Skilled Worker dependant unmarried partner eligibility - documentary evidence

[ziyujer88]

Hi everyone,

I am in need of some assistance with regards to the documentary evidence standard to prove our relationship for Skilled Worker Dependant Partner visas. Please find me and my partner's circumstance below:

I am currently on a Skilled Worker visa. My partner holds a Graduate visa valid until 31 Dec 2025. However she is currently not in the UK (in her home country China) due to family reasons and has been there since June 2025. My partner will return to the UK in mid-Nov for a week or two before leaving again for China. We intend on giving notice for civil partnership in Nov 2025 with intention of her re-entering the UK via Skilled Worker dependant visa and us registering for a civil partnership Spring 2026.

Our relationship timeline is as follows: Met in the UK and started our relationship in Mar 2024 - will be together for two years and eligible to apply as Skilled Worker dependant unmarried partner starting Mar 2026. No evidence of cohabitation during Mar 2024 up until now due to not being able to break out of our long-term rental contracts. If her visa gets granted, we intend on living together when she rejoins me in the UK as my dependant as our contracts would have ended by then.

In terms of documentary evidence to prove our relationship is akin to marriage for the past 2 years, this is what we have prepared so far:
- Notice of civil partnership (not the actual civil partnership certificate)
- Venue booking emails for our civil partnership next year (nothing confirmed yet as we are waiting for the giving notice to be approved)
- Joint bank accounts (we will be setting one up in Nov 2025 for general savings + expenditure)
- Flight, train tickets of trips together and when we visited each other's home countries
- Supporting letters from myself and friends and family
- Relationship photos from 2024
- Cover letter explaining our reason for not living together for the past 2 years

I understand that applying for a marriage visitor visa first might be the safer option but would like to avoid doing so because 1) re-entering with a visitor visa would break my partner's 10 year continuous residence timer, she will be eligible to apply for that in a couple more years, and 2) if the SW dependant visa is granted, it would save my partner having to leave and re-enter the UK after we register the civil partnership.

Any information/alternatives/advise is much appreciated, thank you in advance!

[CR001]

I note you have also asked in a separate topic about a marriage visitor visa, which is likely the best option for you.

For an unmarried partner visa, you must be able to demonstrate 2 years of cohabitation and joint financial commitments in a relationship akin to marriage.

Simply holidaying together is not sufficient.

Letters from family and friends carry absolutely no weight as anyone can write anything you ask them to.

You also cannot give notice to marry if your fiance is not resident in the UK or has an appropriate visa and visa duration to do so.

[ziyujer88]

Hi CR001,

Thanks for the reply.

My partner currently holds Graduate leave to remain, we will be giving notice whilst her leave is valid and she remains a resident in the UK, even if she is not a resident she will be here more than 7 days - which I believe is long enough to be eligible to give notice.

I guess essentially what I am trying to ask is whether, with the documents we have so far, is there a chance of us applying for a Skilled Worker dependant visa (citing the reasons I mentioned for us not being able to live together for the past 2 years) or must we still go with the safer route and apply for a marriage visitor visa.

My understanding is that civil partnership certificates hold weight in UPV, but was wondering whether notice to give civil partnership holds any weight too.

Thank you.

[CR001]

Not being able to get out of a long term lease is not sufficient.

Without being bale to demo that a relationship akin to marriage, any unmarried partner visa will fail. You are for immigration purposes, currently only boyfriend/girlfriend, with a relatively short duration of a relationship, a bulk of time she has not even been in the uk.

Why not marry overseas and apply for a dependent visa once married?