Couples should be together. That’s the essence of a relationship. But, the UK government won’t allow it on a whim. The United Kingdom has some serious immigration policies that need to be obeyed. When two people want to be together, and one of them is a UK citizen, there are ways they can get together. Being married is not enough. You’ll need a visa. The two options couples have at their disposal are the Spouse Visa and a Partner Visa. Either one is needed if you and your loved one want to get together in the UK.
For people wanting a UK visa, attaining one sometimes seems like an impossible mission. But, it’s not like that. You don’t need to be Ethan Hunt to have your case approved for a visa. What you need to be is to be aware of the options you have and do everything in your ability to do what’s required. So, if you and your loved one want to get together the two options are, as we already said, a Partner Visa or Spouse Visa for UK.
What Are Your Options
The UK wants you to be together with your partner. It is not an anti-love country. After all, it’s where the magic happens. Harry Potter is from the UK, you know? But, fiction aside you’ll need to complete some real tasks if you want to get either one of these visas. Both are options, quite similar, but also with some glaring differences. Depending on your circumstances you need to decide for which one to apply. People who are encountering the United Kingdom immigration system for the first time might get confused as to which one they need.
Worry not, there’s always a solution. We offer one of those. The best way to know which visa you need is to learn which is which. In the next few paragraphs, we’re going to talk a little bit about both of these visas. So, please, continue reading, and get educated on this subject, that for non-UK citizens might appear truly complicated. It’s not, but you need to know what you’re doing when trying to enter this island on a visa. So, let’s see what you require when entering the UK on these visas. Let’s start with the Spouse Visa.
The Spouse Visa UK Requirements
Getting together in the UK can be done through a spouse Visa. One would think that being married would suffice. The UK is more complicated than that. To be eligible the two of you must be a husband and a wife. Pronounced. It is also a possibility to apply for this visa if you have a civil partner. The bottom line is that your relationship needs to have a legal background either in the UK or in the country of your origin. If your relationship is not legally backed you need to seek other options, with a fiancée visa being one of them.
To get this visa for the UK only one of the two people in a relationship needs to be a UK citizen or at least hold an ILR, with the latter being Indefinite Leave to remain. While this is the main requirement the list doesn’t stop there. You’ll also need the partner seeking a visa to prove the roots of your contact and clear desire to spend life together. Once this is settled you’ll need to prove that you’re financially sane to hold out for both of you. In addition to these two things, you’ll also need proof that you can accept your partner in terms of accommodation. Last but not least your partner needs to have a desirable level of knowledge of the English language. When all requirements are met, a Spouse Visa is approved.
How About a Partner Visa?
The two are quite similar, but with some glaring differences. For some, these differences are what will dictate the choice of a UK visa. For this one, there are no legal requirements for a relationship, but you’ll need proof that it is a steady connection that is at least two years long. The relationship needs to appear as a marriage in every sense minus the legal one. The named relationship can be one formed in the UK, or it can pull roots from your native country. The same as with Spouse Visa, one of the partners is required to be a British citizen or at least settled in the country. ILR should suffice in the majority of cases, while also when we have a crisis on the horizon such as the current Russia/Ukraine conflict, a refuge or a humanitarian protection status could suffice.
Considering that there is no legal proof of the relationship, a couple would need to provide evidence that their relationship is genuine. Usually, you need to show pictures of the two that date back a few years, shared bank accounts, message chats, and various other histories between the two that you can provide. You need to have clear evidence that the two of you have met before and that you’ve spent time together. When this is settled we go back to the original need for every UK visa and that’s the knowledge of the English language. This part will need to be proven through a series of tests, IELTS included. Beyond that, we need to go back to the financial aspect of your connection. You need to prove that you both have shared a financial past and that you can sustain your relationship financially on UK soil. The same is required for accommodation. When you apply for a Partner Visa the circumstances will differ from couple to couple. This is why you shouldn’t be surprised if you’re required to provide some additional documentation.
What’s the Difference?
As one can tell these two visas are rather similar. There are very few slight differences. The main issue is your marital status. For a spouse visa, the couple needs to be married. This makes some of the things regarding visas easier. When you seek a partner visa there is no requirement to be legally married, but that requires more trouble in proving that you have a genuine relationship.
