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Switching to a Civil Partner Visa in the UK

Make Your Love Official: Switch to a Civil Partner Visa in the UK!

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Understanding the Federal Skilled Worker Program

This process is governed by the Immigration Rules set out in Appendix FM. If you meet all the necessary criteria, you will be granted a 30-month (2.5 years) leave to remain under the 5-year route. If you do not meet all the requirements for the 5-year route, you may still apply for a civil partner visa under the 10-year route. You can submit your application for switching to a civil partner visa (5-year route) through the Home Office UKVI’s Super Priority Service, which provides a decision within 24 hours.

Free Immigration Advice for Switching to a Civil Partner Visa (5-Year Route)

Our expert family visa solicitors offer free online immigration advice for those seeking to switch to a civil partner visa under the 5-year route. You can ask our specialists questions online or schedule an appointment for a detailed consultation regarding your civil partner visa application in the UK.

Expert Solicitors for Switching to a Civil Partner Visa (5-Year Route)

With extensive experience in handling civil partner visa applications, our team of specialist family visa solicitors has successfully assisted thousands of clients in switching to civil partner visas within the UK. We provide fast, friendly, and reliable immigration services at a fixed fee, including Super Priority Service, which delivers a decision within 24 hours for your civil partner visa application.

Costs for Switching to a Civil Partner Visa (5-Year Route)

Here’s a breakdown of the costs associated with your application:

Our Fixed Fees for Your Application

Our fees range from £1,000 + VAT to £1,500 + VAT. This fixed fee covers all aspects of your application, including:

Advising on and checking your documents

Completing and submitting the application form online

Booking your biometrics appointment

Preparing a cover letter to support your application

Uploading all supporting documents

Managing all follow-up work until the Home Office UKVI makes a decision on your application The fee is determined by the complexity of your case and the amount of work involved. You will make an initial payment of half the fee when we start your application, with the remaining half due once the application is fully prepared and ready for submission.

If the full service cost is beyond your budget, you can opt for our one-off services. These include a fixed fee of £100 (including VAT) for immigration advice and consultation or £300 (including VAT) for our document-checking service.

UKVI Fees for Your Application

In addition to our service fees, you must also pay the Home Office UKVI fees, which include:

 Application fee: £1,048

 Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £2,587.50

This brings the total payable to the UKVI for the entry clearance application to £3,635.50. Additionally, you can opt to pay £1,000 for the Super Priority Service to receive a decision within 24 hours.

Requirements for Switching to a Civil Partner Visa (5-Year Route)

To switch to a civil partner visa under the 5-year route from within the UK, you must meet the following criteria:

Valid Application: The application must be submitted in accordance with Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules.

Immigration Status: You must not be in the UK as a visitor or on a visa granted for six months or less, unless that visa is as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner or was issued pending family court or divorce proceedings.

Relationship: You must be the civil partner of a UK citizen, a person with ILR/settled status, an EU national with pre-settled status, a refugee or holder of humanitarian protection, a Turkish Businessperson, or a Turkish Worker visa holder. You must provide evidence that your relationship is genuine and ongoing.

Age: Both you and your UK civil partner must be 18 years or older..

Suitability: You must meet the suitability requirements set out in Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules..

Financial: You must meet the financial requirements, which can be fulfilled through income from employment or self-employment, savings, or rental income of you or your sponsor.

Accommodation: You must provide evidence of adequate accommodation that you and your family own or exclusively occupy, without relying on public funds.

English Language: You must demonstrate proficiency in English at CEFR level A1, as required by the UK Immigration Rules.

Using Super Priority Service for Switching to a Civil Partner Visa (5-Year Route)

As specialists based in London, our family visa solicitors are registered with the Home Office, UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI), and UKVCAS Sopra Steria to offer the Super Priority Service. This service allows you to receive a decision on your civil partner visa application within 24 hours, significantly reducing the usual waiting time.

Applying for a Civil Partner Visa UK

To apply for a civil partner visa (5-year route), follow these steps:

1. Complete the FLR (M) form on the UKVI website.

2. Submit the form online, paying the UKVI fees, including the application fee and IHS.

3. Schedule your biometrics appointment through the UKVCAS portal.

4. Upload all supporting documents before your biometrics appointment.

5. Attend your biometrics appointment, bringing your BRP card, passport, and appointment letter.

6. Wait for the decision, which typically takes 3-6 months through standard service or 24 hours

through Super Priority Service.

Timing for Application

You can apply to switch to a civil partner visa under the 5-year route at any time after registering your civil partnership with your UK-qualifying partner. There’s no need to wait until 28 days before your current leave expires. Just ensure you meet all the requirements outlined in Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules.

New Financial Requirement of £29,000 Gross Per Year (Effective 11 April 2024)

As of 11 April 2024, a new financial requirement of £29,000 gross per annum applies to those applying for a civil partner visa. This threshold remains at £29,000 gross per annum, regardless of the number of dependent children applying simultaneously with the lead applicant.

To meet the financial requirement, you and/or your UK partner must have an income of at least £29,000 gross per year. If your income is less than £29,000, you can combine it with savings, which must include £16,000 plus an additional amount equivalent to 2.5 times the shortfall between your income and

£29,000.

Various Sources for Meeting Financial Requirements

To meet the minimum income threshold for a civil partner visa, applicants can satisfy the financial requirement through one or more of the following five methods:

Income from Employment: This includes earnings from salaried or non-salaried employment of either the partner or the applicant, provided the applicant is in the UK with permission to work. This is categorized as either Category A or Category B, depending on the employment history and circumstances.

Non-Employment Income: Income generated from sources like property rentals or dividends from shares falls under this category, known as Category C.

Cash Savings: The applicant or their partner can meet the financial requirement with cash savings exceeding £16,000. These savings must have been held for at least six months and be under the control of the applicant or their partner, categorized as Category D.

Pension Income: State, occupational, or private pension income of the applicant or their partner can also be used, referred to as Category E.

Income from Self-Employment or Company Directorship: Income derived from self- employment, or as a director or employee of a specific limited company in the UK, by either the partner or the applicant, falls under Category F or G, depending on the financial year(s) being considered.

When Does the Adequate Maintenance Requirement Apply?

If the applicant's partner receives certain UK benefits or allowances, the applicant can meet the financial requirement through demonstrating "adequate maintenance" instead of meeting the £29,000 income threshold. These benefits include:

Carer’s Allowance

Disability Living Allowance

Severe Disablement Allowance

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

Attendance Allowance

Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

Armed Forces Independence Payment or Guaranteed Income Payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

Constant Attendance Allowance, Mobility Supplement, or War Disablement Pension under the War Pensions Scheme

Police Injury Pension If the partner receives one of these benefits or allowances on behalf of a child, the financial requirement can still be met through "adequate maintenance." Specific evidence required to prove receipt of these benefits is detailed in Appendix FM-SE.

Calculating Adequate Maintenance

The UKVI uses the following formula to assess whether the applicant meets the adequate maintenance requirement:
A – B ≥ C
Where:
A is the net income (after deductions for income tax and National Insurance contributions).
B is the housing costs, including rent and Council Tax.
C is the amount of Income Support a similar British family would receive.

Immigration Status Requirement for Switching to a Civil Partner Visa (5-Year Route)

The applicant must satisfy the immigration status requirement to switch to a civil partner visa under the 5-year route from within the UK. Specifically, the applicant must not be in the UK:
As a visitor.
With valid leave granted for six months or less, unless the leave was as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner, or was granted pending the outcome of family court or divorce proceedings.

English Language Requirement for Switching to a Civil Partner Visa (5-Year Route)

To fulfill the English language requirement, the applicant must provide evidence of one of the following:
Being a national of a majority English-speaking country.
Passing an English language test at level A1 of the CEFR for speaking and listening, from a Home Office-approved provider.
Holding an academic qualification recognized by UK Ecctis as equivalent to a UK Bachelor’s, Master’s degree, or PhD that was taught in English.
Being exempt due to being over 65, having a physical or mental disability that prevents meeting the requirement, or facing exceptional circumstances.

Switching from a Civil Partner Visa (10-Year Route) to a Civil Partner Visa (5-Year Route)

If you are currently on a civil partner visa under the 10-year route, you can apply to switch to the 5-year route at any time during your leave. Ideally, this switch should be made as soon as you meet the financial and English language requirements. Note that your qualifying period for ILR under the 5-year route starts from the date of your leave under the 5-year route, and time spent under the 10-year route cannot be combined. For quicker processing, applications can be submitted via Super Priority Service, with decisions made within 24 hours.

Switching from a Proposed Civil Partner Visa to a Civil Partner Visa (5-Year Route)

Applicants in the UK on a proposed civil partner visa can apply to switch to a civil partner visa under the 5-year route immediately after registering their civil partnership with their UK partner. By using the Super Priority Service, applicants can receive a decision within 24 hours, allowing them to start working in the UK as soon as their visa is approved. Time spent in the UK on a proposed civil partner visa does not count towards the 5-year qualifying period for ILR.

Switching from a Student Visa to a Civil Partner Visa (5-Year Route)

If you are in the UK on a student visa, you can apply to switch to a civil partner visa under the 5-year route after registering a civil partnership with your UK partner. You can combine part-time employment income with your partner’s income to meet the financial requirement. The English language requirement may be met using the qualification used for the student visa application.

Switching from a Work Visa to a Civil Partner Visa (5-Year Route)

Those on a UK work visa can apply to switch to a civil partner visa after registering a civil partnership with a UK partner. The time spent on a work visa will not count towards the 5-year qualifying period for ILR as a civil partner. The financial requirement can be met through the applicant's income alone or combined with their UK partner's income.

Reapplying After Refusal of a Civil Partner Visa

If your application to switch to a civil partner visa under the 5-year route has been refused, you may reapply if you cannot successfully challenge the decision. Any new application should meet the criteria set out in paragraph 39E of the Immigration Rules and be ideally submitted through the Super Priority Service for a decision within 24 hours.

Can I Appeal a Refusal to Switch to a Civil Partner Visa?

If your application to switch to a civil partner visa has been denied by the Home Office UKVI, and you have been granted the right to appeal, you should submit your appeal to the First Tier Tribunal within 14 days of receiving the refusal notice. An appeal may be successful if you can demonstrate that the refusal was not in line with the immigration rules or violated your right to private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). An Immigration Judge at the First Tier Tribunal will review and decide on the appeal. Our specialized family visa solicitors are available to provide the necessary legal support to represent you during your immigration appeal.

How Can We Assist with Switching to a Civil Partner Visa (5-Year Route)?

Our team of expert family visa solicitors offers comprehensive immigration advice and legal representation for your application to switch to a civil partner visa on a fixed-fee basis. We will manage the entire process of your application, from start to finish, ensuring it meets all the requirements set out by the Home Office UKVI. Our services include:

Advice on Requirements: We will guide you on the specific requirements needed for a successful application.

Documentary Support: We’ll provide a detailed list of all necessary supporting documents.

Document Assessment: We will review your documents to ensure they comply with immigration rules.

Application Form Completion: Our lawyers will complete the application form on your behalf.

Super Priority Service: If required, we will submit your application through the Super Priority Service for a decision within 24 hours.

Appointment Booking: We will arrange your appointment at the application center for biometric enrollment.

Cover Letter Preparation: A detailed cover letter will be prepared to explain how your application meets the legal requirements.

Online Document Submission: We will upload all supporting documents online before your biometric appointment.

Follow-Up: Our team will handle all follow-up communications with the Home Office until a decision is made.

Why Choose Us for Switching to a Civil Partner Visa (5-Year Route)?

There are several compelling reasons to choose our family visa solicitors for handling your civil partner visa application:

High-Quality Legal Services: We provide top-tier legal services for switching to civil partner visas from within the UK.

Remote Legal Services: Our team can manage your application remotely, saving you time and travel costs, although you’re welcome to visit our offices if you prefer.

Availability: We are open seven days a week, offering dedicated legal support for civil partner visa applications.

Experienced Solicitors: All work is handled by our experienced and qualified immigration solicitors.

Fast-Track Visa Service: We can expedite your application using a fast-track process, including the Super Priority Service for quicker decisions.

Free Immigration Advice: We offer one-time free online immigration advice for switching to a civil partner visa.

Fixed Fees and Payment Plans: Our services are offered at competitive fixed fees, with the option to pay in two installments.

Additional Civil Partner Visa-Related Services

We offer a wide range of services related to civil partner visas, including:

Proposed Civil Partner Visa UK

Civil Partner Visa UK

Entry Clearance for Civil Partner Visa UK

Switching to Civil Partner Visa UK (10-Year Route)

Extension of Civil Partner Visa UK (5-Year Route)

Extension of Civil Partner Visa UK (10-Year Route)

ILR as a Civil Partner (5-Year Route)

ILR as a Civil Partner (10-Year Route)

Marriage/Civil Partnership Visitor Visa UK

Family Visa UK

In-Country Immigration Appeals

Naturalisation as a British Citizen After ILR Grant

FAQs on Switching to a Civil Partner Visa (5-Year Route)

You can apply at any time during the validity of your current visa. It is advisable to switch early to start your qualifying period for ILR as soon as possible.

Yes, if you are a civil partner of a qualifying UK partner, you can switch from a Temporary Worker visa to a civil partner visa (5-year route) from within the UK.

application? Your application will be mandatorily refused if you are subject to a deportation order, have been convicted of a serious crime, or if your presence in the UK is deemed not conducive to the public good.

Your application may be refused if false information was submitted, if you failed to provide required information, or if there are concerns about your character or associations. By choosing us, you ensure that your application for switching to a civil partner visa is handled with the utmost care and expertise.

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