The partnership visa allows you to live in the UK with your spouse or partner. Applicants for this visa can apply on the basis of their existing close relationship with a person permanently residing in the country: a British citizen, an EU citizen, or a holder of a British Permanent Residence Permit.
If the applicant and his/her partner meet all the immigration requirements, the visa will be granted for 2.5 years. The application can be extended for another 2.5 years – if the applicant and his/her partner continue to comply with the rules. After 5 years of continuous residence in the UK as a partner, applicants are eligible to apply for citizenship.
The visa is designed for people seeking to enter or settle in the UK on the basis of their family life with a partner who is a British citizen or permanent resident.
Under this visa category, the “partner” is recognized as:
- The applicant’s spouse;
- The applicant’s civil partner;
- The applicant’s fiancée/fiancé or prospective common-law partner;
- A person who has lived with the applicant and has been in a relationship that can be described as a “marriage” or “civil partnership” for at least 2 years prior to the application.
Application requirements for entry as a partner:
- In order to be allowed to enter the United Kingdom as a marital partner, the applicant must meet a number of specified requirements;
- An essential part of the application includes evidence that the relationship between the visa applicant and his or her resident partner in the UK is genuine. The partners must express an intention to reside together in the UK. If the couple is not formally married, multiple documents may be required to show that the partners have been in a close family relationship for at least 2 years;
- All applicants will be required to demonstrate sufficient English language skills and the availability of acceptable housing.
