If you or your partner want to apply for a Spouse Extension FLR M Visa then follow our step by step guide to processing your own visa written by our team of qualified immigration experts and ex Home Office caseworkers.
Still need help? Our “Do Your Own Partner Visa Pack” service provides you with a list of documents and template letters based on YOUR specific circumstances.
Quick LinksFLR M stands for Further Leave to Remain in the Marriage category.
You would apply for a FLR M visa to extend your stay in the UK as the partner of someone who is present and settled in UK or someone who has been granted refugee status or humanitarian protection.
The FLR M visa will allow you to REMAIN in the UK with your partner for 30 months. This can then lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and British Citizenship.
You can apply for a FLR M visa if:
If you are unsure of which visa you should be applying for then take a look at our guide to “Which partner visa should I apply for?”.
The FLR M visa gives you the right to work in the UK. However, if you are currently in the UK on a Fiancee Visa you will have to wait until your FLR M visa is granted before you can begin working.
Step 1 : Suitability RequirementsThe suitability requirements will not apply to most people but it is vital that you check them to avoid an application refusal. We’ve put all the suitability requirements mentioned in Appendix FM into a chart below so you can quickly and easily check over them before moving onto the next step.
Will be refused
The applicant is currently the subject of a deportation order.
The presence of the applicant in the UK is not conducive to the public good because they have been convicted of an offence for which they have been sentenced to imprisonment for at least 12 months.
The presence of the applicant in the UK is not conducive to the public good because their offending has caused serious harm or they are a persistent offender who shows a particular disregard for the law.\
The presence of the applicant in the UK is not conducive to the public good because conduct, character, associations, or other reasons, make it undesirable to allow them to remain in the UK.
A maintenance and accommodation undertaking has been requested and has not been provided.
The Secretary of State has given notice to the applicant and their partner under section 50(7)(b) of the Immigration Act 2014 that one or both of them have not complied with the investigation of their proposed marriage or civil partnership.
The applicant has made false representations or failed to disclose any material fact in a previous application for entry clearance, leave to enter, leave to remain or a variation of leave, or in a previous human rights claim; or did so in order to obtain from the Secretary of State or a third party a document required to support such an application or claim (whether or not the application or claim was successful).
The applicant has previously made false representations or failed to disclose material facts for the purpose of obtaining a document from the Secretary of State that indicates that he or she has a right to reside in the United Kingdom.
The applicant has failed to pay litigation costs awarded to the Home Office.
One or more relevant NHS bodies has notified the Secretary of State that the applicant has failed to pay charges in accordance with the relevant NHS regulations on charges to overseas visitors and the outstanding charges have a total value of at least £500.
Step 2 : Relationship RequirementTo apply for an FLR M Visa, the applicant and their UK Partner must both be 18 or over.
The applicant will have to prove that any previous marriage or civil partnerships has permanently broken down.
The applicant and their UK partner must be in a relationship similar to marriage or a civil partnership for at least 2 years
To prove this, you must submit evidence that shows that you and your partner have cohabited for two years before your visa application was made.
Examples of what you should include:
If you’re unsure of what to include, our “Do Your Own Partner Visa” service can provide you with a document checklist and template letters to help you complete the visa application yourself.
Read our guide to the Relationship Requirement to find out more about what each of these mean and what evidence can be provided to show the relationship requirement has been met.
Step 3 : English Language RequirementIt is a Home Office requirement that anyone applying for a Spouse Extension FLR M Visa must speak basic English. In order to meet the English Language requirement of your Visa application you will have to provide evidence. The evidence that you submit could be any of the following:
If you cannot demonstrate how you meet the English Language requirement or that you are exempt, your visa application will be refused.
Read our English Language Requirement guide to get detailed information on approved English language tests and test providers.
Step 4 : Financial RequirementFor a FLR M visa, both the applicant and the UK partners income can be counted towards the financial requirement.
The applicant does not have to meet the financial requirement, if the UK partner meets the financial requirement alone then this will be enough.
To learn more about cash savings and the rules on combining income and savings please read our “Cash Savings” guide.
When the applicant has dependent children that are not a UK or EEA citizen, an additional gross annual income of £3,800 is required for the first child sponsored in addition to the partner and £2,400 for each further child.
Sources of income that can be used to meet the financial requirement include:
We recommend reading our Financial Requirement guide which breaks down all the different sources of income, how to calculate your annual income and what evidence needs to be provided for your visa application.
You will still need to show self-sufficiency i.e. that you and your partner can survive without having to apply for more benefits due to the partner obtaining a visa. Read our guide on Adequate Maintenance and Benefits for detailed instructions on how to meet the financial requirement.
Step 5 : Accommodation RequirementYou will need to provide evidence that the accommodation you and your partner will live in is ‘adequate’.
First, you must show how you have ‘adequate’ accommodation from the options below:
Then you must show the following:
Examples of acceptable items are listed below. Photocopies are not acceptable.
Read our guide to the Accommodation Requirement to understand the rules around adequate accommodation and how to meet this requirement.
If you are not sure what to include in these letters, then why not take a look at our “Do Your Own Partner Visa Pack” service where we provide you with a list of documents and template letters to help you save time.
Step 6 : Document ChecklistWhen applying for an FLR M Visa, your application will generally include the following sections:
Here, you will include all the required evidence demonstrating how you meet the financial requirement of a FLR M Visa application.
The financial requirement is often the most complicated part of the application. Read our guide to the Financial Requirement to identify what evidence should be included here.
Alternatively, we offer a “Do Your Own Partner Visa Pack” which is a document checklist AND professionally written template letters based on YOUR specific circumstances to help you complete the application by yourself.
The FLR M Visa rules state that you must intend to live permanently with your UK partner and that the property where you (and any children coming with you) has enough space.
The documents you need to provide will depend on whether you are renting, staying with family/friends or you and/or your partner own the property.
You will need to include six items of correspondence addressed to you and your UK partner at the same address. If you cannot include this you must explain why you cannot provide six items of correspondence.
Go back to Step 5 to see what you would need to include here or read our guide to the Accommodation Requirement.
Examples of what you can include are:
A cover letter should be included in your FLR M Visa application. Supporting letters from the applicant and the UK partner should also be included.
To give yourself the best chance of success with your FLR M Visa we highly recommend our “Do Your Own Partner Visa Pack” service. VisaHelpUK will provide you with a complete document checklist and template letters created to suit YOUR circumstances.
Step 7 : Complete the FLR M formYou must complete the FLR M form online here.
You should only use the paper forms if you will be requesting a fee waiver for any children applying with you or for yourself.
Step 8 : Pay the Immigration Health SurchargeWhen applying for a FLR M visa, you must pay the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1000.
To pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, go to the Home Office website and click “Pay Now”.
After making payment you will be provided with a reference number. Make sure that you take note of the reference number as you will need this for the application form.
Step 9 : Submit & pay for FLR M applicationOnce you have completed payment, you will be required to make an appointment at a visa centre where you will provide your biometric information.
You can either upload your documents online or scan the documents at the visa centre.
The advantage of doing this is that you can keep your original documents whilst you are waiting for a decision on your visa application.
Step 10 : Await Visa DecisionOnce you have submitted the online application and attended your appointment you will have to wait before you receive a decision on your visa application. How long you will have to wait will depend on which service you decided to go for.
It is recommended not to travel whilst you are awaiting the outcome of your visa application. Even though you are now able to keep your passport after applying, if you travel whilst your visa application is being decided then the Home Office may consider your visa application to be withdrawn.
With Home Office statistics showing an increasing number of visa refusals due to “technicalities” or “administrative errors” and the rising costs of UK Visa applications, it is crucial you get the visa application right the first time.
At VisaHelpUK, we think immigration advice should be uncomplicated and easy to access – so that’s exactly what we provide.
No fuss, no expensive fees, no long waits; just a straightforward, easy to use “Do Your Own Partner Visa Pack” based specifically on YOUR circumstances so you can get on with what’s important to you – submitting your visa application.
If you require assistance with completing the application, we provide you with a document checklist and template letters compiled by our OISC regulated Immigration Advisers.
For a fraction of the cost of instructing an Immigration Adviser you can get all the help you need to complete the application yourself.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this guide is for general information purposes only and is not legal advice. The information is provided by VisaHelpUK and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we can accept no responsibility for its accuracy or for any loss or damages arising from the use of this guide.