Quick answer
A spouse or partner visa lets you live in the UK with a partner who is, for example, a British or Irish citizen or settled here. You must show that your relationship is genuine and that you meet the financial and English requirements. We prepare first applications from abroad, and extensions and switches inside the UK.
On this page
Who can apply
You and your partner must both be 18 or over. Your partner must be, for example:
- a British or Irish citizen
- settled in the UK, for example with indefinite leave to remain or settled status
- someone with refugee status or humanitarian protection
There are other qualifying cases too. GOV.UK lists them all, and we will check where your partner fits.
You must also be able to show one of these:
- you are married or in a civil partnership recognised in the UK
- you have lived together in a relationship for at least 2 years
- you have been in a relationship for at least 2 years but cannot live together, for example because you work or study in different places
- you are engaged and will marry or form a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arriving
What you need to show
- A genuine relationship. Your relationship is real and continuing, and you intend to live together permanently in the UK.
- The financial requirements. The Home Office sets the figures and the kinds of income and savings that count. They change, so we check the current rules against your evidence.
- Knowledge of English. Usually an approved test or a qualification. Some people are exempt, for example because of age or a long-term condition (the English rules on GOV.UK).
If you cannot meet every requirement, you may still be able to apply, for example where you have a child in the UK who is a British or Irish citizen, or where refusing you would breach your human rights. We check whether this could apply to you.
Applying from abroad or from inside the UK
If you live outside the UK, you apply for entry clearance before you travel. If you are already in the UK on the partner route, you apply to extend before your current permission ends. If you are here on another visa, you can usually switch; visitors and people on visas of 6 months or less normally cannot (who can switch, on GOV.UK).
The partner route can lead to indefinite leave to remain (settlement), where on most routes you must not have spent more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months. Read more about indefinite leave to remain.
What we do for you
- Work out which category of income or savings you can rely on for the financial requirement, and the documents each one needs
- Check your relationship evidence: how you met, time together, living arrangements and contact while apart
- Confirm how you meet the English requirement, or whether an exemption applies
- Tell you if a tuberculosis test is needed for the country you are applying from
- Complete and submit the application with a covering letter, and prepare your children's applications if they are coming too
- If you are refused, go through the decision and your appeal right with you (see refusals and appeals)
What it costs
| Entry-clearance application | £1,500 – £2,500 excluding VAT |
|---|---|
| Further Leave to Remain — partner or parent route | £1,500 – £2,500 excluding VAT |
| Fee-waiver application — per applicant | £500 – £750 excluding VAT |
Typical ranges for our legal fees only. Home Office, tribunal, healthcare-surcharge, biometric, interpreter, translation, expert and barrister charges are separate. Where VAT applies it is charged at 20%; whether it applies depends on your residence and immigration status.
Applying from outside the UK is an entry-clearance application. Extending, or switching onto the partner route, inside the UK is a Further Leave to Remain application.
What our fee includes
- An initial meeting, advice on the right route and a document checklist
- Reviewing your documents and evidence
- Preparing the application and the written arguments that support it
- Submitting the application
- Advising on the decision and next steps
Not included: extra work caused by incomplete information, further-evidence requests or interviews; appeals, reviews or fresh applications unless specifically included.
You get a written quote for your case before you instruct us. Every published fee range, and what it covers, is on our fees page.
Set by the government, paid on top of our fee: Home Office application fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge. We tell you each of these costs in writing, and nothing is paid without your OK.
How long it takes
Getting your application ready typically takes 2 to 6 weeks from the day we have your documents. After that, the timing is the Home Office's.
- Your route
You tell us about your relationship, your partner's status and where you live now. We confirm whether you apply from abroad, extend or switch, and send you a written quote.
- Your evidence
We send you a list covering your relationship, your finances and your English, and check each document as it arrives.
- Your application
We complete the application and a covering letter that shows how you meet each requirement, and submit it once you have checked it.
- Your identity
You confirm your identity, usually at an appointment where your fingerprints and photo are taken.
- The decision
The Home Office decides. We go through the decision with you, and the date your next application on the route is due.
Home Office decision times
| Applying from outside the UK | Usually 12 weeks |
|---|---|
| Extending inside the UK, meeting the income and English requirements | Usually 8 weeks |
The Home Office's own standard, checked on GOV.UK on 8 October 2026.
Typical Home Office processing time (Home Office estimate, not guaranteed): it depends on the route, where you apply from and whether you pay for a faster decision. The current figures are on GOV.UK: applying from outside the UK and applying inside the UK.
Who handles your case
Immigration work is carried out by our team of solicitors, legal advisers and paralegals, supervised by Partner Oliverta Mediu.
Where we act
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Leicester office 3rd Floor, St George's House, 6 St George's Way, Leicester LE1 1QZ 0116 393 0334
Immigration in Leicester
What clients say
Firm-wide reviews across all our services.
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Regulated by the SRA SRA No. 605949, view our record
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CQS accredited Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme
Questions people ask
Do I need a solicitor for a spouse visa?
No, you can apply yourself. Legal help is most useful when your case is not simple: a previous refusal, income from several sources, time spent apart, or documents that do not fit the rules neatly.
How much does a spouse visa cost?
Our legal fee for an entry-clearance application, or a partner-route extension inside the UK, is typically £1,500 – £2,500 excluding VAT. The Home Office application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge are paid to the government, not to us. GOV.UK has a visa fee checker and explains how the surcharge is worked out.
Can I switch to a spouse visa without leaving the UK?
If you are here on another visa, you can usually switch, as long as you apply before your current permission ends. Visitors, and people whose visa lasts 6 months or less, normally have to leave and apply from abroad. There are exceptions, for example if you came on a 6-month fiancé visa. GOV.UK sets out who can switch.
What counts as a genuine relationship?
The Home Office must be satisfied that your relationship is genuine and subsisting and that you intend to live together permanently in the UK. You show this with documents about your relationship and your life together. What fits depends on your circumstances; we tell you what to gather and check it before you apply. Our guide explains more: the genuine relationship element for UK spouse visas.
How long does a spouse visa application take?
Getting the application ready typically takes 2 to 6 weeks from the day we have your documents. The Home Office says it usually decides partner applications in 12 weeks from outside the UK, and in 8 weeks for an extension inside the UK where you meet the income and English requirements. Those are its own figures (checked 8 October 2026), not a promise.
Can my children come with me?
Children can apply on the family route too, with their own requirements. We check whether they qualify and can prepare their applications alongside yours.
What if I cannot afford the Home Office fee?
You may be able to ask for a fee waiver, for example if you cannot afford a place to live or your essential living costs. GOV.UK explains when a fee waiver may apply. Our fee for a fee-waiver application is typically £500 – £750 per applicant, excluding VAT.
What happens if my application is refused?
A spouse or partner refusal is usually a refusal of a human rights claim, which normally gives you a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal. The time limit is 14 days from the decision if you are in the UK, and 28 days if you are outside it. Your refusal letter confirms which applies. Our refusals and appeals page explains the options.
Helpful guides
Planning a life in the UK with your partner? Talk to our immigration team.
Request a call backThis page is general information, not legal advice for your situation. Immigration rules and Home Office fees change often: check GOV.UK or ask us before you apply.