5. How much are the fees, and what if I can't pay?

For 2020/21, the application fee for a spouse visa is £1523 if you're applying from outside the UK, and £1033 if you're applying from within the UK.

On top of this, you'll have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, which is £1560 for a 2.5 year spouse visa.

There are other costs you will have to bear in mind, such as the cost of translating a marriage certificate, taking a recognised English test or getting a qualification certified by UK NARIC. 

If the applicant is from certain countries, they will also have to take a tuberculosis test, which can cost over £100 depending on where they are from, and whether there is a Home Office-approved testing centre close by. Click here to find out if the applicant needs a tuberculosis test, and find details of an approved clinic where they can get a test.

Fee waivers

If paying the application fee and health surcharge will leave you struggling to pay for the basics, you can apply for something called a fee waiver. If this is granted, it means you can apply without having to pay the fees and the health surcharge.

You can only apply for this if you are applying for FLR(M), where the non-British partner is already in the UK and is extending their leave. You can also only apply if the sponsor is exempt from meeting the financial requirement because they receive one of the benefits listed above. This is because all sponsors who are not exempt, even those who are using different sources of income because of their exceptional circumstances, still have to meet an income requirement, and therefore don't qualify for the fee waiver. 

If your sponsor doesn't have to meet the income requirement because of the benefits they are on, and aren't able to pay the application fee, you can apply for a fee waiver here. You will have to prove that paying the application fee is impossible, or would make you destitute. All forms of assets are taken into account.

When applying for a fee waiver, you will have to provide details of your financial circumstances for the 6-month period prior to the application. This will mainly be in the form of statements covering the 6 months prior to the date of application for all bank or building society accounts, and a full breakdown of monthly income and expenditure at the time of application. Checks may be undertaken with agencies such as HM Revenue & Customs, the Department for Work and Pensions and Equifax to verify information provided as part of the application.