Civil Partner Visa

Our highly experienced immigration lawyers are dedicated to helping couples acquire their UK Civil Partner Visa.  We understand how important it is for you to live together and the stress often faced by couples when applying for a Civil Partner Visa or a Civil Partner Visa extension.  When you instruct us, you can be confident that your application and supporting documents will be presented to the Home Office in the correct way and that any weaknesses in your application explained in a detailed cover letter.

What are the requirements for getting a UK Civil Partner Visa?

If you want to apply for a Civil Partner Visa, you must prove to an immigration caseworker that:

  • your partner is a British Citizen or settled in the UK (they will be the sponsoring spouse)
  • you are in a legally recognised Civil Partnership
  • you and your partner have acceptable accommodation and plan to live together
  • the sponsoring partner can meet the minimum income requirement
  • you can speak English to the required standard

What is the minimum income requirement?

To successfully obtain a Civil Partner Visa, the sponsoring partner must earn a minimum of £18,600 per year.  The amount increases if you are bringing dependent children with you to the UK.

The financial threshold requirement has resulted in several Judicial Review proceedings, most notably, the case of R. (on the application of MM (Lebanon)) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] UKSC 10; [2017] 1 W.L.R. 771 (SC).  Here, the Supreme Court upheld the minimum income requirement on principle but stated Entry-Clearance Officers needed to have regard to the welfare of any children involved in the application, as per its statutory duty under section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009.  In addition, it stated that in some cases third-party funding should be considered by the decision-maker.

If you are worried that you cannot meet the minimum income requirement, speak to one of our immigration lawyers.  We will examine your situation and advise you on the best course of action to take.

Will I need to attend a Civil Partner Visa interview?

If your caseworker is not satisfied that you and your partner are in a genuine civil partnership, they may request that you attend a Civil Partner Visa interview.  If you are asked to attend, you should make sure that you prepare extensively.  You will be interviewed separately and asked questions about how you met, details about your partner and their family, and your life together.  Our Solicitors can assist you with preparing for a Civil Partner Visa interview, ensuring you are confident and consistent in your answers.

What if my Civil Partner Visa is refused?

If your Civil Partner Visa application is refused, you may be able to appeal on human rights grounds.  Even if you have worked with another immigration solicitor on your initial application, we can take over your case and manage an appeal (if your case qualifies).

Established in 2008, Garth Coates Solicitors is a leading Immigration Law Firm that can provide professional legal advice to ensure that your Application satisfies the strict requirements of the Immigration Rules.

Our team of legal professionals offers comprehensive and considered advice to enable our clients to make informed choices. We strongly believe that our clients deserve the best; we take our responsibilities very seriously to ensure that client satisfaction is achieved by providing a professional yet friendly legal service. We aim to resolve all immigration matters brought to us by working diligently and together with our clients, keeping them informed of the progress of their case at all stages. Our outstanding success rate is maintained thanks to the high standard of our work.

If you would like us to assist you with your Immigration Matter, kindly click here to leave us an Enquiry. Alternatively, we can be reached via telephone at (00 44) (0)20 7799 1600 from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (UTC+00.00 London) every Monday to Friday.