If your relationship with your partner breaks down

This page explains what to do if you are a British citizen or a person settled in the UK and you end your relationship with someone currently who has permission to enter or remain here as your partner.

If your marriage, civil partnership or other relationship permanently breaks down while your partner still has only limited permission to stay in the UK (that is, during the 2 or 5 year probationary period before they can apply to live here permanently), you should tell us by writing to:

NCC3
Home Office
9th floor
Lunar House
40 Wellesley Road
Croydon
CR9 2BY

Please quote your partner's full name (as recorded in their passport) and date of birth, and (if you know it) their entry clearance or UK Border Agency reference number.

In this situation, we may curtail (cancel) your former partner's permission to stay in the UK. However, this will not automatically happen if the basis of their stay has changed - for example, they may qualify for permission to stay on a different basis, or there may be other compassionate or relevant reasons why it would not be appropriate to curtail their stay.

If you write to tell us that your relationship has broken down, we will consider whether it is appropriate to curtail your former partner's permission to stay. Before taking any action, we will ask for your permission to use the information you have given us.

If we decide to curtail your former partner's permission to stay, they will have a right of appeal, which means that they could remain in the UK for some time before we can consider removing them.

If you think you are at risk of harm from your former partner, you should contact the police and think about applying to a court for an injunction. If you need advice about applying for an injunction, you can call the National Centre for Domestic Violence for free advice on 08709 220704 (24 hours per day).