UK Spouse Visa Minimum Income Requirement 2026: £29,000 Threshold

The UK Spouse visa minimum income requirement, known in immigration practice as the MIR, is the financial bar that a British citizen or settled sponsor must cross to bring a non-UK partner to live in the United Kingdom under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules. The MIR rose from £18,600 to £29,000 on 11 April 2024, the first of a planned three-stage rise to £38,700 announced by the Home Secretary in December 2023. The second and third stages, originally signalled for late 2024 and early 2025, were paused in mid-2024 pending further Migration Advisory Committee review, and at the start of 2026 the threshold remains at £29,000. The savings alternative is £88,500, and combinations of income plus savings are permitted. The six evidence categories, spanning salaried employment, self-employment, pension income, cash savings, non-employment income, and sponsor income from abroad, each carry distinct documentary rules that drive almost every refusal on maintenance grounds.

What is the current minimum income requirement?

The Spouse visa MIR is £29,000 per year for applications decided on or after 11 April 2024, per paragraph E-ECP.3.1 of Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules on gov.uk. The previous £18,600 figure, set in July 2012 under the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, continues to apply only to applications lodged before 11 April 2024 that were still pending on that date, a transitional protection spelled out in the statement of changes HC 590.

The Home Office announced in December 2023 that the MIR would rise in three stages, from £18,600 to £29,000 in April 2024, then to £34,500, then to £38,700. The second and third stages were paused in May 2024 pending a Migration Advisory Committee review of the family route, and the government reaffirmed the pause through 2025. At the start of 2026 no commencement date has been announced for any rise above £29,000.

How does Category A salaried employment evidence work?

Category A applies to sponsors in salaried or non-salaried employment with the same employer for at least 6 months at the date of application, per paragraph 2 of Appendix FM-SE. The sponsor must provide payslips for the 6 months preceding application, a current employment contract, and bank statements matching the payslip credits. Annual gross salary at the date of application must meet or exceed £29,000, with a lower figure over the full 6 months permitted where the salary has recently risen.

Allowances, guaranteed overtime, and contractual bonuses count towards Category A income where they are regular and evidenced. Discretionary one-off bonuses do not. UKVI caseworkers verify income against bank statements, and any mismatch between payslip and credited amount triggers refusal. Employed sponsors should submit original payslips, or certified digital copies on employer letterhead.

When does Category B apply?

Category B applies where the sponsor has been with the current employer for less than 6 months, or where pay varies month to month, per paragraph 5 of Appendix FM-SE. The test is twofold: the sponsor must show a current annualised gross salary of at least £29,000, and must evidence that gross annual income across the 12 months preceding application was at least £29,000.

Category B is harder to meet than Category A because the 12-month lookback includes any earlier period of unemployment or lower earnings. Sponsors who recently changed jobs for higher pay often struggle, because a mid-year move to £35,000 after six months on £25,000 averages below £29,000. Category B is where the savings combination rules most often become relevant.

How does the savings route work?

The savings-only route requires £88,500 in cash savings held jointly or individually by the sponsor or applicant, under the sponsor or applicant's control, for the 6 consecutive months preceding application, per paragraph 11 of Appendix FM-SE. The figure is calculated as (£29,000 × 2.5) + £16,000, where 2.5 is the number of years to next leave renewal and £16,000 is the fixed income-support threshold used throughout Appendix FM.

Savings must sit in an account accessible without penalty, so fixed deposits with no break clause are excluded. Stocks, bonds, ISAs containing investments, and property are not cash savings. Where savings are combined with income below £29,000, the rule is income shortfall × 2.5 plus £16,000, so a sponsor earning £25,000 with a £4,000 shortfall needs £26,000 in cash savings to bridge.

Do children still add to the requirement?

No. The child additions that applied under the £18,600 regime, £3,800 for a first non-British child and £2,400 for each subsequent non-British child, were removed on 11 April 2024 when the £29,000 threshold took effect, per the statement of changes HC 246. A single figure of £29,000 now covers partner plus any non-British dependent children.

British citizen children and settled children remain outside the MIR calculation, as before. The removal of child additions means many families face a lower overall bar than under the old rules, even though the headline figure has risen. A British sponsor seeking to bring a partner and two non-British children, for example, needs £29,000 rather than the £24,800 plus additions that would have applied pre-April 2024.

How do the six evidence categories compare?

Combining categories is permitted, with specific rules in Appendix FM-SE. The most common combination is Category A or B salaried income plus Category D savings to make up a shortfall, using the 2.5-year multiplier. Combining self-employment with employment is permitted but each element must meet its own evidence rule.

Frequently asked questions

Can the applicant's income count towards the MIR?

Only for in-country applications where the applicant has permission to work. For entry clearance from outside the UK, only the sponsor's income counts, per paragraph E-ECP.3.2 of Appendix FM.

Are there any MIR exemptions?

Yes. Sponsors in receipt of certain disability benefits, Carer's Allowance, or Armed Forces Independence Payment are exempt from the financial requirement, subject to an adequate-maintenance test under paragraph EX.1 of Appendix FM.

Can a job offer be used before starting work?

A sponsor returning to the UK with a confirmed job offer can use that offer to meet Category A, provided the role starts within 3 months and pays at least £29,000, per paragraph 5A of Appendix FM-SE.

What happens at the 5-year extension point?

The MIR applies at each extension. A sponsor who drops below £29,000 between application and extension risks refusal. Continuous MIR compliance across the 5-year route is a practical planning priority.

Can pension income count?

Yes. Category E covers state pension, private pension, and occupational pension income, subject to 28-day evidence. The sponsor must have been in receipt for at least 28 days and show a letter from the pension provider confirming regular payment.

Does rental income count?

Rental income from property owned by the sponsor is counted under Category C (non-employment income), provided the ownership, the tenancy, and the 12-month receipt history are all evidenced with land registry, tenancy agreements, and bank statements.

Will the rise to £38,700 definitely happen?

At the start of 2026 the planned rise to £38,700 is paused and no commencement date has been announced. The Migration Advisory Committee is reviewing family income requirements, with outcomes expected by 2026. Applicants should monitor gov.uk statements of changes.

Sources

• Home Office, Appendix FM, Immigration Rules, gov.uk — version effective 11 April 2024.
• Home Office, Appendix FM-SE (Specified Evidence), gov.uk — accessed April 2026.
• Home Office, Statement of Changes HC 246, gov.uk — laid December 2023.
• Home Office, Statement of Changes HC 590, gov.uk — laid March 2024.
• UKVI, Family life partner and parent caseworker guidance, gov.uk — accessed April 2026.
• UKVI, Visa regulations revised table, gov.uk/government/publications/visa-regulations-revised-table — fee schedule effective 9 April 2025.
• Home Office, Immigration Health Surcharge rates, gov.uk — effective 6 February 2024.

Related reading on kaeltripton.com: UK Family visa, ILR requirements 2026, Bank statement requirements 2026.