One of the many requirements you must fulfil to be eligible for a UK Spouse visa (or a UK Partner visa or Civil Partner visa) is the requirement for appropriate housing. It means that wherever you stay in the UK, your home will be approved for occupancy, follow health and safety standards, and not be overcrowded.
Additionally, you must show that you won’t need to use any public funds to get this accommodation. It includes avoiding requesting public assistance or using the UK welfare system.
To achieve this, you will generally need to provide proof that the place you choose to stay will be owned purely by your family or used just for your line of work.
What Are the UK Spouse Visa Accommodation Requirements?
Your UK accommodations must meet four essential criteria before applying for a spouse visa. What you provide must:
- Exclusively belong to you or your family and be legally owned or occupied.
- Be obtained without using taxpayer money.
- Be not too crowded.
- Not violate laws governing public health and safety.
You must follow specific standards and requirements to fulfil the UK spouse visa accommodation noted below.
Also Read: Latest UK Visa and Immigration News (September 2022)
What Are the Legal Exclusive Occupancy Requirements?
#1 – Exclusive Occupancy Requirement:
There are two parts to the genuine, exclusive occupancy requirement. The first is the requirement that you reside in a home only your family owns or occupies. It does not imply that you and your spouse must occupy the entire property. It simply means that a specific property area must be dedicated for you and your spouse to live on.
The entire property may be divided among you and your spouse’s relatives, close friends, or unrelated roommates. For example, the rules permit sharing communal spaces like kitchens and restrooms. Most importantly, you and your spouse have an area designated solely for your use and occupancy (like a bedroom).
#2 – Legal Occupancy Requirement:
The need for the accommodation to be legally owned or occupied by your family is referred to in the second section of the legal, exclusive occupancy requirement. You must confirm this with paperwork proving that you and your spouse are allowed to occupy the property, such as:
- A mortgage agreement.
- The property’s title deed.
- Rent is paid consistently and on time, and the applicant legally occupies the property according to a tenancy agreement or a letter from the landlord evidencing these facts.
- A council letter confirms the occupier’s right to live there legally and proves the basis for that occupation (if the property is rented from a local council).
Let’s say a friend or relative will cover your travel expenses. If so, you will also need to provide a statement stating that they will permit you and your spouse to stay in their home and that they have the legal right to lease their property or accept you as lodgers. A document confirming the friend’s or family member’s legal ownership or occupancy of the property must also provide.
Also Read: How Important to Get Regulated Immigration Advice From Immigration Solicitors in London?
Overview of Overcrowding Requirements:
You must prove to the Home Office that the housing you choose in the UK won’t be overcrowded following the Housing Act of 1985. If one of the following situations happens, the accommodation will consider being overcrowded:
- There aren’t enough bedrooms in the property for two people of the same gender who are at least 10 years old and not a couple, to sleep in separate rooms.
- More persons than the guidelines permit are occupying a single property.
Depending on the size of the space and the inhabitants’ ages, a single bedroom can accommodate a certain number of people. Only spaces of 50 square feet or more qualify as bedrooms. Additionally, areas like living rooms—but not kitchens and bathrooms—might be considered bedrooms.
Conclusion:
The Spouse visa has an accommodation requirement to ensure that you will have a secure and comfortable place to stay in the UK. It will verify that your accommodation satisfies many requirements, including not being overly crowded and legally permitted for your occupancy.
Hire My Legal Services for any questions and concerns about UK spouse visa accommodation. Our professional spouse visa solicitor provides immigration advice that helps you to smooth your procedure.