UK spouse visa application can feel overwhelming, especially when rules change—so this guide focuses on the facts you need in 2026, a step‑by‑step workflow to compile a complete pack, and downloadable tools to make the process predictable.

What you need to know (read in 60 seconds)

• Who can apply: partners aged 18+, sponsor must be British/Irish or settled (or certain limited settled categories); relationship must be genuine and subsisting.

• Money rule (2026): headline minimum gross income £29,000 (see section 4 for transitional rules and how savings substitute).

• English: SELT CEFR A1 for entry; A2 for extension; many nationalities and degree holders are exempt.

• Fees & IHS (2026): Application fee £1,938 (outside) / £1,321 (inside); IHS £1,035/yr adult, £776/yr child. Biometrics and priority service fees additional.

• Downloadable from ExpatsUK: 1‑page printable checklist, evidence index, cover‑letter templates and a savings‑to‑income calculator to build your application pack.

How to use this guide

This guide is structured as a workflow you can follow from deciding your route to submitting the online form and preparing for life in the UK. Use the downloads from ExpatsUK (printable one‑page checklist and financial calculator) as you work through each section.

• Quick decision flow: should you apply as spouse, fiancé(e), or unmarried partner? See Section 1.

• Where to start: run the ExpatsUK one‑page checklist and use the savings‑to‑income calculator before gathering documents.

• What you’ll get: eligibility checks, financial worked examples, document index, submission workflow, refusal avoidance, templates for cover letters and employer letters.

1 — Quick eligibility check (decide fast)

Before you gather a mountain of documents, run this quick yes/no checklist to identify the likely route.

• Sponsor status: Is your partner a British citizen, Irish citizen, settled (e.g., ILR), or has a qualifying limited leave (refugee/humanitarian protection, certain Turkish categories)? If yes → partner/spouse route likely suitable.

• Relationship type:

• Married or civil partners — apply as spouse/civil partner (seeMarriage Visa UK: 9‑Step No‑Nonsense Guide to Approval, expatsuk.net).

• Unmarried partner — can apply if you’ve cohabited for 2+ years or have solid alternative evidence explaining shorter cohabitation.

• Fiancé(e)/proposed civil partner — apply as fiancé(e) if you intend to marry within 6 months of arrival.

• Age and intent: Are both parties aged 18+ and intend to live together permanently in the UK? If no, the route is unsuitable.

• Accommodation: Is there adequate accommodation without recourse to public funds? If no, address this before applying.

• Suitability flags: Any criminal convictions, deportation orders, prior immigration breaches? If yes, get specialist legal advice before applying.

Decision tree (text summary): if sponsor is eligible → check relationship status (married/civil partner → spouse route; cohabiting 2+ years → unmarried partner; intend to marry within 6 months → fiancé(e)); check age, finances, English language, accommodation, suitability issues. If any red flags remain (criminality, immigration breach), pause and seek advice.

2 — At a glance: 2026 Fees, IHS & processing options (UK spouse visa application)

Compact summary of fees and common processing options. Always confirm the latest fees on GOV.UK before payment.

Item	Outside UK	Inside UK
Application fee (main applicant)	£1,938	£1,321
IHS (per year, adult)	£1,035
IHS (per year, child)	£776
Typical visa length (example)	33 months (2 years 9 months)	30 months (2 years 6 months)
Priority / super priority	Varies by VAC	Super‑priority service ≈ £1,000 (next working day; limited availability)

Worked example: total cost for an outside application (no priority)

Scenario: main applicant, no children, applying from outside; visa length 33 months.

• Application fee: £1,938

• IHS: £1,035 × 2.75 = £2,846.25 (33 months = 2.75 years)

• Estimate total (application + IHS): £4,784.25

Note: some applicants will see IHS calculated or rounded differently by GOV.UK; use the IHS calculator on the official site and keep receipts. Add costs for TB tests (where required), priority services, translations and optional document review (see Spouse Visa UK Cost: Hidden Fees & Real Totals, expatsuk.net).

3 — Eligibility in full: relationship, sponsor status & suitability

Genuine and subsisting relationship

UKVI looks for evidence the relationship is authentic and ongoing. There’s no rigid checklist, but build a file that shows progression and shared life.

• Primary: marriage or civil partnership certificate (certified English translation if necessary).

• Ongoing evidence: photos together across years, travel bookings made together, copies of messages or emails with dates, and witness statements where helpful.

• Shared finances/living: joint bank statements, tenancy or mortgage in joint names, joint utility bills, council tax, or documents showing the same address for both partners.

• Future intentions: wedding plans, accommodation arrangements, or signed letters confirming intent to live together.

Sponsor eligibility

Who can sponsor: British or Irish citizens, those with settled status (ILR), pre‑settled/settled under EU schemes in relevant cases, refugees or beneficiaries of humanitarian protection, and some limited leave categories. If the sponsor’s leave is limited, check whether it permits sponsorship.

Suitability and Part Suitability / Appendix FM

As of 2025/2026 the rules tighten on suitability. Mandatory refusals apply for certain exclusions (e.g., serious criminality, national security) while other problems are discretionary. Always disclose issues rather than hide them — non‑disclosure is a common reason for refusal.

4 — How to meet the financial requirement (UK spouse visa application finances)

Headline rule (2026): the base minimum gross annual income is £29,000 for new partner/spouse applications submitted on or after 11 April 2024. Transitional rules exist for some applicants who previously had a lower threshold — check GOV.UK to see if they apply to you.

What counts as income

• Employed income: payslips (last 6 months), employer letter confirming salary and job permanence, and bank statements showing salary credits. P60s (yearly tax summaries) help.

• Self‑employment: SA302 tax calculations, business accounts, HMRC correspondence, and business bank statements. An accountant’s letter can be useful.

• Pensions, dividends, rental income: pension statements, dividend vouchers, tenancy agreements and bank credits. Non‑means‑tested benefits may be permissible in limited circumstances—check guidance.

• Applicant’s income: the partner/applicant’s own lawful UK work can be combined with sponsor income.

Savings rules and the formula

You can use savings to meet the requirement in full or partially. Key points:

• Savings must be cash in regulated financial institutions and must have been held consistently for at least 6 months (unless other limited exceptions apply).

• Formula to convert savings into an equivalent annual income: Equivalent annual income = (Savings − £16,000) ÷ 2.5.

• Conversely, to calculate how much savings you need to cover a shortfall: Savings required = £16,000 + 2.5 × shortfall.

Example 1 — Savings‑only route: you have no qualifying income and must meet the full £29,000:

• Savings required = £16,000 + 2.5 × £29,000 = £16,000 + £72,500 = £88,500.

Example 2 — Part salary + savings:

• Sponsor’s gross salary = £23,000. Shortfall = £29,000 − £23,000 = £6,000.

• Savings required = £16,000 + 2.5 × £6,000 = £16,000 + £15,000 = £31,000.

Note: earlier rules used child add‑ons. For applications on/after 11 April 2024 the £29,000 headline requirement generally applies irrespective of children, but transitional exceptions exist — verify your case against the current Appendix FM guidance on GOV.UK.

Evidence checklist for finances

• Employed: 6 months payslips, employer letter (signed on company letterhead, job title, start date, salary, contract hours), bank statements showing salary credits, latest P60.

• Self‑employed: SA302s and tax year overviews, business bank statements, certified accounts, accountant letter.

• Savings: full bank statements covering at least 6 months showing the required balance, proof of source of funds (sale contracts, inheritance letters), evidence funds are accessible and not borrowed.

• Other: pension statements, dividend vouchers, tenancy agreements confirming rental income, documents translating foreign income to UK equivalence (currency conversions and certified translations).

Common financial pitfalls

• New job with insufficient payslips — confirm start date and ask employer for an explanatory letter.

• Large unexplained transfers — provide source evidence (sale, gift, bank transfer chain).

• Joint accounts: funds count if the sponsor has access and ownership; provide account holder evidence.

• Borrowed funds do not count — evidence must show the money is the sponsor’s own.

5 — English requirement: tests, levels & exemptions

Entry requirement: CEFR A1 (speaking & listening) via an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT). For extensions the requirement generally increases to A2, and Indefinite Leave to Remain requires B1 or the current ILR rule in force at settlement.

Approved SELTs

• IELTS Life Skills (A1/A2) — SELT version only.

• LanguageCert International ESOL SELT.

• Trinity College London GESE exams.

• Pearson PTE Home.

• PSI Services (Skills for English UKVI) — often used outside the UK.

Always book the “SELT” / “for UKVI” version and include the URN and certificate in your application.

Exemptions

• Nationals of majority English‑speaking countries (check GOV.UK list).

• Qualified degree taught or researched in English (UK or Ecctis‑equivalent certification required).

• Applicants aged 65 or over, or those with long‑term physical/mental conditions preventing testing.

6 — UK spouse visa documents: prove relationship, accommodation & sponsor status

Organisation principle: chronological evidence + a contents page + numbered tabs. Make it easy to follow — a decision maker should be able to read a one‑page timeline and find the supporting documents in order.

Relationship evidence (priority order)

1. Marriage or civil partnership certificate (certified translation if not in English).

1. Joint tenancy or mortgage agreements (if applicable).

1. Joint bank statements, utility bills, council tax—covering the claimed cohabitation period.

1. Photos with dates and captions, travel tickets, hotel bookings and inbound/outbound stamps.

1. Chronological communication logs (highlight key conversations with dates) and witness statements from family or friends when needed.

Accommodation evidence

• Owned: title deeds, recent mortgage statement, council tax and utility bills in sponsor’s name.

• Rented: tenancy agreement, landlord contact details, rent receipts or bank statements showing rent payments.

• Living with family: letter from the homeowner confirming permission to live there, proof of their ownership/tenancy, and a floorplan/room counts for the property.

Sponsor status evidence

• British/Irish passport or passport pages.

• Immigration status documents: ILR evidence, biometric residence permit (BRP), or status letters (e.g., refugee status letters).

Other documents

• Children’s birth certificates, custody papers if relevant, police certificates (where required), TB test certificates (required for some nationalities).

• Translations: include certified translations (translator name, signature and declaration they are competent to translate) with the original non‑English document.

7 — Build the application pack: step‑by‑step (how to present your documents)

Presentation matters. UKVI assesses cases quickly; a tidy, indexed pack helps the decision maker see the strongest evidence first.

Recommended order (index)

1. Application form confirmation and payment receipts.

1. Cover letter / timeline (concise summary of your case — see template below).

1. Passport(s) and identity documents.

1. Relationship evidence (primary documents first).

1. Financial evidence (ordered by type and date).

1. Accommodation evidence.

1. English SELT certificate or evidence of exemption.

1. Any other supporting documents (police certs, TB, translations).

How to write the cover letter

Keep it concise: one page with a short timeline (dates of meeting, marriage/cohabitation, key moves), statement of intent to live together, and a list of documents with numbered tabs. If there are problems (criminal record, previous immigration breach), disclose them and attach a short mitigation letter.

Cover letter template (short): Date: [dd/mm/yyyy] To: Entry Clearance Officer / Home Office Re: [Applicant name], Application for Partner Visa — contents index Summary: We married on [date]. Sponsor [name] is a British citizen. We intend to live at [address]. Sponsor meets the financial requirement (see Tab 5). Enclosed documents (Tab 1–12) are listed below. We confirm that all information is true and contact details are [email / phone]. Sincerely, [Applicant name] / [Sponsor name]

Numbering & binder tips, digital scan specs

• Number pages and tabs to match your contents page.

• Scan at 300 dpi, save as PDF, ensure pages are upright and readable, and keep file size reasonable (many VAC portals limit single file size—split large bundles logically).

• Name files clearly for digital uploads: e.g., “Tab5_EmployerLetter_SponsorName.pdf”.

8 — Completing the online form and submitting (outside vs inside the UK)

Most applicants trip on a few repeated form sections. Double‑check these fields and keep your supporting documents to explain any discrepancies.

Tricky form sections

• Names and previous names—ensure passport(s) match exactly.

• Dates of relationship milestones—use the same chronology as your cover letter.

• Address history and travel history—complete for the requested timeframe, even if empty.

• Previous refusals or removals—disclose and attach any decisions and explanations (non‑disclosure causes refusals).

Paying the fee and IHS

Pay the application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) through the online service. You will receive payment confirmation which you should print and include in your pack. The IHS must be paid for the full visa duration up front.

Biometrics and VAC appointment

After applying you will book a biometrics appointment at your local Visa Application Centre (VAC) or UKVCAS. Expect to provide fingerprints, a photograph, and any requested documents at that appointment.

Inside vs outside differences

• Where to apply: from your current country of residence (outside) or via the online form if inside the UK (switching to partner route applies in some cases).

• Visa length: outside applicants often receive 33 months; inside applicants typically receive 30 months (confirm at time of application).

• Priority services: the super priority inside the UK (approx. £1,000) offers next‑working‑day decisions where available; outside priority times vary by VAC.

• BRP: If successful, the applicant collects a BRP in the UK (or receives vignette/entry clearance outside and collects BRP after arrival).

9 — What happens after submission: timelines, decisions & BRP

Timelines vary. Expect anywhere from a few weeks (priority cases) to several months for standard decisions. Check the processing targets for your VAC and the national service caseload.

How UKVCAS/visa centres communicate

• You will receive emails for appointment confirmations and any document requests.

• If UKVI requests further evidence, respond quickly and coherently — include a cover page stating the document relates to your application reference.

If granted — next steps

• Outside grant: you’ll receive an entry vignette to travel to the UK and instructions to collect your BRP within 10 days of arrival.

• Inside grant: you’ll receive a BRP or directions to collect one.

• After arrival: register with a GP, apply for a National Insurance number and open a UK bank account (many banks accept BRP as ID). SeeThe Ultimate Guide to Moving to the UK as an Expat, expatsuk.netfor a checklist of common post‑arrival tasks.

10 — Common refusal reasons and how to reduce risk (Appendix FM spouse visa & Part Suitability)

Top refusal triggers and practical mitigations:

• Insufficient financial evidence: double‑check arithmetic, show salary credited in bank statements and include employer letters. Use the savings calculator to document shortfalls and the exact calculations (attach working pages).

• Weak relationship evidence or signs of sham marriage: include a chronological narrative, family photos with dates, third‑party statements, and travel evidence showing time spent together.

• False documents or non‑disclosure: never submit forged documents. If you discover an error, disclose and provide corrected original evidence with an explanatory letter.

• Suitability issues (criminality, immigration breaches): attach police certificates, rehabilitation details, court papers and mitigation letters from professionals. Consider legal advice for serious matters.

11 — If you’re refused: options and next steps

First read the refusal notice carefully — it will explain the reason and whether you have a right of appeal or the route of Administrative Review. Common steps:

1. Note deadlines in the refusal letter and preserve all evidence used in the application.

1. Check if Administrative Review or appeal is available — this depends on the type of decision and where it was made (inside or outside the UK).

1. Decide whether to reapply or seek review. Reapplications are common but should address the reason for refusal clearly and introduce new evidence where required.

1. Consider professional advice for complex refusals (criminal issues, previous immigration breaches, or large factual disputes).

12 — Case studies: 3 real-world scenarios (worked examples)

Case A — Employed sponsor (UK salary)

Profile: Sponsor employed full time, gross annual salary £35,000. Applicant applies from outside. Evidence: 6 months payslips, P60, signed employer letter confirming ongoing employment, bank statements showing salary credits, marriage certificate.

Outcome: Straightforward. Typical decision time ~8–12 weeks from VAC depending on priority. Biggest risk: mismatched names or missing translation; mitigated by consistent documents and a clear cover letter.

Case B — Self‑employed sponsor

Profile: Sponsor is self‑employed with variable income. Evidence: last two years of SA302s, accountant’s letter, business bank statements, recent invoices, partnership agreement and trade registrations.

Outcome: Allow extra time for verification. Provide a clear accountant letter explaining the income calculation and evidence of business continuity. Request pre‑application checks on income aggregation using the ExpatsUK financial checklist.

Case C — Savings-only sponsor

Profile: Sponsor has no qualifying income but has cash savings of £90,000 held in a UK account for over 6 months. Evidence: bank statements, evidence of source (sale of property), historic statements showing continuous holding.

Outcome: Met the savings requirement (£88,500). Biggest risk: unexplained recent large transfers — mitigated by including source documents and a short narrative showing the fund history.

13 — Templates & downloads (ExpatsUK resources)

Free resources available from ExpatsUK (see the site for downloads and the latest templates):

• Guides & Blog for Expats in UK, expatsuk.net— printable one‑page checklist for the partner/spouse visa application.

• Evidence index template to number and tab your pack.

• Cover‑letter template and a sponsor employer letter sample.

• Savings‑to‑income calculator (spreadsheet) with built‑in worked examples.

How to use them: download, fill in the checklist, use the index to order documents and attach the cover letter as Tab 1. If you want a second opinion, ExpatsUK offers an optional paid document review service and community peer review boards where members exchange feedback on packs before submission.

14 — Quick FAQs (short answers)

15 — Final 1‑page printable checklist (the final call to action)

Quick print & tick before you submit:

• Eligibility quick checks: sponsor status, relationship type, age 18+, accommodation secured, no undisclosed suitability issues.

• Financial documentation: payslips (6 months), employer letter, P60, SA302 (if self‑employed), bank statements, savings proof (6 months), source of funds.

• Relationship evidence top 10: marriage certificate; joint tenancy/mortgage; joint bank statements; utility/council tax; photos; travel tickets; message logs; joint bills; witness statements; children’s documents (if any).

• English evidence: SELT certificate URN or exemption documentation.

• Pack assembly: cover letter, contents page, numbered tabs, scanned PDFs named properly.

• Submission: pay application fee & IHS, book biometrics, keep receipt, expect BRP collection instructions.

Download the printable checklist and evidence index from ExpatsUK, share your pack for peer feedback on the ExpatsUK community boards, or book the ExpatsUK document review service if you want professional review before submission.

Appendix A — quick reference tables & formulas

Fees & IHS table (2026 numbers)

Item	Outside UK	Inside UK
Application fee	£1,938	£1,321
IHS (per year, adult)	£1,035
IHS (example 33 months)	£1,035 × 2.75 = £2,846.25	—
IHS (example 30 months)	—	£1,035 × 2.5 = £2,587.50
Super priority (inside)	≈ £1,000 (availability varies)

Savings formula and worked examples

Equivalent annual income = (Savings − £16,000) ÷ 2.5

Savings required = £16,000 + 2.5 × shortfall

• Full savings route to £29,000: £16,000 + 2.5×29,000 = £88,500.

• £23,000 salary + savings: shortfall £6,000 → savings need £16,000 + 2.5×6,000 = £31,000.

SELT provider short list + common exemptions

• SELT providers: IELTS Life Skills (SELT), Trinity College London (GESE), LanguageCert, Pearson PTE Home, PSI Services (Skills for English UKVI).

• Common exemptions: majority English‑speaking nationals, qualifying English‑language degrees, age/medical exemptions—confirm via GOV.UK.

Appendix B — further reading & official links

• GOV.UK — Partner visa overview

• GOV.UK — Immigration Rules: Appendix FM

• GOV.UK — Approved SELT providers

• GOV.UK — Immigration Health Surcharge

• ExpatsUK — downloadable checklist, evidence index and calculator

Summary — two things to do right now

1. Run the ExpatsUK one‑page checklist and the savings‑to‑income calculator to confirm you meet the financial requirement or to see how much additional evidence you need.

1. Assemble a short cover letter and a contents page, then order your documents into numbered tabs — a tidy pack reduces processing friction and avoids simple refusals.

If you want a second pair of eyes, download the templates from Home, expatsuk.net and consider a document review or peer feedback on the ExpatsUK community boards before you submit. Good preparation reduces risk — and makes the UK spouse visa application process predictable.