Appendix FM and UK Spouse Visa Applications
If you have been googling UK Spouse Visas you have probably come across reference to Appendix FM. In this article, our Immigration Solicitors look at what Appendix FM is and why it is important.
UK Online and London-Based Immigration Lawyers and Spouse Visa Solicitors
For Spouse Visa immigration law advice call London-based OTS Solicitors on 0203 959 9123 or contact us online.
What is Appendix FM?
Appendix FM is part of the UK immigration rules. It is the section of the immigration rules that relate to applications for UK entry clearance relating to family life.
Put simply, if you want a Family Visa or to join a relative in the UK using family connections to get your visa, you need Immigration Solicitors who understand their way around Appendix FM. That’s because, like most immigration rule appendixes, the rules can be complicated and you need Spouse Visa Solicitors with the skill and experience to apply the rules to the circumstances of your application. Your Immigration Solicitors make sure that your visa application and your supporting paperwork put your best case forward to get your Family Visa.
Visa applications and Appendix FM
Appendix FM is the set of immigration rules governing family-type applications so it’s important to know that to apply for a UK Family Visa you need a relative who meets one of the criteria or to be in a relationship with someone who meets one of these criteria:
- British citizen
- Person settled in the UK
- Person with limited leave as a refugee or granted humanitarian protection
If your relative or partner falls into one of those criteria you may qualify under Appendix FM for a Family Visa. There are different types of Family Visa. Some people think that a Family Visa is another name for a Spouse Visa but that’s not correct as Family Visas cover:
- Partner Visa including unmarried partners, civil partners and spouses
- Parent Visa
- Adult Dependant Relative Visas
- Children Visas
Who qualifies as a partner under Appendix FM?
You can apply for a Family Visa if your partner falls into one of these criteria:
- Spouse or civil partner
- Fiancé, Fiancée or proposed civil partner
- The immigration rules used to say a partner could apply for a Family Visa if they had been living together with the visa applicant in a relationship akin to a marriage or civil partnership for at least 2 years before the visa application. On 31 January 2024, the definition of partner in Appendix FM changed to ‘’where the couple have been in a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least 2 years”. This relaxation of the definition and requirement to have been living together may help some unmarried partners in international relationships who have not physically lived together for the full 2 years. For example, because of work commitments
Whilst it is normally easy to prove you are married or in a civil partnership (production of a marriage or civil partnership certificate) it can be harder to prove that you have been in an unmarried relationship of at least 2 years duration. Our Family Visa Solicitors can offer advice on what evidence and documents in support will help you secure your Unmarried Partner Visa.
Call us on 0203 959 9123 or contact us online.
The Appendix FM rules for Spouse Visa and Family Visa applicants
The Appendix FM for spouses and partners says that to be eligible for a Family Visa sponsored by your partner the visa applicant must be:
- Aged over 18
- In a genuine and subsisting relationship
- Single - so any previous relationships must have ended
- Intending to live with the partner permanently in the UK
The sponsoring partner must also be aged over 18 and single so any previous relationships must be at an end.
Why choose OTS Solicitors as your Spouse Visa Solicitors?
At OTS Solicitors we recognise that applying for any type of Family Visa is stressful however straightforward or complicated your application is. That’s partially down to the complexity of Appendix FM and the need to apply the immigration rules carefully to the circumstances of your application. It is also simply because waiting for any third party to decide if your family can reunite is bound to be stressful. At OTS Solicitors we focus on providing excellent client care and efficient legal advice so your Family Visa application is processed as quickly as possible.
As recognised experts in Family Visa applications, we are often called upon to advise when a first application has been refused or when financial or other circumstances are known to be complicated or where Spouse Visa appeal advice is needed.
At OTS Solicitors we are committed to helping you secure your Family Visa using our expertise in navigating Appendix FM.
UK Online and London-Based Immigration Lawyers and Spouse Visa Solicitors
For Spouse Visa advice call London-based OTS Solicitors on 0203 959 9123 or contact us online.
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