The partner visa under Appendix FM
To bring a husband or wife from India to the United Kingdom, the couple applies for a partner or spouse visa under Appendix FM of the UK Immigration Rules. The single requirement families ask about most is the financial one. The sponsoring partner in the UK generally needs to meet a minimum income requirement, which is £29,000 a year as of 2026, raised from the long-standing £18,600 on 11 April 2024. There is also an English language requirement, and the visa leads, over a five-year route, to settlement.
The income figure has been in flux, so it is worth stating clearly. A further planned increase toward around £38,700 was paused, and in June 2025 the Migration Advisory Committee recommended a lower threshold of roughly £23,000 to £25,000. As of 2026 that recommendation had not been implemented and the level stood at £29,000 for new applicants, with the rules under review. Because this can change, always confirm the current figure and how income can be evidenced on GOV.UK before applying. This guide is general information, not immigration advice.
Meeting the income requirement
The minimum income requirement is the part of a UK spouse application that trips families up, so it deserves care. As of 2026 the threshold is £29,000 a year, which the UK-based partner can usually meet through employment income, and in many cases through a combination of income and cash savings held for a set period, or through self-employment, each with its own evidence rules. The important thing is not just the amount but the documentation: payslips, bank statements, and employer letters that match the Home Office requirements exactly, because applications are often refused on evidence rather than on the underlying income.
The direction of the rule matters for planning. The threshold rose sharply from £18,600 to £29,000 in April 2024, a further rise toward about £38,700 was announced and then paused, and an independent review in 2025 recommended bringing it back down. That uncertainty means a couple should plan around the figure in force when they apply, not the figure they remember, and should build in time to assemble clean financial evidence. For couples where the numbers are tight, professional immigration advice is money well spent, and it sits outside what a matchmaker does.
English, and the road to settlement
Beyond the finances, a partner visa applicant must meet an English language requirement. This begins at a basic level, CEFR A1, for the first application, and rises at later stages of the journey. The UK visa is not permanent at the outset. The standard partner route to Indefinite Leave to Remain, which is settlement, runs over five years, typically an initial visa followed by an extension, before the person can apply to settle.
Settlement carries two further steps that are worth knowing early: a higher level of English than the entry requirement, and the Life in the UK test. None of this is unusual for a country’s spouse route, but it does mean a UK alliance is a multi-year process with milestones, rather than a single approval. As with the finances, the exact requirements and fees change, so a couple should read the current GOV.UK guidance at each stage. Before any of it, register the marriage in India, because the registered certificate is the standard evidence of the marriage for the application, and because India’s membership of the Hague Apostille Convention since 2005 lets that certificate be apostilled for use in the United Kingdom.
Practicalities worth planning for
The points NRI families to the United Kingdom ask about most, in one place. Confirm current detail on GOV.UK.
The threshold is £29,000 as of 2026 but has been under review. Always check the current amount and the accepted ways to evidence it before applying, because the rule has moved recently.
Many refusals are about documentation, not income. Payslips, bank statements, and employer letters must match the Home Office rules precisely, so assemble them carefully and early.
The English requirement starts at CEFR A1 for the first application and rises later. Plan for the relevant test at each stage of the five-year route.
The standard partner route to settlement runs over five years, with an initial visa and an extension, before Indefinite Leave to Remain and the Life in the UK test.
A foreign-origin spouse of an Indian citizen or OCI holder can apply for Overseas Citizenship of India once the marriage is registered and has lasted at least two years.
Register the marriage in India under the Hindu Marriage Act or Special Marriage Act, then apostille the certificate for use in the United Kingdom as evidence of the marriage.
Related pages
Matchmaking for NRI families and companion guides:
India to UK FAQs
What is the minimum income for a UK spouse visa in 2026?+
As of 2026 the minimum income requirement for a partner visa is £29,000 a year, raised from £18,600 on 11 April 2024. A further rise toward about £38,700 was paused, and a 2025 review recommended a lower figure of roughly £23,000 to £25,000, which had not been implemented. Because the rule is under review, confirm the current amount on GOV.UK before applying.
How can the UK partner meet the income requirement?+
Usually through employment income, and in many cases through a combination of income and cash savings held for a set period, or through self-employment, each with its own evidence rules. Applications are often refused on documentation rather than on the income itself, so payslips, bank statements, and employer letters must match the Home Office requirements exactly.
Is there an English language requirement?+
Yes. A partner visa applicant must meet an English language requirement, starting at CEFR level A1 for the first application and rising at later stages. Settlement requires a higher level of English along with the Life in the UK test, so plan for the relevant assessment at each stage.
How long until my spouse can settle in the UK?+
The standard partner route to Indefinite Leave to Remain, which is settlement, runs over five years, typically an initial visa followed by an extension. At settlement the applicant must meet a higher English requirement and pass the Life in the UK test. A UK alliance is therefore a multi-year process with milestones rather than a single approval.
Do we register the marriage in India for a UK visa?+
Yes. The registered Indian marriage certificate is the standard evidence of the marriage for an Appendix FM application. Register under the Hindu Marriage Act or the Special Marriage Act, and because India is part of the Hague Apostille Convention, have the certificate apostilled for use in the United Kingdom.
An alliance across the miles
Free consultation. Every enquiry personally attended to.