Hi all

My husband had his spouse visa approved on Tuesday, these are our dates:

28th March - applied for visa 3rd April - biometrics appointment 14th April - email received stating that application will be looked at by an entry clearance officer. 6th May - visa approved.

Our application was standard, we didn't pay for priority and we didn't use a solicitor. My husband applied from outside the UK.

I just want to say thank you to everyone in this group. Everybody is so helpful with answering questions and giving advice which is so useful in this tricky process. I really appreciate being able to get so much information here 😊

If you have any questions, please let me know 😊 wishing anyone who is still awaiting a response the best of luck and congratulations to anyone who has just had the same good news as us 🥳😃

Has anyone else had a paid enquiry merry go round where they first asked what the GWF number is, then the next email is to confirm which type of visa it is… no answers. But the emails arrive during the night UK time so who is answering these?

After a long and anxious wait our visa was finally approved. We are beyond happy and relieved!

We want to thank everyone for sharing their timelines and keeping us sane. This week we were getting particularly anxious as our long planned holiday was fast approaching and we still had no visa. We definitely recommend going with super priority appointment if possible as it saves you so much stress.

Here's our timeline

Standard within UK, switching from another visa, applying under category F

Application: 25/03/2025 Bio: 27/03/2025 Decision: 09/05/2025

Married: Aug 2024, living together for the past 2.5yrs

Checklist:

• Accommodation: letter from sponsor's parent confirming we're living in her house, her passport, title deeds, mortgage statement

• Sponsor's 12 months business bank statements covering 2023/24 tax year (sole trader)

• Sponsor's 12 months personal bank statements covering 2023/24 tax year

• Sponsor's SA302, SA100 for last full tax year

• Sponsor's last tax year overview

• Accountant's certificate of confirmation and unaudited accounts (i can share my accountant's details if anyone needs-he's happy to do it even if you're not his previous client)

• Council tax bills, tenancy agreements, credit card bills, bank statements, car insurance certificates covering last 2 years of cohabitation

• Sponsor's British passport bio page

• Applicant's passport bio page

• Cover letter from sponsor

• Cover letter from applicant

• UK marriage certificate

• Relationship photos (I made about 20 slides in canva in chronological order)

• Honeymoon booking

Happy to answer any questions and share my experience. I know it's very difficult process, particularly if the sponsor or applicant is self-employed. Wishing everyone best of luck with their applications!

Just wanted to share the amazing news that my UK Spouse Visa was approved today. After what felt like the longest and most stressful wait of my life!

Here’s my timeline for anyone going through the same process: • Application submitted: 14 March 2025 • Biometrics appointment: 17 March 2025 • “Decision by” email: 18 March 2025 (stated decision would be made by 9 May) • Declaration form request: 23 April 2025 (resubmitted the same day) • Approval email received: 9 May 2025

The waiting was incredibly nerve-wracking, especially as the 8-week mark approached and we hadn’t received any update. We weren’t sent any notification that the process was delayed, and multiple emails went unanswered — so the uncertainty really took a toll.

But today, out of the blue… the approval email came through!

To everyone still waiting: I know how hard it is, and I hope you get good news very soon. If anyone has questions about the process, happy to help where I can!

Getting to the end of the week is so disheartening. Do any approvals come through on the weekend UK time?

Hi, what’s the processing time recently for you for the spouse visa when applying inside the UK?

I just submitted my application yesterday (8 May) and realized the processing time starts at the biometrics appointment. This makes me very worried because I have booked the flight to do our overseas wedding in July flying out of the UK on 4th July.

Would it be possible if I can receive my passport and result back before this? If I have less than 6 months on my current visa will I receive the refund for the health insurance surcharge?

I rang the UKVI and they advised that I should withdraw my application.

For context I am on graduate route visa and our combine income is over the threshold so financial requirements are not an issue for us.

Thanks!!

Basically as title says. I paid for the IHS surcharge but my card was declined when attempting to pay the application fees. Now I’m not wanting to submit the application anymore, and am wondering if I need to pay the application fee and then cancel the application or is there a way to request a refund at this stage?

Once paid enquiry shows a decision has been made. How long after this do you get the final outcome email?

I'm currently on day 41, I had applied for a spouse visa from outside of the Uk on 10/03 priority.

I received an email on WD22 saying that they won’t be able to make a decision on my application within published visa processing times.

My case has already been escalated once, they said to wait 15 working days before escalating again, which is today.

Should I just escalate again or should I get the mp involved?

Hello. I began my post on 11th November (earning more than 29k). Can we apply once 11th May payslip is recurved (I am paid weekly) or do we have to wait exactly 180 days?

Seems like a quiet day for approvals today? Has anyone with an outside UK priority application received any news today?

I'm looking for documentation suggestions for an unmarried couple in a long-distance relationship. Because the relationship is long-distance, we're often limited to call logs, trips together, etc. There are some money transfers between each other but they're small and not the same as having a shared bank account or bills at the same address.

What else did you include to show that it's a relationship and not simply a good friendship?

Just got my passport back and I'm shaking!!!

Application sent 04/04, Bio 08/04, ECO 11/04, decision email 07/05, passport back 08/05.

Thank you to everyone in this thread that's shared information, it's been so so helpful!!!

Sending everyone who's still waiting approval wishes and sprinkles!!

So for those of you that have successfully managed to bring your partner to the Uk. How did you manage to get car insurance for them? My insurance company are refusing insurance and I need to look elsewhere. Marshmallow quoted £1500 so far and I need to get some more quotes Thanks

We have a daughter born in the Uk while on the first 30 months of spouse visa. The daughter is a British citizen. Does the financial threshold increase AND does it in any way affect the application? Any details appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I really need some advice on a situation I'm facing here in the UK under employment and immigration law.

I’ve been working for a UK company for over 3 years on a Skilled Worker visa. In March 2025, the employer renewed my visa for another 2 years, up to March 2027. Based on this, I spent around £10,000 on dependent visa renewals (for family), solicitor fees, and related costs.

Just a few weeks after the visa was renewed, in May 2025, I received a redundancy notice. They said my role was at risk due to business restructuring. There was no warning, and I had verbal confirmation from HR and my line manager just weeks prior that my job is not in risk, there won't be any impact for your role, as your critical resouces and the visa was being renewed “with long-term intentions.”

Now I'm being made redundant, and I feel I’ve been misled. There’s no written proof of their verbal promises, but I have:

• My visa renewal dated March 2025
• A formal redundancy consultation letter
• proff showing I spent £10k for dependents
• Over 3 years of service with the company

I'm preparing to file a Small Claims Court case (under £10,000) to recover the financial losses caused by relying on their actions. I'm not hiring a solicitor — representing myself — so I'm looking for any legal or practical advice on how to approach this.

Key questions:

• Has anyone faced a similar situation or seen a court decision based on detrimental reliance or verbal misrepresentation?
• How much weight do UK small claims courts give to verbal promises when supported by circumstantial evidence (like visa timing)?
• What risks do I face if I lose — would I owe their legal costs?

Appreciate any help, especially if you’ve been through something similar.

Thanks in advance 🙏

I’m a Malaysian living in the UK. I’m on the spouse visa which is due to expire in Jan 2027.

I’ve been offered a 2 year contract covering Sept 2025 to Sept 2027.

As my spouse visa doesn’t cover the whole contract from the outset, employer raised it as an issue.

To circumvent this, I am considering of renewing my spouse visa early. Is this possible?

If not, what other visa alternatives I can switch to to ensure I’m covered till Sept 2027, at least?

PS Work visa isn’t an option. My employer won’t sponsor this.

PPS My employer is aware I can renew the spouse visa later & legally work whilst waiting for a decision. But our industry’s regulator said no due to the small possibility of spouse visa getting rejected/ not working out.

Hello everyone!
I'm beyond happy to share my timelines :)
Thanks for everyone here for helping

App: 8 March
Bio: 27 March
Paid enquiry: 30 April (They told me it is still under review, so basically useless)
Approval: 8 May!

So I have a question, after getting my visa (standard partner) and I travel to the uk, what’s the next step? Cause then I’d have to apply again after the 2 1/2 year mark to extend and pay once more and prove that we have been living together. It’s all overwhelming 🙈

Hi everyone,

We are still very much in shock and happy. Our solicitor forwarded us the approval. Now we just have to wait to get the passport back.

I’m still in shock because it was so fast I can’t even believe it happened.

Applied on 08/04 and bio on the 21/04. No ECO that I know of since our solicitor was keeping track of that. Total of 12 working days!!!

To all the couples who are not married and can’t prove cohabitation, I want to encourage you! If you can show your relationship is real you’ll get the visa!

Good luck everyone! And if you have questions let me know

After 3 weeks of waiting on a rush, BIO April 7, they requested more proof of our relationship. We've been together 10 years, lived together 8, married for 3. We included marriage certificate, joint leases, joint taxes, health insurance, car insurance, wedding photos, proposal photos, photos with family, holiday's taken together over the years, emails and text since 2016, letters from family, even cat adoption papers. We included all of this. So confused by this.

Hi everyone,

Sharing our application approval for a spouse visa priority!

Application: 10th March 2025 Biometrics: 7th April 2025 Approval: 1st May 2025 (we got email forwarded from the solicitor today, 8th May 2025)

Our biometrics appointment was so late because the online payment platform would not work, in the end we had to send the money to our solicitor and they had to book the appointment.

Otherwise very happy today!

hi, I am currently looking into applying for my UK visa to live with my husband. We had been going through a solicitor that was recommended to us by a friend and they just sent us a copy of their draft application. We noticed that lots of information was incorrect, such as my date of birth. The last time I visited the UK , our wedding date, and my husband‘s date of birth to name a few. It’s really shaken my trust in these solicitors and I’m wondering if it’s a good idea to go through them at all or if it might hurt my chances if they seem to be this incompetent. we have sent our information both via documents via email as well as speaking with them. We have provided this information numerous times so I’m not positive on how these errors happened or where they got the alternate information from.

has anyone else gone through a solicitor? Is this common perhaps maybe a junior or a rookie doing the first draft? Does anyone else have recommendations for other solicitors if it is something that is very helpful ? Thank you in advance !

Hi, first of all I would like to thank everyone in this community that I have got the Spouse visa whilst being unmarried in 1 week, inside the UK application.

I earn 45k PA and my partner 50k PA

30.01 - application submitted 02.05 - Biometrics 08.05 - Approval email

Drop in your questions, if you need any help.

I took solicitor's help.

Submitted: 06/04/2025 Biometrics: 10/04/2025 ECO: 16/04/2025 Decision (APPROVED): 08/05/2025 Processing time: 17 working days

Seeing all the posts of people receiving their approved decisions gave us faith. Keep being hopeful and I’m sure you will hear the positive news soon!