We all like to live with our partners, our better halves. Why would I want to live away from my partner until and unless there is just no other option. Everyone understands this, anyone, from any country, region, religion. Hence, every country has made a special visa category for immigrants which gives them permission to bring their spouses or other dependants with them to that particular country. In the UK this category is known as the spouse visa or a civil partnership visa.
A spouse visa or civil partnership visa is a visa category introduced by the UK government. It allows a person to come and live with their partner in the UK if they are a civil partner, wife, husband, etc of a person who is living in the UK on any visa or if you are the partner of a UK citizen. This visa falls under the category of family visa. You can apply for a spouse visa extension once your visa expires if you fulfill all criteria for renewal.
A lot of family groups and immigration solicitors are of the opinion that certain conditions placed on the criteria for getting a spouse visa or civil partner visa are too restrictive. One such condition which has been under the magnifying glass is that of a particular economical threshold. This particular restriction has been criticized quite often.
You can apply for this visa category online on the government website. The required list of documents is quite extensive making the process quite cumbersome and hence, we advise everyone to consult or hire immigration solicitors as they can make your life less stressful and chaotic and take care of this cumbersome process for you.
Once approved your spouse or you (if you are the one applying for the spouse visa) can stay in the UK for 33 months if the application is made from outside the UK but is the application is made from within the UK then you can stay in the UK for 30 months. Once your visa expires or is near the expiry date then you would need to make an application for the spouse visa extension.
Once you make this application for spouse visa extension then you will be allowed to live in the UK for an additional period of 30 months if your application is approved. Once you complete this period then you may also be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to remain.
One thing I have always disliked id the criteria for eligibility anywhere, it makes you feel like you just don’t fit but it is not going anywhere honestly. So, in case you are unsure if you meet the eligibility criteria to apply for extension then you can refer to the following points:
- It requires you to continue meeting the English language eligibility requirements
- You should have a proper place to stay in the UK
- You and your partner are still living together
- Your partner needs to meet the yearly financial requirement of £18,600
- Your previous leave in the UK was on the same visa category that is the spouse visa category.
For further information, you should contact any of the good immigration solicitors.
This is one of the toughest visa categories to get approved as the UK government wants to bring down the migration numbers and hence, the easiest way to do is through refusing family visas. Hence, you need to make sure that your application is airtight. Immigration solicitors across London are sympathetic to the tough trials a family has to go through during the visa processes and hence, try to make life stressful for their clients.
Hope this article helped you understand the basics of the spouse visa.
