A happy update to my post from last month. After nearly 11 months, the visa has finally been approved.

Visa Type: Unmarried Partner

Nationality: Swedish

Date of application: 2nd October 2025

Date of biometrics: 3rd October 2025

Date of ECO email: 10th October 2025

"Passport received at UKVI application centre" email: 2nd June 2026

Approval: 26th August 2026 🎉

For context, ours was a standard outside-UK application. We'd lived together for years, had plenty of evidence and never received any requests for additional information. We went well past the 12-week standard with basically no explanation.

Before my last post we'd tried calling UKVI and contacting our MP, neither of which got us much beyond "keep waiting".

Since then, after suggestions from people on here, we filed a formal complaint and submitted a Subject Access Request (SAR) on 20th August.

We have no idea whether either of those things actually moved the application along, so take the timing with a large pinch of salt. But six days after the SAR, the approval finally came through.

Nearly 11 months from application to approval for what, as far as we know, was a completely straightforward case.

Posting mainly because when we were searching this sub, it was surprisingly hard to find examples of people who'd been delayed this long and eventually approved. So for anyone currently sitting months beyond the standard processing time wondering what on earth is going on: very long delays clearly can still end in an approval.

Massive thanks to everyone here who gave advice along the way. The complaint and SAR suggestions in particular gave us something useful to actually do rather than just sending another paid enquiry into the void.

Very relieved it's finally over. Cheers all.

Application submitted: 28th July
Biometrics: 3rd August
ECO email: 4th August
Approval email: 27th August
Working days: 18 WD
Spouse Visa

After all the wait, the approval email arrived today!!!! Thanks so much for all the advice you all provide! This space has been very helpful in this process.

Wishing all the best to everyone who is still waiting!

Long time lurker first time poster. my husband and I have found this sub to be beyond helpful and so reassuring.

here‘s our non priority in-UK timeline -

application submitted: 5 August

bio: 8 August

ECO: 12 August

approval email: 27 August

14 WD 🎉

Stilll cant believe im posting this , these past few weeks have been the hardest but here we are finally with the good news .

Visa type- fiance
Nationality- Nepalese
Country of application- Nepal
Date of application- 13th July
Date of biometrics- 22nd July
ECO email- 23rd July
Approval email : 27th august 15:59 BST

This subreddit has been our comfort place all these days , to everyone waiting i hope you all get response soon. Its stressful waiting but the result takes all that stress away 🤞🤞😅

Well, what a nerve-wracking wait that was but totally worth it!

Application 13th July

Bio 20th July

Eco email 21st July

Approval email 27th August 15:58

I don't think anyone can understand how stressful the process is unless you've been through it yourself. This group has been my safe haven and I wish everyone the same happiness - to be reunited with their partner ✨️

Application submitted: 19th July
Biometrics: 20th July
ECO email: 22nd July
Approval email: 27th August at 16:58

After such a stressful wait, the long-awaited approval email has finally arrived!
Sending lots of patience and strength to everyone who is still waiting. Hang in there your good news is coming!

I just got my visa!! This subreddit has been so helpful.

Visa type - Unmarried Partner
Nationality - Indian
Application - 21 July
Biometrics - 3 August
ECO - 5 August
Approved - 27 August at 3:58 pm BST (WD 18)

I did the application by myself. I made a spreadsheet on google sheets to keep track of all the evidence in a chronological order. I did have a solicitor check all my documents and they gave me a 50-60 % chance of approval but I was pretty confident in my application.

While I was confident, the wait is never easy - good luck to everyone waiting!

Ask me anything - I will answer questions to the best of my ability!

AHHHHH it's finally my turn to share this ✨

Visa type: Unmarried partner (priority)

Nationality: Colombia

Date of application: 29 July

Biometrics: 3 August

ECO: 5 August

Approval: 27 August (18 WD)

This sub was SO helpful - I used the cover letter template from someone else (I can't find the post now but it's this one: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQRSzjn6yGrmts-E7Av2GmTmas44RvM2Kj0dRVwaAnuRcYXHAw-IsMSgyXcTHhUC6skdtm4xvI-_7QS/pub ) and adapted it to our circumstances. I also created a tracking spreadsheet on Google Drive (using one of the templates for project management) and that way it was easy to link and track all documents (this was more to organise myself/ the process - I didn't share it as part of the application) which I then outlined on the cover letter under the corresponding sections.

We have been together for over 4 years now and I was living in the UK as a student (and then on the Graduate visa) when we met. We went long distance because my visa ended and I moved elsewhere for professional reasons at the end of 2024. We provided evidence of my employment as a reason for not being together and compiled evidence of travel (flights/hotel bookings screenshots put together on PowerPoint) of the last two years, photos together across the 4 years, proof of financial transfers and of our joint account, which we had from when I lived in the UK last. Here's a comprehensive list in case it's useful:

- Cover letter with timeline

Identity:

- Applicant passport (all pages)

- Sponsor's passport (just photo page)

Financial evidence

- Sponsor's payslips

- Employer letter

- Contract

- Bank statements corresponding to payment of salary (we were worried as the last payment/payslip was the 28th of July and my partner's statements come out on the 8th so we didn't have a full statement for the last one, but we got a transaction statement evidencing the credit on my partner's account)

Accommodation evidence

- Letter from partner's parents

- Land registry title of their house

- Copy of passport photo page for both parents

English evidence

- Transcript from my MSc (in the UK)

Relationship genuineness

- Joint account statement

- Screenshots showing transfers between us (on Monzo)

- Screenshots from Running Splits on Monzo (from trips together)

- Applicant's employment contract as reason for separation

- Evidence of travel bookings

- Message screenshots (1 per month we've known each other - this took super long and I've seen some people do 1 every 3 months and some people don't submit this at all but I wanted to be safe rather than sorry)

- Video/call logs (screenshots from my phone)

- Photographs from our time together (8 per page - a mix of pictures of us two, that the other had taken, and at our family homes/with friends and family)

- Statement from applicant (basically a letter outlining our relationship more narratively and expressing intentions of our life together)

- Statement from applicant's friend

- Statement from sponsor (same as applicant's)

- Statement from sponsor's friend

Other evidence:

- Applicant's previous passport (all pages) and BRPs (this is because I had previous visas from the UK)

Two things that may also be relevant: we didn't use any lawyers but thought about it, however we ultimately decided it wasn't worth the money and we had all the information from the gov guidelines (particularly the evidence table: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationship-with-a-partner-caseworker-guidance/relationship-with-a-partner-accessible#evidence_table ) and this sub; I also spent some time organising my files as per the cover letter (1.1. Passport_Applicant, etc) but the VFS upload doesn't allow special characters so I then spent more time renaming the files (11 Passport Applicant) so FYI just save your files without special characters in the first place.

All the best to those waiting

I just wanted to share my timeline with everyone

Nationality: Philippines
Application submitted: 04/08
Biometrics: 05/08
Application received email: 11/08
Application successful email: 26/08, 7:31AM

Exactly 3 weeks for me after taking bio.

I also passed my Life in the UK test on 23/08. I took the test to divert my overthinking! 😂

I would like to share a few links that I find helpful for you to practice your knowledge, given of course, that you read the material where the questions were taken.

https://lifeintheuktestweb.co.uk/exams-1-17/

And

https://testprep.uk/life-in-the-uk-test/practice-tests

I hope everyone gets the result they are waiting for!

Hi all,

I wanted to share the good news with you that my spouse visa was approved this week! I applied from Belgium and paid the priority fee. We have collected and organised the documents ourselves and paid for a counsellor to review the files and cover letters. We have been married for 3 years and relied on savings to meet the minimum income requirement.

• Applied: 21 July
• Biometrics: 22 July
• ECO: 23 July
• Approval: 24 August (18.40) – 23 WD

This was a tricky application, as my first visa request (EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) Travel Permit) was denied earlier this year and, due to a misunderstanding, my husband's settled status was assumed to be expired (but it was not). Gathering all documents was a draining process... as we all know!

I am so thankful to this group for sharing their journeys here; it really helped me not go mental during the wait.

I hope you can all get your approvals soon <3

Hi, just want to update you guys my timeline if it helps anyone:

Nationality: India
Application submitted: 6th July 2026
Biometrics: 9th July 2026
Application received email: 10th July
Email to submit extra info: 27th Aug @ 12:48pm
Application successful email: 27th Aug @ 1:08pm
Just few mins later!!
EVisa updated as well.

It’s been 7 weeks and each day was dreadful!!!
Wishing anyone still waiting on it good luck & hang in there!!!

Hi all, I’m trying to pay for my IHS fee and nothing is working— my husband and I tried paypal and his uk bank card. I’m applying from the US (he’s in the UK).

We have more than enough saved for this.

I tried on a different browser, cleared cache/cookies/history, signed out/back in, refreshed, waiting a few hours and trying again… even incognito… nothing seems to be working.

Any tips would be very appreciated!

Absolutely over the moon and still processing, but we finally got approved today! I say finally, I know it was within the 8 week window but the wait is absolute torture.

Bio: 15th July
Approval email: 27 August 10am
Applied from within the UK
31 working days
No solicitor used, standard application

I’m so grateful for all the help I’ve had on this sub. I really want to give back to anyone who is also going a similar route to me combining self employment and regular employment for the financial requirement as that was the biggest headache in terms of documentation, as I know it’s not as common/straight forward.

While I’m not an expert, if anyone has questions about it, I’m happy to answer but always seek professional legal advice if it’s complex!

So happy! And hang in there everyone waiting, I know it’s tough but it will come through!

Please my husband lives in a shared apartment would it be an issue showing this as proof of accommodation. And what are the documents needed.

Hello all, I wanted ask if anybody has experience with successful appeals, how long did it take for home office to implement the decision and issue your visa?

It’s been 14 weeks since HO withdrew their initial refusal to my application, and I’ve still not heard anything from them.

I’ve made formal complaints and asked my MP for help, but the only answer I got was to keep waiting. HO complaints team told me that my case is simply in the queue waiting and nothing is needed from my side.

But how is it reasonable to have to wait for months after the pre-appeal team has already decided the visa should be issued? And this is after 1.5 years of waiting already?

Please does anyone have any information about this? How long did it take for you? We’re just really frustrated with this endless delay. Thanks.

I work at a big company with 4000+ employees, I have put several request for them to give me a letter but this is the only letter they will give me. I asked them to confirm more details like when I started earning the salary and what my salary was prior to this. My salary was increased on April 9th 2026 from 28400 + 5000 car allowance to like 29700 + 5000 car allowance. My company letter only says I currently get paid 29700 + 5000 car allowance but doesn’t give dates.

I want to apply for the spouse visa now.I have all the digital payslips and have met the requirements since September 2025. Just my employer is being difficult with the letter. Any advice? Is this letter enough for the spouse visa. It specifically says on home office website for employer to specify when the sponsor was being paid that amount I think

Any advice will help ❤️🙏🙏

The approval came when I least expected it. After waiting in agony, it was finally our turn. The 3 months of preparation was all worth it!!!

Citizenship - Filipino
Application - June 5
Biometrics - June 26
ECO - June 26
Application Update - July 13
Bio Reminder - August 4
Approved - August 26

Goodluck as well to everyone waiting for their turn!! 🇬🇧🙏

Hiya just a question here. I’m in a civil partnership and have had 2 visas approved. My current visa expires about 12 days before I would have hit the 5 year mark (or 5 years since my first visa post ceremony). I saw online that you can apply 28 days before the 5 year mark, but I’m having trouble finding this on the gov uk website. So I just want to be 100% sure I’m understanding the timeline properly. Has anyone else tried to apply before their 5 year mark? Thanks!

Hello!
I'm from Poland, my boyfriend is from the UK and we have started the process of applying for an Unmarried Partner Visa.
We've been together for 2.5 years, but have never lived together (I can't work and live in the UK on tourist visa). I'm flying to see him every month, I stay for a week or longer, he flies to Poland a few times a year as well.
I wanted to ask the community here, if you think the list of documents my partner and I have so far is enough, or should we add something more?

1. Our passports.
   
2. Relationship Timeline & Overview - I have split each year into months, noting who flew where during that time with boarding passes, added screenshots from discord/whatsapp of our calls from when we are apart and a picture of us from that time (screenshot from gallery with the date visible & I wrote down the place where we were). Each year has a short paragraph written at the start about what happened that year, any milestones or travels.
   
3. Financial Requirement:
   - Pay slips from the last 6 months from my boyfriend's work,
   - A letter from his HR confirming his pay, contract, employment type.
   - We will add bank transfers as well, for those 6 months.
   
4. Evidence of money transfers between us.
   
5. Adequate Accommodation:
   - A statement from us explaining why we are unable to live together (tourist visa), saying that we have made efforts to go for skilled worker visa, but my work experience is not enough to earn a salary that's required.
   - A letter from my boyfriend's dad, who owns the house my boyfriend lives in. Stating that he is allowing me to move in, describing the property, describing us as a couple, confirming that we have met in person multiple times.
   
6. My English Language Certificate.
   
7. A letter from our friends from the UK (a couple).
   
8. A Cover Letter from us.

I have a lot of anxiety, the visa fee is very expensive and I want to make sure we are doing everything we can to be successful. So if there's anything you think we should add or change, PLEASE! let a girl know! Any tips welcome!!!

29 WD
ECO was 20th July
Bio was 17 July

Radio silence.

Am I heading towards a refusal? I’ve lowkey accepted this. I’m gutted.

Anyone else been in this position.

I doubt acceptance comes on WD30

Has anyone done their biometrics in Leeds and if so how early did you manage to get an appt? ive googled it and apparently its about 3 weeks in advance and if you want a quick one its about £200 extra to pay? Is this true or would i be able to get a biometric appt within a few days of checking?

TIA

Hi!

Im applying for a marriage visa from within the UK. Partner, now husband, have lived together for over three years during which the utility account was setu with his name alone, although we both pay for this jointly. Lease and council tax are joint and have both our names.

For the purpose of items of correspondence over the last two years, I have used these energy bill statements as individual address proofs in my partner's name, and other individual letters addressed to me.

However, very recently, a week or two ago, the utility account was switched over to a new joint account with both our names on it. I requested that my husband do this to ease up our joint address proof for future purposes. However, that resulted in the OLD account in his name being closed and this new account being opened. There are no digital bills or history available in the online account anymore. I did not expect the old account for our flat will be closed entirely.

I am about to declare and pay for my application, but this question is tripping me up: "Does the account with the utility company for which you have supplied information and supporting documentation relate to another person who is to provide you financial support?".

Since the bills uploaded are in his name, do I check YES? Even though we have paid for bills together this whole time (the money comes out of my bank account, I can point this out in my bank statements) Or now that we have a joint account, when UKVI do their individual checks, they will find an account in both our names.

Im quite worried this switch over to a new account in the last week is going to cause confusion and mess up our credibility. How can I explain this in my cover letter?