Spouse entry clearance

Visa Type: Spouse entry clearance
Challenge: Not married, did not live together for 2 years, war in Ukraine, Spouse visa
application switch from visitor inside the country.
Outcome: Granted

The client is a 22- years old Ukrainian national who met her British national partner few
years ago. They travelled to Paris before the start of the war in Ukraine, where her partner
made a romantic proposal. They instructed us to assist with Spouse visa. However, as they
wanted to get married in the United Kingdom the earliest available date to register the
marriage was between May 2022-August 2022. The plans changed due to war in Ukraine in
February 2022 when nobody could predict their next steps in terms of travel. The couple
informed us that they wish to proceed with another/ alternative visa to be able to join each
other in the UK as soon as possible. As none of the Ukrainian schemes were available at that
time, we suggested that they apply for marriage visitor visa instead.
Marriage visitor visa was granted within two weeks’ time. The client joined her fiancé in
London in March and subsequently entered into marriage.
Although Immigration rules do not allow to switch from a visitor visa to Spouse visa inside
the country, we submitted her application for a Spouse visa on a discretionary basis due to
exceptional circumstances (war).
Another challenge was that her British Sponsor is a director of his own company, and he was
required to present quite a long list of documents to satisfy financial requirement.
She has been successful in her application and is now on a route leading to settlement after 5
years.

Alexandra Mokrova