Entry Clearance For Spouse Visa UK (2023)

FAQs

What is entry clearance for spouse visa UK? ›

Spouse visa is also known as settlement visa or Appendix FM Partner visa. If the applicant meets the requirements for entry clearance as a spouse, the applicant will be granted entry clearance for an initial period not exceeding 33 months, and subject to a condition of no recourse to public funds.

Entry clearance is the procedure used by Entry Clearance Officers (ECOs) at British missions overseas to check, before a person arrives in the UK, if that person qualifies under the Immigration Rules for entry to the UK.

In broad terms, entry clearance is the official term for a visa, although entry clearance can also be issued in advance to non-visa nationals, notwithstanding that in some cases non-visa nationals can also elect to seek leave to enter at the UK border.

You should get a decision within 12 weeks once you either attend your appointment at the visa application centre or when you submit your online documents after completing the ID Check app.

An Entry Clearance Certificate (ECC) is needed by anyone who wishes an overseas relative or friend to visit them or, more usually, to live with them permanently. The person requesting the ECC is called a sponsor.

Leave to enter is the outcome of a successful application for entry clearance; it may be granted for a limited or for an indefinite period, depending upon the category of the immigration rules.

You can apply for entry clearance to UK by completing an online application form which is available on the UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) website. After you complete the application form, you need to book an appointment to attend your local Visa Application Center.

Usually after attending an appointment the Home Office takes between three to twelve weeks to make a decision, depending on the type of application. However please note that as of July 2022 we are seeing lengthy delays with some applications taking up to six months to receive a decision.

Support line. +44 (0)844 8920232 (outside the UK). Calls cost £0.04 per minute plus your provider's access charge. Our lines are open 09:00 to 17:30 Monday to Friday.

Some US visa applicants may get “Clearance Received” or “Department Authorization” in the annotation field. It means that the US Consular officer while reviewing the applicant's file, found some issues with the applicant's records that might impact their ability to issue a US visa to that person.

What does entry clearance officer do? ›

The entry clearance officer (ECO) checks whether the information and documents submitted in support of the Entry Clearance application fulfil all the requirements of the relevant Immigration Rules, in order to grant the applicant.

An immigration official can deny you entry to the UK at the border, even if you have valid entry clearance. Nationals of certain countries do not require a visa before travelling to the UK and are referred to as non-visa nationals.

The standard spouse visa UK processing time in 2022 is currently 6 months (on average) if you are making the application from outside the UK and 6-8 weeks (on average) if you are making the application from inside the UK.

their previous immigration history, including visits to the UK and other countries. the duration of previous visits and whether this was significantly longer than they originally stated on their visa application or on arrival. their financial circumstances as well as their family, social and economic background.

If your application is successful

You'll be given either: a sticker (called a vignette) that goes in your passport - if you gave your biometric information at a visa application centre. access to view your immigration status information online - if you used the smartphone app to prove your identity.

There are two significant dates on the entry clearance: The 'effective' date which is the date on which the entry clearance is issued (and therefore the date on which the applicant can travel)

A clearance certificate confirms that all tax liabilities of an individual or entity have been paid. The certificate is applicable upon the sale of a business, transfer of ownership, or upon the death of an individual.

It means that the clearance officer is the person responsible for making the decision for your application. Therefore they are about to look at your application. So a decision will be made shortly. Related questions (More answers below)

You must enter the UK within the 90 days of this visa and collect your biometric residence permit (BRP) once you have arrived.

If you are denied entry into the U.K., you will be held at the airport until you can be returned to the location from which you departed. You are not under arrest and no criminal charges will be filed, you are simply not eligible to enter the U.K. on this visit.

Do I need to test before entry to UK? ›

Travel to England rules

do not need to complete a UK passenger locator form before you travel. do not need to take any COVID-19 tests before you travel or after you arrive. do not need to quarantine when you arrive.

If you are applying for a UK visa from overseas then as part of your immigration application you may be required to provide the Home Office with an overseas criminal record certificate.

Once your spouse visa is approved you can live, work and study in the UK, and travel in and out of the U.K. throughout the visa duration. The visa is valid for 2 years and 9 months.

You should get a decision within 12 weeks once you either attend your appointment at the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS) or when you submit your online documents after completing the ID Check app.

You can prove your right to work by showing your employer your British or Irish passport. It doesn't matter if your passport has expired. If you don't have a British or Irish passport, you can use a valid passport from another country. The passport must have a stamp or sticker on it saying you have right of abode.

Processing times have recently been affected by COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine. For example, partner visa applications from outside the UK, which usually take 12 weeks to process, are currently taking up to 24 weeks to process from the date of biometric enrolment at a visa application centre.

The certificate details whether or not the applicant has a criminal record in the United Kingdom.

Clearance Decision. A decision made in accordance with this part concerning whether it is clearly consistent with the national interest to grant an applicant a security clearance for access to Confidential, Secret, or Top Secret information.

Each word must be interpreted in the context of its use. If I were using the words in something I was writing I would probably say that "clearance" means that some person or office has determined that a proposed plan, decision, or act complies with the rules and that "approval" means a go-ahead from higher authority.

clear·​ance ˈklir-ən(t)s. : an act or process of clearing: such as. : the removal of buildings from an area (such as a city slum) : the act of clearing a ship at the customhouse.

What happens if you lie on a UK visa application? ›

Even if your visa is granted, if you have provided false information on your visa application form you can be refused entry to the UK at the border and banned from entering for up to ten years.

overstaying (beyond the period of a time-limited visa); breaching a condition attached to your previous leave; having entered the UK unlawfully; having used deception in an application for entry clearance, leave to enter or remain, or in order to obtain documents from the Home Office (whether successful or not).

Details of your criminal record are not shown when your passport is scanned. The only time your passport is likely to be 'flagged' is when: there is a warrant out for your arrest either nationally or internationally through Interpol. you are currently undergoing investigation for a possible criminal offence.

Definition(s)

In the global context, refusal of entry of a person who does not fulfil all the entry conditions laid down in the national legislation of the country for which entry is requested.

To get a decision within 5 working days

If you're eligible you can choose the 'priority service' when you apply. You'll need to pay £500 in addition to the application fee. You'll get a decision within 5 working days.

If your partner has suddenly been offered employment in the UK, or is already settled there and you need to join them urgently then the fast track spouse visa UK service is ideal for you.

Considering the disruptions that the ongoing covid era has caused in travels and courier routes, the UK spouse visa processing time 2022 could be a little bit longer as compared to pre-Covid years. This is because the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) might experience slight delays in assessing applications.

Applicants for entry clearance and those applying to remain in this country are checked for UK criminal convictions. Those seeking permission to enter the UK will normally be refused if they have previously been convicted of a criminal offence punishable by at least 12 months imprisonment.

Most of the work of processing a visa is done before the interview even starts: we verify the applicant's identity, enter their biographic data into our system, take fingerprints, analyze biometric data, conduct security checks, screen required documents, and more.

Overseas bank statements

This is the same tool that UKVI use when checking your visa application. If you use an overseas (non-UK) bank account to show your funds, UKVI will make additional checks. These will include checks that the financial institution is regulated and uses electronic record keeping.

How do I know if my UK visa is approved VFS? ›

Track an application

Check whether this service is available at the Visa Application Centre you are visiting. You can also track your visa application status online. Use the Reference Number present on the invoice/receipt issued by the Visa Application Centre along with your last name to access this service.

When you get your visa rejected, most countries place a stamp on your passport stating the same. It is therefore easily accessible to any consular officer who will issue your future permits.

The UK Immigration Office can choose to reject an applicants visa if it finds there is no reason for the applicant to visit the UK based on the information submitted in the visa application form.

Some US visa applicants may get “Clearance Received” or “Department Authorization” in the annotation field. It means that the US Consular officer while reviewing the applicant's file, found some issues with the applicant's records that might impact their ability to issue a US visa to that person.

Intention to live together permanently in the UK

When a person first obtains a spouse or partner visa, they will be granted an initial period of permission to stay in the UK. This will be for 33 months if applying from abroad, or 30 months following an in-country application.

You can apply for entry clearance to UK by completing an online application form which is available on the UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) website. After you complete the application form, you need to book an appointment to attend your local Visa Application Center.

When should I send in my police certificates for my spousal sponsorship application? You must provide police certificates when you submit your application package.

Police clearances are required for the visa applicant and the sponsor from every country that they have spent a year or more in (calculated cumulatively – all visits to the country added together) in the last ten years.

Why “Clearance received” is written on Visa? When your visa stamp is issued after 221(g) admin processing, you will find “Clearance Received” or “Department Authorization” written on your visa which means that the US embassy contacted USCIS or other security agency to check on your name for more details.

And what are the chances that it is approved? A decision has been made on your application and your documents are being returned to the Visa Application Centre (VAC). You will be contacted again by the VAC once these documents have been received and they are ready for you to collect.

What does it mean when your application says process complete? ›

Under review means your application was submitted successfully and your qualification are being compared to other candidates. Process complete means either you were offered a position or were not selected for the position.

The four main types of security clearances for national security positions are: confidential, secret, top secret and sensitive compartmented information. This type of security clearance provides access to information that could cause damage to national security if disclosed without authorization.

The security clearance process takes an average of three to four months to complete but can take up to a full year to complete depending on your background.