Spouse Visa UK 2022 Guidance (STEP-BY-STEP) Migrate (2023)

Familiarise yourself with thespouse visa application process

#1 Step One – Search the gov.uk website

In some instances, the gov.uk website will provide you with some useful content regarding the application submitting procedure for your country.

On the gov.uk website, search “[country] apply” (for example, “New Zealand apply”) and in some instances, there will be an article that provides a helpful overview.

#2 Step Two – Check the VFS/TLS websites

Whether or not there is an article for the country from which you are applying, the next step is to visit the VFS and TLS websites.

VFS applicants

The VFS website looks like this:

If you cannot find your country on this website when answering the question “Where are you applying from”, check the TLS website.

After you have selected the country from which you are applying, it will normally give you an overview of:

• The application submitting procedure (the process of submitting your spouse visa application); and
• The available added value services that you can choose (such as the priority service).

The process is normally found in the ‘How to apply’ tab.

TLS applicants

The TLS website looks like this:

Similarly to the VFS website, this website will normally provide you with:

• an overview of the application submitting procedure; and
• The added value services that you may decide to purchase.

After selecting the visa centre that you want to use in your home country, you will be provided with somegeneral information.

Note: Although it is useful to get an idea about the application submission procedure as early as possible, ultimately what matters is what you are told as you progress through the online website.

Familiarise yourself with the different ways that you may be able to submit your documents

Again, whilst ultimately what matters is what you are told when you submit and pay for the online application, it is a good idea to get a better understanding of the possible options beforehand.

Option #1 –The walk-in service at one of the UK centres (VFS handled applications only)

This service, if chosen, will cost you an additional fee.

You do not have to book an appointment to submit documents this way.

Instead, you can simply walk in at one of the locations (a list of which, if available, will be provided to you after you pay the Home Office fees on the online application website).

With this method, it is important to note that a courier cannot submit documents – the sponsor (or agent) must attend the centre in person.

If thesponsor attends this walk-in service, they should bring:

• a copy of your passports;
• Your document checklist which was automatically generated by the new Access UK website
• All supporting documents (which will be scanned and handed back at the time of their visit). Whilst it is normally fine to bring copies of the original documents here to be scanned, it is important to follow the instructions given as you progress through the online website as it will sometimes specifically state that original documents must be brought.

If the documents that you are submitting are crumpled, heavily creased or torn, you should photocopy these beforehand as these will not be able to be scanned.

Documents should also not be laminated.

This can be done after you attend the visa appointment at the overseas visa centre.

There is no set time limit but we would not recommend leaving it too long until this is done. As a rough rule, try to get this done within a week of the applicant attending the overseas visa centre.

Note: This service may not be available to you, especially if you are applying from a TLS location.

Option #2 – Posting documents to a specified UK address

This method will allow you to post the supporting documents to an address in the UK.

Unlike option #1, the walk-in service at one of the UK centres, this option is normally available to TLS handled applications.

If this option is available to you, you will normally be notified on one of the last pages of the online government application website.

If you choose this service, it will be important that you send it to the address that you are specifically told of – not an address that you find online on a forum or whatnot.

When available, there will be generally two different service levels that you can choose:

The standard service –This will cost around £75 (+VAT) per application and documents will generally be scanned within 5 working days from receipt of the documents.

The priority service –This will cost around £100 (+VAT) per application and will generally be scanned within 24 hours from receipt of documents at the scanning hub.

OPTION #3 – Document Scanning Assistance service at the overseas visa application centre

This will involve the applicant bringing their supporting documents to the overseas visa application centre and having the staff at the overseas centre assist with scanning the documents for submission.

Whilst this is a method that we used to recommend, this is no longer the case.

As of recent, we have seen partners face numerous issues such as certain documents not being accepted, incorrect advice being given (by poorly trained staff), and documents not being submitted properly.

OPTION #4 – Uploading on the VFS/TLS website

The lastoption that some applicants choose is to upload the documents on the VFS/TLS website.

If you happened to browse this article in 2020, you may remember that we strongly advised against this.

With this being said, the uploading portals have significantly improved and is now what we generally recommend for partners (although please note that technical issues with the uploading portal still occur, such as documents taking an incredibly long time to upload).

Start completing the spouse visa online application form

#1 Go to the new ACCESS UK online application website

To ensure that you use the correct online application, check out our spouse visa UK application form 2022 article.

The above link is the new ACCESS UK website that is replacing the visa4uk website that you may have heard of.

#2 Select Appendix FM Partner

You should select “Appendix FM Partner” if you are applying for a:

• UK Spouse visa
• UK Civil partner visa
• Unmarried partner visa
• Fiancé(e) visa
• Proposed civil partner visa

#3 Select country to provide biometrics

#4 Complete section 2 (‘Application’) and section 3 (‘Finances’) by inputting your and your partner’s information as asked

#5 Section 4 will give you a document checklist

Unfortunately, the document checklist that this website generates does not always list all of the documents that are required (& recommended).

This often gives partners a false sense of security that by submitting these documents alone, they will be guaranteed their visa (which unfortunately is not the case).

Our DIY Application pack service addresses this as it

• Identifies the relevant rulesthat apply to specificdocuments
• Identifiesgeneral rulesthat apply to all documentsthat are submitted
• Points out common mistakesthat people make
• Lists documents that should be included in the application that are notlisted on the official website
• Tells you the sections of the Immigration Rules and Home Office that you have toread

We created this service because we know that there are thousands of capable people (just like you) who want to process the application themselves, without paying thousands in immigration solicitor fees.

Our DIY Application Pack service will:

• Help you save time by having the relevant information more centred in one place (rather than relying on the information scattered online).
• Help you ensure that you do not miss out on an important document or requirement that, unfortunately, can result in a refusal (& loss of the Home Office fees).
• Provide you with general email support for any questions that you may have
• Save you potentially thousands of £s (when compared to paying for full legal representation)

We are so confident, based on our customer’s success, that we offer a 100% money back guarantee.

#6 Declare contents of application form are correct in section 5

#7 Select the standard of service

“What are the processing times for these different services?”

As we discussed in our spouse visa UK processing time article, the following are the expected waiting times depending on the level of service you choose:

• Standard service – 6 months (on average)
• Priority service – 6 weeks (the cost will vary depending on the visa centre that you are applying from but will be around £573). However, as we discuss in our spouse visa UK processing time article, the Home Office has temporarily suspended the priority service due to their response to the Ukraine situation.

#8 Choose your appointment at the overseas visa centre

“My financial documents will be older than 28 days at the visa centre appointment. Is that an issue?”

What matters is that you meet the requirements when you submit and pay using the online website. This is known as the ‘date of application’.

Understanding the date of application is incredibly important. We discuss this in part 1 of our 3 part video series.

“What about my child dependant’s application? Do we have to go to separate appointments?”

You can usually attend the same appointment as any child dependants that are applying at the same time as you.

If, when you book your child dependant’s appointment, you cannot choose the same time slot that you booked as the main applicant, this should not be an issue and you should bring your child dependants with you to your appointment.

In most cases, the staff at the desk will allow you to process both your and your child dependant’s application at the same time.

#9 Pay the Home Office fees and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)

The Home Office fee will equate to around £1,523 and the Immigration Health Surcharge £1,872.

Frustratingly expensive, I know.

Most commonly it is the UK partner that makes the payment but it’s also fine for family or friends to make the payment – the applicant does not need to use their card.

#10 You will then be redirected to either VFS or TLS website.

Whether you will be redirected to the VFS or the TLS website will depend on the country from which you are applying from.

When you have paid for the Home Office fees, you will automatically be given a reference number that starts with ‘GWF’. Take note of this.

It will be this number that you use to register for either the VFS or TLS website.

What is the point of these websites?

The purpose of the VFS and TLS website is that it allows you to:

• Upload your documentation; and
• Pay for any additional services that you may like (between you and me, most of these additional services are pretty terrible).

Submitting the supporting documents

We discussed the various ways that documents can generally be submitted in this section here.

But now that you’ve paid the Home Office fee, you should have a much better idea about how you can submit your documents.

Of course, we would all prefer if the Home Office told us how the documents can be submitted beforehand, but unfortunately, that is not the case.

Please do not worry if you cannot submit the documents straight away.

What matters is that the documents meet the Immigration Rules at the date of application – not on the date that the Home Office receive the documents.

Attend the appointment at the visa application centre

“What happens at the appointment?”

An overview as it relates to the visa centre from which you make your application can be found on the relevant VFS or TLS page.

Here is an example of the VFS page for Chinese applicants.

In summary, the following will take place at the appointment.

1) Your biometric data will be recorded

‘Biometrics’ is the technical term for the recording of your fingerprints and photograph.

Normally, all 10 of your fingers will be recorded using a digital finger scanner.

Since the fingerprint scanner uses no inks chemicals or liquids, you will not end up with marked fingers.

Child applicants under the age of 5 will not normally have to have their fingerprints scanned.

Regarding the photograph, you will be provided with instructions such as ‘no sunglasses or tinted spectacles. All of that standard stuff.

2) The submission of documents, if you decide on submitting the documents at the overseas visa centre

Whether you are submitting documents at the overseas visa centre or not, in all cases, the applicant should bring a valid passport that has at least 1 page that is blank on both sides, or a travel document with you to the appointment.

If you made the application via the Access UK website, you should also bring the document checklist that was automatically generated via the Access UK website. Otherwise, if you made the application through the old visa4uk website, bring the first page of your visa application form.

Remember, you must read all instructions given. In most cases, the documentation provided to you by the Home Office will make it clear what you need to bring with you.

Make sure you arrive at least 15 minutes early to your appointment.

What happens after the visa appointment?

You will normally be notified when the Home Office has decided on your application via email.

In most cases, this email will just state that a decision has been made and will not let you know what the outcome of the application is.

There are normally three ways in which your passport (which will contain an entry clearance visa which will allow you to enter the UK) will be returned.

#1 You may be able to collect your documents in person

#2 You may be able to send a representative to pick them up for you

In such a case, the representative would normally need to provide a letter of authorisation that is signed by the applicant, and a copy as well as the application submission receipt.

#3 Your passport may be returned to you by courier

More information about how your passport is returned to you is on the relevant VFS/TLS page.

“Can I get updates regarding my application… the wait is agonising!”

If you are still within the stated service processing times, then you cannot really get any updates. In such a case, I wouldn’t recommend trying as the most likely outcome is that you will waste your money (since you will have to pay a one-off fee to email the Home Office).

If, however, you have been waiting for a long time and the Home Office has exceeded the stated processing times, you can try asking for an update viathis link.

Frequently Asked Questions

Want help?

We hope that you found this guide helpful.

Feel free to read some more free content that we have written.

If you would like to receive a custom-tailored document checklist and letter templates,you can consider our £385 DIY Application Pack Service.

Alternatively, if you would like us to deal with your application from start to finish, we provide aFull Legal Representation Service.