You may extend your Spouse visa for 10 years even if you fail to meet all Appendix FM conditions, or 5 years if qualified. To lawfully live in the UK with your partner, you must renew or extend your 10-year Spouse visa before it expires.
Our immigration experts may help you file for a 5-year or 10-year spouse visa. Contact us immediately at 02033939272 for Spouse visa legal advice.
The 10-year route of the Spouse Visa UK provides a viable alternative for individuals who do not satisfy all of the criteria outlined in Appendix FM of the immigration rules.
For people who don’t fulfil the language, financial, or other requirements, there is a 10-year spouse visa option. Before applying for ILR, applicants are permitted to remain in the UK for ten years.
The majority of candidates who are unable to fulfil the English language proficiency or income criterion of £29,000 gross annually would request to convert to a 10-year spouse visa route.
After ten years on a spouse visa, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) via a 10-year route. You can change to a five-year spouse visa route at any time if you fulfil the conditions listed in Appendix FM.
To continue living in the UK with their spouses for ten years, applicants must request to extend their spouse visa every thirty months (2.5 years).
Before your existing visa expires, you must apply for a spouse visa extension. This implies that you will be a resident for the entire ten years. Any gaps might make your application problematic.
You must keep up a sincere connection and continue to live with your partner in the UK if you are trying to either extend or renew your spouse visa via the 10-year option. You won’t have to fulfil the English language and financial criteria, despite the 5-year spouse visa path.
You can submit an ILR application after ten years of spouse visa work. This enables you to seek British citizenship later on and remain in the UK without requiring additional visas.
You must:
If you wish to apply for a UK spouse visa through the 10-year route, you must meet certain requirements. Compared to the 5-year path, the prerequisites for this route are less stringent, particularly when it comes to appropriate housing, language proficiency, and financial needs. Other 10-years partner route requirements, such as minimum age and a sincere connection, must be fulfilled, though.
One of the basic requirements for both the 5-year and 10-year spouse visa pathways is the age restriction. In order to apply, each participant must be at least eighteen years old. The purpose of this is to verify that both couples are of legal age to consent to their own marriage or civil partnership. This condition must be met for both 5-year and 10-year routes.
The Home Office aims to confirm that your connection with a partner in the UK is genuine. You must have maintained exclusivity with no other relationships going on at the same time, been in a serious relationship with your partner for at least two years, and have the same goal of settling down in the UK permanently. Whether you’re thinking about the 5-year or 10-year option, this need is the same.
Applicants must typically demonstrate an income of at least £18,600 for the 5-year spouse visa route; this requirement will rise to £29000 on April 11, 2024. The requirement is higher if they are parents, but the 10-year route offers more flexibility. You may still be eligible for the 10-year spouse visa even if you don’t fulfil the usual income standards of the 5-year route.
Candidates on the five-year course must make sure they fulfil the requirements for accommodations. Their living quarters have to be appropriate and compliant with public health regulations. Even though the 10-year method may be more accommodating, certain accommodations are still required.
Unless they are from a specific English-speaking country or have a degree taught in English, candidates for the 5-year spouse visa option must pass an authorised English language exam up to the CEFR level A1.
There are certain exceptions, such as for people 65 and older or those who are unable to take the exam due to chronic physical or mental health issues. The good news for applicants on the 10-year path is that they are not bound by the English language requirement.
If you wish to apply for a UK spouse visa through the 10-year route, you must meet certain requirements. Compared to the 5-year path, the prerequisites for this route are less stringent, particularly when it comes to appropriate housing, language proficiency, and financial needs. Other requirements, such as a minimum age and a sincere connection, must be fulfilled, though.
For the spouse visa extension to be successful, the proper paperwork must be gathered. Your chances of acceptance might be increased by submitting your documentation correctly. Be sure to incorporate both necessary and corroborating evidence.
The following paperwork is normally required in order to apply for a UK Spouse visa extension under the 10-year route:
Remember that the following list of papers is not all-inclusive, and depending on your unique situation, you could need to compile more documents. The success of your application depends on the quality of your documentation. For a complete collection of supporting documents, get in touch with us right now.
Avoiding typical blunders might help avoid refusals or delays. Take precautions to avoid:
Applying for a UK Spouse Visa extension using the 10-year procedure involves the following steps:
If granted, you will get a two-and-a-half-year extension on your spouse visa. This procedure must be repeated until you have been in the UK for ten years in order to qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
It is recommended that you apply for a spouse visa extension not less than 28 days before the expiration date of your existing visa. Your immigration status in the UK may be impacted if you apply too late.
The 10-year spouse visa extension is valid for a period of 2.5 years. You will then need to apply for another extension unless you have lived there continuously for ten years.
Your spouse visa may be extended as often as necessary until you have lived there continuously for ten years. You will then be qualified to submit an application for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
The 10-year route has a more flexible financial requirement. You may have to demonstrate that you and your spouse are self-sufficient without government assistance.
You might need to reach the £29,000 annual financial criterion if your financial circumstances have improved.
A spouse visa extension typically takes eight to twelve weeks to process. You will obtain a judgement within five working days once you pay for priority service, and within twenty-four hours if you pay for super priority service.
It is recommended that all applicants visit the official UK government website to get the most recent information on the processing time for UK visa applications.
The cost to extend a spouse visa is £1,258. Additionally, you must pay the £1,035 annual Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). For the two-and-a-half-year extension, this comes to £2,587.50.
As a requirement for your application, you may also be expected to pay the healthcare fee.
If you’re staying for two years and six months, it costs £1,940 per child (under the age of 18).
Following application submission, the following outcomes are possible:
You will receive a new visa for a period of two and a half years if you are approved. Following the 10-year path, you will have to renew your visa after this time frame before submitting an ILR application.
You usually have the option to appeal or reapply if your application is turned down.
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is available upon the completion of a decade of lawful residence under the 10-year partner route. Important considerations while filing for ILR are:
Test of English language proficiency and UK life: If you haven’t previously, you must fulfil the English language requirement and pass the Life in the UK exam.
You could no longer qualify for a spouse visa if your connection with your spouse ends before you request a visa renewal. You will have to think about leaving the UK or look into alternative visa possibilities.
You might be able to file an appeal or reapply if your application is denied. Before reapplying, it’s critical to address the reasons for the rejection.
The spouse visa application process can be complex, with numerous regulations and requirements. Expert guidance is essential to navigate this process effectively. At Rees Clayton, our team is here to support you at every step.
We are aware that every circumstance is unique. We thus modify our recommendations to meet your needs. We’ll assist you in obtaining the necessary paperwork and completing the necessary payments for your visa extension. With our assistance, you can overcome any obstacles that may arise.
It may be difficult and frustrating to navigate the UK visa application procedure, particularly if English is not your first language or if you are not familiar with UK immigration regulations. You can feel more at ease knowing that you have expert assistance to help you navigate every stage of the procedure when you hire an immigration solicitor.
For any enquiries or help with your application for a UK visa, contact our knowledgeable immigration attorneys at 02033939272. Another option is to use our online form, and our immigration specialist will contact you.
Applicants for the Spouse Visa 10 year route must meet certain criteria, although these requirements are less stringent compared to the 5-year route. The main conditions include:
The 10-year spouse visa financial requirement is more relaxed than the 5-year route, particularly in terms of minimum income. For the 5-year spouse visa, applicants generally need to earn £29000 per year (or more, depending on children).
However, under the 10-year route, applicants don’t have to meet this income threshold but still need to prove they won’t be a burden on public funds. Essentially, you may qualify if you’re unable to meet the 5-year route’s financial criteria but can show sufficient support to live in the UK with your partner.
The 10-year route spouse visa UK extension is applied for every 30 months (2.5 years) until you complete a total of 10 years in the UK. After 10 years, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
It’s important to apply for an extension before your current visa expires to avoid any gaps in your immigration status, as any breaks in your residency could jeopardise your application for ILR.
During each extension application, you must prove that your relationship with your UK-based partner remains genuine and that you still meet accommodation and UK spouse visa 10-year route financial requirements (where applicable).
To apply for the 10-year route spouse visa, you need to fill out the official online 10-year route spouse visa UK application form, submit all required documents, and attend a biometric appointment. Documents often include:
Once your application form is complete, you must pay the visa fee and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) fees before submitting everything. The processing time can take up to 8-12 weeks unless you opt for priority service.
If your spouse visa extension application is refused, you may have the right to appeal or submit a new application. It’s critical to understand the reasons for the refusal, whether they involve missing documentation, failure to meet the relationship or financial requirements, or errors in the application.
You can appeal the decision or reapply by addressing the issues raised in the refusal. Seeking advice from an immigration solicitor can be highly beneficial in this situation to improve your chances of a successful reapplication or appeal.