Applying from outside the UK You can apply for a family visa to live with your: spouse or partner. fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner. child.
Applications for a UK Spouse Visa from outside the UK are typically processed in 3 months on average. If the application is made from within the UK, the processing time is normally between 6 and 8 weeks. These estimates are based on typical applications that don't utilise any fast-track or priority services.
For your first Spouse visa application, you must pass your English language test at A1 level or higher for speaking and listening skills on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale. The CEFR scale has six levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2.
What you'll need to prove you're in a civil partnership or marriage that's recognised in the UK. you've been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply. you are a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner and will marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arriving.
How long does the application take? The average processing time for a spouse visa application is 2 – 12 weeks from the date we submit the application to the UKBA. Processing times vary depending on the country where the application is made.
To apply for a UK Spouse visa, you and your partner must meet several eligibility requirements, be over 18 years old, and intend to live together permanently once you enter the UK. Your eligibility for the UK Spouse visa depends on your partner's immigration status in the UK; they must be: A British or Irish citizen.