If you want to extend your stay in the United Kingdom on the expiration of your current Spouse Visa, you can apply for a UK Spouse Visa extension. A Spouse Visa extension is valid for 30 months, which is 2 years and 6 months. When this extension is over, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain, leading to citizenship in future years.

Requirements for the extension are similar to those that were set for the initial Spouse Visa, including proving that you have been in a genuine relationship with your wife or husband/partner and that you are still fulfilling all the required conditions placed on you when you first applied for your visa.

Documents Required for Successful UK Spouse Visa Applications 

There is much to prove with a bunch of documents denoting that you are eligible for a UK Spouse Visa extension.

Documents must be submitted in their original forms. However, the requirement is relaxed when it comes to financial documentation.

Based on your circumstances, here are a few documents that you may be required to submit to prove your claims:

Personal Details: A current passport or any other valid travel ID will need to be presented. You will also need to provide a photo page copy of any earlier passports, along with any other pages with the visa stamps in them. You will also present supporting documents about your partner and, in case you apply on behalf of children, for them as well.

English Language Proficiency: A certified English language test certificate must be provided unless exempted.

Financial Documents: Payslips and bank statements will need to be provided. Electronic financial documents can also simply be accompanied by an evidentiary cover letter by the issuing entity.

Details and Genuine Proof of Relationship: Proof you have been living together in the UK with your spouse for the entire term of your visa so far. 

Requirements for a UK Spouse Visa Extension 

You need to meet all of these requirements for a successful UK Spouse visa extension: 

• An active genuine relationship with your sponsor with whom you applied your initial permission.

• Still in the UK with them and will keep being.

• Still earning above the minimum income requirement that was required then at the initial application time.

• Being proficient in English at least the  A2 level.

• Not having broken any law or immigration conditions.

• Still meeting the good character suitability conditions.

Financial Requirements for a Spouse Visa Extension

The financial requirements that you will be required to meet depend on when you originally applied for your UK spouse visa.

If you applied for the UK spouse visa before 11th April 2024

If you first applied for your UK spouse visa before 11th April 2024, as a part of the financial requirements you will need to show that you and your partner earn at least £18,600 a year as combined income. You will also prove that you have a provision for:

• New children included in your application for the extension

• Children already in the United Kingdom as dependants of your partner

• Children living in the United Kingdom as dependants on your visa

For the first child, you will need an annual income of £3,800 and an additional £2,400 for subsequent children.

You will not be required to show any further evidence of finances for children who are British or Irish citizens, are pre-settled, or are permanently settled in the United Kingdom.

If you applied for a UK spouse visa on or after 11 April 2024 

If you originally applied for your UK spouse visa before 11 April 2024,  as a part of the financial requirements you will need to prove that you and your partner earn at least £29,000 a year together as a combined income.

The threshold will be lower if your sponsor receives some disability or carer’s benefits.

You do not have to show any further additional funds for children.

Relationship Requirements of a UK Spouse Visa Extension 

The establishment of relationship proof with the original sponsor will need to be done when applying for an extension on a Spouse Visa. And subsequently, those will be supplementary or secondary evidence proving the duration you and your partner have been cohabiting throughout their stay in the United Kingdom.

Correspondence addressed to spouses or both applicants at the same address can constitute part of the evidence to be submitted to support the application. The Home Office is likely to request documents such as council tax bills, bank statements, and utility bills. Any evidence you give should be in the original form, on headed paper, and properly dated.

At the end of the day, it will need to be proved that the parties have lived together during the applicant’s stay in the UK and are expected to continue living together in the UK throughout the extended period and possibly beyond.

Fees and Processing Time of a UK Spouse Visa Extension 

The cost of the UK Spouse visa extension fees has been set at £1048, however, there can be other added costs to consider. All the information or documents to be submitted shall have to be translated by a professional into English if any of the information or documents are in a language other than English or Welsh. Also included in this cost would be the cost of taking English language tests, if such tests are to be taken by the applicant.

The immigration healthcare surcharge is to continue, which is £1,035 a month. It would take the Home Office typically between 8 and 12 weeks to process a spouse visa extension application, depending on how closely the applicant conforms to the eligibility.

Conclusion 

Hiring an immigration solicitor London will ensure that you follow all the steps to a successful application and avoid mistakes in submission. This will ensure speedy processing of your application and minimize the chances of refusals.