Income and Financial requirements for UK spouse visa and required documents checklist Income from Self-employment and employment

Unable to Meet the Spouse Visa Income Requirements for Extension Applications

A part of UK spouse visa application, applicant and their partner must prove their income to a certain threshold to make a successful application. UK financial requirements applies to all applications for visa applications made outside UK (entry clearance) and visa extension as a spouse inside UK (commonly known as Further Leave to Remain in UK (FLR)). Many people referred this visa as a marriage visa which is not correct to say as in immigration rules, there is no such visa. Though there is a category called Fiance Visa which is used to enter in the UK and get married to a British Citizen or person settled in UK. Besides financial requirements, other requirements also apply such as documents to prove available accommodation i.e Mortgage statement, Tenancy Agreement, latest utility bills and immigration home survey report.

Minimum income for partner visa

For a partner to join their husband or wife in UK, they must have a combine annual income of at least £18600. For employment income, gross amount is considered. The gross income is before deduction of income tax and national insurance.

Income requirement for children of spouse -applying at same time or later

In addition to £18600, for first child £3800 is required. For the second child a requirement for £2400 apply.

For example, if wife is applying for spouse visa with 2 children. They need to provide an annual income of:
Income Requirement for Wife: £18600
Income Requirement for first child: £3800
Income Requirement for second child: £2400
Total Income Requirement = £24800


Update: NEW Minimum Income Requirement for UK Spouse Visa, Fiance Visa and Dependent Children, rising from £18600 to £29000 a year from 11 April 2024

Updated 1 Feb 2024

This has now been confirmed by UK Government on 30 Jan 2024 that-

“The spouse/partner visa minimum income will first increase to £29,000 on 11 April 2024; to around £34,500 at an unspecified time later in 2024; and finally to around £38,700 by early 2025.”

The UK Secretary of State for the Home Department announced on Dec 4, 2023

“Fourthly, we will ensure that people bring only dependants whom they can support financially, by raising the minimum income for family visas to the same threshold as the minimum salary threshold for skilled workers, which is £38,700. The minimum income requirement is currently £18,600 and has not been increased since 2012. This package of measures will take effect from next spring.”

When will the new higher income requirement for UK spouse Visa and Fiance Visa be enforced?

The spouse/partner visa minimum income will first increase to £29,000 on 11 April 2024; to around £34,500 at an unspecified time later in 2024; and finally to around £38,700 by early 2025.

What are changes in the income threshold for UK family visas, how much income requirement has been increased?

The proposed change in the financial requirements for the family visas from £18600 per year to £29000 a year, an increase of £10,400, a change of 56 percent. The change will affect low income UK sponsors who want to bring their partner and children to the UK. The UK family visas include UK fiance visa, UK partner visa such as spouse visa and dependent children visa applications for UK under appendix FM. The current annual income threshold for sponsoring an additional family member is £3800 for a first child and £2400 for each additional child. These amounts could go high as much as £8000 and £5000 respectively. This is a forecoasted change by our inhouse immigration experts.  

I am already in the UK on a family visa. Would new income requirements £29000 per year apply to me at the time of visa extension?

The UK Home Office confirmed that- “Those who already have a family visa within the five-year partner route, or who apply before the minimum income threshold is raised, will continue to have their applications assessed against the current income requirement and will not be required to meet the increased threshold”.

This means that the change will not affect the family members under appendix FM 5 years route, who are already in the UK, at the time of their application for spouse visa extension.

Applying for UK family visa before change in the income requirements

In view of the above, it may be worthwhile considering making a UK partner visa application earlier than you originally planned before change takes effect in the 11 April 2024. Contact our team of professional Uk family visa specialists to for the legal represntation of your family visa applications.

UK Visa Applications affected by new UK family visa income requirements of £29000

The following types of visa applications are likely to be affected by change in the immigration rules for higher income requirements £38700 for family visa-

UK Spousal Visa Applications

UK Fiance Visa Applications

UK Dependent Children Visa Applications

UK Visa Application as parent/ carer of a British Child
Exemption from meeting the financial requirements but meeting the requirements through ‘adequate maintenance’

Where the applicant’s partner is in receipt of any of the following benefits or allowances in the UK, the applicant will be able to meet the financial requirement at the UK partner application stage by providing evidence of ‘adequate maintenance’ for UK visa, rather meeting an income threshold. You need to show you and your family have enough money to adequately support and accommodate yourselves without relying on public benefits.

  • Carer’s Allowance
  • Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
  • Severe Disablement Allowance
  • Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Personal Independence Payment
  • Armed Forces Independence Payment or Guaranteed Income Payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
  • Constant Attendance Allowance, Mobility Supplement or War Disablement Pension under the War Pensions Scheme
  • Police Injury Pension

The adequate maintenance should be calculated before submitting the visa application. The process normally includes the full appreciation of income (including income from public benefits), savings, housing cost, council tax cost and other expenses such as child maintenance payments.

What if I cannot meet the minimum income requirement for UK Sposue Visa Extension Application?

You need to show you and your partner meet the minimum income requirement if you want to settle in 5 years as a partner. If you are already in the UK and you do not meet the requirement, you may be able to settle in 10 years, often referred to as the 10 years partner route or 10 years parent route or 10 years private and family life route

How can I stay up to date on this development on the income requirements for uk spouse visa, fiance visa and dependent children visa?

We will update this section of our website on hearing further guidance from the UK Home Office (UKVI). You can bookmark this page to stay up to date on this change. 


Our Success Rate for Visa Applications

Our Top Services- Types of Immigration ApplicationsBook Full Application Service Success RateYears
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Income Requirement for children who are British Citizen or have Permanent Residence in UK

For the purposes of income requirement, children who are British citizen or have ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain in UK) or who EEA citizens are ignored. No income is required for them.

Allowed sources of income for financial requirement of spouse visa

Income can be proved from employment (permanent or temporary such as agency work), self employment, director of company in UK, savings over £16000, rental income from commercial or residential property, income from Dividends.

Documents required for spouse visa income requirements, Income from employment

The required list of documents to prove income to meet financial requirements will vary, depending on the source of income and whether you are combining two or more sources to meet the requirement. For employment income, job must be held for at least six months with same employer. The general list of documents for income from employment is given below:

>> Salary Slips for the last 6 months
>> Bank statements for the same six months showing salary received in bank account
>> A letter from employer issued within 30 days of making of visa or FLR application.
>> P60 of recent financial year
>> Employment contract

Spouse visa financial requirement- Income from self-employment

The required list of documents to prove income to meet financial requirements for UK partner visa will vary, depending on whether income is from one financial year or combination of last two years. The list of documents for income from self-employment is given below:

>> Proof of Registration with HMRC
>> SA302 Tax Calculations from HMRC
>> Invoices for the recent full financial year
>> Recent Tax Return for the last full financial year (6 April to 5 April)
>> 12 Bank statements for the same financial year
>> Letter from an accountant who is member of a professional bodies in UK
>> Evidence of tax paid and payable
>> Proof of continuity of the business i.e. A recent business bank statement or an invoice

Unable to Meet Financial Requirements due to Covid-19

Many people have been furlough by their employers, a lot of self-employed lot their income in the pandemic. This has caused many people unable to meet the financial requirements to apply for visa or extend stay. UK government paid 80 percent of the salary is paid to the employees. For the purpose of meeting spouse visa financial requirement, Home Office will counted as if employee received 100% of their salary or pay. Income received via the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme or the Coronavirus Self Employment Income Support Scheme can count as employment or self-employment income for the period 1 March 2020 to 31 October 2021. In the tax return, this should not be mentioned as a business profits. HMRC has updated the tax return and introduced a section in the tax return where applicants can enter the income from the income support scheme. Once tax return is complete, tax calculations will show the added up figure for business profits and support amount.

We recommend to get professional immigration advice to find out the options you may have to extend the stay. Not only we provide personal visa advice after taking into consideration of your circumstances. Our team of expert immigration advisers is in hand to work out the alternative assessment options you may have and on how to extend your stay in UK.

Read our FAQs about Spouse Visa and Extension Applications

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