Family
Partner visa (spouse, civil partner, unmarried partner) for Indian applicants
Direct answer
Reviewed by UK Visa Desk counselling team, Visa counsellors, Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, Patiala. Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024. Last verified .
Home Office fee
£2,064
about ₹2,73,129 at 132.33 INR/GBP, effective 8 April 2026
Verified 8 October 2026 · source
Health surcharge
£3,105
Immigration Health Surcharge, 3 years at £1,035 a year; about ₹4,10,885
Verified 8 October 2026 · source
Processing time from India
12 weeks
Priority 30 working days
Verified 8 October 2026
Our filing price
₹29,999
All-in, GST included
Verified 8 October 2026
Summary
In short
The UK Partner visa from India costs £2,064 plus £3,105 Immigration Health Surcharge for the 33-month grant, £5,169 in total or about ₹6,84,014 at the Home Office rate, under the fee table effective 8 April 2026. The sponsor must show £29,000 gross income with evidence in the Appendix FM-SE format, or cash savings of £16,000 plus 2.5 times the shortfall, and the relationship must be genuine and subsisting. Decisions take about 12 weeks after biometrics, and priority at £500 aims for 30 working days. The most common Indian mistake is payslips and bank statements that do not cover the same 6 months, which fails E-ECP.3.1 even when the income is enough.
In practice
Worked example
Example: a Jalandhar bride joining her husband in Wolverhampton after an arranged marriage. A file like the ones the desk prepares; the figures are from the datasets and dated.
The situation
Navdeep Kaur, 26, is a fictional applicant from Jalandhar who married Gurpreet, a British citizen and warehouse team leader in Wolverhampton, in an arranged match. The roka was in January 2026, the Anand Karaj at a Phagwara gurdwara in February 2026 with registration under the Anand Marriage Act, and Gurpreet stayed 3 weeks before returning to work. Since then they have spoken on video every day and he has sent ₹15,000 a month. Gurpreet has been with the same employer for 3 years on £2,600 gross a month, and the couple will live in his parents' 4-bedroom house with a property inspection report showing their room. Navdeep passed IELTS Life Skills A1 at a Jalandhar centre and took the TB test at an approved clinic. They apply in September 2026 with the priority settlement service.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Visa fee | £2,064, about ₹2,73,129 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge, 33 months | £3,105, about ₹4,10,885 |
| Total paid to the Home Office | £5,169, about ₹6,84,014 |
| Sponsor's gross annual salary (6 payslips at £2,600, Category A) | £31,200, about ₹41,28,696 |
| Minimum income requirement | £29,000, about ₹38,37,570 |
| Cash savings that would be needed if his salary were £24,000 | £28,500, about ₹37,71,405, held for 6 months |
| Priority settlement service | £500, about ₹66,165, decision usually within 30 working days |
| Money sent to India since the wedding | ₹15,000 a month for 7 months, ₹1,05,000, on bank records |
| Standard decision time without priority | 12 weeks after biometrics |
Outcome
The visa is granted for 33 months. The 6 payslips and the 6 bank statements cover the same months and each salary credit is visible, the employer letter contains every item Appendix FM-SE asks for, and the relationship evidence continues past the wedding photographs into daily life. The same file would have failed E-ECP.3.1 if the payslips ran February to July but the statements ran March to August. It would have failed E-ECP.2.6 if the evidence had stopped at the wedding, which is the usual weakness in a Punjab arranged-marriage file.
The officer’s view
What the officer checks
What the officer checks on a spouse visa file from Punjab
| What they check | Why it matters | Evidence that answers it |
|---|---|---|
| Is the sponsor British, settled or protected? | Appendix FM E-ECP.2.1 requires the partner to be a British citizen, settled in the UK, or holding refugee or humanitarian protection status. | British passport, indefinite leave to remain letter or BRP, or an eVisa share code showing settled status. |
| Is the marriage valid and are both partners free to marry? | E-ECP.2.7 and 2.9 require a marriage recognised in the UK and that any previous relationship has permanently broken down. | Marriage certificate from the registrar under the Hindu Marriage Act, Anand Marriage Act or Special Marriage Act, the gurdwara or temple certificate, and any decree absolute or Indian court decree for a previous marriage. |
| Is the relationship genuine and subsisting, and will you live together permanently? | E-ECP.2.6 and 2.10 require a genuine relationship, that you have met in person, and an intention to live together permanently in the UK. | Dated photographs from the roka, wedding and visits, call logs and chat exports over time, money transfer records, the sponsor's flight tickets and passport stamps for India, and statements from both families. |
| Does the sponsor meet £29,000 in the specified form? | E-ECP.3.1 sets the income requirement, and Appendix FM-SE paragraph 2 lists the exact documents for salaried income under Category A or B. Missing a listed item is a refusal even if the income is real. | 6 months of payslips, the matching 6 months of bank statements showing each salary credit, and an employer letter on letterhead stating job title, start date, gross annual salary, contract type and the period of the payslips. |
| Does the applicant meet English at A1? | E-ECP.4.1 requires an approved Secure English Language Test at CEFR A1 or above, or a degree taught in English confirmed by Ecctis. | A1 Speaking and Listening certificate from IELTS Life Skills, LanguageCert, PTE Home, Skills for English or Trinity at an approved centre, or the degree with the Ecctis statement. |
| Is there adequate accommodation? | E-ECP.3.4 requires accommodation the family owns or occupies exclusively, without overcrowding and without public funds. | Tenancy agreement or mortgage statement, a landlord's or parents' consent letter, and a property inspection report where the home is shared. |
| Is the TB certificate valid and is there anything in Part 9 or Appendix FM suitability? | Applicants from India need a TB certificate from an approved clinic, and S-EC.1.4 to 1.5 with Part 9 cover criminality, deception and previous breaches. | TB certificate within its 6-month validity, declared previous refusals from any country, and a police clearance if asked. |
From the desk
Mistakes we see
From files Indian applicants have brought to the desk after a refusal, most frequent first.
| The mistake | What it costs | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Payslips for February to July and bank statements for March to August | Appendix FM-SE requires the statements to show the salary in the payslips for the same period, so E-ECP.3.1 is not met and the application is refused despite the income. | Match the 6 months exactly, mark each salary credit on the statements, and have the employer letter state the same period. |
| Counting the applicant's Indian salary towards the £29,000 | Only the UK sponsor's income counts for entry clearance, so the file is short and refused under E-ECP.3.1. | Use the sponsor's income, or bring the applicant's Indian savings into the cash savings route: £16,000 plus 2.5 times the shortfall, held for 6 months. |
| Cash savings transferred from a parent 2 months before applying | Savings must be held for 6 months, so the transfer is ignored and the shortfall remains. | Move the money early, hold it for 6 months in either partner's name, and attach a letter and statements showing the source. |
| Arranged-marriage evidence that ends on the wedding day | The officer accepts the wedding happened but refuses under E-ECP.2.6 because nothing shows the relationship continued afterwards. | Add monthly call and chat summaries, money transfers, the sponsor's visits, joint plans and family statements covering every month since the wedding. |
| An A1 certificate from a provider or centre not on the approved list | E-ECP.4.1 is not met and the application is refused, with the test fee wasted. | Book only an approved SELT at an approved centre; our English lookup lists the current Punjab centres. |
| Employer letter missing the gross annual salary or the contract type | Appendix FM-SE paragraph 2 lists the required contents, and a letter missing one item can fail the whole income category. | Give the employer a template with job title, start date, gross annual salary, contract type, the period of the payslips and a signature on letterhead. |
| Gurdwara certificate, affidavits and the wedding card submitted in Punjabi without certified translations | Untranslated documents are not considered, so the marriage or relationship evidence they carry is treated as missing. | Attach a certified English translation with the translator's name, date, confirmation of accuracy and contact details for each document. |
| A previous marriage ended by a panchayat or customary divorce | The current marriage is not valid under E-ECP.2.7 and 2.9 and the application is refused. | Obtain a divorce decree from the family court before the new marriage, and include it with a translation. |
Step by step
Timeline
From the first document to the decision, in the order Indian applicants actually do it.
Step 1: Decide and run the income check
Week 1Put the sponsor's gross pay, employment length and any savings into the spouse income checker. If the sponsor has been in the job under 6 months, plan around Category B and 12 months of income.
Step 2: Book the A1 English test and the TB test
Weeks 1 to 4Choose an approved SELT centre in Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Ludhiana or Amritsar and keep the certificate reference. The TB certificate is valid for 6 months, so time it to cover the application date.
Step 3: Sponsor assembles the Appendix FM-SE pack
Month 1, after 6 months with the same employerCollect 6 payslips, the matching 6 statements and the employer letter on one checklist. Self-employed sponsors need the last full tax year's SA302, tax year overview and accounts.
Step 4: Build the relationship timeline
Weeks 2 to 4Arrange photographs, chat summaries, call logs, transfers and visits by month from the introduction to today. Add short statements from both families for an arranged marriage.
Step 5: Complete the form, pay the fee and the surcharge
Week 5Pay £2,064 plus £3,105 in rupees at the Home Office rate, and £500 more for the priority settlement service if chosen. Upload every document in the order of the checklist.
Step 6: Biometrics day
1 to 2 weeks after bookingAttend VFS with the passport, appointment letter and TB certificate; fingerprints and a photo are taken. Keep My Passport While Applying, about ₹4,000, is useful if you need the passport during the 12 weeks.
Step 7: Decision
12 weeks after biometrics, or usually within 30 working days on priorityFamily applications can be delayed for verification calls to the employer or the family. Answer any Home Office email within the deadline it gives.
Step 8: Passport return and travel
2 to 3 days after the decisionThe vignette is valid for a short entry window, so travel within it and set up the eVisa account on arrival. The 33 months run from the grant, and the extension falls due before they end.
Home Office data
How Indian applicants fare
The UK granted about 58,000 family visas in the year ending June 2026, and India is one of the top three nationalities on the family route. Punjab, Gujarat and Kerala supply most of those files, and a large share are arranged marriages where the couple have lived together only briefly. Officers test two things: that the relationship is genuine and subsisting, and that the sponsor's income meets £29,000 with evidence in the exact format set by Appendix FM-SE. Decisions from India take about 12 weeks; a priority service, when offered, costs £500 extra. A refusal can be appealed to the First-tier Tribunal, but appeals from India are slow, so prevention is cheaper than cure.
The rules
Eligibility
- Your partner is a British citizen, settled in the UK (ILR or settled status), or holds refugee or humanitarian protection status
- You are married or in a civil partnership recognised in the UK, or have lived together in a relationship like marriage for at least 2 years
- The relationship is genuine and subsisting, you have met in person, and you both intend to live together permanently in the UK
- Financial requirement: the sponsor earns at least £29,000 gross a year (the £18,600 figure still applies to applicants already on the route before 11 April 2024), or you hold enough cash savings
- Cash savings can replace income: £16,000 plus 2.5 times the shortfall, held for 6 months; for example £16,000 plus £72,500 if there is no income
- English at CEFR A1 for the first visa, from an approved Secure English Language Test, unless you hold a degree taught in English with an Ecctis confirmation
- Adequate accommodation that is not overcrowded, owned or occupied exclusively by the family
- A clear tuberculosis certificate from a Home Office approved clinic in India, and no Part 9 suitability issues
Checklist
Documents, named the Indian way
- Both passports, the sponsor's British passport or BRP, eVisa share code or settlement letter
- Marriage certificate from the Indian registrar; for Sikh or Hindu weddings add the gurdwara or temple certificate and the wedding card
- Relationship evidence over time: photographs with dates and places, call logs, WhatsApp history, money transfers, joint travel, visits by the sponsor to India
- Arranged-marriage evidence: the introduction through family, engagement (roka or sagai) photographs, the barat and wedding photographs, and statements from both families
- Sponsor's 6 months of payslips and the matching 6 months of bank statements showing each salary credit (Appendix FM-SE Category A), or 12 months if in the job under 6 months (Category B)
- Sponsor's employer letter on letterhead confirming job title, start date, gross annual salary, type of contract and the period of the payslips
- Self-employed sponsor: last full tax year's SA302, tax year overview, business accounts and business bank statements (Category F or G)
- Cash savings: 6 months of statements for each account showing the money held throughout, with the source of any lump sum
- A1 English test certificate from an approved test provider, or degree certificate with the Ecctis statement of comparability and English medium confirmation
- TB test certificate from an approved clinic in India, valid for 6 months
- Accommodation: tenancy agreement or mortgage statement, landlord's consent letter, and a property inspection report if the home is shared
- Divorce decree or death certificate for any previous marriage of either partner, and your own birth certificate
In rupees
Cost from India, in rupees
| Charge | GBP | INR |
|---|---|---|
| Partner (spouse, civil partner, unmarried partner) entry clearance, Appendix FM application fee | £2,064 | ₹2,73,129 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge, 3 years at £1,035 a yearCharged for the full grant length up front; refunded only if the visa is refused. | £3,105 | ₹4,10,885 |
| UK Visa Desk all-in filing price, GST includedPaid to Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd. Home Office fees are paid by you on gov.uk. | ₹29,999 | |
| Required Home Office charges plus our filing price | £5,169 | ₹7,14,013 |
Fees from the Home Office table effective 8 April 2026, verified 8 October 2026; converted at 132.33 INR per GBP (8 October 2026). Pass-through charges paid on gov.uk; card and bank margins extra. Optional lines are not in the total.
Risk
Why Indian applications are refused
- E-ECP.3.1 financial requirement not met: income under £29,000, or payslips and bank statements that do not cover the same 6 months or do not match
- Appendix FM-SE specified evidence missing: no employer letter, bank statements not showing the salary credits, or savings held for less than 6 months
- E-ECP.2.6 and 2.10: the officer is not satisfied the relationship is genuine and subsisting, often where the couple cannot show contact after the wedding
- E-ECP.4.1 English: a test from a non-approved provider or centre, or a degree without the Ecctis confirmation
- Previous marriage not legally ended, so the current marriage is not valid under E-ECP.2.7 and 2.9
- Accommodation not shown to be adequate or available, or the sponsor's own immigration status not proved
- Part 9 suitability: undeclared previous refusals, a past overstay in the UK, or a document that could not be verified
Financial requirement: minimum income £29,000
Your UK partner's income (or your combined cash savings) did not reach £29,000 in the way the rules count it, or the evidence in Appendix FM-SE was incomplete (missing payslips, statements not showing the salary credits, employer letter without the required details). Income from the applicant in India does not count unless you have a confirmed UK job to start within 3 months.
What to fix: work through the Appendix FM-SE checklist for the category used (A, B, D, F or G) and include every listed document; reconcile payslips and bank credits line by line; if income is short, calculate the savings needed: £16,000 + 2.5 x shortfall, held 6 months.
Decode E-ECP.3.1Relationship requirement: genuine and subsisting
The officer was not satisfied that the marriage or relationship is real and continuing. Arranged marriages are accepted, but the file must show contact, visits, shared finances or plans, and consistent answers from both sides.
What to fix: a relationship timeline with dated evidence: calls and chats (summaries, not thousands of pages), visits (stamps, tickets), money transfers, joint plans; sponsor's and applicant's personal statements that match; marriage registration certificate and evidence the ceremony was valid in India.
Decode E-ECP.2.6Relationship requirement: met in person and intention to live together permanently
Either there was no evidence you have physically met, or the officer doubts you will live together permanently in the UK (for example the sponsor is not living in the UK, or there is no accommodation plan).
What to fix: passport stamps, tickets and photos of the meeting; sponsor's UK residence evidence (payslips, tenancy, council tax); accommodation letter, tenancy or mortgage plus a property inspection report where crowded.
Decode E-ECP.2.7 / E-ECP.2.10Free tools
Tools for this route
Spouse income checker
Salary, savings or a mix: which financial route clears the threshold.
English requirement lookup
The CEFR level for your route and the SELT centres near you.
Fee calculator in rupees
Every Home Office fee and the health surcharge, totalled in rupees at a dated rate.
Processing times tracker
Standard, priority and super priority times for Indian applicants, updated monthly.
Refusal reason decoder
Paste the paragraph from your refusal letter and read what it means.
Questions
Questions Indian applicants ask
What is the total cost of a UK spouse visa from India in 2026?ShowHide
The Home Office fee is £2,064 plus £3,105 health surcharge for the 33-month visa, so £5,169 before the TB test, the A1 English test, VFS add-ons and any priority fee. Our fee calculator converts the total to rupees at today's rate.
My husband earns less than £29,000. Can we still apply?ShowHide
Yes, if cash savings cover the gap: £16,000 plus 2.5 times the shortfall, held for 6 months in either partner's name. On £24,000 income the shortfall is £5,000, so you need £28,500 in savings. Use the spouse income checker to run your own figures.
Does the £18,600 rule still apply to anyone?ShowHide
Only to people who were already on the partner route before 11 April 2024, when they extend or settle. A first application from India today must meet £29,000. The Migration Advisory Committee suggested £23,000 to £25,000, but the government has not changed the rule.
Can my own income in India count?ShowHide
No. Only the UK sponsor's income counts for an entry clearance application, unless you have a confirmed UK job offer with a start date within 3 months, which is rare. Your Indian savings do count towards the cash savings route.
Which English test do I need and where can I take it in Punjab?ShowHide
A1 Speaking and Listening from an approved SELT provider: IELTS Life Skills A1, LanguageCert, PTE Home A1, Skills for English or Trinity. Centres operate in Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Amritsar. Our English lookup lists the current ones.
We had an arranged marriage and lived together for two weeks. Is that enough?ShowHide
Yes, if the file shows the relationship continuing since. Officers expect the engagement and wedding record, the sponsor's visit, daily contact afterwards, money sent home and plans for the future. A thin file after the wedding is the usual reason a Punjab spouse case fails.
How long does the spouse visa take from India?ShowHide
The Home Office target is 12 weeks after biometrics. Priority, when available at VFS centres in India, costs £500 and aims for about 30 working days. Settlement cases are not eligible for super priority.
When can I settle, and what is the 10-year route?ShowHide
On the 5-year route you extend after 33 months and apply for indefinite leave to remain after 5 years, with B1 English and the Life in the UK test. If you cannot meet the income or English rules but refusal would breach family life, you may get the 10-year route, with settlement only after 10 years and more renewals.
Can I work on the Partner visa?ShowHide
Yes, any job, with no sponsor needed, from the day you arrive. You can also study. You cannot claim public funds.
If refused, can I appeal from India?ShowHide
Yes. Partner refusals carry a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal on human rights grounds. Appeals from outside the UK can take a year or more. Our refusal decoder shows which paragraphs were cited and whether a fresh application would be faster.
- Punjab licence: 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024valid to 22 July 2029
- CIN: U52291PB2024PTC060508Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd
Dataset dates: fees 8 October 2026. No outcome is guaranteed.
Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024. Applicants outside the UK only; applicants in the UK are referred to a regulated adviser.