Spouse Visa Lawyers

To be successful with your UK spouse visa application, it is not enough to meet the visa-specific eligibility requirements. You will also have to convince the Home Office, who is rigorously scrutinising all spouse visa applications to detect marriage fraud, that:

• Your marriage or civil partnership is genuine
• You have sufficient financial means to support and accommodate yourself and your family, without claiming access to public funds

Note that many spouse visa applications are refused not because the applicants do not meet the eligibility criteria, but because they fail to understand the importance of submitting compelling evidence. This is exactly where spouse visa advisers can come to your rescue by providing detailed guidance on (and assistance with) arranging the supporting documents and filing the visa application accurately.

A refusal of your spouse visa application may jeopardise your planned family life in the UK, apart from suffering a considerable financial loss as the visa fees are not refundable. Seeking expert legal advice may help you avoid possible refusal, or appeal a refusal decision through the proper channels if it comes to that.

Page Contents

• Is It Difficult to Get a Spouse Visa in the UK?
• Policy Changes Regarding Spouse Visa
• Why Get Help From UK Spouse Visa Lawyers?
• Are UK Spouse Visa Lawyers Expensive?
• How Our Spouse Visa Advisers Can Help?
• Why Choose Spouse Visa Lawyers in Newcastle?
• Our Help with Spouse Visa Refusals
• Spouse Visa Renewal Advice and Application Support
• Frequently Asked Questions

In December 2023, the Home Secretary announced a plan to cut down the net migration levels and curb abuse of the UK’s immigration system. With regard to the family visa category (of which the spouse visa is a subcategory), this plan has raised the minimum income requirement.

Starting from 11 April 2024, the threshold has been raised to £29,000. It has, therefore, become crucial to ensure you have sufficient documentary evidence to prove your financial eligibility to the Home Office.

From 9 April 2025, the spouse visa application fee has increased to £2,064.

Given the complex immigration processes and legalities involved, it is strongly recommended to seek legal advice and support from expert advisers as soon as you plan to immigrate to the UK to join your spouse/partner settled in the country.

An immigration adviser plays a crucial role in achieving successful immigration outcomes by sharing their specialist knowledge and experience, assisting with visa applications and supporting documents, helping with appeals, or offering personalised guidance and legal advice.

For example, spouse visa applicants are often confused about what it means to meet the minimum income requirement. Be advised that you can combine your salary/income in the UK (before tax and National Insurance), cash savings above £16,000, pension, income from property rentals or dividends, etc. to fulfil this requirement.

Moreover, any amount you have over £16,000 in cash savings can effectively reduce your income requirement. The Home Office calculates this by dividing your savings over £16,000 by 2.5. So, if you have £88,500 in savings, your minimum annual income requirement will be zero.

Every immigration case is unique. The cost of hiring an immigration lawyer will vary depending on the type of service you are looking for as well as your circumstances. To handle a complicated immigration situation, you will require a lawyer with a higher level of experience or expertise, which may increase your legal costs.

However, having a specialist immigration lawyer guiding and advising your spouse visa application and/or representing you before an appeal tribunal in case of a spouse visa refusal can significantly increase your chances of receiving a positive decision and make the process smoother overall.

We, therefore, encourage you to get in touch with us on 0191 303 8965 for an advice session to find out how we can help you and how much your case may potentially cost.

Newcastle Immigration Lawyers have helped countless couples to move to the UK with the Spouse visa. We offer end-to-end legal assistance, from when you first decide to get a Spouse visa, to when you move to the UK after acceptance. Our work also doesn’t stop if your application is rejected. We can help you to launch appeals or to reapply until you are allowed to come to the UK.

Like all UK visas, the Spouse visa is very complex. It requires you to provide plenty of documentation to prove that you fit the varied requirements. Newcastle Immigration Lawyers are enthusiastic about painstakingly making sure you have all the right documentation and that it has the proper validity.

Great Spouse visa advisers can also show sensitivity towards couples undergoing difficult circumstances, such as LGBTQ+ couples who are often concerned that they will not be treated with respect.

Other cases, such as arranged marriages, can also be difficult if the Home Office does not believe the relationship is genuine. Expert immigration lawyers can put together documentation to assist in such cases.

Newcastle Immigration Lawyers is an immigration advice and law firm with years of experience helping clients to achieve their immigration dreams. We are fully accredited and regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. On Trustpilot, clients have praised our immigration lawyers’ professionalism, knowledge, thoroughness, and composure throughout immigration processes.

Another great advantage unique to working with Newcastle Immigration Lawyers is our connections with the Home Office. Immigration processes can seem opaque, but we can leverage our connections to make sure you are constantly updated on your application’s progress and any additional information or documents you need to submit.

If you need help with your Spouse visa application, contact us today at 0191 303 8965. You can also visit us online to learn more about our services for your Spouse visa application and beyond.

Approximately 15% of visa applications are refused, including many Spouse visas. However, a refusal does not mean the end of your attempts to move to the UK to join your spouse. There are three pathways towards turning a refusal into an acceptance, and Newcastle Immigration Lawyers can help with all of them.

Firstly, you can make a new Spouse visa application. We ensure you properly address the reasons for rejection. Secondly, you can begin a judicial review. We can help you to decide if your application has been unlawfully rejected, and then help you prepare for your day in court. Finally, you can appeal on human rights grounds. An immigration tribunal is an opportunity to submit new evidence that was not included in your application.

Whatever process you decide to undergo, receiving a Spouse visa refusal can be upsetting and disheartening. It is important to remember that no visa refusal means you will never be able to come to the UK. We understand this and will always show sensitivity in guiding you through the appeal and re-application processes.

A Spouse visa usually lasts 33 months (2 years and 9 months for applications made outside the UK). Applications made inside the UK has a shorter standard validity period of 30 months (2 years and 6 months).

You need to apply to extend your Spouse visa before the validity expires. Failure to do so will mean you are staying in the UK illegally, which could lead to you being detained or deported. Extensions of 30 months (2 years and 6 months) can be acquired, usually requiring that your circumstances have not changed. Newcastle Immigration Lawyers can guide you through this renewal process and help you to confirm that renewal is possible under your unique circumstances.

Once you have been in the UK for an extended period, you can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR). Your visa will confirm whether you are on the five-year or two-year route. This residency in the UK must be continuous, usually stipulating that you don’t leave the UK for more than 180 days within a 12-month period.

Newcastle Immigration Lawyers have helped many individuals in the UK on Family visas to upgrade to ILR. Get in touch for help understanding if you fit the continuous residency requirement and to pass the other ILR requirements at 0191 303 8965.