Apply For A Civil Partner Visa

The Civil Partner Visa enables you to enter or stay in the UK provided they are in a civil partnership with a British citizen or an individual who holds UK settled status, meaning you are lawfully residing in the UK with no time limit on their stay. Prior to arrival, you must obtain entry clearance to be eligible for entry into the UK.

About the Civil Partner Visa Route

There are various UK Visa options for those who are either:

  • Planning to register as civil partners
  • Already registered as civil partners and would like to reside in the UK

Please note that if you are married, there may be more suitable routes such as the Spouse Visa. There is a helpful guide on the differences between marriage and civil partnership (in England and Wales) that you can read through by clicking here.

If you are planning to register as civil partners

If you are planning to apply for a UK Visa as a civil partner, you will have to choose a route that is specifically suitable for your situation. You may have to consider many factors, including your desired length of stay. The main visa routes that may be applicable are as follows:

  • Proposed Civil Partner Visa – 6 months of stay – This route is ideal for those planning to register their civil partnership and settle in the UK. In this case, the sponsor/partner you are joining must either be ‘settled’, or be a British or Irish citizen.
  • Marriage Visitor Visa – 6 months of stay – This route is suitable for those who wish to register as civil partners or get married in the UK, but do not intend to reside within the UK afterwards.

What are the eligibility requirements?

In order to successfully apply for a Civil Partners Visa, you must meet the specific requirements of your chosen route. You must also be able to clearly highlight that you meet these visa requirements in your application, which can be done with a well presented and to-the-point application.

It is advisable to seek assistance from legal professionals, as this will increase your chances of your application being accepted from the first try, avoiding a lengthy and costly appeal process.

Proposed Civil Partner Visa

In order to qualify for this specific visa, you will need to show the Home Office that:

  • Your partner is British, Irish, or holds Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
  • You are both over 18
  • You have met in person
  • You are both free to enter a civil partnership
  • Your relationship is genuine, and you intend to live together permanently in the UK
  • Any previous relationships have broken down completely
  • You intend to enter a civil partnership within 6 months of your arrival in the UK
  • You will be adequately maintained in the UK without recourse to public funds
  • There is suitable accommodation for you (and your dependants)
  • You speak and understand English to a satisfactory level

Marriage Visitor Visa

In order to be eligible, you must prove that:

  • You are both 18 or over
  • You are free to give notice of marriage, to marry, or enter a civil partnership in the UK, within 6 months of your arrival
  • You are in a genuine relationship
  • You will be visiting the UK for less than 6 months and leaving the UK at the end of your visit
  • You are able to support yourself without working or help from public funds, and can meet the cost of the return or onward journey

If you are unsure whether you are meeting these criteria, or need help building a strong case, please contact our team.

If you have already registered as civil partners and would like to reside in the UK:

A Family Visa as a civil partner allows foreign nationals to enter or remain in the UK, so long as they are in a civil partnership with a British/Irish citizen or a person with Indefinite Leave to Remain. To qualify for entry to the UK, you may need to be granted entry clearance prior to your arrival. This route would grant you 2 years, 9 months of stay.

The requirements for this visa are similar to the Proposed Civil Partner Visa. Generally, you will need to prove that:

  • You are both over 18
  • Your partner is British, Irish, or has obtained ILR
  • You are in a recognised civil partnership
  • You have a good knowledge of English
  • You are financially indepndent (meaning you can support yourself and any dependant, without help from public funds)

Civil Partnership Visas with QC Immigration

As a team that specialises in immigration law, we can offer comprehensive guidance on the requirements and routes that are most relevant to a civil partner seeking access to the UK.

We will help you submit a convincing application that minimises the risks of a lengthy appeals process. We will make sure that you are applying for the right Civil Partner Visa, meet all of the requirements, and have all of the necessary documentation.

We can work with you both remotely and in person at our London law firm. You can get things started today by contacting us, which you can do online or by phone.

Have a questions?

Book a consultation

How we work

1
consultation.

We start a discussion by understanding your history, and we will clearly outline the best option available and any recommendations to save you time and costs.

2
instruction.

Once you instruct us to be your legal representative, we will start preparing your case. We may require more information about you to help you more effectively.

3
documents.

Documentation is a crucial part of an immigration application. We will customise a document list to guide your preparation. Your dedicated lawyer will check the documents and advise of any improvements needed.

4
application.

We will complete your application to the Home Office and may also write a cover letter with strong legal arguments where relevant. We may discuss this with you to confirm the final details.

5
submission.

We will submit your application to the Home Office, Court authorities securely. We will represent you as the main point of contact with them for any further requests.

6
interview.

You may sometimes be invited to attend a Home Office interview or Court hearing. While this may sound daunting, we will help you prepare and provide guidance on what questions to expect.

7
decision.

As soon as we receive a decision from the Home Office, we will get in touch with you to share the news.

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What clients say

We did multiple assignments with QC and were very happy with the fast response and results we achieved on our applications.

manish rungta
manish rungta
Google five star client rating

Qiyin was very quick to respond to my inquiries. She was very professional, supportive and helpful. Highly recommended!

Ainul Nadhirah Hanafiah
Ainul Nadhirah Hanafiah
Google five star client rating

Qiyin listened very attentively to my concerns and reassured me. Gave me a lot of insight into how I need to plan my application in a very personal way. Would definitely highly recommend.

Sashi Ganes
Sashi Ganes
Google five star client rating

Very professional team, who helped me gain EU Settled status pre-Brexit using a new Android app. It is refreshing to see that QC-immigration team adopts fast the technology and is on top of all changes in legislation. They got my full trust.

Victoria Rusnac
Victoria Rusnac
Google five star client rating

Hafsah made my application look so simple and easy even though i was doubtful about my case before approaching QC. I can’t believe my ILR application got approved by Home office within 24 hrs of biometric appointment. Thank you Hafsah for helping me get this done.

Shubha Shet
Shubha Shet
Google five star client rating

It was a pleasure working with Qiyin and her team. They were very helpful and responsive all the time. They helped me with my Permanent Residence which was succesful and was received in less than a month. I will work with them again in the future, so I strongly recommend this Immigration office to everyone.

Nasos Balasis
Nasos Balasis
Google five star client rating

Definitely the best law firm I've ever dealt with. Hafsah Awan is an amazing lawyer, she is extremely professional, she truly cares, and gives great advise to ensure all goes smoothly. My entire process with Hafsah went really well, and we successfully got our Start-up visas to the UK, many thanks to Hafsah for her great efforts. I also loved that they are very responsive, to emails, calls, etc. Qiyin Chuah, the founder, actually helped me in the last moment during her weekend, I was very thankful for that, as not many people would even get back to you during the weekend. Overall, an amazing law firm, I'm very pleased, and I truly wish Hafsah, Qiyin, and the rest of QC Immigration team all the best, God bless you all :)

Ahmad Agha
Ahmad Agha
Google five star client rating

I had an exploratory conversation with QC Immigration. Qiyin was professional and personable throughout our conversation, explaining clearly the current criteria and regulatory considerations to keep in mind. I would have no reservations in appointing them for representation should there ever be a need, as Qiyin provided from the outset, the calm assurance of having the knowledge, experience and an individual approach that I strongly value.

May Loke
May Loke
Google five star client rating

Very good service and professional company! I contact them trough a friend because I had problem with a Family Visa in Scotland, they helped me and advised in all the process and they solved what I needed to solve so quick. Specially Qiyin and Marianna. I would always come back to them again if I needed and also recommend them. As I said, very good and Professional.

Martin Nicolas Camaño Martin
Martin Nicolas Camaño Martin
Google five star client rating

Both my fiancé and I used QC Immigration this year for our new visa and naturalisation applications, respectively, and were very happy with the service. Our main point of contact was Marianna, who was very prompt and thorough in her preparation of our applications and helpful throughout every step of the process with our concerns, etc. Highly recommend QC Immigration. Thank you again, Marianna!

Sarah Monaco
Sarah Monaco
Google five star client rating

My friend had recommended QC Immigration and I was not disappointed! Marianna was my main point of contact and she was kind, prompt and very efficient. I had a lot of questions and Marianna was very quick in replying to me. I would definitely recommend QC Immigration.

Malulie Tongprasert
Malulie Tongprasert
Google five star client rating

They were extremely professional and thorough throughout the application process. I even shared my travel plans and they worked based on my timelines, which based on experience, most companies don't prioritise. Highly recommend working with them if you want to be stress free and want your application handled with care.

Shruthi Padmanabhan
Shruthi Padmanabhan
Google five star client rating

I have been using QC Immigration to help prepare for my partner's Proposed Civil Partnership Visa application. We have been dealing with Marianna since January, and have found her to be extremely professional, knowledgeable and personable. She has always responded to my queries and concerns, (however neurotic!) and she has paid great attention to detail. It has been an invaluable service, and should our application be successful in this instance, I will not hesitate to appoint QC Immigration again to assist with the next stages. Many thanks again for your hard work and for showing us such an understanding and caring attitude! :)

Bethany Taylor-James
Bethany Taylor-James
Google five star client rating

My partner and I recently used QC Immigration when applying for a UK partner visa. They were very professional throughout and dealt with all questions and queries accordingly. Marianna was our main point of contact and was extremely diligent and reassuring throughout the process. We appreciated their attention to detail and extensive knowledge of UK immigration law and would highly recommend them to any prospective clients.

Eliot Parker
Eliot Parker
Google five star client rating

FAQ

What is the 'settled' status?

Settled status is defined as “free from any restriction on the period which one may remain in the UK, and ordinarily resident in the UK” in paragraph 6 of HC395. In other words, an individual who has ‘settled’ status has certain rights similar to a British Citizen. They usually hold Indefinite Leave to Remain; they have the right to work, remain in the UK and access healthcare and welfare.

Do proposed civil partners have a right to appeal?

Yes, there is a full right to appeal should the visa application be refused. The Visa Appeals’ process can be drawn-out and costly. A very strong case will be needed to make the home office reconsider their decision. It is best to work with qualified lawyers such as our team in order to minimise the likelihood of an appeal being needed.

Do civil partnerships only apply to same-sex couples?

Initially, those who would have pursued visas suited to civil partners would have been in same-sex relationships. That is no longer the case, with Civil Partner Visas now applying to a much wider demographic.On December 2nd of 2019, the Civil Partnership (Opposite-Sex Couples) Regulations 2019, came into force, amending the eligibility criteria in the Civil Partnership Act 2004. Both same-sex and opposite-sex couples were legally permitted to enter civil partnerships, opening up new visa options to those now applicable.

Who is a 'sponsor'?

In a Proposed Civil Partner Visa application, the ‘sponsor’ is the person with whom the applicant intends to register a civil partnership with. This person must have settled status, meaning Indefinite Leave to Remain, or Irish or British Citizenship.

How much does it cost?

If you are applying from outside the UK, the application fee is £1,538 – otherwise, it is £1,048 if you are applying in the UK. Any dependant added to your application will incur the same fees per person. You may also have to consider additional costs such as legal help, biometric enrolment fee or any documents needing to be translated.

Can I obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain through this visa?

With an extension, this visa route can offer you 5 years of stay. After you have spent a period of 5 years on a Civil Partner Visa, you may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK, so long as you are still in a civil partnership.

How long can I stay in the UK on a Civil Partner Visa?

Civil Partner Visas are initially issued for a period of 2 years and 9 months. A further extension may be sought for an additional 2 years and 6 months.

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