Main Documents Required for Spouse Visa UK Applications

For a valid spouse visa UK application submission, it is essential to get organized and compile your key documents according to your personal circumstances and in line with the Home Office requirements. With this in mind, we have provided the essential supporting documents you should gather for a Spouse / Partner Visa application.

Documents required for proving the Genuine Relationship requirement

If you are currently married or in a civil relationship with your non-British partner, you need to prove this through:

• A valid marriage/civil partnership certificate at the time of applying for the spouse visa UK application.
• Emails, chat logs, proof of travel or meetings in person, trips taken together, etc.  to prove a genuine and subsisting relationship with your partner.
• Divorce certificate in case of any previous marriage history.
• A written relationship statement (no longer than 2 A4 pages) detailing your relationship with the applicant (non-British spouse) including the timeline of your relationship, how you two met and you’re genuinely intending to live together permanently.

Documents to prove Spouse visa UK financial requirement

The British government generally requests proof of financial means that the UK partners can maintain to sufficiently support themselves and their joining dependents (non-British spouse and child). Your UK spouse must be able to prove the minimum combined income requirements of at least £18,600 (prove an extra £3,800 for your first child or £2,400 for each additional child).

Additionally, the document to prove the source of income ( which could come in the form of cash savings above £16,000, pension money, non-work income, i.e. property rentals or dividends) should include the following evidence with the spouse visa application UK:

• Payslips ( of last 6 months) or,
• Employment contracts detailing the job title, job description, payroll, duration of work (how long you and your partner have worked there), earnings before tax and national insurance number, type of contract (temporary/permanent), etc. or,
• Bank statements of either joint bank account in case of joint financial responsibilities detailing your and your partner’s income

PS: If you can’t meet the minimum income requirements, you can settle in the UK within 10 years instead of 5 years under the spouse visa.

You may be exempt from meeting the financial requirements if;

• You have sufficient funds to support yourself and your family including living arrangements without depending on public funds
• You are applying as a parent
• You are getting certain benefits including Disability living allowances or carer’s allowances

Documents to prove Spouse visa UK English Language Requirement

For the main applicants ( non-British spouses) to join their UK partners, they must be able to sit and pass the IELTS Life Skills A1 test from the home office accredited SELT centres. The required CEFR level depends on whether the applicants are applying for entry clearance ( A1 or A2 level) or the ILR route to settlement ( B1 level). So the core documents to prove English proficiency include either:

• • A valid IELTS certificate ( no later than 2 years) with a SELT reference number

OR,

• If you hold an English-taught degree at Bachelor, master, or PhD level, you must attach the ECTIS verified documents (a formal UK NARIC service to verify foreign degrees as equivalent to UK qualification)

Documents to prove Tuberculosis requirement

As daunting and frustrating as it may sound, per the UKVI spouse visa UK requirements, If you are coming from a specific country where the TB screening test is mandatory, you must attach the TB certificate with your spouse visa application. An exemption applies if:

• You lived for at least six months in a country where the UK does not require TB screening, and you’ve been away from that country for no more than six months.

Ensure to get the TB test done from the Home Office approved Clinics.

Documents to prove the Accommodation requirements

The UKVI expects UK spouses to have sufficient living arrangements to support their joining partner or a child at the time of application submission, The type of key documents, in this case, will depend on the accommodation circumstances:

Hence, whether your UK partner owns or rents the property or the property is owned or leased by a family or friend based in the UK, the following documentary evidence can be attached accordingly:

• Tenancy agreement,
• Letter from the landlord, registry title, etc.

Documents to prove Marriage Certificate Translation requirements

The Home Office’s official rule on this is the following:

• Each original document must be accompanied by a full translation that the Home Office can independently verify.
• Each translated document ( including both marriage and birth certificate which is not in English or Welsh) must contain the following details:
  • Confirmation from the translator that it is an accurate translation of the original document
  • The date of the translation
  • The translator’s full name and signature
  • The translator’s contact details

Always Remember: Hire a certified and Home office-approved translator for your marriage visa and other supporting documents translations.

In a nutshell, here is a quick view of the Spouse visa documents checklist:

• UK visa application form. For the spouse visa, you will need to submit the form VAF4A.
• Valid passport with at least an empty page in order to be able to affix visa.
• Your previous passports.
• Two passport-sized colour photos
• Proof of Knowledge of English language requirement.
• Proof of financial income.
• Proof of genuine relationship (provide photos of you two together, etc.)
• Your full name, and date of birth.
• Details of any previous immigration applications, if any.
• Certificate of criminal record/Proof of suitability requirements.
• Your national insurance number, if any.
• Your parent’s date of birth and nationality (if you’re applying from outside the UK).
• Proof of accommodation.
• Biometric information. Required for the spouse visa settlement application)
• Proof of paid spouse visa fees ( UK partners must attach the receipt for the confirmation of Spouse visa application fee submission)