Usually, a spouse visa in the United Kingdom remains valid for 2.5 years. You can apply for an extension for another 2.5 years if it is going to expire. You must know that you can apply for a UK spouse visa extension or renewal before your current visa expires. You can submit your application for the extension at least 28 days before your expiry date. However, it is advisable to apply as early as possible to skip the situation of an overstayer. Extension of spouse visa allows you to stay in the United Kingdom for the next 2.5 years. After this period of time, when you spend five years in the UK, you will be eligible to apply for ILR. This perticular article will help you to understand the crucial steps of a spouse visa extension application.
Requirements for Spouse Visa Extension
The spouse visa extension has multiple requirements that you must fulfil to avoid unusual circumstances.
- Meet the Relationship Requirements
To extend the duration of your UK spouse visa, you have to be in a relationship with the same person with whom you were when you were issued your initial spouse visa. Your partner or spouse should be a British citizen or someone who has settled well in the UK and holds a settled status. They can either be a person with refugee status or stay in the UK under the humanitarian protection act of the country. If you are in a civil partnership, your relationship should be old for at least two years.
- Meet the Financial Requirements
If you want to extend your spouse visa, you must show that you can fulfil the financial requirements. You and your partner or spouse should have a combined income of at least £18,600. If you have children below 18, you must have an additional income of £3,800 for your first child. Additional charge increases £24,00 per child. You can meet the financial requirements of a spouse visa through employment, self-employment, savings, pension and other non-work income.
- Meet the English Language Requirements
You can automatically meet the English language requirements if you belong to English-speaking countries such as the USA, Australia, New Zealand, etc. But if you are from a non-English speaking country, you need to have a degree or academic qualification taught in English. Other than that, you can also meet this requirement by passing an English language test. However, you must know that if you have already passed a CEFR level at A1 level, you will have to give at level A2 in English speaking and listen while extending your spouse visa.
- Meet the Requirements of UK Immigration Law
The immigration rules and regulations of the United Kingdom are quite strict and necessary to follow whether you want to acquire citizenship or sponsorship and want an extension of your spouse visa. You must not breach UK immigration law during your stay in the country with your initial visa. The UK home office can refuse or deny your extension if they discover your involvement with an immigration law breach.
- Meet the Requirements of Good Character
To extend the duration of your spouse visa for the next 2.5 years, you must fulfil the requirements of good character. The UKVI want to ensure that there is no reason to refuse your visa extension application. You must not breach immigration rules and should not be involved with criminal offences. There must not be any evidence of dishonesty and deception. These requirements for a good character can streamline your path to a visa extension.
Essential Documents for Spouse Visa Extension
To extend your spouse visa, you must submit several essential documents along with your application. Here is the list of multiple documents that you need to submit along with your UK spouse visa application.
- A valid passport as proof of your identity.
- A marriage certificate as proof of your relationship.
- Joint bills and rent agreement evidence of living with your spouse or partner.
- A proof of your spouse’s or partner’s British citizenship.
- Evidence of meeting financial requirements, such as bank statements and payslips.
- A valid proof to meet the English language requirement. You have to provide a certificate at CEFR level A2.
Conclusion
A spouse visa extension can take eight weeks to process. However, if you want to speed up the process and want it on a priority basis, you have to pay an expedition charge of £800. You can expect a decision the next day by paying this extra charge. Apart from that, another option is to speed up the process by paying £500, and you can get the decision within five working days. UK spouse visa extension is a complex process, and there may be factors to be considered. A spouse visa lawyer can help you with the proceedings and ensure a positive outcome.
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