How Australian and New Zealand citizens can meet the UK Spouse visa financial requirements

Learn how Australian and New Zealand citizens can meet the UK spouse visa financial requirement using income, cash savings or a combination of both.

If you're an Australian or New Zealand citizen planning to join your partner in the UK on a spouse visa, one of the most important parts of the application process is meeting the financial requirement. The UK Home Office expects applicants to demonstrate that they can financially support themselves without relying on public funds.

Read more: Join your British partner: A guide to the UK Spouse visa for Australian citizens

Whether you're applying from overseas or already in the UK, it's essential to understand your options — and how to provide the right combination of income and/or savings to reach the required threshold.

What is the financial requirement?

As of now, the minimum income threshold is £29,000. Alternatively, you can meet the requirement using £88,500 in cash savings, or a combination of income and savings (subject to certain conditions).

You’ll also need to provide supporting documents to prove the source and stability of your income or funds.

Acceptable income sources

There are several categories under which income or savings may be counted. Here's how each one works:

Salaried income – UK job offer while overseas

If your British partner is still overseas but has secured a UK job offer of at least £29,000 per year (starting within three months of your visa start date), there are two potential routes:

• Category A: If your partner has been employed overseas for more than six months and earning over £29,000 annually, this income can be combined with cash savings, pension income, or non-employment income.
• Category B: If your partner has been employed for less than six months or has variable income, they must show that their total gross income in the past 12 months meets £29,000. This income can be combined with non-employment and pension income – but cash savings cannot be included.

Salaried income – Already employed in the UK

If your British partner is already working in the UK, the rules are as follows:

• Category A: If they’ve been employed in the UK for over six months and earn at least £29,000 per year, this income can be combined with other sources such as cash savings, pensions or rental income.
• Category B: If they’ve been in UK employment for less than six months, the income requirement must be met using the combined total from current UK employment and any overseas income earned in the 12 months prior to the application. This can be combined with other sources, including cash savings.

Cash savings (Category D)

If you're not earning enough through salary alone, you may be able to meet the requirement through cash savings.

To qualify:

• You must have at least £88,500 held in a current, savings or investment account
• The funds must be held for at least six months before your application
• Savings must be in your name, your partner’s name or both
• If the savings come from the sale of property or shares, the money must be fully transferred to your account. If the assets were held for more than six months before sale, the funds can be used immediately.

Cash savings can be combined with other income sources, provided conditions are met.

Read more: How to navigate the UK spouse visa's financial requirements using cash savings

Self-employment income (overseas)

If your British partner is self-employed abroad and has either:

• A confirmed UK job offer over £29,000

OR

• A strong case that their self-employed income will continue in the UK

Then you may qualify under:

• Category F: If their last complete financial year shows income above £29,000, it may be combined with other income types – but not cash savings.
• Category G: If the average income over the last two financial years is over £29,000, this also qualifies. Again, cash savings cannot be included.

Note: For UK-registered companies, this is based on the last full company tax year (CT600).

Non-employment income (Category C)

Income from property rentals or dividends can also be used, as long as:

• The income is in the applicant's or sponsor’s name
• It has been received in the past 12 months and continues at the time of application

If it doesn’t meet the full threshold on its own, it must be combined with other qualifying income, including cash savings and pension income.

Pension income (Category E)

Pensions (state or private) can count toward the requirement if:

• The applicant or sponsor has received at least £29,000 in gross annual pension income for a minimum of 28 days before the application

Pension income can also be combined with other sources, including cash savings and salary.

Combining categories

If you fall short on one category, you may be able to combine multiple income sources to meet the £29,000 threshold — but certain restrictions apply. For example:

• Cash savings cannot be combined with self-employment income under Categories F or G
• All income must be lawfully obtained, verifiable, and ongoing

Final tips

• Make sure your documents are complete and correctly dated
• If you're unsure, consider professional guidance – financial evidence is a common reason for refusals
• Australian and New Zealand applicants often qualify under multiple categories – make the most of them by understanding how to combine correctly

Need help with your application?

At Sable International, we’ve helped thousands of couples navigate the UK spouse visa process – including many Australians and New Zealanders. We’ll assess your eligibility, structure your financial evidence and guide you every step of the way.

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Get in touch with our visa team in Melbourne on ausoffice@sableinternational.com or +613 (0) 8651 4500 for expert advice and personalised support.