Extension of Spouse Visa
We guide you through every step of your Spouse Visa Extension application, so you and your partner can build your life together in the UK with confidence.
A UK spouse visa extension — officially an FLR(M) application — must be submitted before your current visa expires, and requires you to show your relationship is still genuine, you meet the £29,000 financial requirement (or £18,600 if you’re on the pre-April 2024 route), you’ve reached CEFR level A2 in English, and your accommodation is adequate. It is not a formality: the Home Office reassesses your whole case from scratch, and the evidence bar is higher than at first application. Get this wrong and you risk a refusal that can derail your path to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
Our immigration solicitors in London have supported spouse and partner visa clients through hundreds of FLR(M) extensions, refusals and administrative reviews. Below is exactly what the Home Office expects at this stage, and how we help you meet it.
How Can I Apply For Spouse Visa Extension?
You must apply for a spouse visa extension before your current visa runs out if you are in the UK on a spouse visa or partner visa.
Most of the time, UK spouse visas are good for 30 months. If your application for a UK spouse visa extension is approved, you can stay in the UK for another 30 months, which puts you on the 5-year path to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
The Home Office has very strict immigration rules, and even small mistakes or missing papers can lead to a refusal.
Our top-rated spouse visa lawyers in London offer full legal support, making sure that your application is correct, follows the rules, and is sent in on time
Requirements for Spouse Visa Extension
The requirements for extending a Spouse Visa broadly reflect those of the initial application. However, the Home Office expects updated and ongoing evidence.
In general, you must show:
- Your relationship is continuing and genuine
- You meet the current financial requirement
- You satisfy the English language requirement
- You have complied with UK immigration laws
These requirements fall into the following categories:
- Relationship Requirements
- Financial Requirements
- English Language Requirement
- Good Character Requirement
Our knowledgeable UK immigration solicitors in London will check your eligibility and suggest the best way to get your application approved.
Financial Requirements
Financial Requirements for Spouse Visa Extensio
One of the most common reasons for spouse visa refusals is not meeting the financial requirement — and at the extension stage, the Home Office expects, current evidence, not a repeat of what you submitted the first time.
Current Minimum Income Threshold
For most applicants extending in 2026, the minimum income requirement is £29,000 a year, gross. This has applied to all first-time applications made on or after 11 April 2024.
If you first applied before 11 April 2024, you’re protected by transitional arrangements and continue to be assessed against the earlier £18,600 threshold at extension — provided you remain on the same partner route. It’s worth checking which threshold applies to you before you assume the higher figure, since this genuinely changes how much evidence you need to gather.
Income can be met through:
Employment (salaried or self-employed)
Company director income
Cash savings (held for at least six months)
Certain permitted benefits, where the sponsor qualifies for an exemption (see below)
Figures correct as of August 2026 under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules. The government has paused a planned further increase pending a Migration Advisory Committee review — always confirm the current threshold on GOV.UK before relying on it.
Depending on your job type, income history, and family situation, different evidential rules apply. Our spouse visa lawyers in London give clear, tailored financial assessments to make sure your evidence follows the Immigration Rules precisely.
Relationship Requirements
To get a spouse visa extension in the UK, you must show that your relationship with your British or settled partner is still going strong and is real.
You need to prove that:
- You are still legally married or in a civil partnership, or
- You are in a long-term, stable relationship, and
- You have lived together in the UK while on your current visa, and
- You plan to live together in the UK for good.
Some common supporting documents are:
- Letters from the council tax office or joint utility bills
- Joint bank statements
- Rental agreements or mortgage papers
- Official letters sent to both partners
When things get complicated, like when you have to travel for work, separate for a while, or make cultural arrangements, you should get professional legal advice.
Financial Requirement Exemptions
Most applicants seeking an extension to their Spouse Visa must meet the financial requirements noted above. However, some applicants can qualify as an exemption. Whether or not you can qualify for an exemption depends on the status of your UK spouse, also known as the sponsor. You qualify for an exemption if your spouse receives any of the following:
- Police Injury Pension
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Armed Forces Compensation Scheme’s Guaranteed Income Payment
- War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
- War Pension Scheme’s War Disablement Pension
- Constant Attendance Allowance under War Pension Scheme
- Carer’s Allowance
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- Benefits under Industrial Injuries Disablement
- Personal Independence Payment
- Disability Living Allowance
- Attendance Allowance
If you are not sure whether you qualify for an exemption, you can consult our Spouse Visa extension solicitors for detailed help.
Good Character Requirement
You must also demonstrate ‘Good Character’ to be eligible for a Spouse Visa extension. The Home Office considers the following two elements when determining if you meet the requirement:
- Your Immigration History. You must not have breached any immigration rules or broken any other rules that were applicable to your UK residency during your stay on the Spouse Visa.
- Your Life in the UK. You must not have been convicted of any recent or severe criminal offence. If you owe any money related to litigation or NHS funds, the Home Office will also take this into consideration when deciding whether you meet the Good Character requirement.
Our visa extension lawyers can work with you to determine if anything exists on record that can create a problem in meeting the ‘Good Character’ requirement.
Applying for Spouse Visa Extension
You must fill out the FLR (M) Form when submitting a Spouse Visa application for extension. This application is considerably different from one you must submit for a Marriage Visitor Visa.
The FLR (M) Form asks you to provide the following:
- Personal Information. You must provide a valid identification process, such as a passport, to prove your own identity. Identification details of your partner and any dependent children will also be required.
- Financial Information. You must provide financial evidence such as payslips or bank statements to prove that you meet the financial requirements for visa extension.
- Relationship Information. You will need to add evidence that clearly proves your relationship with your UK spouse or partner.
- English Language Certification. If you do not qualify for an exemption from the English Language testing requirement, you must append proof that you have passed the test with the required minimum level.
Filling out the form on your own can be a daunting process. You can seek the help of our visa extension lawyers to guide you in correctly filling and submitting the form.
English Language Test Requirement
When applying for an extension to your Partner Visa, you are typically required to show that you meet the A2 level of English language proficiency in listening and speaking. You can take any approved language test, such as IELTS, to meet this requirement.
You must take the test at a designated centre. In some cases, an applicant is exempt from taking the test if:
- The applicant is aged under 18 or over 65
- The applicant has studied in an English-language degree program at a UK ENIC-recognised institute – Read our blog at ENIC
- The applicant is physically or mentally unable to take the test
- The applicant is the national of a country where English is the national or majority language
Our qualified Spouse Visa extension solicitors can help you determine whether you can seek an exemption from this requirement.
If you already hold a test certificate at level A2 or above from your original application, you may be able to reuse it — you don’t automatically need to sit a new test, provided the certificate hasn’t been withdrawn by the test provider. Check the [approved SELT provider list] before booking.
What to do After Getting an Extension
Once you receive an extension to your Partner Visa, you are allowed to reside in the UK for another 30 months. By the end of your extension, your total residency period in the UK amounts to 5 years. This makes you eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
ILR grants you the right to work, live, and move around in the UK without any immigration restrictions. You can then apply for British naturalisation to become a UK national after you have held the ILR status for at least 12 months.
What if Your Spouse Visa Extension is Rejected
You have several options if you extension application is rejected. These options will be listed on the letter of rejection you receive. For incomplete applications, the best way forward is to rectify the omissions or errors and resubmit the application.
If your application was rejected for another reason which you think is unfair, you can request an administrative review. A final option is Judicial Review which is rare and can take a long time to conclude.
You typically need legal help once your application is rejected. It is best to consult qualified Spouse Visa extension solicitors when you go for an administrative or judicial review.
Why should you choose Adam Bernard Solicitors London?
Trusted by over 15,000 clients and rated 4.8★ on Google and Trustpilot, Adam Bernard Solicitors has been one of London’s leading immigration law firms for over 15 years. Our team advises on every stage of the UK spouse and partner visa process — from eligibility and evidence preparation through to extensions, settlement, and appeals — ensuring your application is thorough, accurate, and compellingly presented from the outset.
- A lot of experience with UK spouse visa extensions under changing rules from the Home Office
- Immigration experts who only work with UK family and partner visas
- Authoritative legal advice that follows the Immigration Rules and Home Office policy
- Honest advice and realistic success assessments from a trusted client service
We act for clients across London, the UK, and internationally, supporting straightforward and complex spouse visa extension cases
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I extend my UK spouse visa?
When should I apply for a spouse visa extension?
What are the requirements for a spouse visa extension in the UK?
Do I need to meet the £29,000 income requirement to extend?
Do I need to show adequate accommodation for a spouse visa extension?
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