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The 2024 Spouse Visa minimum income requirement timeline
To qualify for a Family Visa, you need to meet a financial requirement as part of the eligibility criteria. The minimum income requirement can be met from the visa applicant’s income, the sponsor’s income or a combination of the two sources. It is usual for Spouse Visa applicants to rely solely on their sponsor’s salary because if they are working overseas, they will be leaving their job to come to the UK and will not have a job and evidence of salary in the UK.
The changes to the minimum income requirement may catch some Spouse Visa applicants out. The estimated timeline is:
| Date | Family Visa minimum income requirement |
| Currently | £18,600* |
| Spring 2024 | £29,000 |
| January 2025 | £38,700 |
| * The figure is higher if the visa applicant is accompanied by children and the children are not British citizens | |
Since the UK government announced the increase in the financial requirement for the Family Visa there have been twists and turns. Initially, the rise to £38,700 was said to be scheduled for Spring 2024 but the Home Office now says the increase will be phased with the minimum income requirement rising to £29,000 in Spring 2024. The prime minister is reported to have said that January 2025 is the date when the financial requirement will increase to £38,700.
To complicate matters, the UK is due to have a general election in 2024 or 2025 so Immigration Solicitors do not know how the current planned timeline may change or the opposition parties planned Family Visa minimum income requirement policies.
Given the uncertainty, Spouse Visa Solicitors are recommending that you apply for your Spouse Visa before 2025 if you and your sponsor fall into an income bracket of under £38,700 gross per year.
If you and your sponsor earn less than £29,000 the timeframe is tighter as you need to make your application before Spring 2024.
