How to apply for a UK spouse or partner visa

The “Regulations on Permanent Residence of Foreigners”, which has been buzzing a while ago, has caused many Chinese netizens to be puzzled and angry. In particular, the application for permanent residence in China through the spouse channel has received the strongest opposition. So what are the conditions required to immigrate to the UK through a spouse visa?

I. Who can apply

If your spouse is a British citizen and you want to live with your partner but do not have other legal status to stay in the UK, you can consider a Spouse Visa.

2. The requirements

1) Age

You and your partner need to be at least 18 years old

2) Language

(1) If you come from a non-English speaking country, your English level needs to reach A1 level, which is equivalent to IELTS 3-3.5. However, subsequent signings need to pass the English test of A2 level (equivalent to IELTS 4-4.5 points). After moving to permanent residence after 5 years, you need to pass the B1 level (around 5 in IELTS) English test.

(2) If you have a British bachelor’s degree or above, or an English-taught degree recognized by the UK NARIC (All-UK Academic Accreditation Information Centre), you do not need to prove your English ability

(3) No language test is required if you are over 65

3) Funding requirements

(1) The total annual income of you and your spouse needs to reach 18,600 pounds

(2) If your child does not have British citizenship and permanent residency, or is a non-EU person, your annual income certification requirements will be higher. If there is only one child, the annual income is increased by 3,800 pounds, the total annual income will be 22,400 pounds. If you are unable to meet this, you can also meet the requirements through other ways.

4) Proof of relationship

Your marital relationship with your partner must be true and officially recognized. For example, you can provide convincing evidence, such as a marriage certificate, email and phone call records, chat records, photos, tickets for traveling together, and so on.

5) Proof of housing

You and your partner cannot rely on benefits to get housing, and your place of residence must not be “overcrowded.”

3. Stage

In terms of visa application, spouse visas can be divided into three stages, namely: first visa, renewal, and permanent residency. When applying outside the UK, the first visa will be granted for 33 months; if you are applying within the country, the first visa will be granted for 30 months. The renewal period will be given for 30 months, and the last 60 months, that is, 5 years can be directly applied for permanent residence in the UK.

This five-year period is also known as the “trial period”, and it is used to test whether the two parties can really live together in the UK forever. If there has been no divorce, etc. within 5 years, you can apply to be called a UK permanent resident.

4. Common questions

Q: With a spouse visa, can I work and study freely in the UK?

A: Yes

Q: Can I switch from another visa to a spouse visa?

A: In addition to short-term visit visas, any long-term visa with a validity of more than 6 months can be converted into a spouse visa within the UK

Q: Can my child come to the UK with me?

A: If your child is under 18, you can apply for a companion visa for your child.

Q: My UK partner and I are self-employed. How do I calculate my income?

A: You need to provide documents such as company statements and tax returns. Document preparation is complicated, and you are advised to consult a professional immigration lawyer.

Q: I have not met the language and funding requirements. Can I still apply for a spouse visa?

A: If your child is British and has lived in the UK for 7 years, you should not be allowed to leave the UK under human rights regulations. However, this kind of situation is more complicated, it is recommended that you consult a professional lawyer.

5. Cases

Case 1: Appeal after refusal and successful application again

In past experience, we have also encountered cases where visas were refused due to salary issues, and we later appealed to us, successfully renewed the spouse visa and successfully applied for permanent residence after re-application. Ms. C was a client we met at the visa center when she just got her refusal letter for spouse visa renewal. However, her visa would expire in more than 20 days at the time, which was an urgent situation. Ms. C was at risk of separating her husband from her. After consulting with our lawyer, Ms. C decided to entrust us to help her file an appeal and re-issue a spouse visa renewal. After understanding the basic information and visa materials of Ms. C, we found that on the issue of the salary certificate, Ms. C. received a refusal letter because some details were not adequately prepared. We first helped Ms. C. appeal and delay her departure from the UK. Ensure that they do not stay illegally in the UK. During this time, she helped to reorganize the materials to ensure that every detail was correct. After we resubmitted the application, Ms. C successfully renewed her application. Two and a half years later, Ms. C found us again, and we successfully applied for permanent residence.

Case 2: A successful case based on human rights considerations

Mr. Max of Argentine descent met his British wife in France, and the two formed a family and had two lovely daughters. The older daughter was healthy, but the younger daughter was not so lucky. The younger daughter was born with a more complex genetic disease and was sent to a special ward for care. However, based on the French level of Mr. Max and his wife, it is difficult for them to communicate with the doctor to meet the basic communication needed for her daughter’s treatment. In order for his daughter to grow up healthy and peaceful, Mr. Max and his wife decided to leave France and return to Britain. However, at this time Mr. Max was holding a visitor visa. According to immigration regulations, he could not apply for a spouse visa in the UK. At the same time, because of the illness of the young daughter, the wife needs to be accompanied and cared for at home. The family’s income depends entirely on Mr. Max. The young daughter also needs to see a doctor regularly. Mr. Max’s case does not seem to meet the requirements of the USCIS spouse visa application regulations, but after learning about the family, our experienced human rights lawyers helped the family sort out the details, sorted out the materials required for the visa application, and An application letter with detailed information was written. Later, Mr. Max successfully switched from a visitor visa to a spouse visa in the UK. Two and a half years later, we helped him apply for a spouse visa extension. Now that the family lives in the UK, the health of the younger daughter has also stabilized because of better medical treatment.

In fact, there are many documents to prepare for spouse visa application, especially when it comes to proof of relationship. If the materials are not prepared well, they can be easily rejected by the immigration office. In order for you and your partner to live together smoothly, you need to carefully review the documents.

But what if you and your British partner are not married and want to live together in the UK in the short term? Then you can choose to consider the Unmarried Partners Visa and Fiance (e) Visa, we will introduce you in detail in a later article.

Our services include:

1. Assess the applicant and his/her partner’s eligibility with background check

2. Advice & explain the immigration rules, application procedure through phone, email and in person

3. Provide a full list of required document & Checking all the supporting document

4. Fill all the relevant application forms and liaise with the relevant local authorities for the required documents

5. Submit your application with our legal representing letter

6. Book the application appointment with Home Office and Visa Application Centre

7. Follow up on application until final result from Home Office 前段时间闹得沸沸扬扬的《外国人永久居留条例》,引起了众多中国网民的不解和愤怒。尤其是通过配偶途径来申请中国永居遭到了最为强烈的反对。那么通过配偶签证移民英国又需要哪些条件呢?

一、谁可以申请

如果您的另一半为英国籍,您想要和伴侣一起生活却没有其他合法身份居留在英国的话,您就可以考虑配偶签证(Spouse Visa)了。

二、申请条件

1. 年龄要求

您和您的伴侣都需要年满18周岁

2. 语言要求

(1)如果您来自非英语系国家,您的英语水平需要达到A1水平,相当于雅思3-3.5分。但之后续签则需要通过A2水平(相当于雅思4-4.5分)的英语测试。5年后转永居,需要通过B1水平(雅思5分左右)的英语考试。

(2)如果您有英国学士学历及以上的学位证书,或有受到UK NARIC(全英学术认证信息中心)认可的英文授课型学位,也无需证明英语能力

(3)如果您的年龄超过65岁,也无需进行语言测试

3. 资金要求

(1)您和您的配偶两人的总年收入需要达到18600英镑(相当于人民币167400元左右)

(2)如果您的孩子没有英国国籍与永居身份,或为非欧盟人士,您的年收入证明要求会更高。如果只有一个孩子,年收入要提高3800英镑的资金,总年收入就变成22400英镑。除第一个孩子外的其他孩子,每个孩子需要2400英镑。(如果您无法满足这一点,也可以通过其他资金证明方式来达到要求)

4. 关系证明

您和伴侣的夫妻关系必须是真实且为官方认可的。比如您可以提供有说服力的证据,比如结婚证书,邮件通话记录,聊天软件记录,照片,一起旅行的机票等等。

5. 住房证明

您和您的伴侣不能依赖福利来获得住房,且居住地不能”过于拥挤”。

三、申请阶段

而在签证申请上,配偶签证又可以区分成3个阶段来看,分别是:首签、续签、转永居。在英国境外申请,首签证会给满33个月;若你在境内申请,首次签证会给满30个月。续签的时间会给满30个月,最后满60个月,也就是5年时可以直接申请英国永居身份。

这五年也被称为“试验期”, 它是用来考验双方是否真的可能永远的在英国一起生活。如果5年内没有出现离婚等现象, 那么您就可以申请称为英国永久居民。

四、常见问题

问:持有配偶签证,可以在英国自由的工作和学习吗?

答:可以

问:我可以从其他签证转换到配偶签证吗?

答:除短期访问签证外,任何超过6个月有效期的长期签证都可以在英国境内转换为配偶签证

问: 我的孩子可以一起来英国吗?

答:如果您的孩子在18岁以下,您可以为孩子申请陪伴签证。

问:我和英国伴侣属于自雇人士,如何计算收入?

答:您需要提供公司报表和税单等各项文件。文件准备较为复杂,建议您咨询专业的移民律师。

问:我没有满足语言和资金要求,我还能申请配偶签证吗?

答:如果您的孩子为英籍且在英国生活了7年,根据人权规定,不应该让您离开英国。不过此类情况较为复杂,建议您咨询专业的律师。

五、案例

案例1:拒签后上诉并再次成功申请,后续拿到永居

在以往的经验里,我们也遇到过因为薪资问题被拒签,后来找我们上诉,重新申请后成功续签配偶签证并成功申请永居的案例。C女士是我们在签证中心遇到的一位客户,当时她刚刚拿到配偶签证续签的拒签信。然而她当时的签证将于20多天后到期,这是一个很紧急的状况了,C女士面临者要和丈夫分隔两地的风险。在咨询过我们的律师后,C女士决定委托我们帮助她提起上诉并重新办理配偶签证续签。了解过C女士的基本信息和签证材料后我们发现,关于薪资证明的材料问题上,C女士因为一些细节材料准备的不够充分因而收到了拒信。我们首先帮C女士提起上诉,延缓她在离境英国的时间。确保其不会在英国非法逗留。并在这段时间内帮助她重新整理了材料,确保每一个细节的无误。再我们重新递交申请后,C女士成功的续签。两年半后,C女士再次找到我们,我们又帮其成功的申请了永居。

案例2:基于人权考虑下的成功案例

阿根廷裔的Max先生,与英籍妻子在法国相识相知后,两人组建了家庭,并有了两个可爱的女儿。大女儿生的健康,然而小女儿就没有那么幸运了。小女儿在出生时带有较复杂的遗传病,被送进了特殊病房接受护理。然而基于Max先生和妻子法语水平,他们很难和医生交流来满足女儿治疗所需的基础沟通。为了女儿能够健康平安成长,Max先生和妻子决定离开法国,回到英国。然而此时Max先生持有的是访客签证,按照移民局条例,他是不能在英国境内申请配偶签证的。与此同时因为小女儿的病情,妻子需要在家陪伴与照顾,一家人的收入来源完全依靠Max先生,小女儿也需要定期看医生。Max先生的案例看似不符合移民局配偶签证申请条例给出的规定,但是在了解到一家人的情况后,我们经验丰富的人权律师帮助这家人梳理细节,整理了签证申请所需的材料并撰写了具有详细情况说明的申请信。后来Max先生成功的在英国境内从访客签证转成了配偶签证。两年半后,我们又帮其申请了配偶签证延期。现在一家人生活在英国,小女儿的健康状况也因为得到更好的医疗救治而趋于稳定。

其实,配偶签证在申请起来需要准备的文件较多,尤其在关系证明这一方面又尤为复杂。如果材料准备不好,容易被移民局拒签。为了您和伴侣能够顺利的生活在一起,您需要谨慎审核文件。

但是,如果您和您的英籍伴侣没有结婚又想在短期内一起在英国生活怎么办呢?那您可以选择考虑未婚伴侣签证(Unmarried Partners Visa)和未婚妻/未婚夫签证(Fiance(e) Visa),我们会在之后的文章里向您详细介绍。

我们的服务范围包括:

1. 根据您和伴侣的背景,给出专业资质评估及最适合的申请方案

2. 通过电话,电子邮件和亲自面谈向您解释移民条例和申请程序

3. 提供所需材料的完整列表并帮您核对材料

4. 填写您的所有相关申请表,并与相关地方当局联系以获取所需文件

5. 我们会出具律师信并代表您向移民局提交申请

6. 帮助您向签证中心及移民局预约

7.如果移民局对您的申请有任何疑问,作为您的代表律师,我们会代您回答

8. 持续关注您的申请,直到内政部给出最终结果

英国签证伙伴是英国内政部移民事务专属的法律机构,提供首签、续签、永居、入籍一站式服务。

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