The UK Spouse Visa lets you live and work in the United Kingdom with your British or settled partner. Typically issued for 2.5 years, the Spouse Visa carries its own rights and responsibilities. It allows you to build a life together in the UK, but it also gives a lot more opportunities if you follow the rules set out by the Home Office. Below, we discuss what you can legally do under the UK Spouse Visa.
Right to Live and Work in the UK
One of the most prime advantages of this UK spouse visa corresponds to an immigrant right to reside in the UK for a specified period. The visa enables you, therefore, to live with your spouse in the country. It is necessary to keep the relationship intact during the duration of the visa since the Home Office checks on the genuineness of your relationship during that period.
Also, the Spouse Visa grants you the freedom to work in the UK without restrictions. This implies you are at liberty to look for a job in every sector and can work full- or part-time. This does mean that there are no limitations as to the type of work you can do, which makes it a great opportunity to develop a career or gain experience in the job market of the United Kingdom.
Access to Public Services
You have access to some public services in the UK as a Spouse Visa holder. For example, you can apply for healthcare services from the National Health Service (NHS). This entails registering with a GP, getting emergency treatment, and enjoying several health services like any other resident in the UK.
Moreover, based on your personal situation, your eligibility to claim certain benefits such as social housing benefits or child benefits will apply. Benefits’ eligibility depends on your residence time in the UK, depending upon the type of claim made.
Path to Permanent Residency
This means that one major advantage of the UK Spouse Visa is that, once you have lived in the UK for a certain period (normally after 5 years), you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). ILR allows you to stay in the UK indefinitely, meaning that you will not have to renew your visa to do so. To qualify for ILR, you must show that your marriage is still subsisting, that you have passed the Life in the UK Test, and that you meet certain income requirements.
Travel Rights
Being a Spouse Visa holder allows you to travel freely in and out of the UK. However, it is crucial to understand that the UK Spouse Visa does not guarantee your automatic right of re-entry into the UK after traveling abroad. You must ensure that your visa remains valid while you are outside of the country. If your visa is nearing expiration or you have spent a prolonged duration outside of the UK, difficulty will arise when returning.
Studying in the UK
Unless there may be limitations regarding the hours of study s/he may undertake on a UK spouse visa, it can be anything from a degree program to some short courses. While we assume the spouse of the UK visa holder, the other spouse may have to meet certain entry requirements or demonstrate based on the course being pursued that one holds sufficient funds.
Family and Children
The Spouse Visa brings certain provisions that enable children eligible through that marriage or civil partnership to come to join their parent(s) in the UK. It will hence allow children born of the marriage or civil partnership to be sponsored under the eligibility requirements set out. This in turn allows a family to reunite and settle together in Britain.
Conclusion
The Spouse Visa UK brings along with it an assortment of rights and opportunities to its holders, which include the right to live and work in the UK, an opportunity to obtain medical treatment, and the pathway to securing permanent residency. Therefore, should the holder follow the rules of the visa and genuine relationship, one can enjoy the full benefits of being a holder of the UK Spouse visa and build a concrete future in the country along with the spouse.
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