UK spouse visa refusal: common reasons in 2026.

Most UK spouse visa refusals are not about whether the couple loves each other — they are about whether the documents satisfy a strict rule. The Immigration Rules (Appendix FM and Appendix FM-SE) set out exactly what documents UKVI expects and what form those documents must take. A document that is present but in the wrong format is treated as missing.

The five most common refusal categories are: (1) the financial requirement is not met, (2) the relationship is not proven to be genuine and subsisting, (3) the English language requirement is not met, (4) the accommodation requirement is not met, and (5) the applicant does not meet the suitability requirements (previous immigration breaches, criminality, or deception).

This guide covers each category in detail, explains why UKVI refuses on each ground, and provides practical steps to avoid or respond to a refusal.

Spouses, civil partners, and unmarried partners preparing a fresh application or responding to a refusal. This includes:

• Applicants whose spouse visa was recently refused and need to understand why
• Couples preparing a new application and want to avoid the most common refusal grounds
• Sponsors in the UK whose partner's visa was refused and are considering administrative review or a fresh application
• Solicitors and immigration advisers preparing representations in spouse visa cases

The bundle for a spouse visa application or response to a refusal should include:

• Financial evidence: Six months of payslips (signed/stamped), corresponding bank statements, employer letter confirming salary and length of employment, P60 for the last full tax year, and the employment contract. For self-employed: SA302, tax year overview, business bank statements, and accounts.
• Relationship evidence: Marriage certificate with apostille if foreign, cohabitation evidence (joint tenancy, joint utility bills, joint bank statements), dated photographs, communication records, travel evidence of time spent together, and supporting statements from family and friends.
• English evidence: SELT certificate at A1 (entry clearance) or A2 (extension) from an approved provider, or a degree taught in English with an NARIC/ENIC equivalence statement.
• Accommodation evidence: Tenancy agreement or property deeds, council tax bill, utility bill, and a property inspection report confirming the property is not overcrowded.
• Immigration history: Previous visas, refusal notices, immigration applications, and biometrics confirmation.

If the application has been refused, the first deadline is the administrative review window: 28 calendar days from the date of the refusal decision if applied from outside the UK, or 14 days if applied from inside the UK. The date on the refusal notice is day zero. Do not wait for the refusal letter to arrive by post — UKVI sends decisions by email as well.

If you are submitting a fresh application, the timing depends on gathering the correct evidence. Bank statements must end no more than 28 days before the new application date. Payslips must cover the six-month period ending no more than 28 days before the application. A fresh application cannot rely on evidence from the refused application if that evidence is now out of date.

The financial requirement threshold should be verified before the application. The current threshold (GBP 29,000) may be subject to change, as may the fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge rate.

Map every document to the specific paragraph of Appendix FM-SE that requires it. UKVI caseworkers check documents against the rule in sequence. If Appendix FM-SE paragraph 3(a) requires payslips to be signed or stamped, and your payslips are unsigned printouts, the payslips are treated as missing regardless of whether the financial information is correct.

For relationship evidence, create a timeline of the relationship from first meeting to the present, with documentary evidence for each phase. UKVI looks for a pattern of genuine commitment, not just a wedding certificate. Evidence of cohabitation, shared finances, travel together, and communication across the duration is more persuasive than a single intensive batch of evidence from the application preparation period.

Include a covering letter that cross-references each document to the relevant rule. This helps the caseworker verify the bundle against the legal requirements and reduces the risk of a document being missed or misattributed.

Bank statements ending more than 28 days before the application date. This is the single most common avoidable error. Even if the statements otherwise meet the requirements, a gap of 29 days between the statement end date and the application date is fatal to the financial requirement.

Unsigned or unstamped payslips. Appendix FM-SE requires payslips to be signed and dated by the employer or accompanied by a letter from the employer confirming their authenticity.

Thin relationship evidence. A marriage certificate alone is not enough. UKVI expects evidence of the relationship throughout the period claimed, not just from the date of the application.

Missing apostille on foreign marriage certificates. A marriage performed abroad must be attested by an apostille from the issuing country. Without it, the marriage is not accepted as documented and the relationship requirement fails.

Wrong English test provider. Only SELTs from approved providers are accepted. Many applicants take a general IELTS test when they need IELTS for UKVI. The two are different — IELTS for UKVI has a unique reference number that UKVI checks.

Suitability issues not addressed. Previous overstaying, refused applications, or criminal convictions must be declared and explained. UKVI will discover these through its own checks, and an undeclared issue is treated as deception and leads to a mandatory refusal under paragraph 9.7.1 of the Immigration Rules.