If you are living in the UK with your husband or wife, you may wish to renew your UK spouse visa to stay longer. Your original spouse visa will generally be valid for two years and six months. You should apply to extend your stay before your spouse visa expires.
If your spouse or partner is a British or Irish citizen or has settled status in the UK and you live with them under a spouse visa, you can apply to extend this if you wish to stay longer than the initial term.
If your application to extend your spouse visa is granted, you will be given a further two years and six months.
To speak to one of our expert immigration lawyers, ring us on 0330 133 7777, email us at enquiries@hallidayreeves.com or fill in our Contact Form.
How To Renew Spouse Visa UK
The requirements for a spouse visa renewal or extension are strict. You will need to prove that your relation is genuine and subsisting and that it is a legally recognised marriage or civil partnership.
In renewing a UK spouse visa, you will also have to provide evidence that you have been living with your husband or wife or civil partner during the time you have spent in the UK so far. In addition, you will need to confirm that you intend to continue to do so.
Financial requirements for renewing UK spouse visa
You will need to show that you and your spouse meet the minimum income requirement of £18,600 per year. If you have children who are not British or Irish citizens or do not otherwise have settled status in the UK, you will also have to show that you have sufficient income to cover their expenses. This is £3,800 for the first child and £2,400 for the second and any subsequent children.
Income that can be used towards the required total includes:
- Income from your UK job as shown on your payslips or P60
- UK self-employment income, as accounted for on your Self Assessment tax return
- Money from a pension
- Income from other sources such as property rental income or share dividend income
It is possible to use cash savings in excess of £16,000 as part of this financial requirement, provided that you can demonstrate where the money came from and it is from an acceptable source.
You can use a combination of income sources to meet the necessary minimum amount.
To prove your income is at the required level, you will need to provide documentary evidence, such as:
- Payslips for the previous six months
- Bank statements
- A letter from your employer (or your spouse’s employer) confirming:
- That you (or your spouse) work for them
- Job title or position held
- Length of employment
- Whether the employment contract is permanent or fixed term
- The amount you (or your partner) earn before deductions and for how long you have earned this
- Confirmation that the payslips you are providing are genuine
English Language Requirement For Spouse Visa Renewal
You will also need to show that you meet the minimum standard in the English language. This can be done by taking an approved English language test, which will check that you can both speak and understand English sufficiently.
Character Requirement To Renew Spouse Visa
The visa authorities will check whether there are any grounds to reject your spouse visa extension request, such as a breach of your immigration and visa conditions or a criminal conviction.
Making A Spouse Visa Renewal Application
Applying to renew or extend a UK spouse visa is not always straightforward. The UK Visas and Immigration authorities need to see a full range of supporting evidence and if some information is left out by mistake, your application will be rejected.
We can put together a strong application on your behalf and ensure that you have the best possible chance of success.
Contact Our Expert Spouse Visa Lawyers
At Halliday Reeves we specialise solely in immigration, meaning we have an exceptional depth of understanding and expertise in this complex area of law.
We offer a free 15-minute enquiry service to discuss how to extend spouse visa in UK and ensure that this is the best immigration option for your circumstances.
We have offices in Gateshead, Middlesbrough, Wakefield and Nottingham. To speak to one of our expert immigration lawyers, ring us on 0330 133 7777, email us at enquiries@hallidayreeves.com or fill in our Contact Form.
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