A person who is in the UK with leave to remain which was originally granted for period of more than six months and who is unmarried partner of:
- a British Citizen,or
- a person with ILR, or
- a person with refugee status,or
- as a person with humanitarian protection
can apply to switch into unmarried partner visa from inside the UK as long as he meets all the relevant requirements of the Immigration Rules.
An application for switching into unmarried partner visa from inside the UK is submitted to the Home Office by completing application form FLR (M). We can provide Same Day Visa Service for FLR (M) application for switching into unmarried partner visa.
Switching Into Unmarried Partner Visa Under The Old Rules
A person who applied for switching into unmarried partner visa before 9 July 2012 will be granted unmarried partner visa in accordance with part 8 of the Immigration Rules and will not have to meet the financial requirement of £18,600 gross per annum.
The following persons can still apply for leave to remain as unmarried partner in the UK under the old immigration rules i.e. part 8 of the Immigration Rules even if they are applying for switching into unmarried partner visa after 9 July 2012:
- A person who has leave to enter or remain to exercise his right of access to a child and he applied for such leave under part 7 of the Immigration Rules before 9 July 2012;
- A person with leave to enter as a proposed civil partner which was granted in accordance with rules in place before 9 July 2012;
- A person who was previously granted Unmarried Partner visa under the rules in place before 9 July 2012;
- A person who was previously granted Dependant Child visa under the rules in place before 9 July 2012;
- A person who was previously granted Adult Dependant Relative visa under the rules in place before 9 July 2012;
- Post-flight family member of a person granted refugee leave or humanitarian protection in the UK under the rules in place before 9 July 2012;
- A person who was previously granted 2 years stay under 14 years long residence;
Long Residence and Points Based System (PBS) Dependents
If the main relevant Points Based System (PBS) Migrant gains indefinite leave to remain on the basis of Long Residence any PBS dependent partner will not be able to extend their leave or gain settlement as a PBS dependent and will be required to switch into the unmarried partner of a settled person category and apply for limited leave. Applicants who were granted leave to enter or remain as a PBS dependent before 9 July 2012, whose PBS partner gained indefinite leave to remain on the basis of long residence can under transitional provisions at A280 (C) apply for further leave under Part 8 of the Immigration Rules.
Applicants who were granted leave to enter or remain as a PBS dependent after 9 July 2012, whose PBS partner gained indefinite leave to remain on the basis of long residence will be required to apply to extend their leave as unmarried partner under Appendix FM.
Switching Into Unmarried Partner Visa Under Appendix FM
A person who is not eligible to apply for switching into unmarried partner visa under Part 8 of the Immigration Rules will have to apply for switching into unmarried partner visa under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules.
The applicant applying for switching into unmarried partner visa under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules is required to meet the financial requirement of £18,600 gross per annum unless he is exempt from meeting such requirement due to certain exemptions allowed underpay Appendix FM.
Applicants who were granted leave to enter or remain as a PBS dependent (unmarried partner) after 9 July 2012, whose PBS partner gained Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) on the basis of ten years continuous and lawful residence (ten years long residence category) will be required to apply to extend their leave as unmarried partner under Appendix FM.
Same Day Visa Service For Switching Into Unmarried Partner Visa
We are registered with the Home Office, UKBA, Public Enquiry Office (PEO), Lunar House, Croydon to provide Same Day Visa Service for FLR (M) application to switch into unmarried partner visa from inside the UK. Our immigration lawyers can prepare and submit your FLR (M) application to the Home Office, UKBA, PEO and get quick decision on the application. As FLR (M) application for switching into unmarried partner visa requires biometrics of the applicant, you will have to attend the Home Office, Lunar House, PEO, Croydon with our legal representative on the day we will submit your FLR (M) application. The application submitted through our Same Day Visa Service is usually decided either same day or within 24 hours.
Our Fees For Switching Into Unmarried Partner Visa
- We will charge you a fee from £1000 + VAT for our professional immigration services in relation to your FLR (M) application to switch into unmarried partner visa where you are applying under the old rules (no financial requirement) under paragraph 295D of the Immigration Rules. The agreed fee will depend on the complexity of the matter and the casework involved in the matter.
- We will charge you a fee from £1000 + VAT for our professional immigration services in relation to your FLR (M) application to switch into Unmarried Partner visa where you are applying under the new rules (Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules) and the financial requirement is being satisfied only through employment of the sponsor/applicant. The agreed fee will depend on the complexity of the matter and the casework involved in the matter.
- We will charge you a fee from £1200 + VAT for our professional immigration services in relation to your FLR (M) application to switch into Unmarried Partner visa where you are applying under the new rules (Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules) and the financial requirement is being satisfied through self-employment or savings of the sponsor/applicant. The agreed fee will depend on the complexity of the matter and the casework involved in the matter.
- If you cannot afford to pay our fee in full at the time of instructing us in relation to your matter, you can pay half of the fee at the time of instructing us and rest of the fee can be paid by monthly installments.
- The agreed fee will cover all our work until decision by the Home Office on the application. However, it is pertinent to note that the agreed fee will not cover any disbursements to be incurred by the company on your behalf e.g. translation of documents, Home Office fee etc.