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Welcome to Cohabitation guidance

This page will explain in greater detail the cohabitation based on differtent immigration routes of a genuine relationship.

Key routes are Appendix FM and the Points-Based System,  demonstrating you in a genuine relationship.
Welcome to English Guidance

This page will explain in greater detail the English requirement levels, types of visas that need English and English routes to becoming British.

English evidence must come from certain approved sources.
Welcome to English Guidance

This page will explain in greater detail the English requirement levels, types of visas that need English and English routes to becoming British. English evidence must come from certain approved sources.

English Guidance

English Guidance

Cohabitation Guidance


Cohabitation can cover various visa routes and UK settlement.


What does cohabitation mean?

Two people living together regardless if one or both parties require a visa. If you are classed as a married/civil partnership or unmarried partner, cohabitation is required unless exceptional circumstances applies. How people live their lives can be complex and can be not straightforward.


Below visa routes will help you to understand part of the visa route but check the document check list for a list of documents you must provide us.

  • Leave to Enter - Spouse/Partner under Appendix FM

    You will need to demonstrate you are in a genuine relationship with your UK partner. You have two scenarios:

    1. UK partner living outside the UK.
    2. UK partner living in the UK.

    Living outside the UK

    If your partner is British and they return to the UK, different rules apply. If you both are living together, you will need to provide two years of evidence of living together.


    See cohabitation tab below for guidance.

  • Leave to Remain - Spouse/Partner under Appendix FM

    You will need to demonstrate you are in a genuine relationship with your UK partner. You have two scenarios:

    • UK partner living outside the UK.
    • UK partner living in the UK.

    British partner living outside the UK

    If your partner is British and they return to the UK, different rules apply. If you both are living together, you will need to provide two years of evidence of living together. If you not lived together for two years, you have to demonstrate why.


    British partner living inside the UK

    If your partner is British and they live in the UK and you are living outside the UK, you will need to provide evidence of a genuine relationship. Genuine relationship can be evidence of:

    • Meeting one another
    • Chats such as Facebok, WhatsApp etc.
    • Hotel bookings in joint names
    • Travel tickets together showing your names and seat numbers
    • Family pictures being together
    • Holiday trips together
    • Paying jointly for anything
    • Anything else you can provide.

    Applying to remain in the UK

    If you hold a spouse visa and need to apply to remain in the UK, you will need 24 months of cohabitation evidence.


    Evidence can be in joint names or in your own names.


    If the period started 01/07/2024 to 30/06/2026, you should provide evidence to cover these periods:

    1. 03/06/2024 to 01/07/2024, then
    2. October-December 2024, then
    3. June-July 2025,
    4. October-December 2025, then
    5. June-July 2026

    You must provide at least 6 documetns showing your full name, address and dated on official business stationery.


    You must provide at least 3 unique documents per person. Council tax is a unique document, P60, financial statement etc. You cannot just provide the same bank styatements to cover your cohabitation.


    See cohabitation tab below for guidance.

  • Settlement - Spouse/Partner under Appendix FM

    You will need to demonstrate you are in a genuine relationship with your UK partner since UK entry or switching visas in country and provide cohabitation evidence covering 30 months. 


    Cohabitation evidence can be in joint names or in your own names.


    If the period started 01/01/2024 to 30/06/2026, you should provide evidence to cover these periods:

    4/12/2023 to 1/1/2024, then

    June-July 2024, then

    October-December 2024, then

    June-July 2025, then

    October-December 2025, then

    June-July 2026.


    You must provide at least 6 documents showing your full name, address and dated on official business stationery.


    You must provide at least 3 unique documents per person. Council tax is a unique document, P60, financial statement etc. You cannot just provide the same bank statements to cover your cohabitation.


    See cohabitation tab below for guidance.

  • Leave to Enter - Points-Based System

    You will need to demonstrate you are in a genuine relationship with your partner who is being sponsored in the UK for work, study or business.


    You need to be living together for 24 months but only provide evidence the start of the two years and evidence within 28 days of your visa submission date.


    Example you submit your visa on 31 July 2026, evidence should be dated on or just before 31 July 2024 and evidence dated between 3 JUly to 31 July 2026.


    Documents can be in your own names or joint names.


    See cohabitation tab below for guidance

  • Leave to Remain - Points-Based System

    You may not need to demonstrate you are still in a genuine relationship with your partner who is being sponsored in the UK for work, study or business.


    The Home Office may request evidence but they must request this.

  • Settlement - Points-Based System

    You will need to demonstrate you are in a genuine relationship with your UK partner covering the past 2 years.


    Cohabitation evidence can be in joint names or in your own names.


    If the period started 01/07/2024 to 30/06/2026, you should provide evidence to cover these periods:

    June-July 2024, then

    October-December 2024, then

    June-July 2025, then

    October-December 2025, then

    June-July 2026.


    You must provide at least 6 documents showing your full name, address and dated on official business stationery.


    You must provide at least 3 unique documents per person. Council tax is a unique document, P60, financial statement etc. You cannot just provide the same bank statements to cover your cohabitation.


    See cohabitation tab below for guidance

  • Cohabitation evidence

    Providing cohabitation evidence must be authentic evidence. The evidence must clearly show the following:

    • your name such as Joy Smith, Mrs J Smith and not Joy or Mrs Smith;
    • full UK post code address of the address lived at that time;
    • date the document was issued.

    Document evidence

    When collating document evidence, you can only submit official documents, below is a guide:

    1. Council tax
    2. HMRC letters
    3. DWP
    4. Financial statements
    5. Utility statements
    6. P60s
    7. Tenancy agreements
    8. GP/NHS letters
    9. Poll cards
    10. Insurance certificates
    11. TV licence
    12. Web enabled device statements
    13. Training institute letters/certificates
    14. Any other official evidence.

    Scanning and naming your documents

    Refer to our support documents on how to scan and name your document evidence.

Passing English is mandatory for most visa applications unless you are deemed as exempt.


The majority of visa applications will require evidence of English which can be an Academic qualification or English test certificate unless you are a holder of a passport approved as an English-speaking country. If you are a national of one of these countries, you meet the English requirements:


Antigua, Australia, Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and the USA.


If your passport is not on the above list, you must provide either:


Either a UK qualification at Academic level. Click here to learn more about the English rules.


If you have an overseas degree taught 100% in English, you will need a ECCTIS report and a letter from the training institute confirming that your degree was 100% taught in English. If you need to pass an English test, these are your only options:



Note: English test results are based on A1, A2, B1 and B2.


Below table explains what level of English you will need to enter or remain in the UK:

Visa Types Leave to Enter Leave to Remain Settlement Naturalisation
Charity Worker N/A N/A X X
Creative Worker N/A N/A X X
Graduate Trainee N/A X X X
Health & Care Worker B1 B1 B1 B1
Innovator Founder B2 B2 B1 B1
International Sportsperson A1 A1 B1 B1
Minister of Religion B2 B2 B1 B1
Religious Worker N/A N/A X X
Representative of an Overseas Business A1 A1 B1 B1
Scale-up Worker B1 B1 B1 B1
Secondment Worker N/A N/A X X
Senior or Specialist Worker B1 B1 B1 B1
Skilled Worker B1 B1 B1 B1
UK Expansion Worker N/A N/A B1 B1
UK Ancestry N/A N/A X X
Visit visa (Standard) N/A N/A X X
Visit visa (Medical) N/A N/A X X
Youth Mobility Scheme N/A N/A X X

Above list of visa types are the most common ones but if your visa is not on the list, feel free to contact us for guidance.



N/A = English not required.

X = Not permitted to apply.

Passing English is mandatory for most visa applications unless you are deemed as exempt.


The majority of visa applications will require evidence of English which can be an Academic qualification or English test certificate unless you are a holder of a passport approved as an English-speaking country. If you are a national of one of these countries, you meet the English requirements:


Antigua, Australia, Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and the USA.


If your passport is not on the above list, you must provide either:


Either a UK qualification at Academic level. Click here to learn more about the English rules.


If you have an overseas degree taught 100% in English, you will need a ECCTIS report and a letter from the training institute confirming that your degree was 100% taught in English. If you need to pass an English test, these are your only options:



Note: English test results are based on A1, A2, B1 and B2.


Below table explains what level of English you will need to enter or remain in the UK:

Visa Types Leave to Enter Leave to Remain Settlement Naturalisation
Charity Worker N/A N/A X X
Creative Worker N/A N/A X X
Graduate Trainee N/A X X X
Health & Care Worker B1 B1 B1 B1
Innovator Founder B2 B2 B1 B1
International Sportsperson A1 A1 B1 B1
Minister of Religion B2 B2 B1 B1
Religious Worker N/A N/A X X
Representative of an Overseas Business A1 A1 B1 B1
Scale-up Worker B1 B1 B1 B1
Secondment Worker N/A N/A X X
Senior or Specialist Worker B1 B1 B1 B1
Skilled Worker B1 B1 B1 B1
UK Expansion Worker N/A N/A B1 B1
UK Ancestry N/A N/A X X
Visit visa (Standard) N/A N/A X X
Visit visa (Medical) N/A N/A X X
Youth Mobility Scheme N/A N/A X X

Above list of visa types are the most common ones but if your visa is not on the list, feel free to contact us for guidance.


N/A = English not required.

X = Not permitted to apply.