The UK spouse visa lets the husband, wife, civil partner or long-term unmarried partner of a British citizen or settled person live and work in the UK. In 2026 the headline requirement is financial: your UK-based partner must normally show a gross income of at least £29,000 a year, or you must hold enough savings to make up the difference.
You also need to prove that the relationship is genuine, that you have somewhere suitable to live, and that you speak basic English. The first visa lasts 33 months if you apply from abroad, and after five years on the route you can apply to settle permanently. This guide is general information rather than legal advice, and family immigration rules change often, so confirm the details on gov.uk before you apply.
Who can apply for a UK spouse visa?
The spouse visa is officially the “partner” route within the family visa category. You and your partner must both be aged 18 or over, and your partner, known as the sponsor, must be one of the following:
- A British or Irish citizen
- A person with indefinite leave to remain, settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, or proof of permanent residence
- A person with refugee status or humanitarian protection
- In some cases, a person with pre-settled status or another limited category listed on gov.uk
You must be married or in a civil partnership recognised in the UK, or have been in a relationship akin to marriage for at least two years. Engaged couples use the separate six-month fiancé visa. You must have met in person and intend to live together permanently in the UK, and any previous marriages must have legally ended.
What is the financial requirement in 2026?
At the time of writing, the minimum income requirement is £29,000 gross a year. It rose from £18,600 in April 2024. There is no longer an additional amount for children, so the figure is the same whether you apply alone or with dependent children.
Planned further increases were paused, and the Migration Advisory Committee reviewed the requirement in 2025. No change had been confirmed when this guide was written, but check the family visa pages of gov.uk for the current figure. If your first partner visa was granted under the old £18,600 rule, transitional arrangements generally keep you at that level until settlement.
Which income counts?
When you apply from outside the UK, only your sponsor’s income normally counts, together with any non-employment income or savings belonging to either of you. Your own overseas salary does not count, because you will be leaving that job. Once you are in the UK with permission to work, your earnings count at the extension stage.
- Salaried employment for six months or more with the same employer: the simplest case; you provide six months of payslips and matching bank statements, plus an employer letter.
- Less than six months with the current employer, or variable pay: you must also show that total income over the last 12 months met the threshold.
- Self-employment or a director of your own limited company: assessed on the last full financial year, or an average of two years, with tax returns and accounts.
- Non-employment income and pensions: rental income, investment dividends, and state, occupational or private pensions of either partner.
- A sponsor returning to the UK with you needs a confirmed UK job offer starting within three months, plus evidence of qualifying overseas earnings.
You can combine most of these sources, although cash savings cannot be combined with self-employment income. If your sponsor receives certain disability or carer’s benefits, such as Personal Independence Payment or Carer’s Allowance, the £29,000 rule is replaced by a more flexible “adequate maintenance” test.
How does the savings route work?
Cash savings can replace income entirely or top up a shortfall. The formula is: £16,000, plus 2.5 times the gap between your countable income and £29,000. The money must have been held by you, your partner or both for at least six months in cash accounts, and you must be able to show its source.
| Sponsor’s gross income | Shortfall | Savings needed |
|---|---|---|
| £29,000 or more | None | None |
| £27,000 | £2,000 | £21,000 |
| £25,000 | £4,000 | £26,000 |
| £20,000 | £9,000 | £38,500 |
| No countable income | £29,000 | £88,500 |
Proceeds from selling a property or investments can count once held as cash, with evidence of the sale. A genuine gift that has been in your account for six months is acceptable; a loan is not.
What are the English language and accommodation requirements?
For the first visa you must pass an approved Secure English Language Test in speaking and listening at CEFR level A1. The level rises as you progress: A2 for the extension after two and a half years, and B1 plus the Life in the UK test for settlement.
You are exempt from the test if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country, hold a degree taught in English that is confirmed by Ecctis, are aged 65 or over, or have a condition that prevents you from meeting the requirement. The government has signalled that it wants to tighten English requirements, so check the current level before booking a test.
On accommodation, you need evidence of a home that you own or occupy exclusively and that will not be overcrowded. A tenancy agreement or mortgage statement is typical; if you will live with relatives, include a letter from them. If you are still looking, our guide to finding cheap UK housing as an immigrant explains tenancies, deposits and Right to Rent checks.
How much does a UK spouse visa cost?
Fees usually rise each year. The figures below are approximate at the time of writing; confirm them on gov.uk before you pay.
| Item | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| Application fee, applying from outside the UK | About £1,940 |
| Application fee, applying or extending inside the UK | About £1,320 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (£1,035 a year per adult) | £3,105 for a 33-month visa; £2,587.50 for a 30-month extension |
| English test (A1 speaking and listening) | About £150–£200 |
| Tuberculosis test, if required for your country | About £65–£150 |
| Optional priority service | Several hundred pounds to around £1,000 |
| Settlement application after five years | About £3,000, plus the Life in the UK test fee |
Across the full five years, expect roughly £12,000 in government fees at current rates, before legal fees, translations and travel. The surcharge gives you access to the NHS; private health insurance is optional. If you are paying from overseas, compare international money transfer providers, because the exchange rate margin on a payment this size matters.
How to apply for a UK spouse visa step by step
- Check eligibility and timing. Identify your sponsor’s income category and when they will have the full six or twelve months of evidence.
- Book the English test and TB test early, because approved centres fill up.
- Gather your documents: passports, marriage certificate, relationship evidence (photos over time, travel records, call logs), the sponsor’s payslips, bank statements and employer letter, accommodation evidence, and certified translations of anything not in English or Welsh.
- Complete the online form on gov.uk, and pay the application fee and health surcharge.
- Attend a biometrics appointment at a visa application centre and upload your documents.
- Wait for a decision. Applications from outside the UK are typically decided within about 12 weeks of biometrics, and in-country applications within about 8 weeks, with paid priority services in many locations.
- Travel and set up your eVisa. Your status is held digitally in a UKVI account, which you use to prove your right to work and rent.
If you are already in the UK on a visa granted for more than six months, such as a Student or Skilled Worker visa, you can usually switch to the partner route without leaving. You cannot switch from a visitor visa.
What is the 5-year route to settlement?
The first visa lasts 33 months from abroad, or 30 months if granted in the UK. Before it expires you extend for another 30 months, meeting the financial, accommodation and A2 English requirements again. After 60 months on the route you can apply for indefinite leave to remain, with B1 English and a pass in the Life in the UK test. A year after that, or immediately if you are married to a British citizen, you may be eligible to apply for citizenship.
If you cannot meet every requirement but refusal would breach your family’s human rights, for example because a British child is involved, you may be placed on a longer 10-year route. Settlement rules are also being reformed under the government’s “earned settlement” plans, so check gov.uk for how they affect partners.
Throughout, you can work and study but cannot claim most public funds. For job ideas while you settle in, see our guide to entry-level jobs in the UK for people with work rights. If you plan to buy a home, our UK first-time buyer mortgage guide covers eligibility for visa holders.
Common refusal reasons and when to use an adviser
- Payslips and bank statements that do not match, a missing employer letter, or income evidence covering the wrong period
- Savings held for less than six months, or with an unexplained source
- Thin relationship evidence, or an unapproved English test
- Undisclosed immigration history, such as a previous refusal or overstay
Application fees are not refunded after a refusal. Straightforward cases with a salaried sponsor often succeed without professional help. Pay for advice if your sponsor is self-employed or a company director, you rely on combined income sources, you have a previous refusal, overstay or criminal record, or you are applying on human rights grounds.
Only use a solicitor or an adviser regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (formerly OISC); you can search the official register through gov.uk. Avoid anyone who promises approval or offers to create documents. Sham marriages and false documents lead to refusal, a ban of up to 10 years and possible prosecution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work in the UK on a spouse visa?
Yes. You can take any job, change employers freely and be self-employed, with no sponsorship needed. You prove your right to work with a share code from your UKVI account.
Can a friend or relative support us financially instead?
Not in ordinary cases. Third-party support is considered only in exceptional circumstances where refusal would cause unjustifiably harsh consequences, and those cases need professional advice.
What if my spouse visa is refused?
The refusal letter explains the reasons and whether you can appeal, which most partner applicants can on human rights grounds. If the problem was missing evidence, a fresh application is often quicker, but take regulated advice first.
How does this compare with other countries?
The UK’s income threshold is among the higher ones in Europe. Germany, for example, focuses on basic German, living space and secure income rather than a fixed salary figure, as our guide to the Germany spouse visa for family reunification explains.
Bottom line
A UK spouse visa in 2026 comes down to four proofs: a genuine relationship, £29,000 of qualifying income or the equivalent in savings, adequate housing and A1 English. Get the financial evidence exactly right, budget around £5,000 for the first application and roughly £12,000 to reach settlement, and check gov.uk before you submit. If your case is complicated, pay for regulated advice before you apply rather than after a refusal.