Partner Visa Documents Checklist (Spouse/Partner): What to Prepare & How to Package It

This checklist covers the core documents you usually submit with a UK Spouse or Partner visa application under Appendix FM. Rules and thresholds change, so check the latest Home Office guidance (and your solicitor's advice) before you submit.

1) Identity & Application Basics

• Applicant's current passport (plus all previous passports if available).
• Sponsor's passport or evidence of British citizenship / settled status (e.g. eVisa share code).
• Passport-style photos if requested by the application centre.
• Completed online application + IHS payment confirmation.
• Biometrics appointment confirmation (if applicable).

2) Relationship Evidence (Genuine & Subsisting)

Show your relationship from first contact to the present, in date order. Choose strong documents over a large volume.

• Marriage/civil partnership certificate (if married) or evidence you've lived together / been in a durable relationship.
• Photos together over time (captioned with dates/places/people).
• Communication logs (samples of message/call histories, summarised rather than entire chats).
• Travel history (flight bookings, entry stamps, itineraries for visits together).
• Joint commitments: joint tenancy/mortgage, utility bills, bank accounts, council tax, insurance, HMRC letters.
• Letters of support from friends/family who know you as a couple (keep concise; include contact details).

3) Financial Requirement (Appendix FM-SE)

Evidence depends on the route (employment, self-employment, company director, pensions, or cash savings). Thresholds and categories change. Use our Financial Requirement Calculator to check whether the sponsor's income meets the current Minimum Income Requirement (£29,000 a year for applications made on or after 11 April 2024; some partners already on the route under earlier rules can still use £18,600 when extending), or ask your solicitor to confirm the right category.

A) Salaried Employment (Category A/B)

• Payslips for the required period.
• Corresponding bank statements showing salary credits.
• Employer letter on headed paper confirming job title, type (permanent/fixed-term), salary, start date, and ongoing employment.
• P45/P60 (where relevant).

B) Non-Salaried / Variable Income

• Evidence over the required monthly/annual period, with bank statements to match.
• Employer letter confirming average hours/rates and typical earnings pattern.

C) Self-Employment (Sole Trader/Partner) or Company Director

• Tax documents (e.g. SA302s and Tax Year Overviews) for the relevant financial year(s).
• Business bank statements and accounts (signed by a qualified accountant if required).
• For company directors: CT600, company accounts, dividend vouchers, Companies House filings.

D) Cash Savings

• Bank statements showing funds held for the required period and in acceptable accounts.
• If using combined income and savings, ask your solicitor to apply the correct calculation method.

Tip: make an income summary sheet that maps each requirement to the exact page(s) in your evidence bundle.

4) Adequate Accommodation

• Tenancy agreement, mortgage or ownership evidence.
• Letter from landlord/agent permitting the applicant to live there.
• Council tax/utility bills as ongoing occupancy evidence.
• Property inspection report (optional but useful) confirming no statutory overcrowding.

5) English Language Requirement

• Approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) certificate at the correct CEFR level for your stage (A1 for the first application, A2 for the extension, B1 for settlement), or
• Degree from a UK institution, or an overseas degree taught in English with an Ecctis assessment confirming it, or
• Exemption evidence (national of a majority English-speaking country, aged over 65, or a physical or mental condition that prevents you meeting the requirement).

6) Tuberculosis (TB) Test (If Applicable)

If you are applying from a country where TB testing is required, include a valid TB certificate from an approved clinic.

7) Children (If Applying as Dependants)

• Birth certificates (showing parentage) and passports.
• Parental responsibility/consent evidence if applicable.
• School letters or residence evidence (if relevant).

8) Cover Letter & Index (Highly Recommended)

• Cover letter: a 1–2 page overview explaining how you meet Appendix FM and FM-SE.
• Numbered index listing each document (with dates) and where it appears in the PDF.
• Use clear, searchable PDFs; avoid duplicates; label files meaningfully (e.g. "3.1 Payslips Jan–Jun 2025").

9) Certified Translations

Have any document not in English or Welsh translated by a qualified translator. The translation should include the translator's signed declaration of accuracy, the date and their credentials.

10) Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Mismatched income evidence: payslips that don't match bank credits, or missing pages.
• Insufficient relationship proof: only photos, with no shared financial/official evidence.
• Wrong English test provider/level or expired certificate.
• Accommodation letters lacking permission for the applicant to reside.
• Unclear scans, unlabelled documents, or huge unindexed PDFs.

How to Package Your Bundle (Practical Flow)

1. Section A (Application & IDs): passports, application confirmations, photos.
2. Section B (Relationship): certificate, cohabitation/visits, photos (captioned), communications (samples).
3. Section C (Financial): arrange strictly per FM-SE; add a 1 page income summary.
4. Section D (Accommodation): tenancy/mortgage + permission letter + proof of occupancy.
5. Section E (English & TB): test certificate or exemption; TB (if required).
6. Section F (Children): birth certificates, consent/responsibility docs.
7. Section G (Index & Cover Letter): signpost where everything is.

After You Submit

• Watch for instructions to give biometrics (a UKVCAS or visa application centre appointment) or, if invited, to verify your identity using the UK Immigration: ID Check app.
• Upload all documents to the correct document categories in the portal.
• Keep originals safe, as the Home Office may ask for some. If granted, your permission will be issued as an eVisa that you access through your UKVI account.
• Priority services may be available; timelines vary by route and location.