The short answer
The UK spouse visa requirements are a genuine marriage or long-term relationship with a British, Irish or settled partner, both of you aged 18 or over, a combined income of usually at least £29,000 a year, English at CEFR A1, and a TB test from Bangladesh. The fee from outside the UK is £2,064 plus the health surcharge.
In Bangla
যুক্তরাজ্যের স্পাউস ভিসার জন্য ব্রিটিশ, আইরিশ বা সেটলড সঙ্গীর সাথে প্রকৃত বিয়ে বা দীর্ঘ সম্পর্ক, দুজনেরই বয়স ১৮ বা তার বেশি, সাধারণত বছরে অন্তত £২৯,০০০ সম্মিলিত আয়, CEFR A1 মানের ইংরেজি এবং বাংলাদেশ থেকে টিবি টেস্ট লাগে। যুক্তরাজ্যের বাইরে থেকে আবেদনের ফি £২,০৬৪, এর সাথে হেলথ সারচার্জ দিতে হয়।
Key takeaways
- Your partner must be British, Irish, settled in the UK or hold another status GOV.UK lists, and you must both be 18 or over.
- The minimum income for new partner applications is usually £29,000 a year, combined.
- First-time applicants need English at CEFR A1 through an approved test, unless exempt.
- A first visa lasts up to 2 years and 9 months, and the standard decision time from outside the UK is 12 weeks.
- The visa fee is £2,064, and the health surcharge for 2 years and 9 months is £3,105 per adult.
The UK spouse visa requirements decide whether a husband or wife in Bangladesh can join their partner in the UK. They are demanding: a high income threshold, an English test, a long list of relationship evidence and a twelve-week standard wait. The good news is that each requirement is written down, so a well-prepared file knows exactly what it has to prove.
This guide covers the partner route as GOV.UK describes it in October 2026, for applicants applying from Bangladesh. Family rules have been under review, and the financial rules in particular have changed before, so check the official page for the version in force on the day you apply.
What are the UK spouse visa requirements?
You and your partner must both be 18 or over, in a genuine relationship, and your partner must be British or Irish, settled in the UK, or hold one of the other statuses listed on the GOV.UK partner page, such as protection status. On top of that, you must meet the money, English and suitability rules.
- A recognised relationship: a marriage or civil partnership recognised in the UK, or at least two years of living together. A fiancé or fiancée can apply on the same route for six months, to marry in the UK first.
- Money: usually a combined income of at least £29,000 a year, or savings in some cases.
- English: at least CEFR level A1 in speaking and listening for a first application, unless you are exempt.
- A TB test certificate, because Bangladesh is on the list of countries where the test applies; our TB test guide for Bangladesh lists the clinics.
- Honesty and character: no deception, and the suitability checks that apply to every UK application.
A first partner visa from outside the UK lasts up to 2 years and 9 months. You can then extend for a further 2 years and 6 months, more than once if needed. The route can lead to settlement, but settlement rules have been under review, so check the official page when you plan that far ahead.
How much income does a UK spouse visa need?
For new applications, you and your partner usually need a combined income of at least £29,000 a year, according to the GOV.UK financial requirement page. The older threshold of £18,600, with extra amounts for children, applies only to people extending a partner visa first granted before 11 April 2024.
The detail of which income counts, over what period and with which papers is strict. Salaried income in the UK is usually shown with payslips, bank statements and an employer's letter over a set period; self-employment needs tax returns and accounts. GOV.UK says savings may be used instead of, or alongside, income, with the rules set out in the Immigration Rules. Because the evidence rules are specific, read the official page in full before deciding which category your partner's income falls under.
The rules also expect you to have somewhere to live in the UK without public funds. GOV.UK names council tax bills among the papers that show where a couple has lived; for the accommodation evidence a new arrival needs, check the official page.
What English level is needed for a UK spouse visa?
For a first application you must pass at least CEFR level A1 in speaking and listening through a Secure English Language Test from an approved provider, according to the GOV.UK knowledge of English page. For an extension after 2 years and 6 months you need at least A2, and for settlement B1.
You may not need a test if you have a degree taught in English that Ecctis has assessed as equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree or higher, if you are over 65, or if a physical or mental condition prevents you from meeting the requirement. Book the test early in Dhaka, because results are needed before you submit.
How do you prove the relationship is genuine?
With evidence that tells the story of the relationship over time, not a single certificate. GOV.UK asks about how you met, how often you see each other and, if relevant, how long you have lived together. For a Bangladeshi couple, the file usually includes:
- The marriage certificate (Nikah Nama) with a certified English translation, and any registration papers.
- Photos from the wedding and from time together, with dates and places.
- Records of contact while apart: calls, messages and video chats over months, not only the weeks before applying.
- The UK partner's travel to Bangladesh, shown in passport stamps and tickets.
- Proof of living together, if you have, such as shared bills or tenancy papers.
- Explanations of anything unusual, such as a large age gap or a short engagement, in a signed statement.
Arranged marriages are common and fully lawful. What the officer looks for is a real, continuing relationship and an intention to live together in the UK.
Is a visa agency useful for a spouse visa?
Spouse files are long, and the part that fails most often is the evidence of money, where the period, the payslips and the bank credits all have to agree. Some couples with complex income, such as self-employment or savings, go to a regulated UK immigration adviser. A visa agency in Bangladesh can still help organise the papers, translations and appointment.
Agencies that use Visolv have every paper in the file read and cross-checked, from names and dates to salary credits against payslips, and are prompted to ask for the original when a paper looks edited. Visolv's verified checklist today is for the UK Standard Visitor route, so for a spouse file the caseworker works from GOV.UK's partner rules. For the wider UK process, see our UK visa from Bangladesh guide.
How much does a UK spouse visa cost from Bangladesh?
The visa fee for joining a partner from outside the UK is £2,064, according to the GOV.UK family visa apply page. You also pay the immigration health surcharge of £1,035 a year, which comes to £3,105 per adult for a visa of 2 years and 9 months.
| Cost | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Visa fee, outside the UK | £2,064 | UK Home Office |
| Health surcharge, 2 years 9 months | £3,105 per adult | UK Home Office |
| Priority service, where offered | £500 | UK Home Office |
| TB test, aged 11 or over | 70 US dollars or ৳5,500, by clinic | The approved clinic |
| English test at A1 | Set by the test provider | The test provider |
| Certified translations | Per page, set by the translator | The translator |
The TB fees come from the Home Office list of approved clinics in Bangladesh, last updated in March 2025; check the official page for current amounts. Our breakdown of the UK visa fee for Bangladeshi applicants explains what is and is not refunded after a refusal.
How long does a UK spouse visa take?
The standard decision time for a partner visa from outside the UK is 12 weeks after your biometrics appointment. With priority, where it is offered, family applications from outside the UK usually take about 30 working days. Our page on UK visa decision times explains how the clock is counted. Your TB certificate is valid for six months from the X-ray, so time the test so it is still valid when you apply.
Is a dependant visa the same as a spouse visa?
No. People in Bangladesh often say dependent visa for any visa that lets a husband or wife join someone in the UK, but they are different routes. The spouse or partner visa is for joining a British, Irish or settled partner. A dependant visa is for joining a partner who holds a temporary visa, such as a Skilled Worker or one of the few students allowed to bring family, and it follows that visa's own rules.
The UK spouse visa requirements are demanding but clear: a genuine relationship, an income that meets the threshold, A1 English, a TB test and honest papers throughout. If you want the file organised and checked before submission, go through a visa agency that uses Visolv.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum income for a UK spouse visa in 2026?
For new partner applications, GOV.UK says you and your partner usually need a combined income of at least £29,000 a year. The older £18,600 threshold, with extra amounts for children, applies only when extending a partner visa first granted before 11 April 2024. Savings can sometimes count instead of income. Check the official page before applying, as the financial rules have been under review.
Can the wife's income in Bangladesh count for a UK spouse visa?
GOV.UK describes the threshold as the combined income of you and your partner, but the rules on which income counts, and what evidence it needs, are specific, especially for income earned outside the UK. Do not assume a salary in Bangladesh will count. Read the financial requirement pages on GOV.UK in full, or get advice from a regulated UK immigration adviser.
Which English test is needed for a UK spouse visa from Bangladesh?
You need a Secure English Language Test from an approved provider at CEFR level A1 or higher in speaking and listening for a first application. Approved providers for tests outside the UK include the IELTS SELT Consortium, LanguageCert, Pearson and PSI. Some applicants are exempt, such as those with an English-taught degree assessed by Ecctis or applicants over 65.
How long is a UK spouse visa valid at first?
A first partner visa applied for from outside the UK is granted for up to 2 years and 9 months. Before it ends, you can apply to extend it for a further 2 years and 6 months, and you can extend more than once. The extension needs English at A2. The route can lead to settlement later; check the current settlement rules on GOV.UK.
Do I need a TB test for a UK spouse visa from Bangladesh?
Yes. A spouse visa is for more than six months, and Bangladesh is on the Home Office list of countries where applicants need a TB test. Book it at an approved clinic in Dhaka, Chattogram or Sylhet. The certificate is valid for six months from the date of your chest X-ray, so plan the test close to your application date.
Is a marriage visitor visa the same as a spouse visa?
No. A Marriage Visitor visa lets you come to the UK to marry or form a civil partnership and then leave, for up to six months. It does not let you stay and live with your partner. To live together in the UK, you need a partner visa, or a fiancé visa if you plan to marry in the UK and then stay.
The Visolv team
Editorial team, Easital Technologies (Dhaka)
Visolv is software for visa agencies, made in Dhaka by Easital Technologies: an AI caseworker that reads and checks every paper in a client's file, writes the drafts and builds the upload pack under the agency's own brand. We write about what we see in real visa files from Bangladesh.
