Unmarried Partner Visa UK

The Unmarried Partner visa commonly known as the 'Defacto visa' allows the unmarried partner to enter or remain in the UK on the basis that they are in a relationship with a British citizen or a person settled in the UK.

You can apply for an Unmarried Partner visa under the 5-year route if you meet all the requirements of the rules including the English language and financial requirements. The requirements are the same as for married partners however if you are an unmarried partner, you must have lived together for a period of at least 2 years.

If all the requirements of Appendix FM are met, you will be granted a partner visa for 2.5 years under the 5 years route to settlement however if you are not meeting some of the requirements of the rules and there are exceptional circumstances and insurmountable obstacles preventing you to relocate to your country of origin, a leave may be granted for 2.5 years under the 10-year route to settlement.

If you need the help of an expert UK immigration solicitor with your Unmarried Partner visa application or extension, please contact us to get legal advice & assistance.

UK Unmarried Partner visa requirements

The applicant applying for entry clearance as an Unmarried Partner of a British Citizen or a person settled person must meet the following requirements:

• Suitability criteria as set out in Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules;
• Must have been living together with the UK sponsor for at least 2 years in a relationship akin to marriage;
• Genuine and subsisting relationship as an Unmarried Partner of a person present and settled in the UK;
• Financial requirement whereby the UK sponsor of the applicant must be earning at least £18,600 gross per year or savings of £62,500 if the UK sponsor of the applicant has no earnings from employment, self-employment, or other means of income;
• Adequate accommodation for the applicant and the UK sponsor to be accommodated in the UK without recourse to public funds;
• English language requirement to show that the applicant has English proficiency at CEFR level A1 as required by the UK Immigration Rules.

You must also meet all the other eligibility requirements. Please contact us for initial assessment to determine your eligibility, and to discuss the options.

UK Unmarried Partner visa extension (5-year route)

You can apply for renewal of your Unmarried Partner visa under 5 years route from inside the UK by using the application form FLR (M) online prior to the expiry of your initial leave of 2.5 years.

As a result of a successful application for an extension of your Unmarried Partner visa under 5 years route, you will be granted further leave to remain for 30 months (2.5 years) to be able to complete 5 years in the UK and thus apply for ILR as Unmarried Partner under 5 years route. An application for an Unmarried Partner visa renewal will be considered in accordance with the requirements of the Immigration Rules as set out in Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules.