How to Get a Free Spousal Visa in the United Kingdom for Foreigners

Spousal visa is one of the most used visa routes to the UK. Despite that fact, many are still confused about how it works and the requirements needed for it. Well, it is not as complicated as it seems. Don’t worry, you’ll read all you need to know in this blog post.

This blog post will be showing you a thorough information on everything you need to know on how to get a free spousal visa in the United Kingdom for foreigners. Without wasting time, let’s get into it!

What Is a UK Spousal Visa?

A UK spousal visa is a visa that is granted to a foreign person to live in the United Kingdom legally because they are married to a citizen of the UK. Sometimes, the distance between couples can break a family apart.

However, the United Kingdom government understands this and has allowed the law to enable married couples with a foreign partner to live together in the UK.

With the UK Spousal Visa, you can live in the United Kingdom for as long as possible. There’s no expiration date that comes with the visa.

In addition you can also work and study in the UK without having the fear of being harassed. In other words, you would be able to live in the UK and enjoy services just like every other citizen of the United Kingdom.

Well, once you complete five years on the spousal visa, you can apply for permanent residence in the U.K. Then, shortly after your permanent residence permit, you can now apply for British citizenship if you wish.

In fact, the spousal visa route is one of the most common routes to experience life in the United Kingdom.

Is the UK Spousal Visa Free?

The honest fact is that the UK government charges official fees to process spousal visa applications. This means that if you want a spousal visa then you would need to pay money in order to get it.

In fact, if you were to follow this route, you could pay thousands of pounds to get your UK spousal visa. However, the UK law also recognises that some families cannot afford these fees without them having to suffer financial breakdown.

Well, it is because of this reason that is why the UK allows fee waivers in certain situations. If you don’t know, a fee waiver means the government allows you to apply for a spousal visa without you having to pay all of the usual fees.

To achieve this, the UK government provides clear instructions on how to go about that. Let’s check out that part.

Who Can Apply for a UK Spousal Visa?

Each of the married couple must be involved during the application for the UK spousal visa. This means that the spouse in the UK and the spouse in a foreign land must be involved in the application for the UK spousal visa.

Sponsor Requirements

Here are the requirements for sponsors who want to apply for UK spousal visa:

1. Must be a legal citizen living currently in the UK.

2. The sponsor must be at least 18 years of age and above.

3. Should show willingness to support their partner’s application.

Foreign Spouse Requirements

These are the requirements for the foreign Spouse who want to apply for the UK spousal visa:

1. The foreign spouse must be 18 years old.

2. The spouse must show evidence of a real marriage.

If you recall, it was mentioned that to apply for the spousal visa for a reduced fee, you’ll need to apply it for the visa fee waiver. The next heading discusses that in detail.

How to Apply for the UK Spousal Visa Fee Waiver

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to apply for the UK spousal visa fee waiver:

Step 1. Go to the Official UK Government Fee Waiver

The first step to go through is to visit the official UK government website. In the writeups on that page, you’ll see that the UK government explains that the fee waiver is for people who cannot afford the visa fee without suffering serious hardship. If you proceed downwards, you’ll also see a button labelled, “Apply Now”.

Step 2. Confirm That You Are Applying Under Family

After that, you’ll be asked as to the reasons why you are applying for a UK spousal visa. Kindly select the options that align to Family. From there, you’ll see the Spousal Visa appear to you. Then, you can decide to click on it to proceed further.

Step 3. Input Your Personal Details

A new page would then display on your screen requesting for your information. You will be asked to enter personal information such as your name, date of birth, nationality, and current immigration status.

At this point, make sure that all the information that you have entered corresponds with what is on your Passport. If you are applying from inside the UK, the system will also ask for your Home Office reference number if you have one.

Step 4. Explain Why You Cannot Afford the Visa Fee

In the last step, you’ll be asked the reasons why you cannot afford to pay the visa fee. Now, this is the time to explain how much you really earn and how much rent you pay. The person receiving the information at the other end of the screen would be interested in this information in order to grant your request.

Step 5. Wait for Approval

In a few weeks, the results of your waiver would be out. Kindly wait for a few weeks in order to see the outcome. If you follow the steps above carefully, you’ll be granted success.

Documents For Visa Fee Waiver Application

Below are the documents to have for visa fee waiver application:

1. Recent bank statements showing the balance.

2. Payslips

3. Utility bills

4. Evidence of children or any dependents.

5. British Passport.

How to Apply for the UK Spousal Visa

This is a step-by-step guide on how to get the a free spousal visa in the United Kingdom for foreigners:

Step 1. Create an Online Account on the UK Government Website

The first step to take is to create an online account on the UK Government official website. This is because all your applications would pass through the website. Well, to create an account, you only need your email address.

Once you create the account, you will be able to start your application and return later if needed. You need to always remember to use a valid email address that you check at all times because important updates will be sent there.

Step 2. Use your Waiver Code

After you’ve finished filing the form, you’ll be asked to proceed with payment for your spousal visa fee application. At this point, if you were already approved for the visa fee waiver, then you can enter your visa fee waiver code in the field provided for that. Immediately you enter that code, you’ll be asked to continue your application.

Step 3. Upload Your Documents Online

The next step is that you will be asked to upload your supporting documents. This is where you will provide proof of everything that you selected earlier. The documents that you will be needed to upload include your passport, proof of relationship, financial evidence and utility bills. Kindly make sure that the document that you upload is scanned and is bright enough to be seen.

Step 4. Attend Your Biometrics

Once your documents are uploaded, you will be asked to book a biometric appointment. It is this appointment that the UK government collects your fingerprints and photographs.

If you are applying from outside the UK, this appointment usually takes place at a visa application centre in your country. On the other hand, if you are applying from inside the UK, it takes place at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services centre.

Step 5. Wait for Approval

Your application will be sent to the UK Home Office for review. During this time, the Home Office will check your documents and verify everything that you have submitted.

There have been cases where individuals have been contacted when the Home Office needs more information. If this happens, respond quickly to the contact immediately. This process usually takes about a few weeks so be patient for the decision.

Conclusion

The spousal visa is another opportunity to live in the UK. However, it doesn’t just come like that. Be sure to follow the processes outlined in this article to increase your chances of getting approved. You could also bookmark this article to ensure that it is safe for future references.