Overview
FLR(M), formally known as Further Leave to Remain as a Partner under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules, is the application you make to extend your UK leave at the end of your initial Spouse Visa or Unmarried Partner Visa.
The application is made in-country before your existing leave expires. If granted, it gives you another 30 months in the UK on the same terms as your initial visa: you can work, study, and access most public services, but cannot claim benefits.
Updated for 2026: Home Office fees rose by 6-7% on 8 April 2026 across most categories. Confirm the current published fee with us before you apply.
FLR(M) is the bridge between your initial 30-month Spouse Visa and Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). Together with the initial visa, the FLR(M) extension brings you to the 5-year continuous-residence mark needed to apply for settlement.
Key Benefits
Continuity assured
We file your FLR(M) before your current leave expires so you stay lawfully resident throughout, with no gap in your right to work.
Evidence rebuilt
Your FLR(M) needs fresh evidence of relationship, finances, and accommodation. We rebuild the bundle from scratch. Old documents do not carry over.
Income gap planning
Where your sponsor's income drops below £29,000 in a relevant period, we map the savings, self-employment, or non-employment income alternatives that still qualify.
ILR-ready record
Every FLR(M) we file is set up for the ILR application that follows. We track absences, English certificates, and Life in the UK readiness from extension day one.
Our Service Packages
Advice Package
A one-to-one consultation with a Glasgow immigration adviser. We confirm whether FLR(M) is the right route, audit your current evidence, and lay out a clear action plan.
From £150 + VAT
Application Package
Full end-to-end FLR(M) application. We prepare every document, complete the online form, and submit on your behalf. Includes one revision after Home Office contact.
From £750 + VAT
Document Check
Already prepared your application? Our advisers review every document and the completed form before you submit, with a written checklist of any gaps.
From £250 + VAT
Refusal Review and Re-Application
If your FLR(M) was refused, we review the refusal letter and rebuild the application or advise on administrative review and appeal grounds.
From £500 + VAT
UK FLR(M) Requirements 2026
FLR(M) extension applications are decided against Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules. Both the applicant and the sponsor must continue to meet the same core requirements that applied at the initial Spouse Visa stage, with the addition of an A2 English standard.
Relationship requirements
- You and your sponsor must still be in a genuine, subsisting relationship
- You must intend to continue living together permanently in the UK
- You must still meet the suitability rules (no relevant criminal convictions or immigration breaches)
- If you have separated since the initial grant, FLR(M) is not the right route
Financial requirement
The financial requirement is the same as the initial Spouse Visa: your UK-based sponsor must demonstrate a minimum income, currently £29,000 per year. Income can come from employment, self-employment, pensions, savings, or a permitted combination.
| Income source | Evidence period | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Salaried employment, same employer 6+ months | 6 months | Payslips + employer letter + bank statements |
| Salaried employment, less than 6 months | 12 months | Combined Category A or B evidence |
| Self-employment | Last full financial year | SA302, accounts, business bank statements |
| Cash savings | 6 months | £16,000 + 2.5 × shortfall (calculation specific) |
| Pension or non-employment income | 12 months | P60 / pension statements / letting agent statements |
⚠️ Important: The income threshold is set to rise to £38,700 in line with the planned phased increase. Transitional rules apply if your initial visa was granted under the £18,600 or £29,000 thresholds. Call us on 0141 496 0321 to confirm the figure that applies to your extension.
English language requirement
FLR(M) applicants must demonstrate English at CEFR A2 level in speaking and listening. This is one level above the A1 standard required for the initial Spouse Visa. You can satisfy the requirement by:
- Passing an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) at A2 with a Home Office-approved provider
- Holding a degree taught in English with Ecctis confirmation if non-UK
- Being a national of a majority English-speaking country listed in Appendix English Language
- Holding an existing UK qualification used to satisfy the A1 requirement at initial visa stage (in some circumstances)
Accommodation requirement
The couple must continue to have adequate accommodation in the UK that is exclusively available to them and any dependants, without recourse to public funds. The accommodation must not be overcrowded under the Housing Act 1985. Owner-occupied, tenanted, or family-provided accommodation can all qualify with the right evidence.
Documents Required for FLR(M)
An FLR(M) application succeeds or fails on the strength of its evidence bundle. Old documents from your initial Spouse Visa application do not carry over. Every category needs fresh evidence covering the period since your last grant.
Relationship evidence
- Original marriage or civil partnership certificate (still valid)
- Cohabitation evidence covering the full period since the initial grant: joint utility bills, joint tenancy or mortgage, joint bank statements
- Family photographs across the period
- Letters from family or friends confirming the relationship is ongoing
- Any travel documents showing trips taken together
Financial evidence
- 6 months of payslips (or 12 months if employment is under 6 months with current employer)
- Employment contract and letter from employer confirming role, salary and start date
- 6 months of bank statements showing salary credits matching payslips
- Most recent P60 from the sponsor’s employer
- Self-employed: SA302, last full year accounts, business bank statements
- Savings: 6 months of statements showing the qualifying amount held continuously
Accommodation evidence
- Tenancy agreement or property deeds in the sponsor’s or applicant’s name
- Most recent council tax bill
- Recent utility bill addressed to the applicant or sponsor
- Where staying with family, a letter from the property owner plus their tenancy agreement or deeds
English language evidence
- SELT certificate at A2 dated within validity (typically 2 years)
- Or qualifying degree certificate plus Ecctis statement (non-UK awards)
- Or passport showing qualifying nationality for the exemption
Identity and immigration history
- Current passport and any previous passports covering the qualifying period
- Biometric Residence Permit (or eVisa screenshots if the BRP has expired)
- Police certificate from any country lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years (where applicable)
How to Apply for FLR(M)
Every FLR(M) application is made online through the gov.uk service. The process moves through five practical stages once we have agreed scope.
Stage 1: Strategy and timeline
We confirm that FLR(M) is the right route, agree a target submission date based on your current expiry, and book a biometric appointment slot at UKVCAS Glasgow on Bath Street. The 28-day pre-expiry window dictates the submission window.
Stage 2: Evidence build
We send a personalised checklist by category and start collecting documents. Your sponsor pulls payroll and accommodation evidence; you assemble identity documents and any English language certificates. We chase what is missing.
Stage 3: Application preparation
We complete the FLR(M) online form, draft your supporting cover letter setting out how each requirement is met, and label every document for upload. The cover letter is not a Home Office requirement, but it materially shortens decision times when written well.
Stage 4: Submission and biometrics
We submit the form, pay the application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge, and confirm your biometric appointment. You attend with your passport. Documents are uploaded either in advance through UKVCAS or on the day at the centre.
Stage 5: Decision and grant
The Home Office issues a decision, typically within 8 weeks on standard service. A successful decision gives you a 30-month extension with the same conditions as your initial visa. We update your eVisa record and diary the next milestones, including ILR eligibility.
FLR(M) Costs and Processing Times 2026
The total cost of an FLR(M) application has three Home Office components: the application fee, the Immigration Health Surcharge, and the biometric capture fee. Adviser fees are separate.
| Cost | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FLR(M) application fee | £1,048 | Subject to 6-7% rise from 8 April 2026 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £1,035 / year | Paid upfront for the full grant period (~£2,587 for 30 months) |
| Biometric enrolment | Included | Captured at UKVCAS appointment |
| Priority service | +£500 | Decision within 5 working days where slots available |
| Super-priority service | +£1,000 | Decision by end of next working day |
Total Home Office cost (standard, 30-month grant): approximately £3,635 per applicant. Dependants under 18 pay the same application fee plus a discounted IHS rate. Fee waivers are available where the applicant is destitute under specific criteria.
Processing times in 2026
Standard FLR(M) processing is approximately 8 weeks from biometrics. Cases referred for further checks can take 6 months or longer. Priority and super-priority services materially shorten the wait but do not guarantee approval, only the speed of decision. We use priority where the applicant has time-sensitive employment or travel commitments.
What happens after FLR(M) is granted
Your 30-month extension brings the total time you have spent on the partner route close to 5 years. Once you reach 5 years of continuous lawful residence under Appendix FM, you are eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). At ILR you must demonstrate B1 English (one level above A2) and pass the Life in the UK test. We start ILR preparation 6 to 9 months before your extension expires.
Read our guide to ILR after the partner route
Frequently asked questions
You can submit FLR(M) up to 28 days before your current leave expires. Submit too early and the application is invalid; submit after expiry and you are an overstayer. The safe window is roughly 21 to 14 days before expiry. We diary the date for every Glasgow client.
FLR(M) is for partners and dependent children of someone settled in the UK under Appendix FM. FLR(FP) is the Family and Private Life route used where Appendix FM cannot be met but Article 8 (right to family or private life) applies. Most Spouse Visa extensions are FLR(M); FLR(FP) is an exceptional-circumstances route.
Yes. The financial requirement applies at each stage of the partner route: initial visa, FLR(M) extension, and ILR. The threshold currently sits at £29,000 per year for sponsors and is set to rise to £38,700 in line with the planned phased increase. We confirm which figure applies to your case before filing.
Only as a documentary source. We collect six months of payslips, your employment contract, and a current employer letter confirming your role and salary. Your employer does not have to do anything beyond providing those documents. Sponsorship by an employer is not relevant to this route. Your sponsor is your UK partner.
A2 CEFR (speaking and listening). This is one level higher than the A1 you needed for the initial Spouse Visa. You take a Secure English Language Test with an approved provider, or rely on a qualifying degree, qualifying nationality exemption, or pre-existing pass. The certificate must be valid at the date you submit.
In some cases, yes. If your circumstances have changed (a new job offer leading to Skilled Worker, completion of a UK qualification leading to Graduate, or a relationship breakdown that triggers Domestic Violence ILR), switching may be both possible and preferable. We assess the alternatives at the advice stage.
Standard service is approximately 8 weeks from biometrics to decision. Priority service (5 working days) and super-priority service (next working day) are available for an additional fee where slots are released. Glasgow biometric appointments are available at the UKVCAS centre on Bath Street.
You usually have 14 days to request an administrative review of the refusal, where the case is re-examined by a different caseworker. There is no full right of appeal at FLR(M) unless human rights grounds are raised. We review every refusal letter against the Immigration Rules to identify whether administrative review, fresh application, or judicial review is the right next step.