Unmarried Partner Visa UK from the Philippines

The UK Unmarried Partner Visa is a family immigration route for people who want to live in the UK with an eligible partner without being married or in a civil partnership.

Applicants must be at least 18 and demonstrate a genuine, continuing relationship, similar to marriage or civil partnership, for at least 2 years.

Successful applicants applying from the Philippines are normally granted permission for up to two years and nine months. They can work and study in the UK, subject to their immigration conditions.

The visa can be extended and may provide a route to indefinite leave to remain (ILR), depending on the settlement rules that apply.

Page Contents

• What Is an Unmarried Partner Visa UK?
• Is This the Right Visa for You?
• Who Can Sponsor You?
• Do You Meet the Two-Year Relationship Requirement?
• What Evidence Proves Your Long-Distance Relationship?
• What Are the Financial Requirements?
• Do You Need an English Test?
• Do You Need a TB Test in the Philippines?
• What Documents Must You Prepare?
• How to Apply for an Unmarried Partner Visa from the Philippines
• Unmarried Partner Visa Costs and Processing Times
• Bringing Children, Working and Settlement
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

The Unmarried Partner Visa may suit a Filipino applicant who has maintained a committed relationship with someone eligible to sponsor them in the UK.

It may be appropriate if:

• You and your partner are both at least 18
• Your relationship has lasted at least two years and is similar to marriage or civil partnership
• You have met in person and intend to live together permanently in the UK
• You can demonstrate that your relationship is genuine and continuing
• You meet the applicable financial, English-language and accommodation requirements

You do not have to be married to your partner to qualify.

However, being in a relationship for two years does not automatically establish eligibility. UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will consider the nature of your commitment and the evidence supporting it.

If your partner is in the UK on a temporary work or study visa, you may need to apply through the relevant dependant route instead.

Your UK-based partner must have a qualifying immigration status.

Eligible sponsors may include:

• British or Irish citizens
• People with indefinite leave to remain or another qualifying form of settled status
• Certain EU, EEA or Swiss nationals with qualifying pre-settled status
• People with qualifying protection status
• People holding certain other immigration permissions recognised under the family visa rules

Your partner must also be at least 18 and intend to live with you permanently in the UK.

For example, a Filipino citizen whose unmarried partner is a British citizen living in Manchester may be eligible to apply from the Philippines if they meet the relationship and other requirements.

A UK-based partner holding a Skilled Worker Visa does not normally sponsor an applicant under this family visa category. The appropriate route may instead be a Skilled Worker dependant visa.

You must demonstrate a relationship similar to a marriage or civil partnership for at least two years. It is not mandatory to have shared an address for two years.

If you have lived apart because one partner works in the UK while the other remains in the Philippines, explain the reasons and demonstrate the commitment expected of a durable partnership.

Dating for two years without further evidence does not automatically establish the requirement.

You and your partner must also have met in person, and any previous marriages or civil partnerships must have permanently ended.

You must demonstrate a relationship similar to a marriage or civil partnership for at least two years. It is not mandatory to have shared an address for two years.

If you have lived apart because one partner works in the UK while the other remains in the Philippines, explain the reasons and demonstrate the commitment expected of a durable partnership. Dating for two years without further evidence does not automatically establish the requirement.

What Evidence Proves Your Long Distance Relationship?

Prepare a dated account supported by evidence that reflects your actual relationship:

Use representative records with context rather than submitting a bulk of documents without any explanation. If there are previous marriages, inconsistencies in names across documents, or gaps in the evidence, address them directly.

For the standard application requirements, see our UK unmarried partner visa guide.

Under the current standard rules, most new Unmarried Partner Visa applicants must demonstrate that the applicable minimum income requirement of £29,000 per year is met.

For a Filipino applicant applying from outside the UK, the sponsor’s qualifying UK employment income is often central to the assessment. The applicant’s overseas salary cannot automatically be combined with the sponsor’s earnings.

Other permitted sources of funds may include qualifying cash savings, pensions and certain non-employment income, subject to the relevant evidence requirements.

Where cash savings are used to meet the entire standard £29,000 requirement, the amount required is £88,500, subject to the applicable rules.

Different financial requirements may apply where the sponsor receives certain disability or carer-related benefits. Transitional arrangements also exist for some applicants who first applied before 11 April 2024.

Applicants must also show that adequate accommodation will be available in the UK without unlawful overcrowding.

Applications for the Unmarried Partner visa should be submitted online, via the UK government website. This is the stage at which you will submit your required evidence.

Applicants will also need to attend an appointment at which they provide their biometric data (specifically their fingerprints and photograph). If your partner is applying from within the Philippines, they will need to attend this appointment at a UK visa processing center. In the Philippines, these can be found in Cebu and Manila.

Once the required stages have been completed, the application will then be processed. If the application is successful, a visa will then be provided which can either be used to enter the UK or to extend a current stay in the case of applicants who already reside in the UK.

The visa is generally granted for a period of two and a half years, which can be extended if the eligibility criteria continue to be met. Once the holder has lived in the UK consistently for 5 years, they may also be eligible to apply for permanent residence (indefinite leave to remain) and eventually for UK citizenship.

Most Filipino applicants must demonstrate their English-language ability when applying for an Unmarried Partner Visa.

For an initial application, the minimum requirement is normally CEFR level A1 in speaking and listening.

You can satisfy the requirement through an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) or another accepted qualification.

If you hold a degree awarded by a Philippine university and taught in English, you may be able to use it as evidence. However, a qualification awarded outside the UK normally requires an ECCTIS assessment confirming compliance with the relevant academic and English-language standards.

Being able to speak English fluently does not, by itself, remove the requirement to provide acceptable evidence.

Exemptions may apply because of age or qualifying medical circumstances.

Filipino applicants planning to stay in the UK for more than six months will normally need a tuberculosis (TB) test if they have lived in the Philippines for at least six months and were living there, or in another listed country, within the previous six months.

The test must be completed at a clinic approved by the UK Home Office. Certificates from unapproved clinics will not be accepted.

Approved testing facilities are available in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, and Cagayan de Oro.

Applicants should book the test before submitting their visa application and check that their certificate remains valid.

The TB test fee is separate from the UK visa application fee.

The exact documents depend on your circumstances, but Filipino applicants should prepare the following, where applicable:

• A valid Philippine passport
• Evidence of the sponsoring partner’s British citizenship or qualifying UK immigration status
• Relationship evidence covering at least two years
• Travel records and evidence of visits between the Philippines and the UK
• Evidence of regular communication and shared commitments
• Financial documents, including payslips, bank statements and employment confirmation where required
• Evidence of suitable accommodation in the UK
• Approved English-language test results or accepted qualification evidence
• A valid TB test certificate, where required
• Birth certificates for accompanying children
• Divorce, annulment or death certificates relating to previous marriages, where applicable

Philippine civil documents may be obtained through the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), where relevant.

If you were previously married, provide the documents establishing that the marriage has legally ended. The evidence required depends on your personal circumstances and the legal status of the previous relationship.

Documents not written in English or Welsh must be accompanied by translations that meet UKVI requirements.

You should also explain any differences in names, dates or other details across your documents rather than leaving inconsistencies unresolved.

Filipino applicants must apply online from outside the UK.

1. Confirm your eligibility. Check your partner’s immigration status, your relationship history and the financial requirements
2. Prepare your evidence. Gather relationship records, financial documents, accommodation evidence and any required English-language and TB certificates
3. Complete the online application. Apply through the official UK family visa application service
4. Pay the required charges. Pay the visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge, unless an exemption or fee waiver applies
5. Arrange your biometric appointment. Follow the instructions for booking an appointment at the designated UK visa application centre in the Philippines
6. Submit your documents and biometrics. Provide your passport, photograph, fingerprints and supporting evidence as instructed
7. Wait for the decision. UKVI may request further evidence or clarification before deciding your application

If your application is approved, you will receive instructions for accessing your UK immigration status through an eVisa and UKVI account.

Do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until your immigration permission has been confirmed.

The current application fee for a family visa submitted from outside the UK is £2,064 per person.

An adult granted the standard 33-month partner visa must also normally pay an Immigration Health Surcharge of £3,105.

Fees may change, and optional visa application centre services can increase the total cost.

Applications submitted from outside the UK are decided within 12 weeks, although some cases take longer.

Processing can be affected by missing evidence, additional checks or requests for further information. Faster decision services may be available for an additional charge.

Can You Bring Your Children to the UK?

Eligible children may apply to join a parent in the UK under the relevant family immigration rules.

Children normally need their own applications and must meet the applicable age, dependency and family relationship requirements.

Additional application fees and healthcare charges may apply.

Can You Work on an Unmarried Partner Visa?

Yes. Successful Unmarried Partner Visa holders can normally work and study in the UK.

They are not restricted to working for a particular employer, although their immigration permission will normally include restrictions on access to public funds.

Can an Unmarried Partner Visa Lead to Settlement?

Under the current Immigration Rules, eligible applicants on the five-year partner route may apply for indefinite leave to remain after completing five years of qualifying permission.

Some applicants are instead placed on a ten-year family settlement route.

The UK government’s Earned Settlement framework will introduce changes to settlement requirements, but the detailed rules are not yet in effect. The framework preserves a five-year settlement pathway for eligible family members of British citizens, while the position may differ for partners of settled non-British citizens.

Applicants should check the rules applicable when they become eligible for settlement.