How do I prove my relationship is genuine for a spouse visa?

UKVI must be satisfied that the relationship is genuine and subsisting at the date of application, and that the couple have met in person. Caseworkers look for a pattern of contact and commitment over time rather than a snapshot, so the strongest bundles are built up chronologically.

What to include

• Photographs from different periods and places, ideally with dates and context, not a single album from one holiday.
• Communication records — call logs, messages and emails sampled across the whole relationship rather than a single recent burst.
• Financial and practical ties — joint accounts, shared tenancy or mortgage, joint bills, money transfers.
• Travel records — flight tickets, boarding passes and passport stamps showing visits.
• Statements from family and friends confirming they know the two of you as a couple.

Gaps are not fatal but must be explained. If you lived apart for study, work or visa reasons, say so in the covering letter and evidence the contact during that period.

The other requirements to line up

• Minimum income requirement — £29,000 since April 2024 for sponsoring a partner.
• English at B1 CEFR, which applies to the applicant, not to the British or settled sponsor.
• Your sponsor must be in the UK or returning to live here, with limited exceptions for forces and government postings.

Successful applicants are usually granted 2.5 years initially, extendable by a further 2.5 years, with full access to work and study throughout.

Two things to know before applying

You can often switch into this route from inside the UK if you already hold valid leave — but not if you entered as a visitor, in which case you must apply from abroad. And a refusal on this route may carry a right of appeal on human rights grounds, unlike many other refusals, so read the decision notice carefully and act within the deadline.

If the relationship breaks down before you have indefinite leave, take urgent advice from an OISC-regulated adviser: victims of domestic abuse have specific protections, including the Destitute Domestic Violence Concession, that can allow them to remain.