Moroccan UK

UK Spouse Visa Guide for UK Sponsor and Moroccan national applicant written by UK Immigration and Family Lawyer Mr Saleh Begh

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1. Your nationality and residence : British (United Kingdom)

2. Your partner nationality and residence : Moroccan (Morocco) المغرب


The information below is for you, if you are a British citizen (or holding UK permanent residence) and your partner is a Moroccan national.
Morocco المغرب Casablanca , Rabat , Fes , Marrakech , Tangier , Salé , Meknes , Oujda , Kenitra , Agadir
You currently reside in United Kingdom whereas your partner resides in Morocco المغرب.

Must have documents for UK spouse visa for Moroccan nationals

Click the links below for direct FREE downloads or documents sent to you via email after purchase (tailored to your situation)!

Spouse Visa Update 25 June 2024 (PDF) Home Office fees increase and new salary requirements.

Spouse Visa Checklist - Morocco (PDF) (Free basic Checklist).

UK Spouse Visa Fees, Income and Savings required information (PDF).

UK Approved English language test centres (1,451 in total ) (PDF).
Approved English language test centres in UK (76 in total ) (PDF).

UK Approved TB test centres in Morocco (Clinics, procedure and cost) (PDF).

UK Spouse Visa (Genuine Relationship Evidence) (PDF).

UK Spouse Visa Guide Contents

UK Spouse Visa Key Considerations
تقديم تأشيرة بريطانيا كزوج أو زوجة من المغرب
UK Partner Visa from Rabat, Morocco المغرب
UK Home Office Approved TB Medical Centres in Morocco المغرب
UK Home Office Approved English Tests Centres in Morocco المغرب
Top 10 Reasons for UK Family Visa Refusal (British and Moroccan)
UK spouse visa processing time in Oct 2024 from Rabat, Morocco المغرب

UK Spouse Visa Moroccan and British Casablanca , Rabat , Fes , Marrakech , Tangier , Salé , Meknes , Oujda , Kenitra , AgadirUK Spouse Visa Moroccan and British Casablanca , Rabat , Fes , Marrakech , Tangier , Salé , Meknes , Oujda , Kenitra , Agadir


UK Spouse Visa Key Requirements

Finance and accommodation (UK Spouse Visa British and Moroccan)
Earned income (Employment Salary / Wages / Self Employed / Business profits)
Self-employed or deemed self-employed
Receiving UK government benefits
Accommodation in the UK
Relationship evidence

UK Spouse Visa Key requirements

Lets have a chat | ☎ 00442071933839 | Monday to Saturday, 8am to 10pm UK time. هاتف مغربي

The Immigration Rules state that :
  • you both must be over the age of 18;
  • you must have met each other in person and be legally married, unless you are applying as an unmarried partner [alternatively] apply for a UK Marriage Visa or a UK Fiancée visa both have different requirements. | );
  • you both must intend to live together permanently in the UK ;
  • you must have enough income to support yourselves and any dependants without claiming public funds (unless of course, you receive PIP / DLA / CA .. [Read more]);
  • the sponsor must hold and evidence British / ILR / EUSS / Refugee status documents.
  • they must have suitable accommodation for you and any dependent children;
  • and you must satisfy the English language requirements and have a medical certificate for TB (where required).

    UK family Visa

    Now let's look into the various aspects of the requirements listed above when you are British and your partner is Moroccan and you reside in United Kingdom and your partner resides in Morocco.

    You are a British citizen, thus you do not need any documents to live and work in the UK. However, your partner is a Moroccan national. They would need to have UK immigration status documents.

    We also note that your partner is a visa national (Moroccan) for UK travel purposes. This means they would normally need to obtain a visa from the British Embassy or UK Visa office / Commercial partner office, prior to their travel.

    A1 level English test required

    Your partner is a Moroccan national and thus not exempt from the English language requirements for a Spouse / Partner visa, they would need to take the A1 / A2 (extension) or provide other English language evidence.

    UK Visa English Language Guide video Rabat


    Tuberculosis tests for UK spouse visa applicants

    Your partner is at a location (Morocco المغرب) where Tuberculosis (TB) medical testing is required for UK Visas (longer than 6 months, such as Spouse Visa). If they are the applicant they will need to consider taking the test. Please note that TB test certificate is only valid for up to 6 months. Download Moroccan national, TB Test guide and testing centre details in Morocco. This is test is required for UK Family visas when you are resident in Morocco.

    UK Home Office Approved TB Test centres in Morocco المغرب

    Click here for UK Government TB testing in Morocco Website
    (opens in a new window)

    1. Dr Mandouri Ahmed,
    30 Rue Abou Faris Al, Marini, Rabat, Morocco.
    Tel : +212 537 70 90 98 | هاتف مغربي


    2. Dr. Helene Gagne-Lamghabbar MD,
    30 Rue My Ahmed Loukili, Rabat, Morocco.
    Tel: +212 537 76 49 64

    3. Dr Nadia Ben Saad
    Apartment 4, 1st floor, 55, corner Ibn Sina Avenue and Zellaq Street, Agdal Rabat, Morocco.
    Telephone: + 212 537 67 50 88
    Email nadia.ben.saad80@gmail.com

    UK Home Office Approved English Test Centres in Morocco المغرب

    Get help Booking your test with an UK Approved test centre [Call us ☎] هاتف مغربي | .

    You must take your test with an UK Approved test provider. If you are outside of the UK i.e in Morocco المغرب you can only take a SELT (English Test) with one of the following providers: IELTS SELT Consortium British Council | LanguageCert | Pearson | PSI Services (UK) Ltd

    Top 10 Reasons for Family Visa Refusal (Moroccan and British)



    UK spouse visa processing time in Oct 2024 Rabat, Morocco المغرب

    The standard spouse visa UK processing time in Oct 2024 is 3 to 5 months (on average 14 weeks) if you are making the application from outside the UK. Priority service is back and you could get a decision faster say 3 to 6 weeks. If you are making the application from inside the UK the wait time is 8 to 12 weeks (on average 10 weeks). For human rights applications it is 11 months or longer. The relevant location is where the applicant is based as ALL applications are done online.

    Moroccan and British UK Spouse Visa Requirements

     London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Liverpool, Newcastle upon Tyne, Sheffield, Bristol, Leeds, EdinburghMorocco Casablanca , Rabat , Fes , Marrakech , Tangier , Salé , Meknes , Oujda , Kenitra , AgadirLondon, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Liverpool, Newcastle upon Tyne, Sheffield, Bristol, Leeds, Edinburgh

    Finance and accommodation (UK Spouse Visa Moroccan and British)

    Earned income
    Usually, for a spouse visa, the sponsor (British or another nationality but holding ILR / Refugee Status) would need to show that they earn £29,000 per year (before tax) (£34,500 from Sept 2024, £38,700 from Jan 2025) . Sponsors in the UK who receive certain benefits such as Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Carer Allowance (CA) etc are not required to show earned income in the same way. Please also note that only the income of the British sponsor is usually counted even if the applicant abroad ( in Morocco ) seeking the visa is also working there. UK earned income of both spouses can be used, not relevant in your case, this is provided that both are working in the UK and have the right to work for the period claimed. The simplest way to meet this requirement is by having a salaried job for over 6 months on a fixed monthly income.

    Go to the guide index section

    Self-employed or Deemed as self-employed (Moroccan and British documents bundle in 2024)
    If the British sponsor is the Director or related to the Director of the company that is paying the sponsor salary then the sponsor would be deemed as self-employed. Therefore, minimum one-year payslips (pay advice and dividend certificates or equivalent) and bank statements must be submitted, and currently, this would fall within the company’s financial year (1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024). If a previous year also had income above the required levels that too should be provided. In the event the most recent financial year is below the required level it is possible to provide two years and seek to present an average over two years to show the British sponsor does indeed meet the financial requirements.

    Below is the list of documents that usually need to be submitted as part of the UK spouse visa application financial bundle (Moroccan and British) and also the period it should cover:
    - CT600 Corporate Tax Return - 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2024
    - Certificate of Incorporation and Current Appointment Record from Companies House
    - Unaudited Business accounts - 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2024
    - Business bank statements - 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2024
    - Current appointment report from companies house - 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2024
    - Business premises lease/Certificate of VAT registration/ PAYE as an employer - 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2024
    - Dividend vouchers - 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2024
    - Payslips showing gross income (For British sponsor from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2024)
    - Personal bank statements – all payments and dividends are shown being paid (For British Sponsor from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2024

    Since you are applying in May 2024 you may need to include April 2022 to March 2023 and of course, April 2023 to April 2024 documents to show what your income was last year and is continuing at the same or at a higher level this year. This area is very complex and you should seek help to get results first time!
    Avoid delays, confusion and headache get in touch now |

    Receiving Benefits
    If is exempt from meeting the standard financial requirements of £29,000 / £34,500 because receives certain benefits as listed below:
    - Carers Allowance
    - Attendance Allowance
    - Personal Independence Payment


    To evidence this you will need Official documentation from the Department for Work and Pensions or relevant Agency confirming the current entitlement and the amount currently received together with a bank statement issued within the last 12 months showing benefits.

    UK Accommodation
    As regards accommodation, as a couple you will normally need a minimum of studio flat and anyone with children would need to secure at least one bedroom flat. Children count as half in UK Housing Act overcrowding calculations. A two bedroom flat with a sitting room / lounge would be enough for 5 people.

    Relationship evidence plus where and how to apply (UK Spouse visa)

    Need to establish your relationship
    It has to be a genuine, subsisting and durable relationship.

    You would need to provide sufficient evidence to establish your connections. Since you would be considered as the sponsor . This would normally include, marriage certificate, evidence of cohabitation, joint bills, bank statements, birth certificate of any children you have together, joint travel, visitation and on-going communication and shared or common financial commitments. A wide selection of joint photographs of weddings, engagements and outings together. This requirement is one of the top reasons for refusal so seek guidance and make sure you have this covered well. This is a must with the recent announcement on the increase in income requirements to £29,000 / £38,700 (more than double of previous £18,600) |

    Guide limitations and legal disclaimer March 2024

    Please note that the information is up to date March 2024 for Approved English Tests Centers and Commercial Partners, however the data above is provided for reference only as things can change without notice or may not apply in your particular situation. No liability will be accepted for loss or other consequences arising from reliance on the information provided. Please also note that the Home Office fees, legal fees and other costs are usually non-refundable

    Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) collection letters

    From 26 September 2022 UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) is improving the Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) collection letter process. From this date, if you apply for a visa where you receive a BRP (such as a work, settlement or study visa), UKVI will email you directly with information on how to collect your BRP. This will no longer be included as a physical letter when you collect your passport after a successful visa application.

    Please check your junk or spam email folder regularly in case emails from UKVI have ended up there.

    If you receive this email from UKVI it does not mean that your passport is ready to collect. Please only visit the Visa Application Centre after you have received an email from TLScontact confirming that your passport is ready for collection.

    Supporting documents

    Spouse visa is a difficult application due to its costs and extensive supporting documents requirements. Your Moroccan UK Spouse visa documents bundle should be clean (not messy, too many files etc), concise and well presented for best results. We recommend you use Wafi Solicitors Documents bundle service (link)

    The documents bundle is usually uploaded at the appointments portal (Outside UK – VFS Global or TLS Contact), in-UK it is uploaded to the Home Office online portal or sent via email or using UKVCAS portal which is used to book the Bio-metric fingerprints appointment.

    What needs to be in the supporting bundle?

    Establishing identity

    In all applications you will need the applicant’s passport. Sponsor’s identity documents (Passport / Travel document), if not British, their UK immigration status documents.

    English language

    Unless the applicant is from the following countries, English language evidence will be required.

    • Antigua and Barbuda • Australia • The Bahamas • Barbados • Belize • Canada • Dominica • Grenada • Guyana • Ireland • Jamaica • Malta • New Zealand • St Kitts and Nevis • St Lucia • St Vincent and the Grenadines • Trinidad and Tobago • The United States of America (USA)

    This can be evidence through A1 CEFR test from an approved test centre, or a degree taught in English plus ECCTIS (Formerly NARIC) Visas and Nationality Service (English proficiency) certificate (Costs £140)

    If the approved centre is unavailable you may use another centre and apply, however be ready for instructions from the Home Office as while your visa is being considered the approved centre may have resumed service and so become available.

    TB Medical certificate

    Tuberculosis (TB)is a bacterial infection spread through inhaling tiny droplets from the coughs or sneezes of an infected person. As it is highly contagious a negative test result is required from the following countries.

    A | Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan

    B | Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei, Burma, Burkina Faso, Burundi,

    C | Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Cameroon, China, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire

    D | DRC Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic

    E | East Timor, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia

    G | Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana

    H | Haiti, Hong Kong

    I | India, Indonesia, Iraq,

    K | Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan

    L | Laos, Lesotho, Liberia

    M | Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique

    N | Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea

    P | Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines

    R | Russia, Rwanda

    S | São Tomé and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland

    T | Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu

    U | Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

    V | Vanuatu, Vietnam

    Z | Zambia, Zimbabwe

    Who needs to provide a TB test certificate?

    If you are a national of a country listed above, and applying from that country, you need a negative TB test certificate from an UK approved medical clinic. However if you have long-term residency in a different country (not listed above) and you are applying from that other country or you making an in-UK application you do not need to provide a TB certificate.

    Accommodation

    Adequate Accommodation evidence is also a must for a spouse visa application. Your application may be refused unless you evidence adequate accommodation for the whole family (sponsor, applicant and any dependents). If you own your home it can be difficult to get the right evidence as you usually do not have a landlord or an estate agents to provide the supporting letter.

    Financial requirements

    Seek professional help (call 02071933839), this is probably the most difficult and main reason for refusal of spouse visa. What to include depends on how you meet this requirement, usually you should have payslips, bank statements and work letters to evidence genuine income. If using savings you must evidence the source of the funds being used in addition to holding the minimum balance.

    Relationship

    Relationship is unlike anything else as the evidence will differ person to person. For married couple, a marriage certificate (and English translation where relevant) is a must. Everything else depends on the circumstances. Usually the following are included: evidence of wedding, time spent together, money transfers, flights and communication. So this will include photographic evidence, joint bookings and documents.

    Bundle items

    Other items relevant in your case such as divorce certificate from any previous relationship, any children evidence of ties e.g. birth certificates. Consent from the other parent if joining step-parent in the UK. There are many other items required to meet the immigration rules depending on the applicant circumstances.

    Documents size and categories

    The size of each document depends on how the supporting bundle to being sent. Usually there is a limit of 6 MB per file for online upload and only PDF or JPG file types are allowed. If your file is large you can either reduce the quality or split file into multiple parts (Need help). If you are asked to email your supporting bundle usually there is a limit of 25MB although your email provider may support far less (10 MB). If you are an immigration consultant or the applicant we recommend you use Wafi Solicitors Documents bundle service (link) as they will make sure your supporting bundle is well presented and meets the required limits.

    The categories selection for your document is not important when uploading on the various online Home Office and their partner portals. The categories do assist as you will see that there is a category for which you have not provided any documents or evidence.

    For more information or help please contact 02071933839.

  • 2 thoughts on “Moroccan UK

    1. Hi. I am a british citizen married to a moroccan citizen with two children. I have lived in Morocco for almost four years. I have no employment in the uk or own a property. I do however have enough savings and a small pension. Is there a likelihood i could still relocate to the UK.
      Thank you.

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