# Partner visa: the mistakes that get Indian files refused

The mistakes the desk sees most in Indian Partner visa (spouse, civil partner, unmarried partner) files, what each one costs and the fix, beside the refusal paragraphs officers cite.

Source: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/spouse-visa/mistakes · Updated 2026-10-08 · Reviewed by UK Visa Desk counselling team, licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024 · UK Visa Desk, a brand of Pro Lifeset Overseas Private Limited, Patiala, India. WhatsApp +91 91155 80911, Mon to Sat, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM IST.

## Mistakes we see
| 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. |

## The grounds officers cite
- 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

## Refusal paragraphs decoded (verified 2026-10-08)
### E-ECP.3.1: 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; if the sponsor receives a disability benefit, use the adequate maintenance route instead

### E-ECP.2.6: Relationship 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

### E-ECP.2.7 / E-ECP.2.10: Relationship 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

### E-ECP.4.1: English language requirement at A1
The A1 test was not a SELT (for example a standard IELTS or an online test), had expired, or the Indian degree was not confirmed by Ecctis as taught in English. Indian degrees always need the Ecctis statement; a university letter alone is not enough.
What to fix: book IELTS Life Skills A1, PTE Home A1, LanguageCert or Skills for English A1 at a SELT centre; or obtain the Ecctis English Language Proficiency statement for your degree

### E-ECP.2.1 to E-ECP.2.5: Eligibility of the sponsor and validity of the marriage
The sponsor's status does not qualify, one party was under 18, the marriage is not recognised (for example not registered, or a previous marriage not legally ended), or the officer found a previous relationship was still subsisting.
What to fix: sponsor's passport or share code, or settled status evidence; marriage certificate from the registrar (Hindu Marriage Act, Special Marriage Act or other), with translation if needed; divorce decree absolute or death certificate for any previous spouse

### S-EC.1.4 / S-EC.1.5: Suitability (Appendix FM): exclusion conducive to the public good or criminality
The family application was refused on character grounds, not relationship or money. These are the Appendix FM versions of the Part 9 criminality rules.
What to fix: get full reasons; family-route suitability refusals carry a right of appeal where human rights are engaged; take regulated advice; evidence of rehabilitation and the best interests of any children in the UK

## FAQ
**What is the total cost of a UK spouse visa from India in 2026?**
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?**
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?**
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.

Full guide: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/spouse-visa.md

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UK Visa Desk is a brand of Pro Lifeset Overseas Private Limited, a visa consultancy licensed by the Government of Punjab, India. We are a private company, not affiliated with the UK Government, and we are not regulated by the UK Immigration Advice Authority. We serve applicants who are in India; applicants already in the UK are referred to a regulated UK adviser. We do not handle work visas. Information here is general, not legal advice, and no visa outcome is guaranteed.
We do not handle UK work visas. Applicants already in the UK are referred to a regulated adviser.