Marrying a UK Citizen
Marrying a British citizen allows you to apply for a UK Spouse Visa—officially the “Family visa: partner or spouse”—which lets you live and work in the UK for an initial 2½ years (30 months) or 5 years, depending on when you apply. To qualify, you and your partner must both be over 18 and prove a genuine relationship, meet strict financial and English-language requirements, and attend a biometric appointment. After 5 years of lawful residence on this visa, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), provided you’ve lived continuously in the UK, satisfied the financial threshold, passed Life in the UK and English tests, and demonstrated cohabitation with your spouse.
Eligibility Requirements
Relationship & Age
You and your UK partner must each be at least 18 years old and legally capable of marrying under UK law GOV.UK. Your partner must be a British or Irish citizen, have settled status (e.g., ILR, EU settled status), or hold certain Turkish visas GOV.UK.
Genuine Relationship
You must prove your relationship is genuine and subsisting, typically via marriage or civil partnership certificates and evidence of cohabitation (shared bills, joint bank accounts, photos together) GOV.UK.
Financial Requirements
Minimum Income Threshold
From 11 April 2024, the minimum combined gross annual income is £29,000, raised from the previous £18,600 GOV.UKHouse of Commons Library. If extending an existing visa granted before this date, the lower threshold of £18,600 still applies GOV.UK.
Alternative Sources of Funds
You can meet the requirement with:
-
Salary or self-employment income
-
Pension or non-employment income
-
Cash savings above £16,000 (savings counted at 2.5× the shortfall plus £16,000) Free Movement.
English Language Requirement
Applicants must demonstrate B1-level English by passing an approved test or holding a degree taught in English GOV.UK. Exceptions include those over 65, with certain long-term visas, or defined medical conditions GOV.UK.
Step-by-Step Application Process
1. Online Application & Fees
Apply online via GOV.UK under “Apply as a partner or spouse.” Fee (from 11 April 2024) is £1,938 if applying from abroad, or £1,321 to switch inside the UK Electronic Immigration Network.
2. Document Preparation
Gather: marriage/civil partnership certificate; proof of finances (salary slips, bank statements); proof of relationship; evidence of English proficiency; and TB test (if from a listed country) GOV.UKGOV.UK.
3. Biometric Appointment
After submission, you’ll be instructed to book a biometric appointment to have fingerprints and photo taken at a visa application centre GOV.UK.
4. Priority Service (Optional)
For an extra £500, you can request the “priority service” to get a decision within 5 working days (or 30 days for outside-UK applications) GOV.UK.
5. Decision & Entry Clearance
If approved, you receive a vignette in your passport valid for 30 days to enter the UK. Within 10 days of arrival, collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) GOV.UK.
Indefinite Leave to Remain (PR)
Eligibility for ILR
After 5 years on the spouse route, you can apply for ILR if you have:
-
Lived continuously in the UK on the spouse visa
-
Met the same (or updated) financial threshold for each visa extension GOV.UK
-
Passed the Life in the UK Test and held B1 English GOV.UKGOV.UK
-
Continued to prove a genuine relationship and cohabitation GOV.UK.
Application Process
Apply online for “Indefinite Leave to Remain: family route – partner” with a fee (currently £2,404). Provide updated documents on finances, relationship, English, Life in the UK pass, and residency history GOV.UK. Attend a biometric appointment if required.
Key Considerations & Tips
-
Plan Finances Early: Begin saving or increasing income well before application to meet the £29,000 threshold Migration Observatory.
-
Document Cohabitation: Keep joint tenancy agreements, utility bills, and photographs to demonstrate ongoing life together GOV.UK.
-
Track Residency: Avoid absences over 180 days per year to protect ILR eligibility GOV.UK.
-
Legal Advice: Complex cases (e.g., self-employment, previous visa refusals) benefit from specialist immigration advice.
