UK Partner visa application

Hedgley Immigration provides tailored support from the initial eligibility review through to submission and the decision stage. The service can include identifying the correct route, explaining the requirements, preparing a personalised document checklist, reviewing evidence, checking the online form and drafting representations where appropriate. The team also considers whether any part of the case needs additional explanation, such as periods spent living apart, previous marriages, self-employment, variable income or an earlier refusal.

The aim is to present a clear, consistent application that reflects your genuine circumstances. Hedgley Immigration can support first-time applicants, overseas applications, eligible in-country switches and partner visa extensions. Advice is provided by an IAA-regulated team led by a former UKVI caseworker, with practical guidance throughout the process.

The route may be available to a spouse, civil partner, unmarried partner, fiancé or proposed civil partner. Both partners must normally be aged 18 or over. The sponsor may be British or Irish, settled in the UK, hold qualifying pre-settled status or have another status recognised by the Immigration Rules.

A spouse or civil partner must have a marriage or civil partnership recognised in the UK. An unmarried partner will usually need to show a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least two years. Couples do not always need to have lived together throughout that period, but they must explain why and show an ongoing commitment. Fiancé and proposed civil partner applications are for couples intending to formalise their relationship in the UK within six months. Hedgley Immigration can assess which route fits your circumstances.

The exact document list depends on your relationship, finances, application location and immigration history. Common evidence includes passports, proof of the sponsor’s UK status, marriage or civil partnership certificates where relevant, evidence that previous relationships have ended and documents showing that the relationship is genuine and continuing.

Relationship evidence may include tenancy agreements, council tax records, utility bills, bank statements, travel records, photographs, communication records and evidence of shared responsibilities. Applicants may also need financial documents, accommodation evidence, English language evidence, tuberculosis test results where required and certified translations for documents not in English or Welsh.

Hedgley Immigration reviews the evidence you have, checks whether it covers the relevant period and helps address gaps or inconsistencies. This is particularly useful where partners have lived in different countries, have limited joint documents or use less straightforward financial arrangements.

Most new partner visa applicants must show combined annual income of at least £29,000, although different rules may apply to some extensions started before 11 April 2024. The requirement may be met through permitted sources such as employment, self-employment, pension income, non-employment income or qualifying cash savings.

Where the sponsor receives certain disability or carer benefits, the standard threshold may not apply. Instead, the couple may need to demonstrate adequate maintenance and accommodation. Applicants must also show that suitable housing will be available without overcrowding.

The English requirement can usually be met through nationality, an eligible degree or an approved Secure English Language Test. Exemptions may apply because of age or a medical condition. Hedgley Immigration can identify the rules relevant to your circumstances and check that the evidence meets the required format before submission.

Some applicants can switch to the partner route from inside the UK, while others must apply from overseas. Visitors and people with permission for six months or less will usually need to leave the UK to apply, although limited exceptions may apply.

Home Office standard processing is usually around 12 weeks for applications made outside the UK and around eight weeks for eligible applications made inside the UK. In-country applications relying on exceptions can take considerably longer. Priority or super priority services may be available for an extra fee, but availability varies.

Hedgley Immigration helps you plan the application, evidence upload and biometric stages. Processing times are not guaranteed, so applicants should avoid making non-refundable travel arrangements based only on an expected decision date.

Home Office fees change periodically. As of August 2026, the standard fee for joining a partner from outside the UK is £2,064, while an in-country application costs £1,407. Most applicants also pay the immigration health surcharge. For an adult, this is currently £3,105 for a two-year-and-nine-month overseas grant or £2,587.50 for a two-year-and-six-month in-country grant.

Other costs may include biometric appointments, translations, English tests, tuberculosis testing, document services or priority processing. Fiancé, fiancée and proposed civil partner applicants normally receive six months and do not pay the health surcharge for that short visa, but they must pay for a further application after marriage or civil partnership if they wish to remain.

Hedgley Immigration explains the likely costs relevant to your route. Government fees should always be checked again immediately before submission because they can change.

An overseas spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner visa is normally granted for up to two years and nine months. An in-country grant or extension is usually for two years and six months. Before permission expires, you will generally need to apply for an extension and show that your relationship continues and the relevant requirements are still met.

Many applicants on the five-year partner route may qualify for indefinite leave to remain after five continuous years in that category. Time spent as a fiancé or proposed civil partner does not normally count towards the five-year period. Settlement applicants may need to meet financial requirements, show continued cohabitation, satisfy the English language requirement and pass the Life in the UK Test.

Some people are placed on a ten-year route because they rely on family or human rights exceptions.