You can apply for renewal of your unmarried partner visa under 5 years route from inside the UK by using application form FLR (M) online prior to the expiry of your initial leave of 2.5 years. As a result of a successful application for extension of your unmarried partner visa under 5 years route, you will be granted further leave to remain for 30 months (2.5 years) to be able to complete 5 years in the UK and thus apply for ILR as an unmarried partner under 5 years route. An application for unmarried partner visa renewal will be considered in accordance with requirements of the Immigration Rules as set out in Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules.

Our expert team of unmarried partner visa solicitors in London specialise in applications for extension of unmarried partner visa. Our specialist unmarried partner visa solicitors have successfully helped thousands of clients with the applications for extension of unmarried partner visa. Our best team of unmarried partner visa solicitors can provide fast, friendly, reliable and fixed fee immigration services concerning your application for extension of unmarried partner visa under 5 years route. Ask a question to our expert unmarried partner visa solicitors for free immigration advice or submit an online request to book an appointment for detailed legal advice for your application for renewal of unmarried partner visa under 5 years route.

Requirements For Unmarried Partner Visa Renewal Under 5 Years Route

For an unmarried partner visa renewal/extension application to succeed, there are following main requirements:

1. The applicant must be lawfully in the UK with leave to enter or remain as an unmarried partner of a British Citizen or settled person under 5 years route;
2. The applicant should meet the suitability criteria as set out in Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules
3. The applicant should provide the evidence of genuine and subsisting relationship with the UK partner. The Home Office UKVI expects that you provide evidence of cohabitation covering at least last 2 years before the date of application.
4. The applicant should provide the documentary evidence to meet the financial requirement  as set out in Appendix FM SE;
5. The adequate accommodation; and
6. English language requirement at level A2 of CEFR.

Super Priority Service (Decision Within 24 Hours) For Renewal Of Unmarried Partner Visa

As one of the expert immigration solicitors based in London, we are registered with the Home Office, UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) and its commercial partners UKVCAS Sopra Steria to provide Super Priority Service (SPS) for your unmarried partner visa extension application whereby decision on your application will be made by the Home Office UKVI within 24 hours of the enrolment of biometrics at a designated service centre.

Our specialist unmarried partner visa solicitors can prepare and submit your unmarried partner visa extension application to the Home Office, UKVI through Super Priority Service (SPS) and get a decision on your unmarried partner visa extension application within 24 hours. This way, you will not have to wait for the decision on your unmarried partner visa renewal application for months (sometimes years).

If You Do Not Meet The Financial Requirement

If you are currently in the UK under unmarried partner visa 5 years route, and you do not meet the financial requirement of £18,600 or above, you can apply for switching into unmarried partner visa 10 years route from inside the UK. Most applicants who switch from 5 years route to 10 years route will end up applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK under 10 years long residence category once they have lived in the UK continuously and lawfully for at least 10 years. All the time spent in the UK on all kinds of UK visa categories including unmarried partner visa 5 years route and unmarried partner visa 10 years route will be counted towards ILR under 10 years long residence – SET (LR) application.

What Is Financial Requirement For Renewal Of Unmarried Partner Visa?

Meeting the financial requirement is one of the key requirements for renewal/extension of unmarried partner visa under 5 years route from inside the UK.

Calculating The Financial Requirement

The applicant must provide evidence that the sponsor’s gross annual income is at least:

• Partner with no children – £18,600;
• 1 child in addition to the partner – £22,400;
• 2 children in addition to the partner – £24,800;
• 3 children in addition to the partner – £27,200; and
• an additional £2,400 for each additional Non-EEA child.

The higher financial requirement for applicants applying with child(ren) will apply until the applicant partner qualifies for settlement, even if the child turns 18 before then. However, the 18+ year old’s income and savings will be permitted to count towards the financial requirement.

When Does Financial Requirement Does Not Apply To A Child?

The financial requirement does not apply to a child who:

• Is a British Citizen (including an adopted child who acquires British citizenship);
• Is an EEA national (except where the child is a child of a former relationship and does not have a right to be admitted to or reside in the UK under the Immigration
  (EEA) Regulations 2006 or the Immigration (EEA) Regulations 2016);
• Is settled in the UK (holds ILR in the UK) or who qualifies for indefinite leave to enter (ILE); or
• Qualifies under Part 8 or Appendix Armed Forces of the Immigration Rules in a category to which the financial requirement does not apply.

Meeting The Financial Requirement For Renewal/Extension Of Unmarried Partner Visa (5 Years Route)?

According to Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules, the applicant must meet:

• the level of the financial requirement applicable to their application; and
• the requirements specified as to:
  (a) the permitted sources of income/savings; and
  (b) the time periods and permitted combinations of sources applicable to each permitted source relied upon; and
  (c) the evidence required for each permitted source relied upon.

Income and cash savings must be in the name of the applicant, their partner or jointly. However, income and cash savings of a dependent child of the applicant can also be included once the child has turned 18 years of age.

All employment or self-employment income must come from working legally. All income and savings must be lawfully derived.

What Are The Various Sources Of Meeting The Financial Requirement?

Where the applicant has to meet the minimum income threshold, the financial requirement can generally be met in the following five ways:

• Income from salaried or non-salaried employment of the partner (and/or the applicant if they are in the UK with permission to work). This is referred to as Category A or Category B, depending on the employment history.
• Non-employment income, e.g. income from property rental or dividends from shares. This is referred to as Category C.
• Cash savings of the applicant’s partner and/or the applicant, above £16,000, held by the partner and/or the applicant for at least 6 months and under their control. This is referred to as Category D.
• State (UK or foreign), occupational or private pension of the applicant’s partner and/or the applicant. This is referred to as Category E.
• Income from self-employment, and income as a director or employee of a specified limited company in the UK, of the partner (and/or the applicant if they are in the UK with permission to work). This is referred to as Category F or Category G, depending on which financial year(s) is or are being relied upon.

Evidence Flexibility For Financial Requirement

The evidential flexibility is set out in paragraph D of Appendix FM-SE. Under Appendix FM-SE there is discretion for decision-makers to defer an application pending submission of missing evidence or the correct version of it, within a reasonable deadline set for this. Decision-makers will not have to defer where they do not think that correcting the error or omission will lead to a grant.

Decision-makers are also able to grant an application despite minor evidential problems (but not where specified evidence is missing entirely). There is also discretion for decision-makers where evidence cannot be supplied because it is not issued in a particular country or has been permanently lost. Decision-makers have general discretion to request additional information or evidence before making a decision.

Exemption From Financial Requirement For Renewal Of Unmarried Partner Visa Under 5 Years Route (Adequate Maintenance)

Where the applicant’s partner is in receipt of any of the following benefits or allowances in the UK, the applicant will be able to meet the financial requirement at that application stage by providing evidence of “adequate maintenance” rather than meeting an income threshold of £18,600 or above:

• Carer’s Allowance.
• Disability Living Allowance.
• Severe Disablement Allowance.
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.
• Attendance Allowance.
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
• Armed Forces Independence Payment or Guaranteed Income Payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.
• Constant Attendance Allowance, Mobility Supplement or War Disablement Pension under the War Pensions Scheme.
• Police Injury Pension.

If the applicant’s partner is in receipt of one of the above benefits or allowances on behalf of their child, the applicant will be able to qualify by meeting the financial requirement through “adequate maintenance”. The evidence required to demonstrate that the applicant’s partner is in receipt of a specified benefit or allowance is specified in Appendix FM-SE.

English Language Requirement For Renewal Of Unmarried Partner Visa Under 5 Years Route

The applicant must provide specified evidence that he/she:

1. is a national of a majority English speaking country; or
2. has passed an English language test in speaking and listening at a minimum of level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages with a provider approved by the Home Office, UKVI; or
3. has an academic qualification recognised by UK NARIC to be equivalent to the standard of a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or PhD in the UK, which was taught in English; or
4. is exempt from the English language requirement because at the date of application:

• • the applicant is aged 65 or over;
  • the applicant has a disability (physical or mental condition) which prevents the applicant from meeting the requirement; or
  • there are exceptional circumstances which prevent the applicant from being able to meet the requirement prior to entry to the UK.

Re-Applying For Unmarried Partner Visa Renewal After The Refusal

If your application for unmarried partner visa renewal has been refused by the Home Office, UKVI and you believe that the decision to refuse your application is valid and lawful and therefore cannot be challenged successfully by way of appeal, you have the option to re-apply for unmarried partner visa renewal within 14 days of your section 3C leave ending. We can provide the required legal help and assistance with re-applying for your unmarried partner visa renewal under 5 years route through our Super Priority Service.

How Can We Help?

Our expert team of unmarried partner visa solicitors specialise in unmarried partner visa applications. If instructed to represent you regarding your application for renewal of unmarried partner visa under 5 years route, we will carry out all the work on your unmarried partner visa application until a decision is made by the Home Office UKVI on your application. The immigration casework to be carried out by our expert team of unmarried partner visa solicitors will include the following:

• Assessing your eligibility for renewal of unmarried partner visa under 5 years route by considering all your personal circumstances including assessment of meeting the financial requirement;
• Advising you on the weaknesses and strengths of your application for unmarried partner visa renewal;
• Advising you on the relevant documents to be submitted in support of your unmarried partner visa extension application;
• Assessing your documents to ensure that the documentary evidence is as per requirements of the Home Office UKVI immigration Rules;
• Completing and submitting the online application form FLR(M) to apply for renewal of unmarried partner visa by gathering all the relevant information from you and your unmarried partner;
• Helping you with paying the unmarried partner visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) for the application;
• Booking your appointment with the application centre for verification of documents and enrolment of biometrics;
• Where necessary, preparing detailed witness statement of the applicant and/or the sponsor explaining the background of their relationship and other relevant factors pertaining to the unmarried partner visa renewal application;
• Preparing a detailed cover letter to introduce and support your unmarried partner visa renewal application;
• Uploading online all the relevant supporting documents before you attend your appointment for enrolment of your biometrics;
• Liaising with the Home Office UKVI for a timely decision on your unmarried partner visa renewal application.

Our Fixed Fees For Extension Of Unmarried Partner Visa (5 Years Route)

Our fixed fees for extension / renewal of unmarried partner visa (5 years route) from inside the UK are as given in the fee table below:

The agreed fixed fee will depend on the complexity of the application for extension of unmarried partner visa and the volume of casework involved in the application. In addition to our fixed fee for extension of unmarried partner visa from inside the UK, the applicant also has to pay the Home office UKVI fees for the application.

Useful Online Resources

• Apply As A Partner Or unmarried partner
• Appendix FM: Immigration Rules
• Appendix FM SE: Immigration Rules
• Appendix FM Financial Requirement
• Applying for a UK visa: approved English language tests
• Partner, Divorce & Dissolution Guidance UKVI