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UK Partner Visa Financial Requirement: How the £29,000 Rule Works
For most first applications on the UK partner route made on or after 11 April 2024, GOV.UK says the applicant and partner usually need a combined gross annual income of at least £29,000. That figure is not a universal rule for every extension or circumstance. Some earlier applications use transitional thresholds, and a partner receiving specified disability or carer benefits follows an adequate-maintenance test instead. Eligible savings can also be used under a separate formula. This guide explains those boundaries and the planning arithmetic without assessing a personal application.
Which UK partner visa rule this guide covers
This page is about the financial requirement for a family visa as a partner or spouse under Appendix FM. It is not a guide to visitor permission, work routes, or the amount charged for an application. The partner's immigration status, relationship category, application location and date can affect which instructions apply. Start with the current GOV.UK partner or spouse route page and the exact online application before relying on a summary.
Relationship eligibility and financial evidence are separate questions. GOV.UK describes partner categories that include spouses and civil partners, some unmarried couples who have lived together, and some couples who have been in a relationship for two years but cannot live together. Living in different countries does not by itself decide either issue. For the relationship categories, see LovHQ's UK fiancé versus partner or spouse guide. This article focuses only on the financial requirement once someone is considering the relevant family route.
The £29,000 income threshold for most new applications
The current GOV.UK financial page says a partner application usually needs combined income of at least £29,000 a year. The Immigration Rules specify a gross annual income threshold of £29,000 for a first partner-route application made on or after 11 April 2024, unless a different rule applies. “Gross” means before tax and National Insurance. Do not compare a take-home pay figure with the threshold as if the two are the same measure.
The word “usually” matters. The date of the first application and whether the person is applying for entry clearance, further permission or settlement can change the rule. A person who first applied before 11 April 2024 may fall under a transitional arrangement when extending with the same partner. A partner receiving certain disability or carer benefits may use a different test. Use the live GOV.UK financial requirement page and the current Immigration Rules Appendix FM for the relevant date and application stage.
The threshold is not a judgement about the relationship and it is not a promise that meeting one number guarantees a visa. The applicant still has to satisfy the relevant route requirements and provide evidence in the required form. A general article cannot check a couple's documents, identify every exception or predict a Home Office decision.
How the cash-savings formula works
For the current first-application partner rule, the Immigration Rules allow specified cash savings to meet some or all of the gap between eligible gross annual income and £29,000. The formula is £16,000 plus 2.5 times the shortfall. The £16,000 is a base amount; savings below that figure do not contribute under this formula.
For example, if the eligible income figure is £25,000, the shortfall is £4,000. The illustrative savings amount is £16,000 plus 2.5 × £4,000, which equals £26,000. If no eligible income is being relied on, the calculation is £16,000 plus 2.5 × £29,000, or £88,500. These examples show the arithmetic only. Whether an income source or savings account qualifies depends on the application stage and detailed rules.
Cash savings have evidence conditions. The specified-evidence rules generally require bank statements showing that the required amount was held in an account in the applicant's name, the partner's name or both jointly throughout the six months before the application, plus a declaration of the source of the funds. The account must meet the rules for accessibility and the institution. There are specific provisions for some recent property sales or investments, so a new deposit is not automatically disqualified, but its history and source need to meet the rule.
Read the exact provisions in Appendix FM and Appendix FM-SE before relying on savings. Do not assume that a home valuation, credit limit, borrowed money or an investment that cannot be accessed immediately is the same as qualifying cash savings.
Which income sources may count
GOV.UK lists income from employment, self-employment or a limited-company directorship, pension, non-work income such as property rental or dividends, and cash savings above £16,000 among the sources that may count. The detailed rules identify which person’s income can be used and what evidence is required for each category. It is not enough to add every amount that enters a household account.
For work income, the application stage and where the work is based matter. GOV.UK's general evidence page says employment income used in the relevant family application is normally UK-earned, and it links to extra guidance for other situations. The Immigration Rules describe separate provisions for a sponsor returning to the UK and for other circumstances. If one partner currently earns income in another country, do not assume it will count in the same way as current UK employment. Check the exact category in the rules and the official evidence guidance.
Income categories are not freely interchangeable. Salaried work, variable or non-salaried earnings, self-employment, company income, pension, rent, dividends and savings can each have different calculations and evidence periods. Combining sources can be possible, but the combination must be permitted by the rules. The official GOV.UK information and evidence page points applicants to the detailed financial-requirement guidance for these cases.
Evidence planning for a cross-border couple
For a standard UK salaried-employment category where the person has worked for the same employer for at least six months, GOV.UK lists six months of payslips, matching personal bank statements and an employer letter. The letter should confirm the job, salary before tax and National Insurance, length of employment, contract type and how long the current salary has been paid. If the job is newer, the earnings vary, the sponsor is returning from overseas, or the income comes from self-employment or a company, the evidence period and calculation may be different.
Self-employed applicants and sponsors should not replace the required tax, account and business records with a simple annual estimate. The specified-evidence rules set separate requirements for those categories. Likewise, non-employment income such as pension, rent or dividends needs records that establish both the source and the amount. The examples on GOV.UK are an orientation, not a complete checklist for every category.
For cash savings, keep the statements that show the account balance over the required period and prepare the required explanation of where the funds came from. If savings moved between accounts, were recently invested or came from selling property, read the applicable Appendix FM-SE provisions and collect the specific supporting records before applying.
Documents not in English or Welsh need a certified translation under GOV.UK's family-visa instructions. Appendix FM-SE also says that where a specified document must cover a period ending on the application date, the most recently dated part of that evidence must generally be dated no earlier than 28 days before the application. That rule applies to the specified evidence it describes; do not treat it as a universal expiry date for every record.
Two situations where the usual figure may not apply
Transitional applications made before 11 April 2024
GOV.UK says some people who first applied as a partner before 11 April 2024 and are extending with the same partner can use a transitional minimum of £18,600. The page also describes additional amounts for certain dependent children: £3,800 for the first child and £2,400 for each additional child, with the total not exceeding £29,000. The transitional rule can include people whose first application was as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner. Do not apply this lower threshold simply because a couple has been together for years; the application history and current route matter.
Qualifying disability or carer benefits
If the UK-based partner receives one of the benefits listed by GOV.UK, the minimum income requirement may not apply. Instead, the applicant must show adequate maintenance and accommodation without relying on additional public funds. This is a different financial test, not an automatic waiver of every financial or accommodation requirement. The benefit list and linked caseworker guidance can change, so check the current official benefit list and instructions.
Separate this income test from visa fees
The £29,000 figure is not a fee paid to the government. It is a financial requirement tested against eligible income or savings. Application fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge are separate budget items. LovHQ's visa cost calculator estimates selected UK application charges and surcharge amounts from user inputs; it does not check whether income or savings meet the Appendix FM requirement.
A useful planning note for each partner can record the application type, date, income source, gross amount, evidence period, account owner and official page checked. Keep immigration documents in storage the couple controls and only share records needed for the application. A private timeline can help organize dates, but LovHQ's relationship timeline guide is not a financial test or an official evidence checklist.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK partner visa financial requirement in 2026?
For most first partner-route applications made on or after 11 April 2024, GOV.UK says the applicant and partner usually need a combined gross annual income of at least £29,000. Transitional and benefit-related rules differ.
How much savings are needed to meet the UK partner visa requirement alone?
Under the current formula for a first partner-route application, savings alone generally need to total £88,500: £16,000 plus 2.5 times the £29,000 income threshold. The savings must meet the detailed rules, including evidence and holding requirements.
Can savings be combined with income for a UK partner visa?
Yes. For the current first-application formula, qualifying cash savings above £16,000 can cover 2.5 times the gap between eligible gross annual income and £29,000. If eligible income is £25,000, the illustrative savings calculation is £16,000 plus £10,000, or £26,000.
Does the £29,000 threshold apply to every partner visa extension?
No. GOV.UK describes a transitional rule for some people who first applied as a partner, fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner before 11 April 2024 and are extending with the same partner. The current page lists an £18,600 threshold plus certain child-related amounts, subject to a £29,000 cap.
What if the UK-based partner receives a disability or carer benefit?
GOV.UK says a minimum income requirement does not apply when the partner receives one of the listed qualifying benefits. The applicant must instead show adequate maintenance and accommodation under the current rules.
Does living in different countries change the financial requirement?
The income test is separate from the relationship category. GOV.UK includes some partner categories for couples who cannot live together, but the relationship facts and financial requirement each have their own rules. Check the current application guidance for both.
What evidence is commonly needed for salaried income?
For a standard UK salaried-employment category, GOV.UK lists six months of payslips, matching personal bank statements and a dated employer letter with employment and pay details. Other employment histories and income types need different evidence.
Official sources checked for this guide
- GOV.UK: Financial requirements for a partner or spouse application
- GOV.UK: Information and evidence you must provide
- Immigration Rules: Appendix FM family members
- Immigration Rules: Appendix FM-SE specified evidence
- Home Office: Appendix FM family-member caseworker guidance
- GOV.UK: Apply as a partner or spouse
Source-check date: 15 October 2026. The financial requirement, evidence rules and application process can change. Check current GOV.UK instructions for the exact application and date before acting. This guide is general information only, not legal or immigration advice.
For more practical planning, browse all LovHQ guides or use the free relationship-planning tools.