Live in the UK with your spouse or partner
If you're married to or are in a long-term relationship with a British/Irish citizen or a person with settled status, you can live and work in the UK as long as certain requirements are met.
No success, no fee: In the unlikely event that your application is unsuccessful, we will refund you.
Get expert adviceWe are UK immigration experts
Accredited consultants
Registered with IAA in the UK (Number: F2001-00004).
Successful applications
Confirmed as the largest-by-volume UK immigration agency in the world.
Long established
Processing UK immigration applications for over 25 years.
To be eligible to apply through your partner you must:
- Be in a long-term relationship with a British or Irish citizen or a person with settled status
- Be married or in a civil partnership
- Prove that you have been in a genuine relationship with your unmarried partner for at least two years, if unmarried
- Meet the minimum financial requirements
- Meet the English language requirement
If you satisfy these criteria, you’re on your way. Applying for the partner route is particularly tricky, especially when it comes to proving the validity of your relationship. Get accredited help with your application to ensure the greatest chance of success.
Expert immigration advice and services
What are the financial requirements for the UK spouse route?
The financial requirement must be met by the British citizen/permanent resident for the initial application based on the earnings from the 12-month period prior to the application (global income will be taken into account).
However, if the cash savings route is taken, then it can be held jointly or separately.
One of the following financial criteria must be met:
- Your British partner must have an annual gross income of at least £29,000 with a confirmed job offer in the UK
- Cash savings of £88,500
- A combination of the above in certain cases
Benefits of using the spouse route to immigrate to the UK
Live and work in the UK without restriction
Can be extended by a further two and a half years
You may enter and exit the UK multiple times
A route which can lead to permanent residency and citizenship
Start your move to the UK today
UK immigration made easy
1. Contact us
Complete our contact form below to see if you qualify.
2. Consult
Expert advisors ensure you follow the right route for your goals.
3. Assist
We ensure every detail is correct and assist with the next step.
UK spouse route frequently asked questions
1. Can you use this route if you have been with your partner for less than two years?
If you are unmarried, you will have to prove that you have been in a long-term relationship for at least two years. This isn’t a requirement if you are married, but you will have to show that you are in a genuine relationship.
2. Can I apply for this route from the UK?
An initial application must be made from your home country, unless you are already in the UK on a route that leads to settlement like the Skilled Worker route.
3. What is the UK fiancé route?
You can apply for a fiancé route if you intend to get married or become civil partners within six months of your arrival in the UK. The difference between this and a spouse or partner route is that you will not be allowed to work while you are engaged and the fiancé route is only valid for six months.
If you’re applying as a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner, you must also prove that any previous marriages or civil partnerships have ended.
4. Does the UK spouse route lead to settlement?
Yes, the spouse or partner route leads to citizenship. Initially you will be granted leave for two and a half years and will need to extend for a further two and half years before you are eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR).
5. Can you work in the UK on the spouse route?
You are allowed to live and work in the UK without restrictions, compared to the Skilled Worker route where you are only allowed to work for the company that is sponsoring you.
6. How long does it take to get the UK spouse route approved?
If you use the standard service and are applying from outside the UK, a decision will usually be made within 12 weeks, and four weeks if you choose priority service. When you apply for your extension from within the UK, you will usually get a decision within eight weeks.
7. How much does the UK spouse route cost?
The cost of the spouse route application is £1,846. You will also have to pay the immigration health surcharge (IHS) of £1,035 for every year that this route is valid for. This means the total cost will be £4,951.
8. How much does it cost to renew your spouse route?
It costs £1,048 to extend the spouse route and you will once again have to pay a £2,587.50 IHS fee.