Couples who have been in a long-term relationship but are not married are eligible to apply for an Unmarried Partner visa under the Immigration Rules. Long-term couples who want to join or stay with their spouse in the UK can apply for the Unmarried Partner visa category.
Application requirements for an unmarried partner visa in the UK
You must satisfy UK Visas and Immigration department that you meet the following requirements to qualify for an Unmarried Partner visa in the UK:
- Your partner is British and has indefinite leave to stay, limited leave to stay under Appendix EU, or limited leave to stay under Appendix ECAA.
- Both of you are over the age of 18.
- You have met in person and have lived together for at least 2 years in a relationship that is similar to marriage or civil partnership.
- Your bond is genuine, and you intend to be together indefinitely.
- Any past partnerships have been doomed.
- You will be sufficiently cared for in the United Kingdom without relying on state expenditures.
- You and any dependents will have adequate accommodation to stay.
- You have a good command of the English language and can communicate in it at the required level.
Depending on your circumstances, the exact requirements you'll need to meet will differ. For expert advice, you might want to speak with an immigration lawyer.
Meeting the Financial Requirements for an Unmarried Partner Visa in the UK
The financial criteria for a UK Unmarried Partner visa application specify that you must show that your partner (or both of you if you have a valid right to reside in the UK) has a gross yearly income of at least:
- £18,600; plus
- £3,800 for a first child (who is not British, settled, or an EEA national); plus
- £2,400 for each additional child (who is not British, settled, or an EEA national).
In some cases, a combination of the foregoing sources of income may be sufficient to meet the financial requirement. If your partner enjoys specific benefits, there will be additional considerations.
Processing times of unmarried partner visa UK
Within 12 weeks, UK Visa & Immigration aims to process 95 percent of Unmarried Partner visa UK applications. Most visa application centers outside the UK provide a Settlement Priority Visa Service if you need your visa processed faster. This will ensure that your application for a UK Unmarried Partner visa is placed first in line at every level of the decision-making process. A UK Unmarried Partner visa applied through the Settlement Priority Visa Service usually takes no more than 30 working days to process. A well-prepared visa application can speed up the processing time.
Application fee of UK Unmarried Partner visa
The charge for applying for a Unmarried Partner visa UK from outside the UK to the Home Office is now £1,523. The current Home Office application price for switching into the Unmarried Partner category or extended stay as an Unmarried Partner is £1,033.
Validity Period of UK Unmarried Partner visa
Your visa will be valid for 33 months if your application for a UK Unmarried Partner visa is approved. If you apply for unmarried partner leave to remain in the UK, you will be given 30 months of leave.