FLR(M) Application Extending Your UK Spouse or Partner Visa

What is FLR(M)? The Partner Route Extension Explained

FLR(M) stands for Further Leave to Remain in the category of Marriage and Civil Partnership. It is the immigration application used by people already in the UK on an initial spouse visa, civil partner visa or unmarried partner visa who want to extend their stay with their British or settled partner.

The FLR(M) application is submitted online from inside the UK there is no entry clearance equivalent. It uses the Home Office's online application service and is decided by UK Visas and Immigration caseworkers in the UK rather than an Entry Clearance Officer overseas.

FLR(M) is the second of three stages on the partner route. The initial entry clearance visa grants 33 months. FLR(M) grants a further 30 months. After completing both periods approximately five years of continuous leave the applicant becomes eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain via form SET(M).

When to Apply for FLR(M) Timing and the 28-Day Window

The application window for FLR(M) opens 28 days before the current visa expires. You cannot submit the application earlier than this an application submitted more than 28 days before expiry is rejected by the Home Office as premature, not just refused. An application that is rejected is treated as if it was never made.

Most applicants submit at around the 30-month mark of their initial visa. If your initial entry clearance visa was granted for 33 months, the 28-day window opens at approximately 32 months and 2 days from the grant date.

Applying before your leave expires means Section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 automatically extends your existing leave including your right to work while the Home Office processes the application. There is no gap in lawful status. Applying after expiry removes this protection entirely, even by one day.

FLR(M) Eligibility Requirements 2026

The Relationship Requirement

Your relationship must be genuine and subsisting at the date of the FLR(M) application. You must be legally married to, in a civil partnership with, or for unmarried partners in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partnership with your UK partner. You must both intend to live together permanently in the UK.

For unmarried partners, the relationship must have been akin to marriage or civil partnership throughout the qualifying period and for at least two years in total. Evidence of continuous cohabitation across the FLR(M) period is required.

The Home Office requires a minimum of six items of joint correspondence or twelve items of individual correspondence (six per partner) from at least three different sources, covering the period of UK residence since the initial visa was granted. The evidence must run from the beginning to the end of the 33-month period, not just cluster around the application date.

The Financial Requirement MIR at FLR(M) Stage

The financial requirement at FLR(M) stage operates differently from the initial entry clearance application in one important respect: at extension stage, both the sponsor's UK income and the applicant's UK income can be combined to meet the Minimum Income Requirement. At initial entry clearance, only the sponsor's income counted.

The applicable threshold depends on when the couple first entered the partner route.

Worked Financial Examples

The financial evidence rules under Appendix FM-SE govern exactly which documents are required for each income category. The following examples show how the calculation works for common situations.

Example A: Salary alone, same employer for 6+ months (Category A)

The sponsor earns £32,000 gross per year, employed by the same employer throughout. This exceeds the £29,000 threshold. Category A applies. Required evidence: six consecutive monthly payslips and the corresponding six months of personal bank statements showing salary credits, plus an employer letter on official letterhead signed by a senior manager confirming the salary, employment start date, and contract type. No savings evidence is required.

Example B: Transitional case, £18,600 threshold

The couple first applied in January 2024, before the April 2024 threshold increase. Transitional protection applies. The sponsor earns £21,000 gross. This exceeds £18,600. Category A applies with the same evidence requirements. The protection continues through FLR(M) and SET(M) for as long as the couple remains on the same route without a break.

Example C: Combined incomes meeting the £29,000 threshold

The sponsor earns £18,000 from employment in the UK. The applicant also works in the UK and earns £14,000. Combined: £32,000 — above the £29,000 threshold. Both sets of Category A evidence are required: payslips and bank statements for both the sponsor and the applicant, plus employer letters for both. This combined income approach is only available at FLR(M) and SET(M) stages — not at initial entry clearance.

Example D: Salary shortfall met by cash savings

The sponsor earns £25,000 — £4,000 below the £29,000 threshold. Cash savings can plug the gap. The formula is: £16,000 + (2.5 × shortfall) = minimum savings required. Here: £16,000 + (2.5 × £4,000) = £16,000 + £10,000 = £26,000. The couple must hold at least £26,000 in savings, and the savings must have been held continuously for 6 months before the application. Evidence: six months of bank statements for the savings account showing the balance has not fallen below £26,000 at any point.

Example E: Self-employed sponsor (Category F/G)

The sponsor is self-employed and accounts on a tax year basis. The most recent full financial year's SA302 (HMRC tax calculation) or a tax year overview must show income of at least £29,000. Supporting evidence includes the full business accounts for the most recent tax year and an accountant's certificate from a member of a UK Recognised Supervisory Body confirming the income. An accountant who is not a member of a RSB cannot provide this certificate.

English Language Requirement

The English language requirement rises at FLR(M) stage from A1 CEFR (required for the initial entry clearance visa) to A2 CEFR in speaking and listening. The requirement does not cover reading or writing at this stage.

How to meet the requirement:

Secure English Language Test: A test from an approved provider at A2 level or above. If you sat a B1 test for your initial application and it has not expired, it covers the FLR(M) requirement a B1 pass covers both A1 and A2 requirements. Many applicants deliberately sit B1 at initial stage to cover both the extension and ILR in a single test.

Degree taught in English: A degree certificate accompanied by an Ecctis (UK ENIC) confirmation that the qualification was taught and examined in English. The Ecctis assessment must be current.

Majority English-speaking country: A national of a country listed as majority English-speaking in the Immigration Rules is exempt. Examples include the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica and most Caribbean nations.

Age and medical exemptions: Applicants aged 65 or over, and those with a severe long-term physical or mental condition preventing them from meeting the requirement, are exempt subject to GP evidence.

Accommodation Requirement

You must have adequate accommodation in the UK for yourself and your family that you own or occupy exclusively, without statutory overcrowding under the Housing Act 1985 and without contravening public health regulations. For rented accommodation: a tenancy agreement and a signed letter from the landlord confirming the additional occupant may reside at the property, stating the total number of bedrooms and the current occupants. For owned accommodation: a mortgage statement or Land Registry title register entry.

Suitability Good Character Assessment

Every FLR(M) application is assessed against Part Suitability of the Immigration Rules. Mandatory grounds for refusal under Section S-LTR include custodial sentences of 12 months or more, deception in any previous immigration application, deportation orders, and exclusion orders. Discretionary grounds include shorter custodial sentences, previous immigration breaches, and outstanding NHS debt of £500 or more.

All criminal convictions including those that are spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 must be declared. A previous overstay in the UK or abroad must also be declared. Undisclosed convictions that come to light during the application will result in refusal on deception grounds under SUI 6.1, which is a more serious outcome than a straightforward refusal.

FLR(M) Fees 2026

The FLR(M) application fee increased on 8 April 2026. Both the application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge are paid at the time of online application submission before the Home Office has assessed eligibility. Neither fee is refundable if the application is refused.

Fee waiver: A fee waiver may be available for applicants who are destitute or would become destitute by paying the fee. The fee waiver application must be made before submitting the FLR(M) application. Contact Noble Rose for advice on whether you might qualify. 

FLR(M) Processing Time 2026

Standard FLR(M) applications are processed within approximately 8 weeks from the date of the biometric appointment at UKVCAS. Because Section 3C leave covers you from the date of submission, there is no gap in your right to work or lawful status while the application is pending provided you applied before your visa expired.

How to Apply for FLR(M) Online Step by Step

The FLR(M) application is completed entirely online through the Home Office application service on GOV.UK. There is no paper form. The process involves five stages.

Step 1 Complete the online form: Log in or create a UKVI online account on GOV.UK. The application is titled "Extend your stay in the UK as a partner or dependent." Complete all sections accurately. The form takes 1–3 hours depending on your circumstances.

Step 2 Pay the fee and IHS: Pay the application fee (£1,407) and Immigration Health Surcharge (£2,587.50) online by card. Both must be paid before the application is submitted. Choose your processing tier at this stage standard, Priority, or Super Priority.

Step 3 Upload documents or book UKVCAS: After submission you can either upload supporting documents through the UKVI online account or bring them to a UKVCAS appointment. In most cases you book a UKVCAS appointment to give biometrics (fingerprints and photograph). Premium UKVCAS service points offer scanning of original documents at the appointment.

Step 4 Attend the biometric appointment: Attend the booked UKVCAS appointment. Take your passport and all supporting documents. Your fingerprints and photograph are recorded. Travelling outside the Common Travel Area before a decision is made treats the application as withdrawn.

Step 5 Await the decision: The Home Office assesses the application and either grants leave, issues a Request for Further Information (RFI), or refuses. On grant, your eVisa status is updated in your UKVI online account. There is no physical BRP card all grants since January 2025 are eVisa only.

FLR(M) with Dependent Children

Dependent children who hold leave in the UK as dependants on the initial spouse or partner visa can extend their leave at the same time as the main FLR(M) applicant. Each child makes a separate FLR(M) application there is no family application form that covers all family members in one submission.

Each dependent child pays their own application fee of £1,407. The Immigration Health Surcharge for a child under 18 is £776 per year, £1,940 for the 30-month FLR(M) extension period. The total cost per dependent child is therefore £1,407 + £1,940 = £3,347.

For children included in the application, you must show adequate accommodation for the additional occupants and confirm that the family can maintain the child without recourse to public funds. Under the £29,000 threshold, the MIR covers the couple and any children no additional income is required for a child under the new threshold. Under transitional £18,600 cases, each child adds an additional £3,800 for the first child and £2,400 for each subsequent child, subject to a cap: if the amount required would exceed £29,000, the applicant shows £29,000.

A child who has turned 18 since the initial visa was granted can still extend as a dependant provided they have not formed an independent family unit and were last granted leave as a dependant child.

What Changes at FLR(M) Compared to the Initial Application

Several aspects of the FLR(M) application differ materially from the initial entry clearance application. Understanding the differences prevents applicants from preparing the wrong evidence.

The Most Common Reasons FLR(M) Applications Are Refused

FLR(M) refusals most commonly arise from one of four evidential failures. Understanding the specific failure modes helps avoid them.

Financial evidence wrong category or outside the 28-day window

The most frequent cause of FLR(M) refusal is financial evidence that does not meet the Appendix FM-SE specification for the income category being relied on. Common failures include: bank statements that are not stamped by the bank on each page (online statements must carry an official bank header on every page); payslips that cover less than six consecutive months; an employer letter that does not state the gross salary, employment start date, and contract type explicitly; and documents dated more than 28 days before the submission date.

If the sponsor changed employer during the FLR(M) period, this affects the income category. An applicant whose sponsor changed jobs may need to use Category B (employed for less than 6 months with the current employer) rather than Category A. Category B has different evidence requirements and a different assessment methodology.

Relationship evidence gaps or insufficient sources

Relationship evidence that clusters around the application date rather than running throughout the 33-month period fails the continuity requirement. Evidence must show that the couple have been living together throughout the period of leave, not just at the moment of application. A six-month gap in joint correspondence during the middle of the period will attract a refusal, even if the beginning and end are well evidenced.

Evidence from fewer than three different sources also fails the specification. A couple who submit six joint bank statements from the same bank but nothing else have met the quantity requirement but not the source variety requirement.

English language evidence expired test certificate

A SELT certificate from the initial visa application that has expired by the date of the FLR(M) submission is not accepted. Most SELT results are valid for two years. An applicant whose initial A1 or B1 test was sat more than two years before the FLR(M) submission date will need to resit unless they qualify for an exemption. Check your test certificate expiry date before preparing the FLR(M) application.

Suitability undisclosed convictions or immigration history

A conviction or immigration breach that was not declared on the initial visa application and comes to light at FLR(M) stage results in refusal on deception grounds under SUI 6.1. This is a more serious ground than a straightforward suitability refusal. SUI 6.1 attracts a 10-year bar on re-entry under the current rules. Disclose all convictions and previous immigration history even if you believe they are spent or minor and take specialist advice before submitting if you have any concerns. 

After FLR(M), ILR and British Citizenship

FLR(M) brings you to the midpoint of the five-year partner route. After 30 months on FLR(M) you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain via SET(M), provided you continue to meet the relationship, financial, and language requirements. ILR requires English at B1 CEFR (rising to B2 from 26 March 2027), a pass on the Life in the UK Test, and a continuing genuine and subsisting relationship.

After ILR, British citizenship is available under Section 6(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981 after 12 months, or immediately under Section 6(2) if you are married to a British citizen. The naturalisation fee is £1,709 plus £130 ceremony fee. Processing takes approximately 6 months. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the FLR(M) application fee in 2026?

The Home Office application fee is £1,407 from 8 April 2026. The Immigration Health Surcharge is £2,587.50 for 30 months. Total mandatory cost per applicant: £3,994.50. Priority service adds £500; Super Priority adds £800. Each dependent child pays a separate fee of £1,407 plus IHS at the lower child rate of £776 per year.

What is the FLR(M) processing time in 2026?

Standard FLR(M) processing takes approximately 8 weeks from the biometric appointment. Your leave continues under Section 3C while the application is pending. Priority service targets 5 working days check current availability before paying. Super Priority targets the next working day.

Can I use my own income to meet the financial requirement at FLR(M)?

Yes. At FLR(M) stage both the sponsor's and the applicant's UK income can be combined to meet the Minimum Income Requirement. At initial entry clearance stage only the sponsor's income counted. This is one of the most significant differences between the initial and extension applications.

When can I apply for FLR(M)?

No earlier than 28 days before your current visa expires and no later than the expiry date. Check your actual leave expiry date in your UKVI online account your BRP card may show 31 December 2024, which is not your leave expiry date.

What English language level do I need for FLR(M)?

A2 CEFR in speaking and listening. If you sat a B1 or higher test for your initial visa and it has not expired (most results are valid for 2 years), that result covers FLR(M). If the test has expired, you must resit.

Is there a TB test for FLR(M)?

No. The tuberculosis test requirement applies only at the initial entry clearance stage, when the applicant is applying from a listed country outside the UK. FLR(M) is made inside the UK and requires no TB test.

What happens if I apply for FLR(M) after my visa has expired?

You become an overstayer from the date of expiry. Section 3C leave does not apply to out-of-time applications. An overstay is a mandatory ground for refusal under Part Suitability for most subsequent applications, and breaks the continuous lawful leave required for ILR. Always apply before expiry.

Can my children be included in my FLR(M) application?

Dependent children extend separately each child makes their own FLR(M) application. Children under 18 pay the standard application fee of £1,407 plus IHS at £776 per year. A child who turned 18 during the initial visa period can still extend as a dependant if they have not formed an independent family unit.