UK Spouse Visa Extensions: FLR(M) Applications Explained

When to Apply for FLR(M)

Submit the FLR(M) before your current spouse visa expires. If you apply before the expiry date, your leave is automatically extended by Section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 while the application is pending — meaning you remain in the UK lawfully throughout the processing period. Processing typically takes eight to twelve weeks.

If you miss the expiry date: You become an overstayer. This breaks continuous residence — a requirement for ILR — and may result in the extension application being refused. Submit early.

FLR(M) Requirements: What Is Reassessed

At the extension stage, the Home Office reassesses:

Relationship: Is the couple still in a genuine and subsisting relationship? Have they been living together?
Financial: Does the sponsor still meet the £29,000 threshold?
English language: Has the applicant progressed to the required level (A2 at extension stage)?
Immigration history: Have both parties complied with their visa conditions?

The Financial Requirement at Extension

The financial requirement must be met again. There is no carryover from the initial application — the extension assesses the sponsor's income at the time the FLR(M) application is submitted. The same income categories and evidence formats apply: six months of payslips and corresponding bank statements for Category A salaried employment, or the previous financial year's tax documentation for self-employment.

A sponsor who earned £32,000 at the initial application but now earns £27,000 does not automatically meet the threshold at extension.

Continuous Residence: What Counts

Continuous residence means you have been lawfully present in the UK throughout the relevant period without gaps, and without absences that break the continuity. Absences: Extended absences from the UK — particularly absences of more than 180 days in any 12-month period — can break continuous residence and jeopardise ILR eligibility. The FLR(M) extension itself does not depend on absence counts, but the absences you accumulate during the extension period will matter at the ILR stage. Keep a record of all travel outside the UK.

Cohabitation Evidence for the Extension

Cohabitation evidence at the extension stage should demonstrate that you have been living together as a couple since the initial visa was granted. It is not enough to provide a few recent documents — the Home Office expects evidence that spans the intervening period.

Joint tenancy agreement covering the extension period, or evidence of each address you have lived at since the initial visa
Joint or separate bank statements at the same address, from across the visa period
Council tax bills and utility bills spanning the period
GP registration letters for both partners at the same address

English Language at Extension Stage

Stage	Required level
Initial application	A1 (speaking and listening)
FLR(M) extension	A2 (speaking and listening)
ILR application	B1 (speaking and listening)

At the extension stage, most applicants need to take and pass a new SELT at A2 level. Do not assume your A1 certificate is sufficient for the extension. It is not.

Documents Needed

Relationship and cohabitation:

Cohabitation evidence spanning the period since the initial visa (joint tenancy, bank statements, utility bills)
Photographs together from across the visa period

Financial:

Six months of payslips immediately before the application date
Six months of corresponding bank statements
Employer letter (name, title, start date, contract type, gross salary)

English language: SELT certificate at A2 level (or evidence of exemption)

Identity and status: Current passport, current eVisa or BRP details, evidence of the initial visa grant

Common Refusals at Extension Stage

Relationship no longer subsisting. Where the couple has separated, or where the Home Office concludes from the evidence that they are no longer in a genuine relationship.
Financial requirement not met. A drop in the sponsor's income below £29,000 since the initial application.
English language not at A2. Submitting an A1 certificate for the extension is a straightforward error that leads to refusal.
Continuous residence broken. Extended absences noted on the passport.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I apply for an FLR(M) extension?

Before your current spouse visa expires. Submit at least several weeks early. Two to three months before expiry is common and safe.

What does the FLR(M) extension cost?

£1,407 application fee plus approximately £2,588 Immigration Health Surcharge for a 30-month extension.

Do I need to meet the financial requirement again?

Yes — the £29,000 threshold is reassessed at every stage.

What happens if I miss the extension deadline?

You become an overstayer, breaking continuous residence and jeopardising your ILR eligibility.