What is UK Spouse Visa financial requirement and how to meet it?
The minimum income requirement for a UK spouse visa (income threshold for spouse visa) is £29,000 per year at the moment. The financial requirement for a spouse visa can be met in a number of ways, but typically, this is either through income or cash savings, or a combination of the two.
Everyone’s circumstance is different. Our Spouse Visa lawyers will provide advice and guide you on how to meet the requirement if you need help applying for a Spouse Visa. Contact us for a free consultation by calling at 020 3744 2797
How to meet UK Spouse Visa financial requirement from income
To prove your income, the most common method is to provide payslips. If you have been with your current employer for 6 months or more, you should submit payslips covering the last 6 months. If you have been with your employer for less than 6 months, or if your income varies, you will need to provide 12 months of payslips. Additionally, there are other types of proof of income that can be used to meet the financial requirement, such as:
Acceptable proof of income from employment:
- Payslips covering the last 6 months (if employed for at least 6 months) or
- Payslip covering at least 12 months (if employed for less than 6 months with your current employer), and
- P60
- A letter from your employer confirming your employment, annual gross salary, and other key details
Acceptable proof of income from self-employment (from the last financial year):
- An annual self-assessment tax return sent to HMRC
- Statement of Account (SA300 or SA302).
- Proof of registration with HMRC as self-employed
- Unique Tax Reference Number (UTR).
- Personal bank statements for the 12-month period showing that the income from self-employment has been paid into your account
- Audited accounts – if required to produce audited accounts
- Unaudited accounts – if not required to produce audited accounts
- VAT certificate if your business turns over is in excess of £79,000
- Planning permission/local planning authority consent
- Franchise agreement
Acceptable proof of income from as the director of a limited company in the UK
- Company Tax Return CT600 and evidence of filing with HMRC
- Evidence of registration with the Registrar of Companies at Companies House
- Annual accounts for the last full financial year
- Corporate/business bank statements covering the 12-month period as the Company Tax Return CT600
- A current Appointment Report from Companies House
- A certificate of VAT registration and VAT return for the last full financial if applicable
- Proof of ownership or lease of business premises
Acceptable proof of income from a pension:
- The Department for Work and Pensions, overseas pension authority, or pension company
- At least one personal bank statement in the 12-month period prior to the date of application showing payment of the pension into your account
Acceptable proof of income from non-employment income (e.g. property rental or dividend income)
Rental income:
- A copy of the title deeds of the property
- Personal bank statements showing the rental income for 12 months prior to the application
Dividend income:
- Certificate showing proof of ownership and the amounts of any investments
- Portfolio report or a dividend voucher
- Personal bank statements for 12 months prior to application
How to meet UK Spouse Visa financial requirement from savings
You can meet the spouse visa financial requirements by solely relying on cash savings, provided you have at least £88,500 available (up from the previous requirement of £62,500). Using savings to meet the spouse visa requirements offers the advantage of not needing to demonstrate evidence of ongoing income, as long as you have sufficient funds. However, you still need to meet cash saving requirements, such as:
- The money is held in a bank/savings account in a current, deposit, or investment account
- The money has been held for at least 6 months prior to applying, as evidenced by your bank statements
- The account is with a properly regulated financial institution
- Regular bank statements are provided
- The savings are held in cash and can be immediately withdrawn (with or without penalty)
- The savings are under your control and/or of your partner and have been for 6 months
- The source of the funds is legal
- The source of the funds has been declared
Savings held in a term deposit or ISA can be used as long as you can access them immediately.
One of the benefits of cash savings is it can be combined with certain types of income to meet the UK spouse visa financial requirement. For example, if you are not relying on self-employment as a sole trader, income as a director of your own limited company, or employment with a company owned by a family member, you may combine salaried income with savings. If your income is below the required £29,000 per year, you can still meet the spouse visa financial requirement by combining it with your savings. The Home Office uses a specific formula to calculate the amount of savings needed to make up the shortfall:
X = £29,000 – your actual income
Y = X × 2.5
Z = Y + £16,000
Z is the total amount of cash savings required to meet the financial requirement. (Note: For indefinite leave to remain (ILR), a different multiplier applies instead of 2.5.)
For example, if your income is £20,000 per year you would need £38,500 in cash savings to meet the spouse visa financial requirement. Here is how it is calculated based on formula:
£29,000 – £20,000 = £9,000 (this is the income shortfall X)
£9,000 × 2.5 = £22,500 (This is the additional savings required to cover the income gap Y)
£22,500 + £16,000 = £38,500 (This is the total amount of savings you need (Z) to meet the financial requirement by combining income and savings.)
Spouse visa financial requirement exemptions
Some spouse visa applicants may be exempt from meeting the financial requirement, including individuals who receive specific types of public funds or benefits due to their circumstances, such as Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance or Carer’s Allowance.
Even if you are eligible for the spouse visa financial requirement exemption, you will still need to prove that you have sufficient funds for your stay in the UK without needing access to public funds and that you can adequately accommodate yourself.
In addition, if you do not meet the financial requirements or qualify for an exemption, you may still be eligible for a spouse visa if you can prove that exceptional circumstances apply. Exceptional circumstances may apply, for example, if you can prove under Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) that there will be “unjustifiably harsh consequences” for you and/or your family if your spouse visa is refused. In this scenario, the UKVI decision-maker may take into account other sources of income (e.g. a guarantee of financial assistance from another person).
FAQs about UK spouse visa financial requirements:
Question: I am a Director of a Limited Company and planning to apply for a spouse visa for my partner to join me in the UK. If I did not meet the salary threshold in my latest submitted financial year, what options do I have?
Answer: If you are a director of a limited company and you are unable to meet the financial requirement using your salary or dividends from the most recent financial year (referred to as “Category F” income), you may instead be able to rely on the average income from the last two full financial years of your company. This can be particularly helpful if the latest year was unusually poor, but the previous year was significantly stronger.
Alternatively, if the average of the two previous financial years does not assist you, you may need to focus on completing the current company tax year and ensure that, by year end, all salaries and/or dividends amount to at least £29,000. If this option is also not feasible, it is advisable to consult an immigration solicitor to review your circumstances, explore alternative options, and adjust your strategy for meeting the financial requirement before submitting your application.
Question: I have been employed for less than 6 months and earn significantly more than the financial requirement for a spouse visa. Do I still have to wait for 6 months of employment?
Answer: You don’t need to wait six months before applying if you are earning significantly above the UK spouse visa financial requirement. However, you must show that:
- You are currently in employment (for less than six months) with an annual salary of at least £29,000; and
- You have earned a minimum of £29,000 over the past 12 months.
For example, if you are earning £10,000 per month, you would meet both requirements after just three months.
Question: I have a child from a previous relationship. When I apply for my partner’s spouse visa, will I have to show a higher income then if I did not have a child?
Answer: The new financial requirement for a UK Spouse Visa is £29,000 per year, regardless of whether children are included in the application. However, if the British partner (the sponsor) is receiving an “exempted benefit”, such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP), they need to meet the adequate maintenance test instead. To satisfy the Adequate Maintenance test, the sponsor must demonstrate the household income, after deducting housing and council tax costs, is sufficient to support the family at a level equivalent to Income Support. This calculation must take into account any dependent children already in the UK or those applying to join.
