A UK Spouse Visa in 2026 allows you to live with your spouse/partner in the UK for an initial period of 30 months. Your partner in the UK must be a British citizen, an individual with ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain), or an individual with settled status under the EUSS (EU Settlement Scheme) or relevant immigration status. 

In order to apply for a spouse Visa, must be in a genuine and subsisting relationship with your partner (sponsor), fulfil the financial requirements or minimum income requirement (unless exempt), and meet the required level of English language qualification (unless exempt).

Financial rules in 2026 for UK Spouse visa requirements 

If you apply for this visa on or after 11 April 2024, the general minimum gross annual income threshold is increased to £29,000 (regardless of the number of dependent children being included in the application). This applies to new spouse visa applications and applications with a new partner.

Transitional rule

However, if you applied for this visa as a partner before April 2024 (this includes if you first applied as a fiancé (e) or proposed civil partner) prior to this this date and are now applying for a visa extension you need to meet the previous financial requirement threshold of £18,600 per year plus £3,800 per year for the first dependent child and £2,400 per year for each dependent child thereafter. However, if the total amount goes above £29,000 due to the number of children in the application, you will only have to provide proof of a gross annual income of £29,000.

You do not need to prove you have extra money if your children are British or Irish citizens, have pre-settled status under the EUSS, or are permanently settled in the UK.

You might also not need to prove you have extra money if your children are citizens of the EU, other EEA nations (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway), or Switzerland, and they do not have EUSS - pre-settled status or are not permanently settled in the UK.

Please note that the income of both you and your partner (sponsor) can be combined. You may also rely on savings, employment income, self-employment income, non-employment income (such as rental income or dividend income), or a combination of these financial resources to meet this requirement.

If your partner is getting disability or carer’s benefits

You are not required to show MIR to meet spouse visa financial requirements if your partner/sponsor gets one of the following benefits:

• Disability Living Allowance

• Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance

• Severe Disablement Allowance

• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

• Attendance Allowance

• Pension Age Disability Payment

• Carer’s Allowance

• Carer Support Payment

• Personal Independence Payment

• 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

• Child Disability Payment

• Adult Disability Payment

You need to show that you and your partner have enough money to house and support yourselves and other family members without relying on additional public funds. The caseworker from the Home Office considers your income and housing costs.

If you cannot meet the financial requirements

If you cannot meet the spouse visa financial requirements, you may still be able to apply for this visa or extend your stay if:

• You have a child in the UK who is a British/Irish citizen or has lived in the UK for a minimum of 7 years, and it would be unreasonable for them to leave the UK

• Stopping you from coming to the UK or making you leave the country would breach your human rights

If you do not meet the spouse visa financial requirements, the earliest you will be able to apply for ILR (settlement) is after 10 years in the UK.

Spouse visa financial rules in 2026

You will be required to show that you can meet the financial requirements for the spouse visa. 

This is based on your income, your sponsoring partner’s income you are joining in the UK, or both. 

What counts as income?

The following things can count as income in 2026: 

• income from employment (salaried or non-salaried job) before tax and NI (National Insurance) (from P60 or payslips) - you can only use income earned in the UK

• income from self-employment or as a director of a limited company in the UK 

• cash savings above £16,000 + shortfall of salary

• money from a pension

• non-work income, for example, from rentals, dividends, or investments 

If you or your sponsor is self-employed, you need to base your income on how much you earned in the last 6 months or more, counting back from the day you apply.

Spouse visa financial rules for using cash savings only

To meet the spouse visa financial requirements, you can use income from a single source (salaried income), multiple sources (salaried and non-salaried income and non-employment income, e.g., income from property rental or dividends from shares), or even combine income and savings to meet the financial requirements. 

You can also rely on cash savings alone to meet the financial requirements. If you use cash savings to meet the requirement, it must be held by you, your partner, or both jointly for a minimum of 6 months prior to the date of your spouse visa application under your control.

You may be able to meet the financial requirements with your cash savings alone, rather than using income or a combination of savings and income. For this, you must have a minimum cash savings of at least £88,500 if you apply on or after 11 April 2024. On the other hand, if you applied for a spouse visa before this date and want to extend your visa, you must have cash savings of at least £62,500 with no children.

How to combine income and savings?

You can use your and your partner’s combined income plus savings together to meet the spouse visa financial requirements in 2026. 

Please note that only savings above £16,000 help cover income shortfall.  For example:

the combine Income is £25,000, which is a shortfall of £4,000 from the MIR of £29,000. You can use cash savings of £26,000 to cover the shortfall. 

Please note that you cannot combine cash savings with self-employment income, or with income from employment as a director or employee of a specified limited company in the UK.

Spouse visa financial rules - Proof of your finances

You will need to provide evidence of your income with your spouse visa application. 

If you or your sponsoring partner is employed, you could supply one of the following documents:

• bank statements showing your or your partner’s income

• payslips (6 months), counting back from the day you apply

• Employer letter, dated and on headed paper

How can Visa and Migration help?

Unless exempt, you must meet the MIR (minimum income requirement) on the 5- year partner, fiancé(e), or proposed civil partner route. The MIR or spouse financial rules are subject to change. Our immigration lawyers are experts in these matters, and they are always up-to-date with the latest changes introduced by the government/Home Office.

Our caseworker will help you meet the financial requirements by following the financial rules applicable in 2026, whether it is about having income from eligible sources, relying on a single or multiple sources of income, or using income and cash savings combined.

If you are applying for a UK spouse visa in 2026 and are not sure about how to follow the spouse visa financial rules, you can you can call us at +44 (0)20 3411 1261 or write to info@visaandmigration.com