Family members who receive the visa as the spouse of a British citizen will receive a visa for 2.5 years. To remain in the UK, applicants must submit an application for Spouse Visa Extension for a further visa of 2.5 years 28 days before the expiry of the visa. The application for Spouse Visa extension must be submitted following Appendix FM and Appendix FM SE of the Immigration Rules.
How to apply for a spouse visa extension?
Similar to the application for initial entry clearance, applicants are required to comply with the rules in Appendix FM and Appendix FM SE of the Immigration Rules. All of these instruments should be read together for a successful application. To apply for a spouse visa extension, you must meet the following requirements:
- Have a good character and must not have been involved in any criminal activity;
- Provide documentary evidence that your marital relationship is still genuine and subsists. There are various documents that you can provide as evidence of this;
- Provide evidence of their ties and connections to the UK;
- Have suitable accommodation in the UK and proof of correspondence for the last 2.5 years;
- Meet the financial requirement of £18,600 (i.e. have enough money to support yourself and any dependants without recourse to public funds). There are several different methods of meeting the financial requirement;
- Meet the English language requirements.
Once applicants have spent 5 years on a spouse visa, they can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain to remain in the UK and then also consider applying for British Citizenship by applying for a Naturalisation.
Financial requirements for spouse visa extension
Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the financial threshold of £18,600, either individually or in conjunction with their sponsor. The financial requirement may be met through salaried employment and or self-employment.
English language requirement in a spouse visa extension application
The English language requirement is Level A2 of the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFR) for spouse visa extension applications.
How can we help you submit a successful spouse visa extension application?
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To discuss your visa application with one of our immigration advisers, please contact us by chat or phone at +44 20 3846 2808 or +4475 2190 3003.