Post spouse visa planning

Hello guys. Hope you are all well.

Post spouse visa, I know when my wife arrives I'll have to put some utility bills to her name and open her a bank account.

I'm just wondering if there are any other specific preparations I need to have in order for FLR and ILR?

Are there any specific preparation posts someone can share a reference to?

I'm particularly wondering about finances. How much do these things cost and is having an income above 18,6k per year still the financial requirement for them?

Lastly, as my wife arrives through immigration, what specifically happens if anything out of the ordinary if anyone can recall?

Thanks 🙂

Hello guys. Hope you are all well.

Post spouse visa, I know when my wife arrives I'll have to put some utility bills to her name and open her a bank account.

I'm just wondering if there are any other specific preparations I need to have in order for FLR and ILR?

Are there any specific preparation posts someone can share a reference to?

I'm particularly wondering about finances. How much do these things cost and is having an income above 18,6k per year still the financial requirement for them?

Lastly, as my wife arrives through immigration, what specifically happens if anything out of the ordinary if anyone can recall?

Thanks 🙂

It's much the same for the rest of the time up until ILR. For the period before each application, on which you are relying (6 or 12 months) you will have to meet the same £18,600 income criteria but the difference this time is that you can use her income too!

When she enters the country make sure she doesn't come in via Ireland and make sure the ECO stamps the visa in her passport. She will need that stamp to pick up her BRP.

Unfortunately, it's expensive. Here are the visa fees. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/697987/Gov_uk_fees_revision_2018.pdf

She will have to pay the IHS for FLR but not ILR and that is set to double soon from £200 to £400 per year although they haven't told us exactly when that will happen.

Oh gosh okay. That's a very long list haha I'm struggling to find the FLR and ILR application fees on there. Yikes. So all I know is I have to save a lot

Oh gosh okay. That's a very long list haha I'm struggling to find the FLR and ILR application fees on there. Yikes. So all I know is I have to save a lot

FLR(M) Currently £1033 see page 3.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/696482/FLR_M_-04-18.pdf

ILR Currently£2389 see page 2.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/696462/set_m_-form-04-18.pdf

If you want a same day result, it costs £610  to apply at a premium service centre.

IHS as mentioned £200 per year currently but set to double, needed for FLR but not ILR.

Don't forget the life in the UK test, needed for ILR but can be done at any time once in the UK, it's £50.

The visa fees go up at least once a year also, so they will be more by the time you get to them, it's a very expensive process!

Oh gosh okay. That's a very long list haha I'm struggling to find the FLR and ILR application fees on there. Yikes. So all I know is I have to save a lot

This is what it currently looks like:

This is what it currently looks like:

I thought I might have posted a bad link but it works for me.

I thought I might have posted a bad link but it works for me.

Oh, sorry... I was trying to link to a table I prepared to help someone decide between fiancee visa or spousal visa.  It has the relative timelines and costs spelled out, and I thought it might be helpful for someone already here to see how much they will need to budget going forward.

I’ll just tag onto this thread because my question is related.

When is my deadline to apply for my first FLR(M)? My BRP was issued on 26/04/2018 and it’s valid until 26/01/2021.  This means my visa is valid until 26/01/2021, right? So i have until 29/12/2020 to post my FLR(M) application?

The reason I’m confused is because I thought the first spouse visa is only valid for 2.5 years (30 months). But it seems they gave me 33 months.


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I’ll just tag onto this thread because my question is related.

When is my deadline to apply for my first FLR(M)? My BRP was issued on 26/04/2018 and it’s valid until 26/01/2021.  This means my visa is valid until 26/01/2021, right? So i have until 29/12/2020 to post my FLR(M) application?

The reason I’m confused is because I thought the first spouse visa is only valid for 2.5 years (30 months). But it seems they gave me 33 months.


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Spousal visas are valid for 33 months, to give some leeway at the beginning, while FLR(M) visa are valid for 30 months.

You can apply for FLR(M) from 28 days before you reach 30 months in the UK, right up to when your spousal visa expires.

So, say you entered the U.K. on May 10th(?) 2018, you will reach 30 months on November 10th 2020.

So, you can apply for FLR(M) any time between October 13th 2020 and January 26th 2021.

I see. Yes, I arrived in the UK on 10/05/2018.

Say I mailed my application within that period but I haven’t received a decision by 26/01/2021, do I have to leave the UK?


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I see. Yes, I arrived in the UK on 10/05/2018.

Say I mailed my application within that period but I haven’t received a decision by 26/01/2021, do I have to leave the UK?

No, as long as you submitted your application while your visa was still valid, you maintain the status of your original visa.

See item 14.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/673012/FLR_M_Guidance_Notes_-_April_2017.pdf

I see. Yes, I arrived in the UK on 10/05/2018.

Say I mailed my application within that period but I haven’t received a decision by 26/01/2021, do I have to leave the UK?

Nope, you just have to get your application in the mail by 26th Jan 2021 (they take the application take as the date the package is postmarked). Your spousal visa will be automatically extended while the FLR(M) is processing.

From the FLR(M) guidance:

14. Your status while your application is being considered
If you and any dependants apply before the end of your permitted stay in the UK, your/their existing immigration status, including any permission to work, will continue until your/their application(s) is/are decided.

(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/673012/FLR_M_Guidance_Notes_-_April_2017.pdf)

Is there an ideal date to apply for the FLR(M) to make sure I cover all the 60 months needed for ILR? Is ILR the same as SET(M)?


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Is there an ideal date to apply for the FLR(M) to make sure I cover all the 60 months needed for ILR? Is ILR the same as SET(M)?


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SET(M) is the name of the application form used to apply for ILR (it's Settlement based on Marriage to a UK citizen).

There isn't really an ideal date because the FLR(M) should be made valid from either the expiry date of the spousal visa, or from the date it is issued, if the visa has already expired.

However, if you want, you can wait until closer to the expiry date to give yourself the most amount of time. It's really up to you though, since FLR(M) takes about 2 months to be processed by post, so even if you apply in October, the visa probably won't be granted until December or January anyway.