Quick answer
To apply as a partner or spouse, you and your partner must be 18 or over [8] and your partner must be a British/Irish citizen, settled, have pre‑settled status, Turkish worker/business visa, protection status, or stateless leave [9]. You must prove one of the following: a UK‑recognised marriage/civil partnership, at least 2 years of living together, a fiancé/proposed civil partner (will marry within 6 months), or a 2‑year relationship where you cannot live together (due to work, study or culture) . You also need a good knowledge of English and must meet the financial requirements . Evidence of relationship must be from a government body, bank, landlord, utility provider or medical professional and be less than 4 years old (e.g. marriage certificate, joint tenancy, shared utility bills, bank statements) . If you cannot provide standard evidence, alternatives like vet fees or voting register letters may be accepted . Initial stay for a partner is 2 years 9 months , then you must extend . Fiancé/proposed civil partners get 6 months and must marry within that time, after which they extend . Extensions are for a further 2 years 6 months and can be repeated . Settlement (indefinite leave to remain) is possible after 5 continuous years on a family visa as a partner, excluding time as a fiancé or on other visas . Apply online from outside the UK or inside the UK ; if you cannot pay the fee you may request a fee waiver . Decision times: outside UK – usually 12 weeks ; inside UK – 8 weeks if you meet requirements , about 12 months if not ; you can pay for a faster decision . Children under 18 can be added as dependants .
Requirements
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Requirements in detail
You must be the partner, child, or parent of a British citizen, settled person, person with pre-settled status under EUSS, refugee/humanitarian protection holder, Turkish ECAA worker/business person, or stateless person.
If applying as a child, you must be under 18 on the date of application (or have been under 18 when first granted leave and not formed an independent family unit).
You may also apply on the basis of your private life in the UK.
If applying as a parent, your child must be a British citizen, settled, or have pre-settled status under EUSS, or have lived in the UK for at least 7 years and it would be unreasonable to expect them to leave.
Documents you'll need
Relationship evidence
- Marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate (if married/proposed civil partner)
- Tenancy agreement, utility bills or Council Tax bills confirming you live at the same address or pay bills together
- Bank statement from a joint bank account, or confirming you live at the same address
- Letter from doctor or dentist confirming you live at the same address
Relationship evidence (if standard evidence not available)
- Alternative evidence: one‑off bill (e.g. vet’s fees, home repair), voting register letters for same address, student finance paperwork confirming same address
Relationship evidence (long‑distance/cultural)
- If you do not live together: evidence of regular communication, financial support, care for children together, and time spent together (e.g. holidays, events)
English language
- Proof of knowledge of English
Financial
- Proof of meeting the financial requirements
This list adjusts automatically based on your nationality and category.
How to apply
- 1
Prepare the required information and evidence to support your application .
- 2
Apply online: from outside the UK use the online form ; from inside the UK use the family routes online form .
- 3
If you cannot pay the application fee, apply for a fee waiver online (outside UK or inside UK ).
- 4
If you need help completing the online form and are in the UK, use the assisted digital service (not for immigration advice) .
- 5
Submit your application and wait for a decision. Outside UK: usually 12 weeks . Inside UK meeting requirements: usually 8 weeks . Inside UK not meeting requirements: about 12 months . You can pay for a faster decision if available .
- 6
If you are a fiancé/proposed civil partner, you must marry/enter civil partnership within 6 months and then apply to extend your stay .
- 7
After 2 years 9 months (or 2 years 6 months for extensions) you must apply to extend your stay . You can extend multiple times .
- 8
After 5 continuous years on a family visa as a partner (excluding fiancé time) you can apply to settle permanently (indefinite leave to remain) .
Related visas
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Full requirements
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Innovator Founder visa
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Sources
One numbered entry per specific claim — several entries may point to the same underlying document, each with its own locator.
- [8]
Pre-9 July 2012 rules
Primary source · Last verified: Jul 23, 2026Cross-referenced - [9]
Fee waiver eligibility
Primary source · Last verified: Jul 23, 2026Cross-referenced
This page reflects United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's officially published requirements as of the dates above. It is not legal advice, and final approval is solely at the discretion of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's immigration authorities. For a case-specific compliance check against your own documents, try VisaBook free.