When applying for a Spouse Visa from outside of the UK, the application process may seem somewhat daunting and overwhelming. This is why consulting with qualified and experienced UK spouse Visa lawyers is advisable when putting together your application as it will ensure that it is much less likely to be refused by the Home Office.
Our team at Gulbenkian Andonian Solicitors has decades of experience in assisting couples with spouse visa applications and also an extremely high success rate on spouse Visa appeals. So contact us if you require either of these services.
For now, let’s understand a bit more about the UK Spouse Visa process.
If you are reading this, then you are probably asking… How do I apply for a Spouse Visa?
First of all, you must meet one of the following requirements.
-You are married to British Citizen
-Or are married to someone that has the status of indefinite leave to remain, settled status or permanent residence in the UK
If you meet the above criteria you can apply for a UK spouse Visa and can go ahead and do this from abroad. We can help you by taking care of your application, making sure all of your documents in order and provide you with the right piece of mind about the procedure. If your application is successful you will receive a Visa for 2 1/2 years. Once you are in the UK, you can then extend this Visa to apply for indefinite leave to remain after you have lived in the UK for 5 years.
Like many visa applications, the first step is to gain entry clearance into the UK and to do this you will need to prove several additional things.
You will have to show that:
Both you and your partner are over the age of 18
You (as the applicant) speak and understand English. For this, you will have to prove that you have studied English to an adequate level or may have to pass an English language test
Your UK spouse is either a British citizen has indefinite leave to remain, settled status or permanent residence
You are legally married or in a civil partnership that is recognised by the UK
You are in a genuine relationship and you will be living with your partner upon arrival in the UK
You have met your partner before and this is not only an online relationship.
You will have accommodation in the UK and for yourself and your dependents.
You can maintain a level of living in the UK that is adequate and will not need to claim any public funds.
You have been tested for tuberculosis by a Home Office approved clinic
The financial requirements for a UK Spouse Visa
Your UK spouse must have a minimum income of £18,600 a year (this figure increases if there are dependent children). This income can be from a combination of sources.
Have savings of £62,500 (the figure is higher if you have children who are not British citizens).
Exceptions can be made if the financial requirements are not fully made, sometimes financial support or future income from work can also be taken into account.
The Home Office may grant you a Spouse Visa under discretion if you do not meet the full financial requirements. If this is the case, our team of immigration lawyers can advise you if this will be feasible for your specific case.
The Genuine Relationship Test
Our team of immigration solicitors London confirm that when applying for a spouse visa there is also a part of the application process called the genuine relationship test which means that you will both show that your relationship is genuine and not fake. Unfortunately, there is not a huge level of knowledge surrounding the criteria of what this criteria exactly means as it is fairly vague in the Home Office rules.
We advise that you should do your very best to provide as much evidence as possible to support that your relationship is genuine.
⇒For more information read our article on The Genuine Relationship Rule in UK Spouse Visa Applications
UK spouse visa application process from outside of the UK
If you are applying from outside of the UK for a spouse visa, you can ask one of our team of immigration lawyers to prepare it for you and submit online on your behalf. After doing so, you will have to book an appointment to provide the relevant paperwork to your application at a UK visa centre in your country or one close by. During this appointment, you will have to provide biometric data including your fingerprints and a photograph.
What to do if your Spouse Visa application is refused?
If you apply for a UK Spouse visa from abroad or from within the UK and it happens to get refused, then you should consult an immigration solicitor to review your case and appeal the refusal.
There are time limits for processing appeals, so it is very important to act quickly after you recieve the refusal.
Our team of top immigration solicitors can help you through the appeal process and represent your case at the First Tier Tribunal.
