A Spouse Visa is for applicants with a spouse or an unmarried partner living in the UK

A UK Spouse Visa is for applicants already living in the UK with their spouse/unmarried partner who is a British citizen or a settled person in the UK. It is also very common for the applicant to want to extend their visa, once they have moved there and their current visa is about to expire.

Once you do move to the UK, live there, and at the time your visa is about to expire, you will have to apply for an extension, before it expires, if you wish to keep living with your partner in the UK. The procedure of applying for an extension visa can be just as tricky and will require just as much attention has your initial spouse visa. You will have to submit proof that you can continue to meet the financial and other requirements when it comes to your relationship and your life in the UK.

Requirements –

If you wish to extend your UK spouse visa / unmarried partner visa / civil partner visa, you must prove that:

• You relationship with your partner
• You have arranged appropriate accommodation
• You were granted initial leave under the spouse/civil partner category.
• Proof that your English language skills have improved.
• Provide documents that validate you and your sponsor continue to meet the minimum income requirement.
• The applicant and the sponsor must sign relevant declarations
• A valid or recent passport along with travel documents for the applicant and the sponsor and evidence of nationality / identity — as mentioned on the application form.
• Marriage or civil partnership certificate.
• Documentary evidence stating you are capable of meting the financial requirements.

The process to extend your UK spouse visa / unmarried partner visa / civil partner visa is:

• You must apply while you are still in the UK for an extension spouse visa under the 5-year route
• You must fill out form FLR (M) which is available online before your initial leave for 2.5 years.
• Make sure to prepare all your documents and have consistent information required, which you must submit with the application
• Lastly, make sure to pay the correct amount of fee and also that the payment went through to the Immigration Health Surcharge, if applicable.

The SmartMove2UK has UK immigration lawyers based in India — Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Chandigarh, and the UK — London, offering expert guidance in terms of your application, the process of documentation, the protocols that come with it, and more. We consult our clients from all around the world via Zoom, Skype and WhatsApp. We also have offices in Mumbai & Delhi for in-person visits.