A UK spouse visa application succeeds or fails on detail. The Home Office does not guess what you meant, and it does not fill gaps for you. It reads the documents you submit, checks them against the Immigration Rules, and decides. That sounds strict, and it is, but it also means a careful family can prepare a strong application by working through the requirements one by one. This guide does exactly that: the relationship, the money, the English test, the home, and the documents that prove each one.
Start with the big picture. To apply as a partner or spouse, you and your partner must both be 18 or over, your partner must be British, Irish or settled in the UK, and you must intend to live together permanently in the UK. You must prove a genuine relationship, meet the financial requirement, show adequate accommodation, and meet the English language requirement. If you are already married, read our main guide first: UK Spouse Visa: Complete Guide for Pakistani Applicants. If you are engaged, the starting point is different — see UK Fiancé(e) Visa: How to Join Your Partner in Britain.
The relationship requirement
You must prove one of the following: you are in a marriage or civil partnership recognised in the UK; you have lived together in a relationship for at least two years when you apply; or you have been in a relationship for at least two years but could not live together for reasons such as work, study or culture. For most Pakistani couples, the marriage route applies. A nikah performed in Pakistan is recognised if it was valid under Pakistani law, so your nikah nama and marriage registration certificate are central documents. Get them translated by a proper translator if they are in Urdu, and make sure the translation includes the translator’s name, signature, date and confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the original.
Evidence should cover the whole story, not just the wedding day: photographs together over time, visits, and records of calls and messages. Do not send thousands of pages of chats; a sensible selection showing regular contact over time is better.
If either of you was married before, you must show that the earlier marriage has legally ended. A divorce certificate or death certificate is needed, translated if necessary. If the divorce took place in Pakistan, keep the full decree and any registration record. Do not hide a previous marriage — the Home Office checks, and hiding it is far worse than explaining it.
The financial requirement: £29,000 a year
This is the requirement that causes most refusals, so give it your full attention. For first applications made on or after 11 April 2024, you and your partner usually need a combined income of at least £29,000 a year before tax. There is no extra amount for children on new applications. If your partner first applied as a partner before 11 April 2024 and is extending with the same partner, a transitional figure of £18,600 generally applies, with additions for children. Check the GOV.UK financial requirements page for your exact position.
The key question is not only how much income there is, but whose income counts and over what period. If you are applying from outside the UK, usually only your sponsor’s income counts, because you do not yet have permission to work in the UK. If you are applying from inside the UK and already have permission to work, your income can usually count too. Employment income is normally shown over six months with the same employer, or over twelve months in some cases, and the rules differ for salaried and non-salaried work, for people who have changed jobs, and for people returning to the UK from abroad. Self-employment income is assessed over a full financial year, using tax returns and accounts in a set format.
Other income can count too: pensions, maternity pay, rent from property, dividends, and some other non-employment income. The rules for each source are specific, and the documents must match the source. For example, rental income needs the tenancy agreement, proof of ownership and bank statements showing the rent arriving.
Using savings to meet the requirement
Cash savings can meet the requirement on their own, or can top up income that falls short. Only savings above £16,000 count, and the money must have been held in an accessible account for at least six months before you apply. The formula is: required savings equals £16,000 plus two and a half times the shortfall in annual income. If there is no qualifying income at all, that means £88,500 in savings held for six months. Savings must be in your name, your partner’s name, or held jointly, and must be immediately accessible — money tied up in property or shares does not count in the same way. Bank statements must show the money held for the full six months, with no unexplained large deposits near the end. If family help you with savings, the money must still have been in your account for six months; a transfer the week before you apply will not work. Plan the timing of your application around the savings, not the other way round.
There is an important exception. If your sponsor receives certain benefits — including Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance or Carer’s Allowance — the £29,000 figure generally does not apply. Instead you must show adequate maintenance. The GOV.UK page lists the benefits that qualify, so check it rather than assuming.
The English language requirement
For a first spouse visa you usually need English at CEFR level A1 in speaking and listening. A1 is basic: introducing yourself, answering simple questions, and understanding simple spoken English. You prove it with a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider. In Pakistan, the usual test is IELTS Life Skills A1. A standard IELTS Academic or General Training score is not accepted for this route, so book the Life Skills test by name. Other approved providers offer equivalent A1 speaking and listening tests, and the GOV.UK approved test list shows which providers and tests count.
You can also meet the requirement with a degree taught in English. A UK degree usually counts on its own. A degree from outside the UK, including a Pakistani degree taught in English, usually needs an assessment from Ecctis confirming it is equivalent to a UK degree and was taught in English. Nationals of certain majority English-speaking countries are exempt, but Pakistan is not on that list, so most Pakistani applicants take the test or rely on a degree.
The level rises as you move through the route: A1 for the first visa, A2 for the extension after about two and a half years, and B1 for settlement after five years. If you pass at a higher level first time, you can often reuse that result later, so consider taking B1 at the start if you are confident — it can save a second test fee and a second appointment. A change has been announced that would raise the settlement level to B2 for applications made on or after 26 March 2027, so check GOV.UK before relying on B1 for a future settlement application.
Prepare for the test properly. A1 is basic, but it is still a formal test, and nerves can affect anyone. Practise speaking and listening in English every day for a few weeks before the test, use the provider’s sample materials, and arrive with the correct identity document. Your test result is normally valid for two years.
Accommodation: adequate, not luxurious
You must show that you will have adequate accommodation in the UK. That means a home that is not overcrowded and is suitable for you to live in. It does not need to be owned by your partner, and it does not need to be large. A rented flat, a room in a family home, or a house shared with relatives can all be adequate, provided the space is sufficient for the people who will live there.
Evidence usually includes a tenancy agreement, a letter from the landlord or the person who owns the home confirming you can live there, and a council tax bill or utility bill for the address. If you will live with your partner’s family, a letter from the homeowner, plus proof of the size of the property, helps the officer judge overcrowding. Keep the address consistent across your application, your sponsor’s documents and your evidence — a different address on every document invites questions.
The document checklist
Use this as a working checklist, and check it against the GOV.UK list for your case, because the exact documents depend on how you meet the financial requirement.
Your documents: valid passport, English test certificate or degree evidence, TB test certificate from an approved clinic in Pakistan, nikah nama and marriage registration certificate with translation, divorce or death certificate for any previous marriage, and evidence of your relationship over time.
Your sponsor’s documents: passport or proof of British or settled status, evidence of income — payslips, bank statements, employer letter, or self-employment accounts and tax returns — and evidence of accommodation. The employer letter is important: it should confirm the job title, start date, salary, that the job is genuine and ongoing, and that the payslips are genuine. Payslips must match the bank statements showing the salary paid in, month by month, with no gaps.
Translations: any document not in English or Welsh must be translated, with the translator’s confirmation. Dates, names and spellings must match across documents. If your name is spelled one way on your passport and another way on your nikah nama, explain the difference and, if possible, get it corrected before you apply.
How the Home Office checks your evidence
The rules about evidence sit in Appendix FM-SE, and they are strict about form as well as substance. A payslip that is not on the employer’s headed paper, or a bank statement that does not cover the full period, can be rejected even if the income is real. The Home Office may contact your sponsor’s employer to verify the job, and may check bank statements with the bank. It may also invite you to an interview, in person or by telephone, to ask about your relationship. Interviews are covered in Spouse and Fiancé Visa Interview: Questions and Tips.
Common reasons for refusal under these rules include income below the threshold, payslips without matching bank statements, self-employment evidence in the wrong format, an English test at the wrong level or from a provider that is not approved, and relationship evidence that is thin or inconsistent. If you are refused, read the refusal letter carefully — it states the exact reasons and what remedy, if any, you have. Our guide to UK Spouse Visa Refused? Reasons, Appeal and Reapplication explains the next steps.
Fees, timing and the application itself
As of April 2026, the application fee is £2,064 from outside the UK and £1,407 from inside the UK. The Immigration Health Surcharge for an adult is £1,035 per year — £3,105 for a first grant of two years and nine months from outside the UK, and £2,587.50 for two years and six months inside the UK. Add the English test fee and the TB test fee. Check the GOV.UK fee table on the day you pay, because fees change.
You apply online on GOV.UK, pay the fee and surcharge online, and then attend a visa application centre in Pakistan to give your fingerprints and photograph and submit your passport and documents. GOV.UK says decisions from outside the UK usually take 12 weeks, and from inside the UK usually 8 weeks if you meet the financial and English requirements. Those are usual times, not guarantees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What documents do I need for a UK spouse visa from Pakistan?
A valid passport, English test certificate or degree evidence, TB test certificate, nikah nama and marriage registration certificate with translation, evidence of your relationship, your sponsor’s proof of status and income, and evidence of accommodation. The exact list depends on how you meet the financial requirement.
What is the minimum income for a UK spouse visa?
For most first applications made on or after 11 April 2024, it is £29,000 a year combined income. Savings above £16,000 can count or top up income, and certain benefits exempt your sponsor from the figure. Check GOV.UK for your situation.
Which English test do I need for a UK spouse visa?
Usually a Secure English Language Test at CEFR A1 in speaking and listening for a first application, such as IELTS Life Skills A1. A standard IELTS Academic or General Training result is not accepted for this route.
How much savings do I need if my income is below £29,000?
You need £16,000 plus two and a half times the shortfall, held for at least six months. With no qualifying income, that is £88,500. With income of £24,000, it is £28,500.
Do I need a TB test for a UK spouse visa from Pakistan?
Yes, you usually need a TB test certificate from an approved clinic in Pakistan before you apply. Check the GOV.UK list of approved clinics.
Can I use my own income if I apply from outside the UK?
Usually only your sponsor’s income counts when you apply from outside the UK, because you do not yet have permission to work there. If you apply from inside the UK with permission to work, your income can usually count too.
Conclusion
The requirements for a UK spouse visa are demanding, but they are also clear. Prove your marriage is genuine, prove the money with documents that match the rules exactly, prove your English at the right level, and show you have somewhere adequate to live. Check each requirement against the GOV.UK pages, give yourselves time to gather the evidence properly, and do not submit until every part is ready. A careful, complete application is the best gift a family can give a couple waiting to start their life together in the UK.
Disclaimer: Immigration rules and fees change frequently. This article is general information, not immigration advice. Check the official GOV.UK website before applying, and consider regulated advice for your own situation.
