Bereaved Partner Visa

What is this visa?

The Bereaved Partner route is a compassionate provision in the Immigration Rules. It recognises that a partner whose British or settled sponsor has died should not automatically lose their place in the UK because the five-year route was unfinished.

Who qualifies

You may qualify if you were the spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner of a British citizen or settled person who has died, and you held (or meet the Rules relating to) partner permission at the relevant time. Exact eligibility depends on your status when your partner died.

The core eligibility test

The focus is proving the relationship and the death, and showing you were on the partner route (or otherwise covered by the bereaved partner provisions). Unlike a first Spouse Visa application, the financial requirement is not the main barrier here.

Related guidance: Spouse Visa, Unmarried Partner Visa, Fiancé Visa, Same-Sex Relationship Visa, Child Visa, Adult Dependent Relative, Bereaved Partner, Settlement & ILR, and British Citizenship.

Relationship & evidence requirement

Provide the death certificate, proof of the relationship, and your immigration history. We guide you on a minimal, respectful document set so you are not asked for unnecessary material at a difficult time.

English language requirement

English language rules for bereaved partners differ from first-entry partner applications. We confirm what, if anything, is required in your circumstances.

Accommodation requirement

You may still need to show where you will live. We keep this proportionate and clear.

Financial requirement: this is not usually the central test on the bereaved partner route. If any maintenance evidence is requested, we explain it gently and precisely.

Applying from inside vs outside the UK

Most bereaved partner applications are made in the UK by people already here on partner permission. Timing after a bereavement can feel overwhelming; we help you protect your status while you gather documents.

Costs & processing time

Home Office fees may still apply. Processing times vary. We confirm current fees and what to expect at your consultation.

Route to settlement

A successful bereaved partner application can lead to settlement (ILR) under the Rules for this category, without completing the usual five years. From ILR, British citizenship may later be possible if you meet nationality requirements.

Common reasons applications are refused

• Missing death certificate or unclear identity documents

• Gaps in proving the relationship existed as claimed

• Applying under the wrong category after a change in status

• Delay that causes leave to expire without a valid application

Related guidance: Spouse Visa, Unmarried Partner Visa, Fiancé Visa, Same-Sex Relationship Visa, Child Visa, Adult Dependent Relative, Bereaved Partner, Settlement & ILR, and British Citizenship.