Spouse Visa Mortgages
Most spouse visa mortgages are joint applications: one partner is British or settled, the other is in the UK on a family visa. Lenders treat that pairing very differently. Some apply their standard criteria because one applicant has a permanent right to reside, others cap the loan or exclude the visa altogether, and a few will only accept it on a joint application.
- How lenders treat a family or partner visa on a joint application
- When your British partner can apply alone
- Visa time left, time in the UK and LTV limits
- What happens to the mortgage at the visa extension
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Tell Us About You and Your Partner
Share both nationalities, the visa type and expiry date, how long you have both lived in the UK, both incomes and your deposit. We will tell you whether a joint or sole application works better and which lenders will consider it, with advice built around your circumstances rather than headline rates.
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How the spouse visa works, and why lenders care
A spouse or partner visa lets the partner of a British citizen or settled person live in the UK. It is granted for an initial period of 30 months and then extended, with settlement possible after five years under the current rules. For most new applications made since 11 April 2024, the sponsoring couple must show at least £29,000 a year in income; planned increases beyond that have been paused pending a Migration Advisory Committee review.
Under the government’s settlement proposals, partners of British citizens are among the groups expected to keep a five-year route. None of the proposals is in force yet.
For a lender, the couple is the case. The British or settled partner brings a permanent right to reside; the visa holder brings income and, often, a short UK credit history. Whether the lender looks at the strongest applicant or the weakest one is what decides the terms.
The visa income requirement and mortgage affordability are separate tests. Passing the £29,000 visa threshold says nothing about how much a lender will lend, and the lender will apply its own income multiples to both of you.
At a Glance
Lender treatment of partner and dependant visas
From each lender’s own criteria pages, checked 11 October 2026.
| Lender | How it treats a partner on a visa | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Accord | A joint application with at least one British or ILR applicant can go up to 95% LTV on standard criteria | Without ILR or settled status on either applicant: 90% if one earns £50,000 or more, otherwise 75%. On joint borrower sole proprietor cases both need ILR, or 75% applies |
| TSB | Family and dependant visas accepted where the mortgage is in joint names with the visa holder. If the second applicant holds settled or pre-settled status through marriage, standard LTV limits apply | Visa holders need 12 months in the UK and 18 months left on the visa. 85% with £50,000 sole or £75,000 joint income, otherwise 75% |
| Nottingham BS | Dependant and spousal or partner visas accepted as joint applicants only | No minimum time in the UK or visa time left. 90% with sufficient credit data, otherwise 75% |
| West Brom BS | Spousal and dependant visa holders considered under certain conditions | Three-year UK address history. Visa holders up to 90% |
Where a lender does not publish a rule for partner visas, we confirm its position before applying rather than assume.
Joint or sole: choosing the structure
Joint application. Both incomes count and both of you own the home. This usually gives the biggest loan, but the lender applies its foreign national rules to the visa holder, and a thin UK credit file on that side can limit the choice.
Sole application by the British or settled partner. If one income is enough, a sole application avoids the visa rules entirely. The other partner may need to sign an occupier’s consent, and you should think carefully about ownership: our guide to joint tenants and tenants in common explains the options.
Joint borrower, sole proprietor. The visa holder’s income supports the loan but only one of you owns the home. Our joint borrower sole proprietor guide covers it; note that Accord needs ILR on both applicants for this structure above 75%.
At the visa extension. The mortgage is not reviewed when the visa is extended. The risk is the reverse: if the extension were refused, the visa holder would have to leave, so lenders look for enough time left on the visa at application.
If the British partner can borrow enough alone, a sole application is often the simplest route. If you need both incomes, choosing a lender that accepts partner visas on joint applications matters more than the rate.
Where to go next
The pages most often read alongside this one.
How we arrange a spouse visa mortgage
We decide the structure first, then the lender.
Look at you both
Status, visa dates, incomes, credit files and how you want to own the home.
Choose the structure
Joint, sole or joint borrower sole proprietor, compared on what each lends.
Shortlist the lenders
Lenders that accept the visa on that structure.
Prepare the evidence
Share codes, marriage certificate, income and deposit trail.
Offer and completion
We manage the application through to completion.
Read more before you buy
Related pages for couples.
Buying with a partner on a spouse visa?
Tell us both your situations. We will tell you whether a joint or sole application gets you further.
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Spouse Visa Mortgages: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a mortgage on a spouse visa?
Yes, usually as a joint application with your British or settled partner. Some lenders apply standard criteria because one applicant has a permanent right to reside, while others apply their visa-holder rules to you.
Does my British partner’s status help?
At some lenders, a lot. Accord lends up to 95% where at least one joint applicant is British or has ILR. TSB applies standard limits where the second applicant has settled or pre-settled status through marriage.
Can my partner and I apply jointly if I am on a dependant visa?
Yes at lenders that accept it. Nottingham Building Society accepts dependant and spousal visas as joint applicants only, and TSB accepts family and dependant visas where the mortgage is in joint names.
Can my British partner buy in their sole name?
Yes, if their income is enough. That avoids the visa rules, but think about ownership and any occupier’s consent the lender requires for you.
Does the £29,000 spouse visa income count for the mortgage?
No. That is the visa test. The lender carries out its own affordability assessment on your actual incomes and outgoings.
How long does a spouse visa last?
It is granted for an initial 30 months and then extended, with settlement possible after five years under the current rules. Partners of British citizens are expected to keep the five-year route under the settlement proposals.
What happens to the mortgage when my visa is extended?
Nothing. The lender does not review the mortgage at the extension. It manages the risk at application by checking how much time is left on the visa.
How much deposit do we need?
With a British or ILR partner on a joint application, as little as 5% at some lenders. Where neither applicant has settled status, 10% to 25% depending on income and credit history.
Does it matter that I have no UK credit history?
It can, because some lenders want two or three years of UK data. A joint application with a partner who has a long UK history helps, and some lenders accept overseas credit reports.
Can we use joint borrower sole proprietor?
Yes at some lenders. Accord requires ILR on both applicants for joint borrower sole proprietor above 75%, so the lender choice is narrower.
Written and reviewed by Osman Emin, CeMAP, mortgage and protection adviser · FCA register OCE01003 · Updated YOUR HOME OR PROPERTY MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.