UK Civil Partnership Visa

UK Civil Partner Visa: Requirements, Fees and How to Apply

Apply For A Civil Partner Visa

There are various UK visas for those who are either:

• Planning to register as civil partners

• Already in a registered civil partnership and would like to reside in the United Kingdom

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.

In some cases, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will interview applicants.

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 based on your long-term plans. Factors such as your desired length of stay and whether you intend to settle in the UK will determine which option is most suitable for your situation. 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’, be a British or Irish citizen or have qualifying status.

• Marriage Visitor Visa – 6 months of stay – This option is suitable for those who wish to register a civil partnership or get married in the UK, but do not intend to reside within the UK afterwards.

UK Civil Partner Visa Requirements

To successfully apply for a UK Civil Partner Visa, you must meet the specific requirements of your chosen route under the Immigration Rules. You must also clearly highlight that you meet these visa requirements in your civil partner visa application, which should be clear and well-presented.

It is advisable to seek assistance from legal professionals, as this will increase your chances of your civil partner visa 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, holds Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), EU national with pre-settled status, is a HM Armed Forces personnel, holds Turkish worker or businessperson status, hold Refugee or Humanitarian status, or holds Stateless status

• 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 six months of arriving in the UK

• You will be adequately maintained in the UK without recourse to public funds

• There is suitable accommodation for you (and your dependents)

• 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 six months of arriving

• You are in a genuine relationship

• You will be visiting the UK for less than six 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 United Kingdom, so long as you are in a civil partnership with a British/Irish citizen, a person with Indefinite Leave to Remain , or someone with qualifying status. To qualify for entry to the United Kingdom, you may need to be granted entry clearance prior to your arrival. This visa likely grants you 2 years, 9 months of stay.

Under the Immigration Rules, 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, holds Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), EU national with pre-settled status, is a HM Armed Forces personnel, holds Turkish worker or businessperson status, hold Refugee or Humanitarian status, or holds Stateless status

• You are in a recognised civil partnership

• You have a good knowledge of English

• You are financially independent (meaning you can support yourself and any dependent, without help from public funds)

Who Qualifies for a Civil Partnership Visa?

To qualify for a Civil Partner Visa, you need to meet several criteria and requirements.

Status and Age Requirements

To obtain a Civil Partnership Visa in the UK, your partner must meet one of the following requirements:

• Be a British or Irish citizen.

• Have Indefinite Leave to Remain, settled status (permanent residence), or no time limit to stay in the United Kingdom.

• An EU citizen with Pre-settled Status in the UK.

• A personnel of HM Armed Forces.

• Have limited leave as an ECAA Turkish Business person or a Turkish Worker.

• Have refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK.

• Have a Stateless Person status holder in the UK.

You and your partner must be over 18 when you apply for the Civil Partnership Visa.

Meeting Relationship Criteria

For a Civil Partner Visa, you and your partner must either be in a civil partnership or plan to enter into one within six months of arriving in the UK. You must prove that all previous relationships have ended and that you are in an exclusive commitment.

Prohibited Relationships and In-person Requirements

Your partner must not be in a prohibited degree of relationship, for example:

• Brother or sister.

• Adopted child.

• Foster parent.

• Grandmother or grandfather.

• Grandson or granddaughter.

• Parent's brother or sister, etc.

Additionally, you must be personally acquainted and have a genuine, subsisting relationship.

Recognizing Civil Partnerships in the UK and Abroad

To be valid, all civil marriages registered in the UK must be monogamous and entered into following the Civil Partnership Act 2004 requirements.

It means you must file a notice of intention to enter into a civil partnership. It must be concluded in a civil institution (usually the local town hall or council), and the procedure must be carried out by an authorized person or in their presence.

The Civil Partnership Act 2004 also provides for a relationship abroad to be recognized as a civil partnership in the United Kingdom if all the following conditions are met:

• The relationship is registered with the appropriate authority in a country or territory outside the UK.

• The relationship is long-term and voluntary.

• The partners are considered a couple or treated as spouses.

Establishing a Genuine and Subsisting Relationship

Your relationship with your civil partner in the UK must be supported by an official civil partnership registration certificate when you apply for a Civil Partner Visa.

Intent to Permanently Reside in the UK

You and your partner must demonstrate your intention to live together permanently in the UK. It may be evidenced by joint plans to reside, work, or study in the United Kingdom.

UK Civil Partner Visa Financial Requirements

To meet the financial threshold under the Immigration Rules, you must show that the qualifying minimum annual income is not less than £29,000 (or £23,496 for HM Armed Forces personnel) gross, before tax and national insurance.

For existing Partner Visa holders on this route before 11 April 2024 and applying for Extension or Indefinite Leave to Remain, you may continue to meet the previous minimum income requirement of £18,600 under the Appendix FM transitional arrangements (up to a maximum of £29,000 including children):

• £18,600 for applicants without children.

• Additional £3,800 for those with one child.

• Additional £2,400 for each additional child.

When calculating your annual income, your salary is considered along with the following cash receipts:

• Income received from self-employment or as a head of a UK limited company.

• Cash savings of over £16,000.

• Pension payments.

• Income not related to work activities, such as the sale of property, rental housing, interest on deposits, trust fund or share dividends.

To calculate how much your cash savings over £16,000 could reduce your income requirement, you need to:

1. Calculate the average amount of your savings over the last six months.

2. Subtract £16,000 from average savings.

3. Divide the remaining amount by 2.5 (the number of years the Visa is issued).

For example, if you have £21,000 in savings, you can reduce the annual income requirement by £2,000. An amount of £88,500 will satisfy the minimum income requirement of £29,000. For existing Visa holders on this route before 11 April 2024 and applying for Extension or Indefinite Leave to Remain, cash savings of £65,000 or £34,600 respectively will meet the previous minimum income requirement of £18,600 under the Appendix FM transitional arrangements.

Please note that some applicants may be exempt from meeting financial requirements if your UK civil partner receives certain government benefits or public funds. If you or your UK resident partner receives one of the benefits listed below, you may meet the financial requirement called adequate maintenance instead of minimum income requirements. Such benefits include:

• Disability Living Allowance.

• Personal Independence Payment.

• Carer's Allowance.

• Attendance Allowance.

• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.

• Armed Forces Independence Payment or Guaranteed Income Payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

• Constant Attendance Allowance, Mobility Supplement or War Disablement Pension under the War Pensions Scheme.

• Police Injury Pension.

• Child Disability Payment (Scotland)

• Adult Disability Payment (Scotland)

• Carer’s Support Payment (Scotland)

• Pension Age Disability Payment (Scotland)

• Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (Scotland)

Residence and Language Requirements for a UK Civil Partner Visa

UK Civil Partnership Visa requirements include your proficiency in English. You may not need to prove your level of knowledge or take an exam if one of the following applies to you:

• You are over 65.

• You come from a recognised English-speaking country.

• You have a UK degree or academic qualification from an approved college or university.

• You have a foreign degree or academic qualification taught or studied in English.

  • In this case, you need to contact Ecctis for a certificate confirming that your qualification is equivalent to a British bachelor's degree or above and that it was taught in English.

• You have a physical or mental illness that prevents you from meeting the English language requirement.

If you do not fall into one of the above categories, the Immigration Rules require you to take an English exam and achieve a grade of at least level A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages ​​(CEFR).

Please note that the minimum English language proficiency requirements will increase after living in the UK for 2.5 years. Your English level must be A2 or above to renew the Civil Partnership Visa and continue living in the UK.

However, if your first test results are A2 or above, you may use them again when renewing your visa. If you pass the test at B1 or above, you may re-use them for future Indefinite Leave to Remain or British Citizenship application.

Civil Partner Visa UK Accommodation Requirement

Whether you are applying for a UK Civil Partner Visa or renewing it, you must prove that you and your civil partner have sufficient accommodation in the UK and do not need additional government financial assistance.

For your UK Civil Partner Visa to meet the Accommodation criteria, the property space you will be sharing with your partner in the UK must meet the following requirements:

• Be temporary or permanent

• Belong exclusively to you and your family.

• Be purchased or rented

• Meet the space standards for the number of residents.

• Do not violate health and safety standards.

To meet this requirement, you may provide documents, including and not limited to:

• Evidence that you or your civil partner have exclusive title to the property, such as through a deed or mortgage.

• Proof that you or your civil partner rent the property, such as under a tenancy agreement.

• A letter from a friend or relative confirming that you will be staying with them or that you will have suitable accommodation for your stay in the UK.

How Much Does a UK Civil Partner Visa Cost?

The total upfront cost for a UK Civil Partner Visa application, including application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), may vary depending on the Visa category and location you are applying from. For example, a UK Civil Partner Visa entry clearance application outside the UK is usually just over £5,000 per applicant while it is just over £4,500 for an application from within the UK. For a Proposed Civil Partner Visa application, the total upfront cost is just over £2,000.

Home Office application fees

The Home Office application fee is £2,064 for entry clearance from abroad and £1,407 for applications made from within the UK. Each dependent child included in the application pays the same fee. The Proposed Civil Partner (fiancé-equivalent) Visa also costs £2,064 but does not attract the health surcharge, since it is granted for only six months.

Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)

The Immigration Health Surcharge is £1,035 per year for adults and £776 per year for children under 18. For a 33-month entry clearance grant this comes to £3,105; for a 30-month extension it is £2,587.50. The IHS is paid in full when you submit your civil partner visa application and gives you access to the NHS on the same basis as a UK resident.

Other costs (priority service, translation, test)

Optional and incidental costs can add several hundred pounds to a civil partner visa application:

• Super Priority service (in-UK applications): £1,000 for a decision by the end of the next working day.

• Settlement Priority Service (overseas applications, where available): £500.

• Certified translations of documents not in English or Welsh: typically £30 to £75 per page.

• An approved SELT English test (for example IELTS Life Skills A1): apprximately £150.

• A tuberculosis test at an approved clinic, if required for your country.

UK Civil Partnership Visa Document Requirements

Along with your application for a Civil Partnership Visa, you have to provide a comprehensive bundle of documents, namely:

• Completed application form and receipt of payment of the registration fee.

• A valid passport or acceptable identification document.

• Evidence that you are in a relationship or live together (such as utility bills, official correspondence, etc.).

• Proof that you meet the English language requirement (e.g., CEFR test certificate).

• Proof that you meet financial requirements (bank statements showing your and your partner's income and any savings, payslips for the last six months, confirmation from your place of employment, etc.).

• Details of previous UK visa applications, if any.

• Certificate of criminal record, if applicable.

• Your National Insurance number (if you have one).

• Proof of housing in the UK (rental agreement, mortgage agreement, etc.)

• Biometric data (fingerprints and digital photographs).

• Tuberculosis test results if you come from a country where you must pass a test to apply for a Civil Partnership Visa.

Please note that any documents not in English or Welsh must be professionally translated and certified.

The list of documents may vary slightly depending on your circumstances, so it is vital to carefully review the documentation requirements to obtain a Civil Partner Visa.

Documents for the sponsoring partner

Your sponsoring partner must supply their own documents alongside yours. These typically include:

• Their British or Irish passport, or evidence of pre-settled status, ILR, or another qualifying immigration status.

• Financial evidence, including and not limited to minimum 6 months of payslips and matching bank statements, plus an employer letter confirming their role, salary, and length of employment (or equivalent self-employment evidence such as a tax return and accounts).

• Evidence of accommodation, such as the title deed, mortgage statement, or tenancy agreement in their name.

• A decree absolute or dissolution order if they were previously married or in a civil partnership.

Relationship evidence

Relationship evidence should show that your civil partnership is genuine and subsisting, not just legally registered. Strong bundles usually contain the civil partnership certificate, joint bank statements, joint tenancy or utility bills covering the period you have lived together, travel records of visits to each other and evidence of regular communication such as phone logs or message histories. If you have children together, include their birth certificates. Caseworkers give more weight to official documents naming both partners at the same address than to photographs or letters from friends.

How Do I Apply for a Civil Partner Visa?

Submit your civil partner visa application online through GOV.UK, pay the fee and Immigration Health Surcharge, submit your biometrics via the app or attend a biometric appointment, and upload your supporting documents. The process differs slightly depending on whether you are outside or inside the UK.

Applying from outside the UK

From outside the UK, you complete the online entry clearance form for a family visa as a partner, pay £2,064 plus the IHS, and submit your biometrics to the ID verification app or book an appointment at a visa application centre in your country of residence to enrol your fingerprints and photograph. You upload all documents independently or have them scanned at the appointment. Your passport is either retained or returned depending on the local process, and the decision is aimed at within 24 weeks.

Applying from inside the UK (switching)

If you are already in the UK with more than six months' leave (for example on a Skilled Worker or Student visa), you can usually switch into the Leave to Remain as a Partner route, paying £1,407 plus the IHS. You cannot switch from a Visitor Visa or from leave granted for less than 6 months, unless that leave was as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner. Proposed Civil Partner Visa holders who register their partnership within their 6-month stay apply under form FLR(M) to remain for 30 months.

Step-by-step application process

1. Ensure you meet the relationship, financial, accommodation and English language requirements.

2. Check if you also meet the suitability requirements in terms of personal history and character.

3. Gather your documents, including your sponsor's evidence and certified translations.

4. Complete your civil partner visa application on GOV.UK, pay the application and IHS fees.

5. Submit your biometrics via the app, or book and attend your biometric appointment (visa application centre abroad, or UKVCAS in the UK).

6. Upload your supporting documents before the appointment.

7. Respond promptly to any UKVI request for further evidence or an interview.

8. Receive your decision, then collect your visa or check that your eVisa details are correct.

Processing Times for Civil Partnership Visas

A decision on a Civil Partnership Visa application is aimed to be made within 24 weeks for applicants outside the UK and 8 weeks for applicants inside the UK.

If you are applying in the UK and your civil partner visa application does not meet the minimum income and English language requirements at the time of application, it may take up to 12 months for a decision to be made under the 10-year route instead.

If applying for Leave to Remain in the UK and you need your civil partner visa application processed faster, you can use the “Super Priority” service. You will pay £1,000 in addition to the application fee to receive a decision within one or two working days. For entry clearance applications outside the UK, there may be a Settlement Priority Service offered depending on locations which costs £500.

Duration of a Civil Partnership Visa

The Civil Partnership Visa gives you the right to reside in the United Kingdom for 2.5 years or 33 months. In the future, the Civil Partnership Visa can be extended for another 30 months.

Work Opportunities on a Civil Partner Visa

As a UK Civil Partner Visa holder, you are free to live with your civil partner and officially work and study in the United Kingdom until your permit expires.

How Do I Extend My Civil Partner Visa?

You may extend a UK Civil Partner Visa by applying online via FLR(M) before your current leave expires, paying £1,407 plus the £2,587.50 Immigration Health Surcharge for the 30-month grant. Most applicants apply within 28 days of their visa's expiry date, although you can apply earlier if you meet the requirements.

For the extension, you must show that the relationship and cohabitation remains genuine and subsisting, that you still meet the financial requirement (£18,600 under the transitional arrangements if you entered the route before 11 April 2024, otherwise £29,000), and that you have passed an English test at CEFR level A2 or above. Your leave continues on the same conditions under section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 while the extension application is pending, so you can keep working. A refused extension can put your continuous residence for settlement at risk, so it is worth having the application checked before submission.

Path to Indefinite Leave to Remain

After 5 years of continuous residence on the Civil Partner Visa, you become eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). Once you receive your ILR, you will no longer need to renew your visa. In addition, you may apply for British citizenship after that, should you wish to.

What Happens if My Civil Partner Visa Application is Refused?

If your civil partner visa application is refused, the decision notice will set out the reasons and your options, which for this route usually include a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal on human rights grounds. You can also correct the problems identified and submit a fresh civil partner visa application instead.

Common reasons for refusal

The most frequent reasons the Home Office refuses a UK civil partner visa are evidential, and rarely substantive:

• Financial evidence that does not meet the strict formats set by the Immigration Rules in Appendix FM-SE, such as payslips without matching bank statements or missing employer evidence.

• Doubts that the relationship is genuine and subsisting, often because cohabitation or communication evidence is thin.

• An English test taken with a provider or at a level that is not on the approved SELT list.

• Missing translations, expired documents, or an incomplete civil partnership certificate.

• Suitability issues, such as unspent criminal convictions or previous breaches of immigration law.

Appeals and reapplying

As a refusal on this route engages your right to family life, you will normally be given a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber): 14 days to lodge if you applied inside the UK, 28 days if you applied from abroad. Administrative review is generally not available for family route refusals; it applies only where the decision notice says a caseworking error can be reviewed. Appeals can take 6 to 12 months, so where the refusal turns on missing documents it may often faster to reapply with a corrected bundle, although this means paying the fee and IHS again. Our team can advise on appealing a refusal or preparing a stronger second application.

Civil Partner Visa vs Spouse Visa: What's the Difference?

The only substantive difference is the legal form of the relationship: a UK Civil Partner Visa is for couples in a registered civil partnership, while a Spouse Visa is for married couples. Both sit under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules and carry identical fees (£2,064 from abroad), the same £29,000 minimum income requirement, the same English language and accommodation rules, the same 33-month grant, and the same 5-year or 10-year path to ILR.

In practice, the choice comes down to your de facto status and documents. If you hold a civil partnership certificate (from the UK or a recognised overseas registration), you apply as a civil partner; if you hold a marriage certificate, you apply as a spouse. Couples who have not yet formalised the relationship but have lived together for at least 2 years may instead qualify as Unmarried Partner or Same-sex Partner Visa, and those planning to register in the UK should look at the Proposed Civil Partner Visa covered earlier in this guide.

Civil Partnership Visas with QC Immigration

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

We will help you submit a convincing civil partner visa application that minimises the risks of refusal and 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.