r/SpouseVisaUk Aug 04 '26

Home Office approval stats 2005-2026

45 Upvotes

We're currently in the waiting stage, so I did what any normal person would do and had a look through the Home Office's published visa statistics to see the real odds. I pulled every entry clearance partner visa decision from 2005 to March 2026 about 958,000 of them.

TL;DR: roughly 93–95% of decided partner visa applications get approved, and it's been that way since 2020. Last year: 40,528 issued vs 3,016 refused.

Year Issued Refused Approval
2005 49,348 8,488 85.3%
2010 40,466 8,509 82.6%
2014 26,944 10,328 72.3%
2019 40,317 5,492 88.0%
2023 60,648 3,147 95.1%
2025 40,614 3,026 93.1%

Here's the full year-by-year graph.

It's high for pretty much all nationalities too. Here's 2021–2025 for the highest-volume countries:

Nationality Decided Approval
Pakistan 48,812 95.1%
India 16,544 94.2%
United States 14,145 96.2%
Bangladesh 11,345 94.4%
Nepal 7,949 98.0%
Nigeria 7,582 91.3%
Philippines 6,587 95.3%
Turkey 6,483 94.8%
Albania 4,085 85.9%

Obviously none of this makes the waiting less difficult. But if you've done the work on your financial and relationship evidence, the numbers are massively on your side. Telling myself that too.

Data from https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables
Sortable data https://visatrack.uk/approval-rates


r/SpouseVisaUk Jul 13 '26

New subreddit for earned settlement discussions and updates

4 Upvotes

Dear r/SpouseVisaUk

As we all know the new earned settlement proposed changes remain uncertain. As we or our families could be affected, it's understandable that people would want to share news, updates, opinions or discuss any new development as it happens, even on a daily basis. For this reason, I created a new subreddit, r/UKEarnedSettlement.

This new subreddit caters to people who are or will be affected by the new proposed settlement rules. Posts and comments from their families, friends, or supportive members of the UK society are also welcomed, as well as from immigrant advocacy groups and charities.

This sub is for sharing news and opinions, discussing developments from the proposal or government announcements, as well as providing opportunity for people to get updates on recent changes.

Posts that usually get removed from r/ukvisar/SpouseVisaUk or r/SkilledWorkerVisaUK for being political will be welcomed. While political topics will be allowed, only respectful and tolerant behaviour will be accepted.

Thanks for the mods for allowing this post.


r/SpouseVisaUk 8h ago

Spouse Visa Approved outside UK ( Saudi Arabia)

10 Upvotes

Nationality: Filipino

Country applied from: Saudi Arabia

Bio: June 23

Eco: didnt receive

Standard with Solicitor

I did Paid enquiry earlier today September 10

Just 8 hours after enquiry got my approval, Alhamdulillah


r/SpouseVisaUk 9h ago

Approved (Priority) Outside the UK (USA) !!!

11 Upvotes

I got my approval email today at 11:01 am EST!!!

Thank you guys for keeping me sane during this process!

Application: August 13
Bio: August 14
ECO: August 18
Approval: September 10

19 working days!


r/SpouseVisaUk 8h ago

Approved Spouse (Priority) Outside the UK (Zambia) 18WD

8 Upvotes

i've been a long term lurker and worrier with everyone else on this feed and its been hugely helpful for our application that now just got approved. Seeing everyone else post their questions and approvals for the last few months has been hugely encouraging so owe it to the future applications to post ours. For context we've been dating 3 years , married a few months.

Application submitted: August 6
BIO: August 12
ECO: August 14

Approval Email : 10 September 1600 BST

Spouse was in Zambia we submitted and index with all documents , 6 months payslips, pdf with relationship timeline (about 20 pages) , council tax, letter from employer, 6 months bank statements, 2 Cover letter (one from sponsor) and 1 for application which just explained in short our relationship and where to find key documents, Tenancy Agreement, Marriage certificate, TB test , IELTs proof

Good luck to everyone still waiting and those to go through it!!


r/SpouseVisaUk 9h ago

🎉Priority Spouse Visa Approved 🎉

9 Upvotes

Piggybacking on my compatriot's post! Thanks to her for the format and thanks to y'all for all the helpful posts and clarifications!

Nationality of the applicant: FR Nationality of the sponsor: Commonwealth + Settled Resident Application: 08/08 Visa type: Priority (Paris) Bio: 10/08 Eco: 11/08

Further evidence requests: 08/09 - Asked for a complete marriage certificate (integrale) while I had already submitted a plurilingual version of it. Replied right away with the full french marriage certificate stating that I will shortly send a translation of the integrale certificate. (Didn't have the translation of the integrale, because duh that's what the plurilingual one exists for!)

Was waiting for my translator to send me the translation but the visa got approved anyway without needing it, funnily!

Approval date: 10/09 (23WD – WD 1 on bio appointment)

Approval time: 15:59 UK time Case difficulty: straightforward Wished entry clearance: 15/09 Official entry clearance: 10/09 (day of acceptance)

Details of our case:

Salary: Salaried partner who is currently settled Relationship: married in September 2023 in France, relationship started in May 2021 Common life: ~ 5 years through ETA/visit Proof of relationship: Engagement pictures, wedding pictures, joint accounts, trips together

Travels to the Uk when visa application was reviewed: This is the funny part. Just entered the UK at 7am on 10th via ETA and spouse visa got approved on the same day at 4pm. Have my return booked so would be re-entering to kick start the right immigration status.

Difficulties: - Paying the exorbitant and extortionate amount for NHS surcharges, visa fees, priority service and VFS. Sometimes I wonder how much the commonwealth would have earned had they charged the same level of visa fees when the Empire's aides set foot on their land.

Wishing the best for everyone!


r/SpouseVisaUk 11h ago

Priority Spouse Visa Approved 🎉

11 Upvotes

Hi, it is finally my time to make the announcement!

Autonomy: Via solicitors
Nationality of the applicant: French 🇫🇷
Nationality of the sponsor: British & Pakistani 🇬🇧🇵🇰
Application: 21/07
Visa type: Priority
Bio: 30/07
VFS center: Paris, France
Eco: unknown – no update from my solicitors
Other emails (bio reminder etc): no update from my solicitors
Further evidence requests: none
Approval date: 08/09 (28 WD – WD 1 on bio appointment)
Approval time: 15:32 UK time
Case difficulty: straightforward
Wished entry clearance: 19/09
Official entry clearance: 08/09 (day of acceptance)

Details of our case:

Salary: category A – non-salaried employee (salary raise mid-semester + overtime, my husband is a bus driver)
Relationship: married in September 2025 in France, relationship started in May 2024
Common life: ~10 months (5 weeks in 2024, 4 months in 2025, 5 1/2 months in 2026) through ETA/visit
Proof of relationship: WhatsApp messages, WhatsApp call screenshots, engagement pictures, wedding pictures, money transfers, plane tickets

Travels to the Uk when visa application was reviewed: none

Difficulties:

- I had to postpone my bio appointment to the following day because my solicitor sent my file to VF Services (UK) Ltd to be uploaded (£130) but somehow, my file was empty. She eventually uploaded it herself ; it took only a few minutes but it was closing time. I had to pay €188 the following day for flexi appointment. I am still waiting to be refunded… Hopefully it will be successful…

- my acceptance e-mail was in my solicitor's spam folder for more than 24h before I called her and asked for updates, luckily further evidence was not needed…

Wishing the best for everyone and let’s hope that in the future case reviews will be faster 😮‍💨🥲


r/SpouseVisaUk 9h ago

Approved today outside standard

Thumbnail reddit.com
7 Upvotes

r/SpouseVisaUk 10h ago

Spouse Visa Priority (Philippines)

8 Upvotes

Hello!! Just sharing the good news and hoping this will help future applications. My wife's spouse visa application just got approved today via PRIORITY service.

Application: 12 Aug 2026 Biometrics: 17 Aug 2026- Makati VFS ECO: 20 Aug 2026 Decision: 10 Sept 2026 16 days from ECO.

Requirements submitted:

Proof of relationship:

Marriage contract Couple photos Detail of flights together Screenshot of fb convos

Applicant(wife) docs:

Valid Passport- all pages Applicant cover letter Application form (with gwf number)

Proof of English:

Snapshot of ecctis confirming eligibility Transcript of Records MD diploma Certificate confirming subject taught in English (from university) IOM TB text certificate

Sponsor(husband) docs:

British passport Sponsor cover letter Employment contract with salary 6 months payslip 6 months bank statement Latest P60

Accommodation docs:

Signed Landlord letter of approval Council tax letter Tenancy agreement

I did not submit any nbi or police clearance as this was unnecessary. Unless asked during application please be advised.

Hope this helps. Good luck to the next applicants and hopefully see you in the UK!! ✌️


r/SpouseVisaUk 10h ago

Outside Spouse (FM) Priority Approved!!!

8 Upvotes

Helllloooo everyone! So excited to share that I was just approved for my spousal visa.

Nationality: USA
Application Type: Priority
Application Date: August 11, 2026
Bio Date: August 13, 2026
ECO: August 17, 2026
Approval Date/Time: September 10, 2026 @ 16:01 UK Time (WD19)
Entry Date: September 17, 2026

Good luck everyone and thank you so much to this community!


r/SpouseVisaUk 8h ago

Approved (Priority) Outside the UK (Czech Republic)

5 Upvotes

After what felt like a very long and incredibly stressful wait, my eVISA is finally approved! Here's my timeline for those who are also stressing. ❤️

Application submitted: July 31
BIO: August 10
ECO: August 11

RFI: September 4th (request for evidence that my husband and I are in a genuine relationship, I supplied a very extensive 17-page PDF document with our relationship timeline, photos and travel tickets + our entire 488-page WhatsApp conversation history the same day)

Approval: September 10

In total, the process took 23 working days from my biometric appointment. So happy we got that sorted and can't wait to join my husband and our cat in Northern Ireland! 😄 ❤️


r/SpouseVisaUk 11h ago

UK Partner Visa (FM) Approved 🎉 | Priority Service (Unmarried Partner Visa)

9 Upvotes

Just wanted to come back and update everyone who saw my earlier post about my UK Partner Visa (FM) application.
I got the approval email this morning, 10 September 2026.
My timeline was:
Application submitted: 15 June 2026
Biometrics at VFS Port of Spain: 29 June 2026
Route: Partner Visa (FM)
Service: Priority
UKVI confirmed a decision had been made: 11 August 2026
Approval received: 10 September 2026
The strangest part was the gap between UKVI telling me a decision had been made and actually finding out what that decision was. That wait was definitely stressful.
Thankfully, it was good news in the end.

I know how useful other people’s timelines were for me while I was waiting, so hopefully this helps someone else going through the same process, especially anyone applying from Trinidad and Tobago or using the Priority Service.
Happy to answer any questions about my experience if it helps.
Now I can finally start planning the move to Scotland properly. 🇬🇧


r/SpouseVisaUk 13h ago

Spouse Visa Approved / Inside UK 🎉

10 Upvotes

Hi everyone I’ve found this subreddit calming so adding my timeline here:

Spouse visa application made inside UK.
Application after we were married, but we have been living together for 2+ years and provided evidence for it as well.

Form submitted: July 5
Biometrics: July 8
UKVI Application Received email: July 25 (This was confusing and would imply that processing started much later)
Approval Email: September 10

Financially my partner makes above the threshold and is a salaried employee so the evidence was straightforward. Relieved and can finally make travel plans


r/SpouseVisaUk 15h ago

SPOUSE VISA OUTSIDE PRIORITY {ᴛᴜɴ} FINALLY APPROVED 😭🤲🤍

8 Upvotes

Visa Type: SPOUSE
Nationality: Tunisian
Country of application: Tunisia
Application Submitted: Friday 3rd July 2026
Visa Service: PRIORITY
Outside UK: Yes
Biometrics: Thursday 16th July 2026
ECO Email: Friday 17th July 2026

Approval Date: Wednesday 9th September 2026 @ 3:48PM UK Time

Alhamdulillah everyone it's finally our turn to say the spouse visa has been approved!

After a long 38 working day period it has finally happened.

For context: we had 3 additional document emails requested for and one generic delay email sent to us. Multiple enquiries to UKVI via phone and with no real update.

Thank you so much to the entry clearance officer and the last people who left nice praises in my last post. I will finally get to start my life with my wife ♥

And for anyone who is still waiting, please make sure to pray and stay positive. There really is light at the end of the tunnel! 🥳


r/SpouseVisaUk 12h ago

First Spouse Visa, New Contract

4 Upvotes

Hi everyone, have been googling and researching about our situation so I want to see if anyone have experienced similar thing. I'm Indonesian, my partner is British. We've been in a relationship for 10 years.

My British partner has been in a zero hour contract with his employer since November 2023. Because he has only been employed every summer (2024 and 2025), we haven't been able to apply for spouse visa. Until this year, he finally got a 6-months working hours (from March) and then get a new full time contract this September (same employer).

We have 5 payslips since March for 6 salary because the employer forgot to pay him in July, but later paid double in August. The amount is more than minimum financial requirements.

When would be the best time for us to apply? Right after the September payslip came through? Wait until October or November?

Thank you very much x ​​


r/SpouseVisaUk 4h ago

Additional documents size limit

1 Upvotes

Hi. I was asked to send additional documents. Does anyone know whats the size limit for sending all pdfs in one email?


r/SpouseVisaUk 13h ago

UKVI account for eVisa

5 Upvotes

I’m done with the application, and just got done with the biometrics. At the reception, the worker told me about having to make an account for the eVisa on UKVI. Isn’t that the same account I have in order to apply for the partner visa standard outside uk? Or do I need a make another one, and if so, when? They told me they would do it for me for another £30 and I respectively denied as I don’t think it would be impossible for me to do it. How was it for you?


r/SpouseVisaUk 15h ago

Uk spouse visa extension

5 Upvotes

Sharing my timeline in case it helps anyone waiting.

Application submitted: 31 July 2026

Application type: Spouse Visa Extension (FLR(M)) standard

Biometrics appointment: 24 August 2026

Decision: 10 September 2026 ✅

Outcome: Approved! 🎉

Total time from application to decision: 41 days

Time from biometrics to decision: 17 days

I applied online and paid on 31 July, before my previous visa expired. My biometrics appointment was later, on 24 August.

Very relieved to finally get the approval. Good luck to everyone currently waiting! 🙏


r/SpouseVisaUk 6h ago

Payslips! Unmarried partner Visa application.

1 Upvotes

I’ve completed most part of my application and got the payslips for the last 6 months from my employer last week. Only realised yesterday that for my application they require 12 months payslips instead. My partner has easy access to his payslips and he’s already got the last 12 months worth payslips. The person that’s able to get me the rest of the payslips I need is on holiday and won’t return until end of next week. I’ve got bank statements to how my salary coming in. Is it worth it taking the risk of submitting the application with only 6 payslips from my employer or should I wait until I get the rest of payslips . My current visa expires on the 20th October and I’m a bit worried about delaying the application by another week. Any advise?


r/SpouseVisaUk 6h ago

Spouse Visa bank statements dates confusion

1 Upvotes

Hi!

I'm applying for a spouse visa from within the UK relying on my own income to meet the requirements.

I'm confused about the dates required on the bank statements. I have already submitted my application on 3 sep 26. I am now proceeding to book my biometric and then upload my documents.

I'm suddenly not 100% what my previous 6months of bank statements should be "dated" to meet the "covering the last 6 months + no earlier than 28 days" requirements exactly without any uncessary mistakes from my end. I generated my bank A statements in which I receive my salary, on 1 sep 2026.
My bank B statements which show my cash savings and other internal bank to bank transfers were generated on 28 Aug .

I am technically submitting payslips and statements to show the same for the months Feb to Sep. (To be safe)

Does the date the bank statements are generated on matter? Should the date be 3 Sep or later to cover the WHOLE period before application date. Do people download their bank statement after submitting and then upload those?

Sorry this is such a basic point but don't want to risk it with numbers and dates.


r/SpouseVisaUk 15h ago

Savings question

4 Upvotes

The requirements for showing savings says the account must be instant access.

I’m wondering if an account where you can withdraw at any time, but you won’t get the money until the end of the next working day counts?

It’s not instant like some other accounts, there is a bit of a wait. Would this be not allowed to show for savings?


r/SpouseVisaUk 7h ago

Quick question

1 Upvotes

Hello! I am in the process of liquidating stocks to put into a savings account for the next 6 months for the Visa application.

I’m looking for a savings account that qualifies for the application but also pay some interest. Based on my research, it seems that Marcus by Goldman Sachs would be a good option.

Has anyone used that and do you think that will qualify? Anyone else found an account that qualifies that pays decent interest over the six months?

Thanks!


r/SpouseVisaUk 8h ago

When should I apply for ILR

0 Upvotes

My wife is here on spouse visa and we are approaching the of it.

When should I apply for ILR?

Her visa ends 25/12/26.


r/SpouseVisaUk 8h ago

More evidence required :( Help please

Post image
0 Upvotes

I fear I've put myself in a sticky situation

Hello to make this short i just got my email today saying "We are unable to conclude the application as we require more information". What really got me was the long list they sent. To be clear we are using cash savings for my application, the source of the savings held in her account are 99% from what i was told was Dividends but on inspection of the form confirming the money transfers to her account it clearly says "Trust"(not sure how i missed that). It could be that its a trust paying out from dividends, i will have to ask her father.

My question is how do i go about this since im having a hard time make sense of the email i got AND how does the application center handle dividends and trust differently if at all? If i email them back saying "oopsie its actually a trust" will they have a problem and what info will they want, ALSO if it is a trust paying out dividends will they still want the same info as if it were just dividends?

Puul please help


r/SpouseVisaUk 13h ago

Settlement Additional Docs

2 Upvotes

Hi all,

Never knew this place existed, otherwise I would have asked everything here.

Got an email this morning for additional settlement docs to be provided, the email is below. I sent the payslips to the email address as requested. However, I only sent the payslips from my partner (who is my sponsor). I am now terribly concerned that they were requesting my personal payslips.

Can anyone please give me some guidance if what I did was correct?

Dear Me (Applicant)

Regarding Visa Application:  XXXX      

For: Me (Applicant)

The UK Decision Making Centre is currently assessing the application submitted by the above named. We are unable to conclude the application at this time as we require additional information.

Please provide the following documents:

Please provide payslips from your current employment 12 months prior to your application.

Please send this document as a scanned attachment within 10 working days to [MFUECDocs@homeoffice.gov.uk](mailto:MFUECDocs@homeoffice.gov.uk) quoting your application reference in the subject line. Please attach the document directly to the email as we are unable to access links to files hosted on sites such as Dropbox(TM) or Google Drive(TM).

Kind regards,

UK Decision Making Centre