Meeting financial requirement for spousal visa

Hi there,

I am a British Citizen and my wife is Ghanaian but German resident. We are in the process of applying for a first Spousal UK family visa.

I've been employed by my employer for circa 9 years and meet the financial requirement. However, in the past 6 months my salary has changed slightly as we receive pay rises in August.

My question is regarding Cat A or Cat B in the financial requirements section. Looking at 3.12 below, whilst I have been with the same employer obviously I haven't been earning the specific amount indicated in 3.11 above as my salary increased slightly during that period.

3.12 Has your sponsor been in employment with the same employer and earning the amount, as detailed in 3.11 above, continuously for 6 months prior to the date of the application? (Category A)
Answer Yes or No.

3.13 Has your sponsor had other salaried employment in the UK, during the last 12 months prior to the date of application? (Category B).
Answer Yes or No. If ‘No’, go to 3.20

Should I go down Cat A route or Cat B and would I need to provide 12 months' of payslips/bank statements or 6 months?

Thanks for any help or advice! I may be over-thinking things...

If you are earning fixed salary (salaried person) then HO will take the lowest wages figure during the last 6 months. Therefore, if your pay rise wasn't made 6 months ago then preferably use the old wages figure but in employer get it in writing about pay rise. If you are on variable income (non-salaried) then the average wages of last 6 months will be taken to get the annual income.

If applying before February 2019 then your income level relied upon is what it was previous to wage rise in August.

You will also answer yes to the part about relying on income past 6 months. Also you would go CAT A. Make sure employer letter states wage rise of August and the salary amount before it.