An unmarried partner visa is ideal for those who are not legally married or have a civil agreement.
An unmarried partner will need to show:
- You have been living together in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partnership which has been existing and genuine (not like a ‘marriage of convenience’) for at least 2 years
- You and your partner are both aged 18 or over at the date of application;
- Any previous marriage or civil partnership that either of you was in has permanently broken down
- You are not related by blood;
- Your partner is not related to you in a way that means you could not be in a relationship in UK law
- You and your partner have met in person and have the intention to live with each other permanently;
- Your relationship with your partner is genuine and subsisting
- You and your partner have the intention to live with each other on a permanent basis
- You are able to meet with the minimum income threshold requirement of £18,600 for sponsoring the settlement in the UK of non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationality, with a higher threshold for any children also sponsored; £22,400 for one child and an additional £2,400 for each further child;
- You are able to house yourself, your partner and any dependants entirely without recourse to public funds and
- Your partner is able to satisfy the UKVI’s English language requirement.
The visa is issued for 2.5 years, then extension for another 2.5 years and after which time the applicant will need to apply for an extension. Once you have resided in the UK for a continuous period of five years, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)