does not meet the usual requirements (such as the financial requirement) but where it has been concluded that there are exceptional circumstances and it would be unreasonable to refuse the application.

There are other steps you’ll need to complete as part of the application process.
Once you are ready to make the application, an online application form needs to be completed and submitted. The Home Office will take the fees for the application at the point the application is submitted. Where the application is being submitted from abroad then the payment will be made in a local currency or US dollars and it is necessary to budget for approximately 5% additional fees to be added to the published costs due to currency conversions used for Home Office forms.
Once the online application form is submitted, the next step is to schedule an appointment at the Visa Application Centre. The appointments that are available will be visible after the application is submitted. There may be a variety of different appointment options, with earlier appointments sometimes requiring an additional fee.
It is at this stage that you will also need to decide whether you pay for the Priority Service or use the standard service. If the Priority Service is purchased, this will cost an additional £500 but will mean that you are likely to receive a decision within approximately 6 weeks rather than the standard 12 weeks.
You will also need to decide whether you upload the supporting documents yourself or you pay an additional amount for these to be scanned in at the Visa Application Centre. At OTB Legal we always upload the documents ourselves for applications as this gives greater control over what documents are being seen by the decision makers for the application (and avoids an additional fee).
You will need to provide evidence which proves that the requirements are met. Some documents are mandatory documents, such as a marriage certificate to prove a marriage, or certain financial documentation to prove that the financial requirement is met. Depending on the country you are applying from, you may also need to pass a medical test to show you do not have Tuberculosis (TB). Each of these requirements forms part of the Home Office’s assessment of whether your application is complete and meets the rules.
Our Spouse Visa UK Solicitors will give you clear advice, based on our experience and knowledge of the rules, to support you in providing the strongest possible evidence for every category, whether this is for documents required for the financial requirement, evidence of a genuine relationship, or proof that you have adequate accommodation available. By guiding you through each step and helping you prepare a thorough, well-documented application, we give you the best chance of success in securing your visa.