A spouse visa allows an applicant to join his\/her partner who is living in the UK permanently. The sponsoring partner\/spouse can be either a British Citizen or an ILR holder. The requirements to be met, however, are different depending on specific circumstances of the case and in particular the financial requirement requires very careful consideration. For example, if the \u00a0sponsor is currently working in China and the couple plans to relocate in the UK, the sponsor\u2019s gross annual income must be at least \u00a318,600 and a new job offer in the UK starting within 3 months should also be provided. However, if the annual salary for the new job is less than \u00a318,600, they can rely on their savings in the UK, which has to satisfy a certain threshold. The supporting document will vary depending on whether the applicant wishes to rely solely on savings, self-employment, retirement or other type of income.<\/p>\n
The immigration rules are fairly complex and might be changed without prior notice. Hence, it might be less time consuming and overall cheaper for a prospective applicant to engage an expert to provide accurate legal advice, prepare the application bundle and review the mandatory evidence. In addition, the background of the couple will need to be fully disclosed to satisfy the Entry Clearance Officer that the relationship\/marriage is genuine and not merely one of convenience to enter the UK for work. Therefore, a qualified immigration advisor can offer sound guidance in the form of a detailed consultation to help applicants understand the process as well as prepare all the necessary supporting documents.<\/p>\n