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Once your spouse visa a pplication is submitted, the wait begins — and for most couples it is the hardest part. Here is what to expect in 2026, what can speed a decision up, and what tends to slow one down. Standard processing times Applying from outside the UK: most decisions arrive within 12 weeks of your biometric appointment. Applying from inside the UK (extension or switching): around 8 weeks. These are service standards, not guarantees — complex cases can take longer. F

Working out the true cost of a UK spouse visa is one of the first questions couples ask us. The headline application fee is only part of the picture: once you add the Immigration Health Surcharge and optional extras, the real figure is significantly higher. Here is the full breakdown using the Home Office fees that took effect on 8 April 2026. The Home Office application fee Applying from outside the UK (entry clearance): £2,064. Applying from inside the UK (extension or swit

By Kashif Iqbal, Solicitor | Reviewed: 3 July 2026 If your income falls short of the £29,000 spouse visa financial requirement, cash savings can rescue your application. Savings of £88,500 meet the requirement on their own, and smaller amounts can bridge an income shortfall. But the savings route has strict rules on how much, how long and in what form the money must be held — and it is one of the most common areas where applications fail. This guide explains exactly how the c

By Kashif Iqbal, Solicitor | Reviewed: 3 July 2026 If you are applying for a UK spouse or partner visa in 2026, the financial requirement is the rule most likely to decide your application. In short: most new applicants must show a gross annual income of at least £29,000, or savings of £88,500, or a permitted combination of the two. If you first applied before 11 April 2024, transitional protection means the old £18,600 threshold still applies to your extensions and settlem