Combining multiple income sources to meet UK spouse visa financial requirement

What is the Spouse visa or Partner visa?

This visa is suitable for married couples or long-term unmarried partners who wish to live together in the UK – assuming one of the couple is a British citizen or is a settled person.

Initially, the spouse visa is granted for 33 months, but it is possible to apply for a spouse visa extension and it is a route towards Indefinite Leave to Remain status.

There are set criteria to be eligible for a Spouse Visa for the UK and these include meeting financial requirements – this are different from the fees required to process your application.

What are the financial requirements of a spouse visa application?

In deciding whether you are eligible for the financial requirement of the visa on your own or via combining income with your UK national partner it is important to look at what the Home Office will want to see evidence of when applying.

If you are unclear then you may wish to consult expert immigration lawyers to avoid any potential delays or a possible visa refusal.

At present, the financial requirements for a UK marriage visa are:

• You must earn a joint income of at least £18,600 (gross annual income)
• For each dependent child or family member applying with you you must have show extra income of £3,800, this reduces to £2,400 per additional applicant
• This can be solely your income, your partner’s income or you may combine finances in a joint bank account
• The income can come from employment but also income from self-employment or owning a business can also be included
• Any income from non-employment activity, such as stocks, property letting or investments can also be included
• You can only include savings if they total more than £16,000 and you or your partner have held the savings for more than six months. You must also have another means of income and can not rely fully on savings when applying.

In addition, if your UK partner is currently receiving certain benefits and claiming public funds- this includes disability allowance, injury pension etc – then you may be exempt from the spouse visa financial requirements.

Using self-employment earnings as income

Immigration rules do allow you to use self-employment earnings to meet the financial requirements when applying for a family visa – this also applies if your partner is self-employed and you are including their self-employment income. You can also be self-employed together and plan to continue the business when you come to stay in the UK.

One of the most difficult elements of relying on self-employment is that it can be hard to prove a consistent level of earnings. Therefore, you will need to provide at least six months of accounts for the self-employment operation. All accounts must be given to the Immigration Services in a set format – and you are advised to seek guidance on how accounts should be submitted.

When combining income is not allowed

In the majority of cases combining income is possible to meet the requirements of a spouse visa. However, you may not have enough money for the requirements if you are relying on the following combinations:

• If one of you is in a job that you have held for less than six months, it can not be combined with your partner’s income from a job they have held for over six months. However, you are allowed to combine income from two jobs that have been held for less than six months or income from two jobs that have been held for more than six months.
• Cash savings can not be combined with self-employment income or income from a limited company in the UK

Documents needed to support your UK Spouse visa application

When applying for a spouse visa you are required to submit a number of supporting documents – not just those showing you meet the income thresholds and have enough money but also other spouse visa requirements.

If you are unsure if the evidence you are submitting will meet the thresholds then you should seek advice to make sure you don’t risk your application being rejected or delayed.

Other evidence you will be asked to provide will include:

• Correspondence that shows your relationship is genuine – this can include your marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate as well as details of phone conversations, emails, messages etc
• That you will have suitable accommodation when you arrive in the UK – this can include a tenancy agreement or a letter from an estate agent. This property should have the same address as your spouse/partner
• Proof that you meet the English language requirement of the visa – this can include English language test results from an approved test provider or proof that you are a national from a majority English speaking country.

How can London Immigration Lawyers help?

Gaining Settled Status is a life-changing event that comes with many benefits, however, the application process isn’t easy and it can be incredibly difficult to navigate it alone.

Our immigration lawyers are experienced when it comes to assisting with British citizenship applications, they know exactly what it takes for an application to be successful and can give you the best chance of success.

One of the most difficult aspects of the application process is meeting the strict requirements. Our lawyers will help you to do this. We can advise you about whether you need to take an English language test, which test to take and how to book it. We can also help you to meet the other requirements, this includes helping you to prepare for the Life in the UK Test and assisting you with gathering a substantial portfolio of documents to support your application.

To find out more about how our lawyers can assist you, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team today by calling 020 4502 8582.