Key Points
- Confirm eligibility before collecting documents.
- Match every requirement to at least one piece of evidence.
- Check dates, names and figures for consistency.
- Translate anything not in English or Welsh.
Before you start
- The sponsor has a qualifying status and can prove it
- You are both 18 or over and have met in person
- Any previous marriage has legally ended
- You know which financial category you will rely on
- You know how the English requirement will be met
Identity and status
- Applicant's current passport and any previous passports
- Sponsor's passport, or proof of settled status
- Tuberculosis certificate if you are applying from a listed country
- Previous refusal letters or immigration decisions
Relationship
- Marriage or civil partnership certificate
- Divorce or death certificates for earlier marriages
- Evidence of living together or of visits and contact
- A selection of photographs across the relationship
- Birth certificates of any children
Finances
- The specified documents for your financial category
- Bank statements covering the same period as the payslips
- Employer letter or accountant's documents
- Savings statements for six months, if savings are used
English and accommodation
- Approved English test certificate, degree evidence or proof of exemption
- Tenancy agreement or proof of ownership
- Letter from the landlord or owner where needed
Final checks
- Dates in the form match the documents
- Names are spelt the same way throughout, or differences are explained
- Every document is complete, legible and translated where needed
- You have kept a copy of everything submitted
Official Sources
This page is general information, not legal advice. The rules and figures are set by the Home Office and can change.