Spouse Visa Extension Solicitors — Fixed Fee From £950
Your FLR(M) application is not a renewal. UKVI opens a new file and audits everything from the beginning.
The caseworker does not continue from where the last decision ended. They assess the last 2.5 years as a completely fresh application. Payslips that do not match bank statements. Cohabitation evidence clustered in the final two months instead of spread across 30 months. A form submitted after the visa expired. Any of these causes a refusal — and the £1,407 Home Office fee is not refunded.
The form asks the questions. The evidence gives the answer. If your evidence does not prove the last 30 months clearly and consistently, the application fails — regardless of how genuine the relationship is.
KQ Solicitors prepares FLR(M) spouse visa extension applications for people in Luton and across the UK who cannot afford to get this stage wrong. Fixed fee. SRA-regulated. We aim to respond the same day.
Quick Answer
The spouse visa extension — formally FLR(M), Further Leave to Remain in the Marriage and Family route — is the application you make after approximately 2.5 years on your initial spouse visa. It grants a further 30 months of leave and keeps you on track for ILR after 5 years.
You must apply before your current visa expires. If you apply after your visa has expired, you risk losing Section 3C protection and may become an overstayer unless a limited exception applies — seek legal advice immediately if you are in this position.
At extension stage, income lawfully earned in the UK by the applicant can usually be counted alongside the sponsor's income, where the specified evidence rules are met. This is different from the initial application. Many applicants fail simply because they do not use income they are legally allowed to count.
KQ Solicitors prepares the full FLR(M) application — from eligibility check and financial evidence review through to document preparation and uploading.
Need your extension checked before you pay UKVI?
Book a free consultation. We will confirm which financial threshold applies to you, check your evidence, and tell you honestly what your case involves.
What is the Spouse Visa Extension (FLR(M))?
The FLR(M) is the second stage on the 5-year route to settlement. Your initial spouse visa ran for 33 months. The extension runs for 30 months. Together they complete the 63-month period, with ILR eligibility at the 60-month mark from your arrival date.
After the extension you apply for ILR using Form SET(M). After ILR, British citizenship is available immediately for spouses of British citizens under the standard naturalisation route — with no twelve-month wait.
The FLR(M) is not an automatic renewal. You must meet all requirements at the time of application as a completely fresh assessment. Evidence that satisfied UKVI 2.5 years ago does not carry forward — everything is reassessed.
For the full FLR(M) guide including the 28-day rule calculation, evidence spacing strategy, income categories, and refusal options, read our complete spouse visa extension guide.
Who needs to apply?
You need to apply FLR(M) if you are currently in the UK on a spouse or partner visa and your initial visa is approaching expiry.
If your visa has already expired: You need urgent legal advice before applying. You may not benefit from Section 3C leave and your route to ILR may be affected.
If you have submitted FLR(FP) instead of FLR(M): FLR(FP) is a different route. Submitting it instead of FLR(M) may move you onto a different settlement track and damage your 5-year plan. Take advice immediately.
Which financial threshold applies to you?
| When you first applied | Threshold at extension |
|---|---|
| Before 11 April 2024 (same partner, continuing leave) | £18,600 transitional — plus child additions where applicable, capped at £29,000 |
| On or after 11 April 2024 | £29,000 |
This is one of the most misunderstood points in the entire extension process. If your first partner visa application was submitted before 11 April 2024 and you are extending with the same partner, the transitional financial requirement may apply. Your cover letter must explicitly state this and cite the date of your first application.
If you changed partner, changed route, or had a break in partner leave, take advice before relying on the transitional threshold. A caseworker applying the wrong threshold is a documented error — do not leave it to inference.
We can help if...
- Your financial evidence is not straightforward — self-employed income, director income, combined household income, or savings to bridge a shortfall
- Your cohabitation evidence has gaps and you are not sure how to address them
- You need your A2 English test confirmed, booked, or exemption evidenced correctly
- Your employer will not provide the letter in the format required by Appendix FM-SE
- You are close to your visa expiry date and cannot afford to make a mistake under time pressure
- You have a good character matter — NHS debt, a conviction, an immigration breach — and need advice on how to handle it before applying
- You have had a previous refusal on this or any other immigration application
- You are unsure whether you are on the 5-year route or the 10-year route and what the difference means for your total costs
- You want the full application professionally prepared and uploaded so nothing is missed
Key requirements — what UKVI assesses at extension stage
Relationship — subsisting, not re-proven
The caseworker is not re-examining whether your relationship was genuine. That was decided 2.5 years ago. They are checking whether the last 30 months prove it still exists. Every document you submit should cover the extension period — not the original courtship history.
Caseworker Insight: Caseworkers look for continuity across the full 30-month period — not volume at the end. A gap larger than four months in cohabitation evidence raises a flag. Unexplained gaps cause refusals — not gaps themselves. Six well-spaced documents covering the full period carry more weight than thirty documents clustered in the final six months.
The caseworker does not care how much you love each other. They care whether your evidence covers the full 30 months.
Financial requirement
At extension stage, income lawfully earned in the UK by the applicant can usually be counted alongside the sponsor's income, where the specified evidence rules are met. Many couples meet the threshold at extension stage using combined income when they could not meet it on the sponsor's income alone.
The transitional or standard threshold depends on when your first partner visa was submitted — not when the extension is submitted. Your cover letter must state this clearly. Getting this wrong costs you a refusal and the full fee.
Caseworker Insight: If your income is below the threshold, savings can bridge the gap under Appendix FM-SE. The formula is: threshold minus annual income, multiplied by 2.5, then add £16,000. Savings must have been held continuously for six months before the application date. A recent deposit does not count regardless of the amount.
English language — A2, not A1
Your initial visa required A1. The extension requires A2. These are different qualification levels. Your A1 certificate does not satisfy the A2 requirement. You must sit a new test unless an exemption applies.
If you take a B1 test now instead of A2, it satisfies the extension requirement and remains valid for your ILR application in 30 months — which requires B1. This saves approximately £150–£200 and one additional test booking before ILR.
Accommodation
The accommodation must not be overcrowded. If you are renting, your landlord permission letter must still contain the elements required under Appendix FM-SE. If you have moved since your initial application, updated accommodation evidence is required.
This is a service-page summary only. The full 28-day rule calculation, cohabitation evidence examples, income categories, and employer letter wording required under Appendix FM-SE are covered in our complete spouse visa extension guide.
Spouse visa extension fees and costs — updated April 2026
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| KQ Solicitors fee — standard case | £950 |
| KQ Solicitors fee — complex case | £1,250 |
| Home Office FLR(M) application fee | £1,407 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (30 months) | £2,587.50 |
| Total Home Office cost per adult | £3,994.50 |
| Estimated total — standard case with KQ fee | from £4,944.50 |
Faster decision services: Priority and super priority options may be available for FLR(M) applications, but availability varies depending on the time of application and service capacity. Confirm current availability on GOV.UK before planning your timeline around faster processing. Standard processing is approximately 8 weeks from your biometrics appointment.
What makes a case complex — and £1,250: Self-employed or director income, previous refusal or immigration complication, 10-year route circumstances, income below threshold requiring savings calculation, good character matters, or cases with previous UKVI issues.
The £1,407 Home Office fee is not refunded if the application is refused or withdrawn. The IHS is refunded in most cases if the application is refused. Home Office fees can change. Always verify the current fee on GOV.UK before submitting.
What our spouse visa extension service includes
For every case, regardless of fee tier:
- Initial assessment of your circumstances — we confirm which financial threshold applies, identify any evidence gaps, and tell you honestly whether your case is straightforward or complex before you commit to anything.
- Document checking — we review every document in your bundle against the Appendix FM-SE requirements before submission, including cohabitation evidence spacing, financial evidence formatting, and employer letter compliance.
- Application draft preparation — we prepare the full FLR(M) application on your behalf, covering every section correctly and ensuring your evidence tells one clear, consistent story across the full 30-month period.
- Document uploading — we submit the finalised bundle to UKVI so nothing is missed, mis-uploaded, or submitted in the wrong format.
No hidden costs. No hourly billing. Home Office fees are paid separately by you directly to UKVI.
How we work — your process with KQ Solicitors
- Free consultation — you explain your situation, we confirm which threshold applies, identify any evidence issues, and tell you what your case involves.
- Eligibility and risk assessment — we check your financial evidence, cohabitation evidence spacing, English test validity, and any good character matters before you pay any Home Office fees.
- Personalised document checklist — you receive a list of exactly what we need, specific to your income type, living situation, and extension period.
- Document review — we check every item against Appendix FM-SE requirements, flag inconsistencies, and tell you what needs correcting before we prepare the application.
- Application preparation — we prepare the full FLR(M) form, draft any cover letter needed, and finalise the complete bundle.
- Submission and confirmation — we upload everything to UKVI and confirm receipt.
FLR(M) processing times — 2026
| Service | Target Time |
|---|---|
| Standard | Approximately 8 weeks from biometrics |
| Priority (where available) | Approximately 5 working days |
| Super priority (where available) | Next working day |
Faster decision services may not always be available for FLR(M). Confirm current availability on GOV.UK before applying.
Section 3C leave: Once you submit a valid, in-time FLR(M) application, Section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 automatically extends your existing leave while the decision is pending. You keep the right to work, rent, and access services on the same conditions as your current visa — even after the visa expiry date on its face.
Critical warning — do not leave the Common Travel Area while your application is pending. The Common Travel Area covers the UK, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man. Leaving it while your FLR(M) is pending can cause the application to be treated as withdrawn, usually without a refund. There is no straightforward route back. Seek legal advice immediately if you need to travel while your application is pending.
Common mistakes that cause FLR(M) refusals
| Mistake | Why It Causes Problems | How We Help |
|---|---|---|
| Applying after visa expiry | Applying after expiry usually means you do not benefit from Section 3C leave and may become an overstayer unless a limited exception applies | We confirm your deadline and application window before submission |
| Wrong financial threshold applied | Applying the £29,000 threshold when the transitional £18,600 applies — or vice versa — costs a refusal and the full fee | We identify your threshold and confirm it in the cover letter |
| Financial evidence not matching across documents | Payslips, bank statements, and employer letter must tell the same story under Appendix FM-SE | We cross-check all financial evidence before uploading |
| Employer letter not meeting Appendix FM-SE requirements | A standard HR reference letter almost always fails — the required salary, employment and payment details must appear explicitly | We provide the exact format and where needed write to the employer |
| Cohabitation evidence clustered at the end | Volume near the application date does not prove 30 months of continuous shared life | We review evidence spacing across the full period before submission |
| A1 certificate submitted instead of A2 | Different qualification levels — A1 does not satisfy the A2 extension requirement | We check your test level before submitting |
| Leaving the Common Travel Area while pending | Can cause the application to be treated as withdrawn, usually without a refund | We advise on travel restrictions before any trip |
| Wrong form — FLR(FP) instead of FLR(M) | May move you onto a different route and damage your 5-year settlement plan | We confirm the correct form before submission |
When should you speak to a solicitor?
Not every FLR(M) application needs a solicitor. If your income clearly meets the threshold, you have consistent cohabitation evidence spread across the full 30 months, your employer letter meets the Appendix FM-SE requirements, and you have no previous immigration complications — a carefully self-prepared application is possible.
Speak to us before applying if any of these apply:
- Income from self-employment, directorship, or mixed sources
- Combined household income needed to meet the threshold
- Savings being used to bridge an income shortfall
- Previous refusal on any immigration application
- Any criminal conviction, caution, NHS debt, or civil penalty
- Gaps in cohabitation evidence of more than four months
- Employer unwilling or unable to provide the letter in the required format
- Uncertainty about which financial threshold applies
- Any travel planned while the application is pending
The Home Office fee is £1,407. It is not refunded if the application fails. If you are not confident every element is correct, a free consultation costs nothing and prevents a non-refundable loss.
When this service may not be right for you
If your case is straightforward — salaried income clearly above the threshold, clean good character, consistent cohabitation evidence spread across 30 months, no previous complications — you may not need full legal representation. The GOV.UK guidance and Appendix FM-SE set out the requirements in detail.
We would rather tell you that than charge you for work you do not need. If after your free consultation we think you can handle it yourself, we will tell you.
Ready to extend? Talk to KQ Solicitors
Your FLR(M) is not a formality. It is a fresh application covering 30 months of your life — and the foundation of your ILR application in 30 months' time. The evidence you submit now shapes what the ILR caseworker sees across the full five-year period.
From £950 fixed fee. Initial assessment, document checking, application preparation, and uploading. No hidden costs. No hourly billing.
Book your free consultation
SRA-regulated immigration and family law solicitors. Advising clients in Luton, across the UK, and internationally on UK immigration and family law.
Frequently asked questions
Not always. If your income clearly meets the threshold, your evidence is consistent and well-spaced, and you have no previous complications, you can self-prepare. If your income is complex, you are using savings, your cohabitation evidence has gaps, or you have any previous immigration issues, legal help before submission prevents a non-refundable £1,407 loss.
The Home Office FLR(M) fee is £1,407 from 8 April 2026. The Immigration Health Surcharge for 30 months is £2,587.50. Total Home Office cost per adult is £3,994.50. KQ Solicitors charges £950 for a standard case and £1,250 for complex cases — bringing the realistic starting total to approximately £4,944.50.
Apply before your current visa expires. The earliest you can apply is 28 days before the 2.5-year anniversary of your arrival in the UK on your spouse visa — not 28 days before visa expiry. These are often different dates. Applying at the correct earliest date maximises your qualifying residence period toward ILR.
It depends on when your first partner visa application was submitted and whether you are extending with the same partner. If before 11 April 2024, the transitional £18,600 threshold may apply, with child additions where relevant capped at £29,000. If on or after 11 April 2024, the £29,000 threshold applies. Your cover letter must state this clearly.
Yes. At extension stage, income lawfully earned in the UK by the applicant can usually be counted alongside the sponsor's income, where the specified evidence rules are met. This is different from the initial application where only the sponsor's income counted. Many couples meet the threshold at extension stage using combined income.
A2 level from a UKVI-approved SELT provider. Your A1 certificate from the initial visa does not satisfy the A2 requirement — you must sit a new test unless an exemption applies. If you take B1 now instead, it satisfies the A2 extension requirement and can be reused for your ILR application.
Leaving the Common Travel Area while your FLR(M) application is pending can cause the application to be treated as withdrawn, usually without a refund. The Common Travel Area covers the UK, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man. Seek legal advice immediately if you need to travel while your application is pending.
The right next step depends on the decision letter, the refusal reason, and whether appeal rights are given. Some cases may be appealed on human rights grounds. Others may be better handled by a fresh application with corrected evidence. A refusal and gap in lawful leave can affect your ILR qualifying period — seek advice before choosing between options. We review refusal letters and advise on the safest route forward.
Yes. Our service covers initial assessment, document checking, application preparation, and uploading. You attend the biometrics appointment — we handle everything else.