UK Unmarried Partner Visa

In addition to being able to prove that your relationship is authentic, you and your foreign partner have to meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Be able to prove that any previous relationships you were in have ended
• Be at least 18 years old
• Be able to prove that the person who is in the UK has full British citizenship, Indefinite Leave to Remain, or refugee status in the UK
• Have been in a relationship for at least two years
• Have been living together for at least two years at the time of applying
• Be able to prove that you intend to live together after the foreign citizen arrives in the UK
• Have accommodation suitable for a couple and any dependents
• Be able to demonstrate that the non-EEA applicant has a good command of the English language
• Be able to support yourselves financially as a couple without relying on public funds.

As part of your application for the Unmarried Partner Visa, you will have to submit extensive evidence proving that you meet these requirements.

Being able to financially support yourselves after the non-EEA partner arrives in the UK is an important requirement for the UK Unmarried Partner Visa. To be eligible for the visa, you have to meet the following financial requirements of a minimum income threshold:

• £18,600 – the minimum threshold that those living in the UK need to meet for their foreign partner to be able to join them
• £3,800 – additional amount for the first dependent child also coming to the UK with the foreign partner
• £2,400 – an additional amount for any other dependent child after the first one also coming to the UK.

If your annual income does not meet the minimum threshold, you can also use a combination of other sources, which include:

• Cash savings
• Income from renting a property
• Self-employed income
• Trust funds
• Maternity, paternity, or sick pay
• Pension.

Those who are under humanitarian protection in the UK or live there with refugee status are exempt from this requirement.

The validity of the UK Unmarried visa varies depending on where the applicant is located. If the foreign citizen submits their application from overseas, they will receive the visa for a period of 33 months. If they apply from within the UK, however, their visa will be valid for 30 months.

Those who wish to stay in the UK longer can apply for an extension of additional 30 months before their initial visa expires. To be able to receive the extension, applicants have to meet the same eligibility and financial requirements as before.

The UK Unmarried Partner Visa can be a step towards Indefinite Leave to Remain and permanent immigration. After spending 30 months in the country on top of the initial validity of the visa, its holders will reach the 5-year requirement, which allows them to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

The first step of the application for the Unmarried Partner Visa is to submit an online form available on the application website of the Home Office. There, applicants also need to submit the required supporting documents that prove their eligibility for the visa. After that, it is necessary to schedule and attend a biometrics appointment in person.

Applicants can expect to receive the decision regarding their application within 12 weeks of submitting it. If their application is urgent, they can use the priority visa service. Then the application will be processed within 30 working days.

The waiting time for the Unmarried Partner Visa can be longer if applicants fail to include some of the required documents. Hiring an immigration lawyer can help you avoid such delays.

The application fee for the Unmarried Partner Visa varies depending on where the applicants submit their applications from. Those who make an application from outside the UK have to pay £1,538. Those who apply from within the UK, however, have to pay £1,048.

In addition to that, if the foreign partner is coming to the UK with dependent children, the fee for each of them is either £1,538 or £1,048 depending on whether they are applying from inside the UK or abroad.

If the foreign applicant is bringing adult dependents who need to be looked after by them, the fee is £1,048 for applications made from the UK. Nevertheless, those who submit the application from a different country have to pay £3,250.