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Civil Partnership Visa

You can apply for a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK in an eligible job with an employer licenced as a sponsor by the UK government.

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Can I apply for the UK Skilled Worker visa?

We can help you. It’s what we do.

Overview

You can apply for a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK in an eligible job with an employer licenced as a sponsor by the UK government. This UK work visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa. This category is for all foreign nationals who have been offered a skilled job to fill a gap in the workforce which cannot be filled by an already settled worker in the UK. There are a number of complex scenarios which should be discussed and explored in detail before you can apply.

You can apply for a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK in an eligible job with an employer licenced as a sponsor by the UK government. This UK work visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa. This category is for all foreign nationals who have been offered a skilled job to fill a gap in the workforce which cannot be filled by an already settled worker in the UK. There are a number of complex scenarios which should be discussed and explored in detail before you can apply.

International Sportspersons visa

This category is for highly skilled sportspersons who must be recognised by a governing body as an elite sports person or a sports coach. The applicant must demonstrate that their employment in the UK will encourage the sport to become more elite and prominent in the UK.

To apply for ILR you must have spent continuous period of 5 years in the UK and must have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months. You must also meet the English language requirement, pass the Life in the UK test and meet the salary threshold requirement of at least £35,800.

Indefinite leave to remain

The skilled worker visa lasts for up to five years. If you want to stay longer, you can apply to extend your, as long as you still meet the eligibility requirements. After five years, you may also be entitled to apply for indefinite leave to remain, which gives you the right to live, work and study in the UK for as long as you like. You must apply to extend or update your skilled work visa UK if you change jobs or employer.

To apply for ILR you must have spent continuous period of five years in the UK and must have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months. You must also meet the English language requirement, pass the Life in the UK test and meet the salary threshold requirement of at least £25,600 per year.

What is the Civil Partnership Visa?

This visa route falls under the UK Family visa, like the Spouse Visa and Unmarried Partner Visa. Like these visas, it enables foreign nationals the opportunity to settle in the UK with their respective partners, with the intention of looking for permanent settlement through the indefinite leave to remain pathway. However, the Civil Partner Visa is specifically aimed at couples who are in a legally binding civil partnership, rather than a marriage or any other form of relationship.  

Who can apply for a Civil Partnership Visa?

For this visa, there are some requirements for instance you can only apply if your civil partner fits the following: 

  • Is a British citizen or Irish citizen. 
  • Can prove their settled status in the UK, such as indefinite leave to remain, settled status under the EU settlement Scheme or proof of permanent residence. 
  • Has pre-settled status through the EU Settlement Scheme. 
  • Has a Turkish Businessperson Visa or Turkish Worker Visa. 
  • Has refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK. 

 

Additionally, the applicant will need to fulfil the following criteria:  

  • Be in a civil partnership that is legally recognised in the UK.  
  • You and your civil partner are both over 18.  
  • Your relationship must be genuine and subsisting. 
  • Any previous relationships must have broken down permanently.  
  • You must have adequate accommodation in the UK that is available to you and intend to live with your civil partner on a permanent basis. 
  • You must meet the financial requirements. 
  • You must meet the minimum language requirements.  

What are the requirements?

Under this visa route, you and your civil partner must demonstrate the following for your application to be as successful as possible: 

(Relationship requirements) 

This is arguably one of the most important aspects of fulfilling this visa route, as you must prove that you are in a valid, legally binding civil partnership. The Home Office need to see that your relationship is genuine and subsisting – this can be proven by: 

  • Evidence that you reside together – such as shared utility bills or a tenancy agreement. 
  • Evidence of shared financial responsibilities. 
  • Evidence that you both play a part in raising your children (if this applies).  
  • Evidence that you have visited each other’s home countries.  
  • Evidence of correspondence and time spent together – for instance, text messages, personal letters, travels together and other informal pieces of evidence.  

 

(Financial requirements) 

You and your civil partner must demonstrate that you have a certain amount of shared income, which in most cases will be £18,600. You may use any of the following to help prove your income requirement: 

  • UK-based income from employment before tax and national insurance. 
  • Income earned from self-employment or as a director of a limited company in the UK. 
  • Evidence of cash savings above £16,000 
  • Money from a pension 
  • Non-work income, such as from property rentals or dividends 

 

(Accommodation requirements) 

When applying for a Civil Partnership Visa, you will need to demonstrate to the Home Office that you will have somewhere adequate to reside during your stay in the UK, that fits the guidelines. This is to ensure that you do not rely on or seek out public funds during your stay.  

To ensure that this requirement is met, the accommodation that you’ll be staying in, must: 

  • Be owned or occupied by you and your family. 
  • Have been obtained without recourse to public funds. 
  • Not exceed the overcrowding guidelines. 
  • Not breach public health regulations.  

 

(English Language requirements) 

 In most cases, you will be required to demonstrate your English language skills to be eligible for the Civil Partnership Visa. You won’t need to prove your English language skills or take any test if any of the following applies to you: 

  • You’re over the age of 65. 
  • You are from a majority English-speaking country. 
  • You have a degree or an academic qualification that was taught or researched in English. 
  • You have a degree or an academic qualification from a UK college or university. 
  • You have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from meeting the language requirement.  

However, if none of the above apply to you, you will be required to take an approved English language test and pass at A1 level or higher on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).  

What is the Civil Partnership Visa processing time?

The processing time for a Civil Partnership Visa typically takes up to 24 weeks to process from which date when you attend your appointment at the visa application centre. However, please note that this can vary depending on the UKVI if they are experiencing a particular high case load or if your immigration case is a complex one regarding achieving your eligibility for the visa. 

Please note, that if you need your visa to be processed quicker than usual, you may be able to use the Home Office’s super priority processing service – this is a stage of the process that we can assist you with.  

How to apply for a Civil Partnership Visa?

The application for a Civil Partnership Visa is completed online and must be done before you plan to travel to the UK, as you will only be granted entry clearance to the UK, when this has been approved.  

As part of the application process, you will be required to fill in the form and upload all your supporting documents that are required. Also, you will need to pay your fees at the same time. Once you have successfully submitted your application, you may also have to attend an appointment at a local visa application centre to provide your biometrics information in the form of your fingerprints and your photograph.  

Regarding the supporting documents that you will need to provide, this can include: 

  • Your current passport or other valid travel ID. 
  • Copies of any visa or entry stamps in your previous passports. 
  • Details of any previous immigration applications you’ve made. 
  • Details of any criminal convictions. 
  • Your parent’s dates of birth and nationalities. 
  • Your TB results if you’re from a country that requires you to take one. 
  • Documentary proof that your relationship is genuine and subsisting. 
  • Documentary proof that you meet minimum financial requirements. 
  • Documentary proof that you meet the minimum language requirements, or proof that you’re exempt from them.  

How long does a Civil Partnership Visa last?

A Civil partnership Visa usually grants the applicant to remain in the UK for 33 months, which is 2 years and 9 months. However, when this initial period is close to expiring, you will then be able to extend your visa for another 30 months.  

How much does it cost to get a Civil Partnership Visa?

For a Civil Partnership Visa, it costs £1,538 to apply. Please, note that you will also have to pay the immigration health surcharge when applying for your visa – this is £624 a year for adults and £470 a year for under 18s. 

In addition to this, you must be able to pay additional fees for the following: 

  • Obtaining a biometric residence permit 
  • Getting certified translations for documents  
  • Getting an English language test 
  • Getting your academic qualification certified by Ecctis 
  • Using the super priority visa service  

Can my dependents be included as part of my Civil Partnership Visa?

Under this route, you can bring dependents with you – it will cost £1,538 per dependent child you add to your application if this applies to you.    

How can I apply to include my dependents as part of my Civil Partnership Visa?

If you have a dependent child you wish to add to your visa application, you will have to earn another £3,800 a year to accommodate them. Each additional child after that will add another £2,400 to the yearly requirement.  

However, please note that you will not have to add these additional costs if your child or children are British or Irish citizens, have indefinite leave to remain, or have settled or pre-settled status.  

How can Bridge Partners Immigration help?

As a team of professional and knowledgeable advisors, we have helped countless people overcome hurdles to come and settle in the UK, and we can help you do the same too. Applying for a Civil Partnership Visa can be a long and drawn-out process, given the eligibility criteria you must meet and the supporting documentation you must provide.  

Whether you require expert advice on how to prove that you meet the Civil Partnership visa requirements, help with assembling your documents, or support with a rejection, we can be there for you to help guide you through the process. Contact us today for further information and to discuss your suitability for this visa. 

Frequently Asked Skilled Worker visa​ Application Questions

Someone can be eligible for a Skilled Worker visa if they have a job offer from a sponsoring company in the UK for a job that is on the list of skilled worker occupations. In addition, the skilled worker must have the required skills and experience to undergo the role in the company and have the required level of English language ability.   

The minimum salary for the Skilled Worker visa is either £25,600 per year, £10.10 per hour or the “going rate” for the particular occupation code, whichever is highest. For each job on the Home Office occupation list, there is a “going rate” which details the recommended annual and hourly salary that an individual must earn for the role. The rates are based on a 39-hour week of work. Those applying for the Skilled Worker visa need 50 points to do so. These are gained from sponsorship, skill level and English language requirements. However, 20 further tradable points can be given to those that meet the minimum salary requirement. 

You cannot move to the UK without a job offer from a company that has a UK sponsor licence, unless you apply for the Global Talent visa where this is not a requirement. When you are applying for a Skilled Worker visa you must provide a certificate of sponsorship reference number which proves that you have a job offer and therefore permission to work in the UK with a registered sponsor.  

The general Skilled Worker visa requirements are that you must have a job offer from a company that is a UK-registered sponsor and have a certificate of sponsorship that confirms that you have permission to work in the UK within a specific job role. You must be paid the required minimum salary for the occupation, have the required skill level and English language ability to do the job and have enough funds to support yourself in the UK.   

Once all the correct documentation has been submitted, it takes around 3 weeks for an application for a Skilled Worker visa to be processed by the Home Office when applying outside of the UK. For applications within the UK, the standard processing time is 8 weeks, although this can take around 9 weeks on average.  

For the Skilled Worker visa, you will need to provide a valid passport and proof that you have a job in the UK with details about your job role, salary, and employer information. You will also need the reference number for your certificate of sponsorship which proves that you have an approved job offer with a registered UK sponsor. In addition, you will need to provide bank statements that show you are able to support yourself in the UK and proof of the required qualifications needed for the role such as an English language test and degree certificate.

Yes, you can study whilst on a Skilled Worker visa. There is no restriction on the number of hours you can study as long as it does not interfere with your work. Another requirement is that workers who study must first get an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate for their studies and present it to the education provider.  

Skilled Workers are not allowed to run their own businesses.