Civil Partner Visa

For an initial consultation about civil partner visa call our immigration Solicitors at Connaught Law on 0203 909 8399 or contact us online.

The UK civil partner visa allows non-EEA nationals to enter or remain in the UK where they are in a civil partnership with a British citizen or a person with UK settled statusie someone who is living in the UK lawfully with no time limit on their stay. To qualify for entry to the UK, you will need to be granted entry clearance prior to your arrival.

What you need to know about civil partnership visas

If you already hold a UK fiance visawork visa, or student visa valid for more than six months, you may be eligible to switch to a civil partner visa.

You can apply for a civil partner visa from overseas or from within the UK. Once the civil partner visa has been granted, you are eligible to work or study in the UK. After a total period of three years in the UK if you meet the residence requirements you may then apply for UK citizenship.

Children of the partnership who are under 18 years old are allowed entry to the UK as dependants, and can make their application at the same time as the applicant civil partner.

Am I eligible for a civil partnership visa UK?

You are eligible to apply for a civil partner visa if you satisfy the following criteria:

  • You and your civil partner must be 18 years old or over.
  • You must be in a legal civil partnership and have met each other.
  • You must plan to live together permanently.

Eligibility criteria

If you and your partner are in a same-sex relationship similar to marriage, then you may be eligible for this visa.

To qualify for entry to the UK as a civil partner you must show that:

  • you and your civil partner must be at least 18 years old; and
  • you and your civil partner have both met and are committed to the relationship; and
  • the relationship is monogamous, meaning you only each other as your partner; and
  • you both must intend to live together and establish a permanent home together.

As the applicant, you will need to show that you are a civil partner of:

  • a person who is present and settled in the United Kingdom, or
  • a person who will arrive with you to be admitted for settlement.

In addition, it is important that you are able to demonstrate that there will be adequate accommodation for you and any dependents to occupy exclusively and that you will be able to maintain yourselves and any dependants without access to public funds.

To qualify, your spouse or settled partner must also be earning at least £18,600 per annum, or have savings to be able to sponsor you. If also sponsoring children as dependents then this financial requirement will increase.

Duration of stay

Civil Partner Visas are initially issued for a period of 33 months (if applying from overseas) or 30 months if applying from within the UK. A further extension must be sought for an additional 30 months to take you to 5 years.

Once you have spent a period of 5 years on a civil partner/spouse probationary visa, you will be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK provided that you are still married and living with your civil partner in the UK and can continue to meet the maintenance requirement mentioned above.

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