UK Unmarried Partner Visa: Eligibility, Evidence & Application

The UK Unmarried Partner Visa is an Appendix FM family visa route for couples who are not married or in a civil partnership but have been in a genuine relationship for at least two years. It follows the same pathway to Indefinite Leave to Remain as the Spouse Visa, 33 months initial leave plus 30 months extension, leading to ILR after five years. The same financial requirement of £29,000, English language requirement, and accommodation requirement apply as for the Spouse Visa. The key difference is the evidence standard: without a marriage certificate, applicants must build a documentary picture of the genuine and subsisting nature of their two-year relationship.

No, not since January 2024. Before 31 January 2024, Appendix FM required couples to have been living together for at least two years. From that date, the requirement was amended under Statement of Changes HC 246 to a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least two years. Strict cohabitation is no longer legally mandatory. Couples who have been in a genuine, long-term relationship but lived apart for documented reasons, such as work, legal restrictions on cohabitation in their home country, family circumstances, or cultural reasons, can now apply, provided they can demonstrate the genuine and subsisting nature of their relationship throughout the qualifying period.

Yes. While cohabitation is no longer a legal requirement, it remains the strongest and most persuasive form of relationship evidence. If a couple has lived together, evidence of that cohabitation, such as joint tenancy agreements, utility bills at the same address, and joint bank statements, should still be included in the application. Where cohabitation evidence is not available, the applicant must provide a clear, credible explanation for why the couple has not lived together, supported by consistent and detailed alternative evidence of the genuine relationship throughout the two-year period. The Home Office will scrutinise the absence of cohabitation evidence carefully.

The stronger and more consistent the evidence across the two-year period, the better. Evidence types, in approximate order of persuasiveness, include: joint tenancy agreements or shared address history, joint bank statements or evidence of financial interdependence, correspondence addressed to both parties at the same address, communications records such as messages, calls, and emails showing regular contact throughout the relationship, photographs together across the two-year period showing the relationship's development, travel records showing visits, and statements from third parties who know the couple as a couple. For couples who have not lived together, explanation letters and detailed supporting evidence covering the full two-year period are essential.

The same as the Spouse Visa: £29,000 gross per year, since April 2024, earned by the UK-based partner. A transitional threshold of £18,600 continues to apply for extensions where the first application was made before April 2024 with the same partner. Savings can supplement or replace income under the applicable formula. The financial evidence rules are complex: self-employment income, employment with multiple employers, and savings all have specific documentation requirements.

The Unmarried Partner Visa follows the same settlement pathway as the Spouse Visa under Appendix FM: 33 months initial leave, applying from overseas, followed by 30 months extension in-country, giving a five-year qualifying period for ILR. At each stage, the couple must continue to satisfy the requirements, including the financial requirement, accommodation, English language, and genuine relationship. At ILR stage, the applicant must also pass the Life in the UK Test. After ILR, British citizenship by naturalisation is available after 12 months.

No. The two-year relationship requirement is a strict eligibility criterion. If you have not been in a relationship for two years at the date of your application, you cannot apply for the Unmarried Partner Visa. You would need to wait until you reach the two-year mark. If you are married or in a civil partnership, the Spouse Visa does not carry this two-year requirement; it is available from the date of marriage.