The Financial Requirements For A UK Spouse Visa ─ What You Need to Show

Getting married to a partner from a different country and culture is amazing, but to immigrate to a first-world country like the United Kindom, there are many formalities and strict procedures one has to go through.

Obtaining British citizenship may not be easy, but it is not very complicated or impossible. The process will seem more sorted if the rules and regulations are followed diligently, and the criteria are fulfilled.

Many people struggle to obtain a spouse visa for the UK because they do not know in-depth the procedure and the number of financial requirements that must be met mandatorily. This is why it is essential to understand the UK marriage Visa in-depth, its application procedure, and its validity.

What Is UK Spouse Visa?

Popularly known as the UK Marriage Visa, the UK spouse Visa is issued to a spouse who wishes to migrate to the country and live with their British partners. The Visa can be applied for before or after marriage; either way, the requirements are the same.

The sole purpose of obtaining a UK spouse Visa is to prove that you are eligible to migrate to a first-world country and start a family. This whole process involves many citizenship and financial criteria that are a must to meet.

When you apply for a marriage Visa, it states that you can stay with your partner, who is already a British resident, for the duration of 2 years and 9 months or 30 months. In some cases, this duration can be extended by contacting the authorities. But, if it is not extended, it is illegal to stay in the country.

Spouse visas are meant to unite British citizens with their civil partners; it provides an opportunity for immigrants to unite with their extended families.

What Documents Must Your Spouse Have?

Although obtaining a spouse Visa may seem overwhelming, you have a list of necessary documents; the process is relatively smooth and quick. If you have thought of getting married in the United Kingdom, the resident partner must register their marriage at the registrar’s office. But before that, the immigrant partner must present a list of verified documents that include:

• Proof of birth, that is, the birth certificate
• Photographs and a valid passport
• If the partner has been involved in any previous marital relationship, they must provide proof.

By submitting these documents, and if they get approved, you are eligible to marry your non-resident partner in the country. However, there is one point to note; you can register your marriage in the United Kingdom within 28 days, but you may have to wait for up to 70 days for the registrar’s office to approve your marriage.

Understanding The UK Marriage Visa

Before applying for a UK marriage or spouse Visa, it is essential to understand how different it is from other types. In the United Kingdom, a spouse Visa can be short-term and long-term. Suppose the non-resident spouse is working personnel and is bound to return to their country for work within a few months, then the short-term Visa is appropriate. It is valid for three months and can be extended to six months.

On the other hand, a spouse willing to stay longer with their new British family must apply for a long-term Visa valid for two years, nine months, or 30 months and can be extended further. The sole purpose of issuing marriage Visas to the British government is to unite partners and families and give them a chance to stay together and work here. This is why a thorough background check, including financial status, is done to see if the non-resident partner is eligible to thrive in the first-world country.

What Are The Criteria That Your British Partner Must Fulfill Before Applying?

The list criteria are not just for the non-resident partner willing to get married in the UK, but also, the spouse living as a citizen in Britain has to fulfill some. Before applying for a Spouse Visa, the British spouse must ensure that they have met the following criteria:

• The spouse with British citizenship must have a minimum annual income of £18,600. If you already have one or more children, an extra amount of £2,400 added for each child must be added.

• The property or the accommodation is of great importance. It is important to state whether their home is owned or rented.

• The genuineness of the marriage is also put into question. The spouse must prove that the marriage is for genuine reasons and does not involve any fraud motives.

Just in case, for some reason, the annual income of the citizen spouse does not meet the minimum requirement, financial advisors can help decide if the income can be mixed and matched in some ways. But sorting out this issue is very important otherwise, there is a high chance of getting your spouse’s Visa application rejected.

What Are The Financial Requirements For UK Spouse Visas?

There are a few financial requirements for the spouse who is about to visit the United Kingdom for the marriage and stay with their partner. As stated earlier, the financial requirement for the Visa is an annual income of £18,600, and if the spouse already has one or more children, there is an additional requirement of £2,400 per child. If the minimum income requirement is not met, it can be combined with other sources of income, such as the income of your non-resident spouse, gains from business and shares, and so on. There is also a criterion for savings, your total savings from earnings must be around £16,000.

But what are how can you prove your financial statements are genuine? This list of documents can help you prove the following:

• The proof of income of both non-salaried and salaried spouses.
• Recent bank statements.
• Other forms of non-salaried incomes include share investments, rents from properties, and other similar ways.

List Of Documents Required For UK Spouse Visa

There is indeed a long list of document requirements for obtaining a UK spouse Visa. Before applying for one, you must be assured that you have not missed any. The process of getting a UK spouse Visa for a non-resident spouse involves these documents:

• An application form
• Valid passports and proof or copies of previous passports
• Details of name, birth, and birthplace
• Proof of your English language proficiency
•  Evidence of previous marriages
• Proof of criminal records, if any
• Your financial condition and insurance
• Proof and details of parents and accommodation
• Biometry information includes digital photographs and fingerprints.

Final Thoughts

Although the process of obtaining a UK spouse visa is long and can take up to three months, however; it is all worth it in the end. Nothing can be more satisfying than knowing that you can finally get married and stay together with your partner in the United Kingdom and even start a family there, adapting to the new lifestyle. Your spouse’s Visa is the key to a new life.