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Skip to content If you are planning to join your partner in the UK in 2025, it is crucial to understand the Spouse visa processing time.
As of 2025, the average spouse visa UK processing time is two to three months if you apply from outside the UK and six to eight weeks if you apply from inside the UK.
For detailed assistance with your spouse visa application, call our immigration solicitors at 02033844389.
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It might take a few months or more to get a spouse visa. Most of the time, it takes three months. But it can change depending on several factors that we will talk about later.
Application Type | Duration |
| Standard applications from outside the country | 2-3 months |
| Priority Applications from outside the country | 30 days |
| Standard applications in the country | 6-8 weeks |
| Super priority applications from within the country | 1 working day |
It can be hard to love someone when they live in a different place, like the UK. Seeking a spouse visa to bring them here could be a bit challenging. The wait can be stressful because the visa process is not easy to understand and can change at any time.
You may worry more and have more questions as the days go by. What’s taking so long? Could we speed it up? What if they don’t decide before my visa runs out? What will happen next?
This guide has the answers to these questions and the exact spouse visa processing time.
Processing times for UK spouse visa extensions change throughout the year, but for a normal application, it usually takes 8 to 12 weeks to hear back. The date of your biometric appointment, and not the date of your initial online application, determines the duration of this process. Even though your present visa has expired, you are still able to live, work, and study in the UK as long as your application for an extension of your spouse’s visa is pending. But even if you hold on to your passport, you won’t be able to travel abroad.
We recommend using the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) priority services if you need a decision on your application for travel, employment, or personal reasons expedited. With these services, you may choose between a decision time of 5 working days or 1 working day (with an additional cost). For further details on how much this service will cost, contact our expert solicitors.
Getting a UK Spouse Visa can take a different amount of time depending on where you apply from, how full your application is, and the time of year. This means that knowing these things can help you get a better idea of how long the process might take.
When someone from outside the UK applies for a UK Spouse Visa, it usually takes three months to process the application. If the application is made from inside the UK, on the other hand, it usually takes between 6 and 8 weeks to finish. Most applications that don’t use any priority or fast-track services are used to make these predictions.
It is very important to understand that these averages are just that—averages—and should not be taken as promises. The actual British spouse visa processing time can be very different based on many things, such as:
The process can go much faster if the application is full and well-prepared. Applications that aren’t complete or contain mistakes often take longer to process. This is because they require more frequent checks or additional information may be requested.
The number of applications may fluctuate at different times of the year. A lot of applications can come in at once, like during the holidays or big foreign events. This can make spouse visa UK processing time longer.
Spouse visa UK Processing time can change depending on the details of a person’s case. For example, if a candidate has had immigration or legal problems in the past, their application may take longer to process because more checks and verifications need to be done.
The UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) has two different services for people who want to speed up the process. These are called the Priority and Super Priority Services. There is an extra fee for these services. However, they are meant to help people who are short on time get things processed faster.
With the Priority Service, your Spouse Visa application will be processed faster. The goal is to have it done within five working days, which is shorter than the normal time frame. This service could be useful if the application form is correctly filled out with all the necessary information. Also, all the necessary papers are sent along with it.
Please note that the five-working-day timeline is flexible. For complicated applications that need extra checks and confirmations from the Home Office, the working time might go over the estimated time.
If you need your application processed even faster, the Super Priority Service might be the best option for you. People who use this service say they can process your spouse visa application within 24 hours. This is the fastest way to get your visa accepted.
If you fill out an easy application, you might be able to pick up your visa by the next business day. But, just like with the Priority Service, if the application is complicated, it can take longer to handle. You might have to wait up to five working days for the Super Priority Service to decide on your application if more routine checks and verifications are needed.
Keep in mind that the dates only apply to business days, which are usually Monday through Friday, and don’t include legal vacations. If you use the Super Priority Service to apply for a visa on a Saturday, the first working day that counts would be Monday. So, you should hear back about your entry by the end of Monday or Tuesday.
One important thing to keep in mind about these fast services is that they only promise faster processing times, not a positive result. Your Spouse’s Visa application will still only be approved if you meet all the requirements and provide correct and full supporting documents.
The standard procedure for processing a spouse visa application in the UK begins with the submission of biometric data.
But there are exceptions. Some visa processing centres begin to estimate processing time from the moment they get your passport. The method is used by some centres, including the one in New York that processes UK visas in the US.
Once the Home Office makes an assessment regarding your visa, your processing time will end. The Home Office will now send you an email. The purpose of the email is to notify you that a decision has been made, but it may not include specific facts about the decision. Do not worry if the confirmation email does not specify whether your visa application was accepted or not; you will only need to wait for the return of your passport to find the answer.
Yes. Keep in mind that the Home Office’s stated processing times for the UK partner visa on this page are just estimates. But how long it takes to decide on your application depends on a lot of things. This means that your processing time can be several days longer than usual.
If you haven’t heard anything from the Home Office, it doesn’t mean that they are more likely to reject your application. There are a number of potential causes for a delay in processing, including the Home Office’s heavy workload, mistakes in your application or supporting documentation, or the requirement for further evidence.
Your application’s processing time will increase inevitably if the Home Office requests additional paperwork from you.
While priority processing is an option for all applicants (provided it is available at the visa application facility), it is not advised for every candidate seeking a UK spouse visa.
Priority and super-priority services may not be worth it if you’ve ever experienced any of the following:
It is advisable not to pay for priority service because your processing time may already be lengthier due to the aforementioned causes, as the Home Office would require more time to check information than standard UK visa applications.
Feel free to contact us to discuss your unique situation and receive personalised advice on how to speed up your processing time and/or increase your chances of success. Contact us now at 02033844389.
You are allowed to travel while waiting for a decision from the Home Office if you apply from outside the UK, but if your application is approved, you will need to return to the country from which you applied to get your visa. To be clear, a visa is required before you may enter the United Kingdom.
While your application for a UK spouse visa is being processed, it is recommended that you remain in the UK if you applied from within the country. The Home Office might think your application is no longer valid if you leave. It is recommended to choose priority or super-priority service if you want to travel soon after applying for a visa. This will ensure that you receive your decision well in advance of your chosen travel date.
This usually depends on whether the applicant has already been to the visa office for the biometric appointment.
If the applicant hasn’t shown up for the biometric appointment (the meeting at the visa centre), you may withdraw the application and get the Home Office fee (£1,846 per applicant) and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) back.
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to get the £1,846 Home Office fee back if the applicant has already gone to the biometric meeting. You can get your money back on the IHS, though.
On the online application form, it will ask when the person wants to visit the UK.
If the decision date is before the date that the person wants to travel to the UK, the 90-day entry clearance visa will usually begin on the date that the person wants to travel to the UK.
It’s likely that the 90-day entry clearance visa will begin on or just after the decision date if the planned trip date is after the decision date.
Please note that I said “usually” because the agent from the Home Office doesn’t always do things this way.
Both VFS and TLS say that people applying from outside the country shouldn’t pay for the fast settlement visa service if any of the following are true:
The person who applied has been in the UK longer than allowed;
If any of these things happen, the Home Office may not be able to handle the application within 30 working days.
You might be interested to know that a priority spouse visa application will usually be handled within 30 days if the applicant has only been turned down for a UK visitor visa before.
