Before your UK fiance visa expires, you can convert it to a spouse visa. Holders of a UK spouse visa are permitted to stay in the country for a maximum of 33 months at first, with the option to keep up an additional 30 months. In the UK, spouse visa holders are allowed to work, live, and study. Spouse visa holders may apply for settlement (indefinite permission to remain or ILR) after five years in the UK.
If you currently hold a UK fiancรฉ visa, you can convert to a spouse visa without having to leave the country. Usually, the application process for a spouse visa must be completed outside of the UK.
Requirements To Switch Fiance Visa to UK Spouse Visa
To be eligible to switch from a fiance visa to a spouse visa, you have to fulfil the following requirements for eligibility:
- You currently hold a valid fiance, fiancรฉe, or potential civil partner visa, ensuring that it hasn’t expired.
- You donโt have broken any immigration laws.
- You have to be of good character, meaning you can’t be a threat to the UK or have any outstanding criminal records.
- As a fiancรฉ, fiance, or prospective civil partner visa holder, you have tied the knot or entered into a civil partnership.
- It must be possible for your partner to sponsor you.
- The financial requirements must be fulfilled by both you and your partner.
- You have to be skilled in the English language.
Requirements for Partner Sponsorship
Your spouse or civil partner who resides in the UK must be:
- An Irish or British national
- An individual with a settled status in the UK (e.g., EUSS Settled Status or ILR)
- A Turkish worker visa holder or a Turkish businessperson visa holder
- An individual in the UK with humanitarian protection status or refugee status
Financial Requirements
You and your spouse would have shown proof of a joint yearly salary of at least ยฃ18,600 in your fiancรฉ visa application (plus an additional ยฃ3,800 for your first kid and ยฃ2,400 for each further child).
Immigration regulations state that the Home Office will often use the documentation you submitted with your original application when you convert to a UK spouse visa. However, you might have to present proof of your continued employment or self-employment.
English Language Requirements
You will have already shown that you meet the English language proficiency standards when you apply for your fiance’s visa. Therefore, it is probable that the Home Office will agree that you already fulfil this requirement, and no additional proof will be required.
Required Documents To Switch fiance visa to a UK spouse visa
To process your application for a spouse visa instead of a UK fiance visa, the Home Office might need multiple pieces of paperwork. As the Home Office will already have access to these, there might not be as many documents required as there were for your first fiance visa. You could be required to supply:
- Your Current Passport
- Evidence of your marriage or civil partnership formed in the UK during the last six months, such as a marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate, is proof of relationship documents UK.
- Proof of your continuous employment or independent contractor work.
- Proof that you live with your partner, such as a bank statement, utility bills, council tax bills, or doctor’s letter.
- Proof that you have an appropriate place to live.
- Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. Depending on your specific situation, you might need to submit additional documentation.
Cost to switch UK fiance visa to a spouse
To qualify to convert to a spouse visa, ยฃ1,048 is the application price. In order to use the NHS, you will additionally have to pay the following immigration healthcare surcharge: For two years and six months, ยฃ1,560, or for two years.
How much time does it take to apply for a spouse visa in the UK?
In the UK, the process of converting a fiance visa to a spouse visa typically takes eight weeks. It is a lot less than the 12 weeks period that is often needed when applying for a companion or spouse visa outside of the UK.
What happens if your UK spouse visa application is rejected?
If you believe the Home Office made a mistake, you can file a formal appeal, as stated in your letter from the Home Office outlining the reasons for the denial and your appeal rights. As a second option, you might be able to file a new application, request a different kind of visa, or request a judicial review to contest the legitimacy of the denial.
Conclusion
The immigration team at My Legal Services has years of experience providing advice on UK visa issues. As experts in family immigration law, we may analyse the reasons for your rejection, outline your choices, and help with securing an appropriate resolution that allows you to continue living with your spouse in the United Kingdom.
