Bringing your partner to the UK?
Make sure your application is right.

Spouse visa support from a specialist team within a barristers’ chambers. We prepare your case to the standard the Home Office requires and challenge refusals where decisions may have been wrong.

What is a UK spouse visa?

A UK spouse visa allows the husband, wife or civil partner of a British citizen or a person who is settled in the UK to live in the UK. Depending on the circumstances, it also permits the applicant to work and study and provides a route towards settlement.

Spouse visa applications are governed by the family life provisions of Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules and are subject to detailed eligibility and evidential requirements.

An initial spouse visa is normally granted for 33 months where the application is made from outside the UK, or 30 months where the application is made from within the UK. Further leave can then be applied for, with Indefinite Leave to Remain potentially available after five years on the qualifying route.

Why do genuine spouse visas get refused?

A genuine relationship does not, by itself, guarantee that a spouse visa application will be successful. The Home Office considers whether the applicant has satisfied the requirements of the Immigration Rules and whether the necessary evidence has been provided.

Common reasons for refusal include:

The financial requirement is met but has not been evidenced in the required format
Savings have not been held for the required period or have not been evidenced correctly
The relationship is genuine but insufficiently documented
Required accommodation or English-language evidence is missing or inadequate
A previous refusal has not been properly addressed in a subsequent application

A refusal does not necessarily mean that the relationship is not genuine. In many cases, the issue is whether the evidence provided establishes that the relevant requirements have been met.

What is the financial requirement for a UK spouse visa?

For most new applications, the minimum income requirement is £29,000 per year for the UK-based sponsor. Depending on the circumstances, the requirement may be met through employment, self-employment, certain specified benefits, cash savings, or a permitted combination of sources.

Where the required income is not met through employment income alone, qualifying cash savings may be used to meet the requirement, subject to the relevant rules and calculation.

Transitional arrangements may apply to applicants who have previously been granted leave under the partner route before the financial requirement increased. In qualifying cases, the previous £18,600 threshold may continue to apply.

The financial requirement is one of the areas most carefully scrutinised by the Home Office. Even where the required income is genuinely available, an application can be refused if the evidence does not demonstrate compliance with the Immigration Rules.

Financial requirements

Applicants must demonstrate sufficient funds to cover tuition fees and living costs for the prescribed period.
The required amount depends on your course and where you will study.
The most common issues concern how funds were held, evidenced and documented, not whether they existed.

How We Help

Student Visa Application — £950*

Tell us about your circumstances
Provide details of your relationship, financial circumstances and immigration history.
Eligibility and initial assessment
We assess the circumstances of your case and identify the key requirements and evidence needed. We confirm the scope of work and fixed fee before any work begins.
Instruct us
Once you are happy to proceed, you pay the agreed fee and we begin preparing your application.
Application preparation
Our specialist team prepares the application, including the relevant forms, supporting evidence and representations.
Submission and updates
We keep you informed throughout the process and provide support through to the Home Office decision.
Best suited to:

We also handle fiancé(e) visas, unmarried partner visas, and refusal responses. These matters are individually assessed and quoted following an initial review.

About our fees

All fees shown are exclusive of VAT. VAT does not apply in every case; for example, applications made from outside the UK are not charged VAT.

*Fees can vary in individual cases based on unexpected complexities in the application. VAT may be applicable.

Why work with us

You deal with a barrister, directly.
Instruct a barrister without paying for a solicitor first.
We know where these cases turn.
The financial requirement and relationship evidence rules are exactly what the Home Office scrutinises, and exactly what we prepare for.
More than 27 years of experience,
over 5,000 clients helped, and £1M+ recovered in damages.
Offices in London and Leicester,
with a team that can speak your language.

Client testimonials

We are committed to delivering clear, practical advice and robust representation, with a focus on achieving the best possible outcomes for our clients.

    
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Ibrahim Yussif 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I am incredibly grateful to Mary Rizk and Mr Jafferji for their outstanding work on my unlawful detention claim.

From the very beginning, Mary provided unwavering support and guided me through an incredibly difficult time. Her legal expertise, dedication, and genuine compassion made all the difference.

Mr Jafferji fought tirelessly for my rights, handled every detail of my case with great care, and successfully secured the compensation I deserved. Together, Mary and Mr Jafferji worked tirelessly to ensure that my case was handled with professionalism, care, and the attention it deserved.

If you need legal professionals who genuinely care about their clients and will fight for you, I highly recommend Mr Jafferji and Mary. They are truly amazing at what they do!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Harun Patel 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I am extremely grateful for the help and support I received from Mufadhar throughout my case . He is extremely professional, knowledgeable and supportive .He explained everything clearly, kept me informed and made me feel reassured and confident. I really appreciate their dedication, patience and attention to detail. I would highly recommend their services to anyone looking for a professional, reliable and supportive barrister . Thank you for all your hard work and help.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Shakil Ahmad 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I would like to sincerely thank Mariya, Muhammad, Mufaddal and Mr Jafferji for their professional support and assistance with Abdul Ahad’s visit visa, Pre-Action Protocol and Judicial Review matters.

They were all very helpful, professional and responsive throughout the process. I particularly appreciated the time they took to explain the matters clearly and guide me through each stage.

I am very grateful for their hard work, dedication and support. I would highly recommend Mariya, Muhammad, Mufaddal and Mr Jafferji to anyone looking for professional and reliable immigration legal assistance.

Thank you once again for all your help and support.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Hema Tandel 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am very very thankful to Team CPC for all the hardwork they have done for my case. After very long and difficult time finally my EUSS appeal is allowed and me and my family are very happy with this result.

Special thank you to Mufaddal, Mariya and Zainul Jafferji for helping me so much in my appeal. They worked very hard on my case and checked all my documents and evidence properly. My case was not easy and there was many problems before regarding my marriage and evidence but they never give up and always helped me.

Mufaddal and Mariya was always helping me for documents and whatever was needed for my case. They worked very hard and always supported me when I was worried about my appeal. Mr Zainul Jafferji has very good knowledge and experience and he guided my case very well and presented everything properly for my appeal.

There was lot of work needed to prove my marriage is genuine and Team CPC did everything possible for my case. They was always patient with me and explained me whenever I did not understand something.

Finally my appeal is allowed and this means alot for me and my family. After waiting for so long now we can finally have hope to stay together and continue our married life.

I will definitely recommend Team CPC to anyone who need help in immigration matter. They work very hard for their clients and dont give up easily.

Thank you so much Mufaddal, Mariya, Mr Zainul Jafferji and whole Team CPC for all your hardwork and helping us get this result. Me and my family will always be thankful to you all.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Dharmesh Chhipka 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am very happy my wife Hemaxiben EUSS appeal finally allowed. We wait for very long time for this and we was separate also for long time. It was very difficult time for us but now finally we got good news.

Thank you so much Team CPC and specially Mufaddal, Mariya and Mr Zainul Jafferji. They help us alot in our case and work very hard. Whenever they need documents they tell us and help us for everything. Our case had many problems but they did not give up.

Mufaddal and Mariya help us alot from starting and always support us. Mr Zainul Jafferji also work very hard for our appeal and because of his good knowledge and experience our case was presented very well.

Finally my wife appeal is allowed and we are very very happy. This is very big thing for me and my family after waiting so many years.

I recommend Team CPC for anyone having immigration problem. They are very helpful and work hard for there client.

Thank you Mufaddal, Mariya and Mr Zainul Jafferji for everything you did for us. We will always thankful to you.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Shailesh Rana 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great service - Simran was very helpful at answering queries.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Salim K 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We Used Mr. Jaffaji recently for some legal work and I'd recommend him to anyone. From the first conversation he was straight with me about what could and couldn't be done, Every time I got in touch I had a response back quickly, and he took the time to explain things properly.

His assistant Mufaddal deserves a mention too. He kept me updated at every stage, made the whole process a lot easier than I expected it to be.

The work was done exactly as I asked and delivered on time. Honestly couldn't have wished for a better firm to deal with, and I won't hesitate to go back to them next time I need something.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jamila Johnson 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I just want to say a big THANK YOU to Mr Zainul Jaffeji and his team for doing an exceptional job on fighting my husband's deportation, even going to the court of appeal on a very short notice. The fought against the first decision to deny my husband's stay to continue to pursue his case. Stay up late hours until a decision was made to inform me of the good news that his flight was cancelled. I want to say a special thank you to Nina, Mufaddal, Zain and Sheraaz for preparing paperwork and always keeping in touch to guide us and inform us of what is going on. These guys are extremely good at what they do. I will recommend them any day.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   amatullah jamaluddin 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I recently had my spouse visa renewal application, which was successful.
Simran went above and beyond in helping me with my visa extension application.
She was very helpful every step of the way and extremely prompt with her response. She was patient and thorough in attending to every minute detail. She was available to help even after my extension was granted.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Saifudeen moiz 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. ZH Law provided a highly professional and supportive immigration service, making what could have been a stressful process feel smooth and straightforward.

Special thanks to Mary Rizk for her excellent guidance, care, and reassurance throughout the entire process. She was also extremely helpful with the documentation, making the overall experience smooth and stress-free. Her support and guidance were greatly appreciated.

Highly recommended!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reapply straight after a spouse visa refusal?

There is generally no fixed waiting period before making a new application. However, a further application should address the reasons for the previous refusal and provide the evidence required to satisfy the Immigration Rules.

We can review the refusal decision, identify the issues that need to be addressed and advise on the appropriate next step.

Does my partner's overseas income count?

The rules depend on the circumstances of the application and the source of income. For applications made from outside the UK, overseas employment income of the applicant will not ordinarily satisfy the financial requirement in the same way as qualifying income of the UK sponsor.

We assess the financial circumstances of each case and advise on which sources of income or savings may be relied upon.

How long does a spouse visa take?

Processing times vary depending on the application route, where the application is made and the processing service used. We can provide guidance on the expected timescale applicable to your circumstances.

Can I include a child in a spouse visa application?

A dependent child may be eligible to apply as part of the family’s immigration arrangements, subject to the relevant requirements.

An additional fee of £500 per person applies for each additional family member included within our scope of work.

Ready to Talk?

Worried your income won't be accepted, or that your evidence has a gap?

Message us before you apply, and find out honestly where you stand.

This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, please contact ZH Law.

Bringing your partner to the UK?Make sure your application is right.