Unmarried or same-sex partner: applications on or before 8 July 2012
Applying from inside the UK
This page explains how to apply for permission to remain in the UK as the unmarried or same-sex partner of a British citizen or a person who is present and settled here, if you are already in the UK in a different immigration category.
Before you apply, you should read the Can you apply? section to ensure that you meet the requirements.
Biometric residence permit
As part of your application, you will need to enrol your fingerprints and facial image (known as 'biometric information') in order to obtain a biometric residence permit. The Biometric information page explains how to do this.
Application form
You must apply using application form FLR(M), which is available as an electronic interactive form. You can download the form and accompanying guidance by following the link on the right side of this page. You must read the guidance before you make your application.
You can submit your application online, and then submit your supporting documents and a printout of the form by post, by courier or in person:
- Postal and courier applications must be sent to the address given on the application form.
- To apply in person, you must book an appointment at one of our public enquiry offices. This is a same-day service, available for a premium fee, and is only suitable for straightforward applications.
You can use the form for a joint application by you and any children aged under 18, if they are applying as your dependants. Children over 18 must apply separately.
When should you apply?
You must be in the UK when you make your application, and you must apply before your current permission to stay expires. We encourage you to apply 28 days before the expiry date, but you can choose to apply earlier than this.
The date of your application depends on whether you submit your application form and documents in person, by post or by courier - see 'More information' below.
If you need to travel abroad, you should ensure that you return to the UK before your current permission to stay expires. If you cannot re-enter the UK because your permission has expired, you will not be able to apply to extend your stay as the husband, wife or civil partner of a British citizen or settled person - you will need to apply for a visa in this capacity from abroad.
More information
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Application fees for extending your stay using form FLR(M)
Fee if you are applying by post Fee if you are applying in person Main applicant £578 £953 Children aged under 18 (if they are applying at the same time as the main applicant) £433 for each child included on the main applicant's application form £808 for each child included on the main applicant's application form Children aged under 18 (if they are applying separately from the main applicant) £578 £953
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What is the date of your application? (Applying by post or courier from inside the UK)
If you send your application form and application fee by post, the date of application is the date of posting. This is decided by the postmark. If the postmark is illegible or missing, the date of postage is taken as being at least 1 day before it is received by us.
If you send your application form and application fee by courier, the date of application is the date when it is delivered to our payment handling service.
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What is the date of your application? (Applying in person inside the UK)
If you are applying in person at one of our public enquiry offices, your application date will be the date when you attend the public enquiry office to make your application and pay your application fee.
- Withdrawing your application If you want to withdraw your application, you must use the online return of documents form. Your application will not be considered, and we will return your documents to you with no decision. We will not refund the cost of your application if you use this form.
- Duplicate applications If you send more than one application, you will be charged the application fee for each application.
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How to pay your application fee if you are inside the UK
If you are applying online, you must pay your fee online as part of your application.
If you are applying by post or courier, you can choose how to pay your application fee:
- By cheque in sterling on a UK bank account. The application form will tell you who to make the cheque payable to, you should write your full name and date of birth on the back, and attach the cheque to the front of the completed application form.
- With a UK postal order. You should write your full name and date of birth on the back, and attach the postal order to the front of the completed application form.
- With a credit or debit card - American Express, MasterCard, Visa (including Electron), Delta or Maestro (including Solo). For postal and courier payments, we accept only Maestro cards issued in the UK. You must include the card number, the amount paid, the payer's name as it appears on the card, the 'valid from' and expiry dates, the card verification value (CVV) code, the cardholder's signature and the date. The issue number is also needed for Maestro cards.
If you are applying and paying in person at a public enquiry office, you can choose how to pay your application fee. For applications made in person at a public enquiry office, the total fee includes an additional fee of £375 for each person. This includes a £100 appointment fee, which may be retained should the applicant fail to attend their appointment without good reason. Please check the relevant application form to find out if you can make an application in person.
- With a UK postal order (except at our Glasgow and Cardiff offices). You should write your full name and date of birth on the back.
- By banker's draft (except at our Glasgow and Cardiff offices).
- With a credit or debit card - American Express, MasterCard, Visa (including Electron), Delta or Maestro (including Solo). We can accept any Maestro card for payments at a public enquiry office. You must include the card number, the amount paid, the payer's name as it appears on the card, the 'valid from' and expiry dates, the card verification value (CVV) code, the cardholder's signature and the date. The issue number is also needed for Maestro cards. The cardholder must be present for the payment to be taken.
Payment by any other method is not accepted.
You must send the full amount to cover the total cost of your application. If you do not do this, your application will be invalid and will not be considered. We will return your application and part payment to you.
We start considering the application when the payment has cleared. Payments are cleared:
- after 5 working days for cheques
- after 1 working day for credit or debit cards
- immediately for postal orders
Please note that, if you are making numerous payments using your credit card, the anti-fraud measures that banks operate sometimes stop payment being taken. This may be because you have exceeded the maximum limit on a single transaction or the number of transactions allowed in a given period of time. You must ensure that you contact your bank in advance, so that the bank will allow the full payment to be taken without any problems when you submit your applications.
Payment information on the application form
It is very important that you complete the payment section of the application form correctly. If this section contains errors, we will not be able to process your payment. This will mean that your application is invalid.
Application forms
Application for an extension of stay as the husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried/same-sex partner of a permanent resident
- Form FLR(M) PDF 626KB opens in a new window
- Guide FLR(M) PDF 207KB opens in a new window
- Photo guidance (new)PDF 374KB opens in a new window