note: This one is from AFF


Am I eligible?

To be eligible for a visa to enter the UK you must meet the following requirements:

Your sponsor is
a member of HM Forces or
has ILR or limited leave following discharge

you are both over 18
you are
married or in a civil partnership or
the fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner of the sponsor or
you have been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years prior to the date of the application

you must intend to live together and be in a subsisting relationship see below under supporting documents for further information

you meet the suitability requirements
you meet the English language requirement
you meet the financial requirement


How do I apply for a visa?

IMPORTANT! You cannot enter the UK on a visit visa if you are planning to settle as you will not be able to switch onto a dependants visa once in the UK.

IMPORTANT! You must travel to the UK within 30 days of the date you indicated on the application form as the intended date of travel. If you do not your visa will be cancelled.

All applicants need to apply for settlement using the online form.

As there is no specific drop down option for Armed Forces on the online form you must choose the following:
Visa Type: Settlement
Visa Sub Type: Husband/Wife/Child/Marriage (if coming to the UK to marry a soldier) etc
You will also have to complete 2 paper-based application forms (VAF-AF and Appendix 2 Financial Requirement Form) which can be found here.
If you are applying to join your husband in the UK for the first time you should tick that you are applying under ‘Appendix Armed Forces’. You should tick the box underneath for ‘Limited leave’
Applicants from some countries will also be required to take a TB test prior as part of the application process. Further information can be found at this link.
You will need to make an online appointment to attend your nearest Visa Application Centre; you will need to ensure you take:
- the printed out application form which you completed online
- the appendix Armed Forces and the VAF(AF) application forms
- evidence that you paid your fee online
- a colour photo
- all supporting documents*
*some visa application centres may require you to post all supporting documents to a different address. They should provide you with information about this. You should ensure you provide a photocopy of all documents as well as the originals. You should also provide a stamped self-addressed envelope for return of documents.

DO NOT submit your sponsors passport with the documents. Submit a photocopy only.

Immigration Health Surcharge

If you are a dependant of an HM Forces member entering the UK under the Armed Forces rules then you are exempt from the health surcharge introduced on 6th April 2015. However you are still required to get an immigration health surcharge (IHS) reference number.

Please note – the online form for settlement which family members must complete to join a solider in the UK does not have an option for exemption from payment for the IHS number. If you do not pay for the IHS number then you cannot complete the visa application.

We have been told that UKVI are changing the form to include an Armed Forces option but we do not know how long this might take. The only solution we have till then is for you to pay the surcharge (a cost of £600 per applicant) and then to request a refund.

What supporting documents do I need?

It is very important that you provide as much evidence as you can of your personal circumstances.

Evidence that the financial requirement is met.
Evidence that the English language requirement is met - IELTS life skills A1
Unit letter to confirm the sponsoring soldier's details. Your unit can find this on Dii - Annex D to DPS(A) PS4(A) Unit Guide
Evidence of marriage and a subsisting relationship*, this is particularly important if you have been separated for a while.
Marriage certificate valid under the law in force in the country of marriage
Evidence of contact during the period of separation e.g. emails, letters, phone statements, any evidence that the sponsor has returned home to visit the applicant
Evidence of financial support from the sponsor, e.g money transfer slips or bank statements showing money being transferred to cover the period of separation
Evidence of suitable accommodation: this can be in the form of a letter from DIO offering you your quarter, or a letter from your unit to confirm that you have been or will be allocated a quarter.
Evidence to explain any gaps in communication/reason for delay in joining spouse in UK: if the soldier has been on operations/exercise or other training it would be advisable to get a unit letter to confirm this.
Statements from applicant and sponsor: If there has been a long separation it would be advisable to include a covering letter or statement detailing your relationship in chronological order.
*if you are not married but are coming to the UK as an unmarried/same sex partner then you will also need to provide evidence that you have been living together and have had a genuine relationship akin to marriage for the 2 years prior to the date of application.

*If you are coming to the UK to get married and then settle here you will need to provide evidence that you intend to get married, evidence that you have met and that you intend to live together. Further information can be found by clicking here.

How long will the application take?

This varies considerably depending on which country you are coming from and whether it is a straightforward application or not, but the average time is probably around 8-12 weeks. The best way to get an idea of how long it will take is to look at the visa processing times on the UKBA website. Click here and select your country from the drop down menu. The UKBA website also advises the following:

You can apply for your visa within three months of your intended date of travel. We are only able to post-date visas by a maximum of three months from the date of the decision on your visa application. You can enter the UK any time after your visa issue date but not before.
We strongly advise applicants not to confirm their travel arrangements to come to the UK until they have received their visa.

We strongly recommend that you do not buy a non-refundable, non-flexible ticket to the UK, until your visa application has been approved and you have received your visa. We do not accept responsibility for any financial loss and we do not fast-track applications solely due to planned date of travel.

Biometric Residence Permits

From April 2015 Biometric residence permits are now issued to foreign nationals from outside the European Economic Area who are granted leave to enter the UK for more than six months. The permits are collected in the UK.

Successful applicants will be issued with a vignette in their passport which is valid for 30 days from the date you indicated as your intended travel date in your visa application. The vignette is proof only of your permission to enter the UK and will allow you to travel to the UK. If you do not travel to the UK within this 30 day period, your visa will expire and you will need to apply for another 30 day visa. You will have to pay a fee for this.

You must collect your biometric residence permit within 10 days of arrival in the UK from the Post Office branch detailed in your decision letter. If you do not collect your BRP within 10 days of arrival in the UK you may be subject to a financial penalty or cancellation of your leave.

For full information click here.

What length of permit will I get?

Whichever is the shortest period of

5 years or
The remaining duration of the sponsors enlistment or
The remaining duration of limited leave if the soldier was not eligible for ILR on discharge or
In the case of a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner, 6 months.
The visas will not enable you to apply for public funds but you will be able to work (unless you are a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner).
28 days before your visa is due to expire and as long as you are still the partner of the same member of HM Forces, you will be eligible to apply for ILR (if you are a fiancé(e) /proposed civil partner you will need to apply for limited leave first - see the 'Visas to remain in UK (applications under new rules) section)).



hope this help someone who in the near future will apply in this kind of visa category.