UK government postpones increase in financial requirement for spouse visas
The Home Secretary has announced that future increases in the financial requirement for spouse visas (and other family visas) will be postponed while the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) conducts a full review.
The previous government had increased the financial requirement from an annual income of £18,600 to £29,000, with further increases planned to eventually bring the annual figure to £38,700 in 2025.
The MAC review is likely to take several months to be completed so the financial requirement will remain at £29,000 during this time. Once that review is finalised, the Home Secretary will then decide what the annual figure should be.
However, its important to note that anyone who applied for a visa while the financial requirement was £18,600 will remain at that lower level for future applications. This relates to anyone who applied before 11 April 2024.
The following is the key section of the Home Secretary’s statement dated 30 July 2024;
“The Family Immigration Rules, including the Minimum Income Requirement, need to balance a respect for family life whilst also ensuring the economic wellbeing of the UK is maintained. To help ensure we reach the right balance and have a solid evidence base for any change, I will commission the MAC to review the financial requirements, in the Family Immigration Rules. The Minimum Income Requirement is currently set at £29,000 and there will be no further changes until the MAC review is complete“