MARRIAGE VISA

British citizens and permanent residents may sponsor a spouse/partner, who will be permitted to work upon arrival, and his/her minor children.

A spouse/partner with whom the sponsor has been living for four years enters with “indefinite leave to remain”; i.e., permanent residence; whereas those who were married less than four years ago, or who have been living together for two years, are issued two-year work-permits which evolve into permanent residence in two years for couples continuing to live together.

Citizenship may be sought three years after having established residence in the the U.K. on the basis of a spousal sponsorship.

Those seeking to sponsor a spouse/partner, be s/he of the opposite, or same, gender:

• must have met their spouse;

• must have sufficient income or assets to support themselves, their
  spouse and all accompanying dependants and

• must possess suitable accommodations for themselves and those whom
  they are sponsoring.

“Entry clearance”, which is to say the right to reside in Britain, is processed from outside Britain. Only those who had previously been granted “entry clearance” for more than six months and are lawfully residing in Britain may be processed from within Britain.