Spouse, Partner or Fiancé Visa Application Guide - 10 Steps to applying for family visas

This detailed visa application guide walks you through the ten steps involved in applying for a spouse, partner or fiancé UK visa.

If you are planning to submit an application, read through this visa application guide to ensure you understand what is required.

1 – Plan your timeline

• When do you plan to arrive in the UK? Give yourself plenty time to prepare.
• If you are already in the UK, does your visa type allow you to apply from within the UK?
• If applying for a spouse visa, are you both free to marry or married already?
• Ensure you meet all the requirements before you apply.
• Do you meet the financial threshold for the relevant period?
• Are your passports valid?

2- Gather your documents

• Have a list of everything you want to submit.
• Make sure the right periods and correct format cover each piece of evidence.
• All documents that are required for your situation will be explained in the section of the rules called Appendix FM-SE.

3 – Fill in your online form

• Complete the form online at gov.uk.
• Confirm the visa type required.
• Locate the nearest visa centre to provide biometrics (where appropriate).
• Click apply now and then populate the form.

4 – Submitting your application

• Don’t submit until you have checked all information, referenced against this visa application guide and matched against any previous application forms.
• Make sure again at this stage that the documents are definitely complete and submit only if they are.
• The submission involves three steps: submitting the main application and paying for it, arranging your biometrics appointment, and uploading/presenting the documents.

5 – Document upload

• Submission of documents varies from country to country.
• For most you’ll have the option to upload online or bring documents to your biometrics appointment for scanning.
• If you don’t want to use either option you can, at a cost, send documents to London for scanning to the visa application decision making unit in Sheffield.

6 – What happens at the appointment

• Your biometrics (fingerprints/picture) will be enrolled.
• You can either upload everything online 48 hours in advance and take the confirmation document to the appointment, or alternatively you can take all physical documents to the meeting and ask for them to scan everything for you.
• Your original passports will need to be produced at the appointment and you’ll be asked to sign a confirmation sheet.
• You may be asked to leave your passport at the visa centre and collect it once your application has been processed. There may be an option to retain your passport with you and present it back for visa insertion once a decision has been reached. You may alternatively be asked to post your passport to a designated address and once the decision is made, they would post it back to you.

7 – How long is the waiting period?

The duration of the wait depends on the following:

1. The service type you opted for, whether you paid for priority or standard service
2. Whether the case needs to be investigated, an interview is to take place or further checks are required
3. Internal case load and resources. Sometimes processing takes longer during busy spells.

8 – The decision

You will receive the decision via email.

If your passport was submitted at the appointment, this will be posted back to you or you will need to collect it from the visa application centre. If you retained your passport, you’ll be asked to return so that the visa can be affixed.

9 – Visa

If the visa is granted you’ll get a 30 or 90 day permit within your passport called a vignette.

You must travel to the UK within those 30/90 days.

10 – Collect your BRP card

Once in the UK, you will need to collect your biometric resident permit (BRP) card from your nearest Post Office. This needs to be done within the stipulated timescales, within 10 days of arrival or before your vignette expires.

If you are thinking about applying for a spousal visa then get in touch with our immigration team who can help guide you through the process.