How to Apply for a UK Spouse Visa From Indonesia: 2024 Requirements, Fees & Processing times
- Kerri Hill
- Mar 20, 2024
- 9 min read
This article will discuss making a UK spouse visa application from Indonesia in 2024
It will cover the following:
The UK Spouse Visa Application from Indonesia Overview
*Please be aware this article only discusses applicants making a spouse visa application from outside the UK
Indonesian nationals (the “applicant”) are eligible to apply for a UK spouse visa to enter and live in the UK with their UK partner (the “sponsor”) for an initial period of 33 months.
Q: Can we apply from inside the UK, or must we apply from outside the UK?
A: Only applicants who hold a long-term UK visa (valid for more than six months) which is not a UK visitor visa are eligible to apply from within the UK.
Applicants without such a visa will have to apply outside the UK.
For example, Ayu, an Indonesian national, is currently in the UK as a tourist. Since Indonesian citizens are Visa nationals (they cannot enter the UK as a visitor without applying for a UK visitor visa before entry), she will have to return to Indonesia and submit her application from there which is deemed her Country of Residence. Alternatively if for example Ayu held a residence permit within her Indonesian passport for the UAE and lived in Dubai then she would also be welcome to submit her application from there.
The exception to this are applicants who are in the UK on a fiancé or proposed civil partnership visa – who can apply from inside the UK.
2. A UK spouse visa will permit the Indonesian applicant to work in the UK.
Applicants in the UK on a spouse visa are entitled to work in the UK.
If you and your partner are not yet married and are wondering whether to apply for a UK spouse visa or a UK fiance visa, this may be a factor to consider as applicants holding a UK fiancé(e) visa do not have the right to work in the UK.
Instead, the fiancé(e) visa applicant will only be permitted to work in the UK once they have been granted the subsequent FLR(M) visa (which is typically applied for before the expiration of the six-month UK fiancé(e) visa).
3. Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and British Citizenship can be obtained via the UK spouse visa route.
Applicants who have lived for five years in the UK with a partner on the spouse visa route can usually apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
Therefore, applicants who meet all the spouse visa UK requirements in 2024 and continue to do so should be able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years.
The exception is for those applicants who are granted leave on the 10-year route to settlement rather than the 5-year route. Such applicants will have to live in the UK with their partner for ten years before obtaining Indefinite Leave to Remain.
What is the UK spouse visa fee/cost in Indonesia in 2024?
A UK spouse visa application (Government fee) from Indonesia costs approximately £1,846 or USD $2,444. The figure is typically displayed in USD at the time of submission but can vary depending on which country you submit from and the conversion rate at the time of application.
UK spouse visa applicants from Indonesia must also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). The IHS fee amounts to approximately £3,105 or USD $2,370. This figure is based on the conversion rate at the time of writing and again depending on which country you apply from will dictate as to what currency the fee is shown in.
A IELTS A1 Life Skills Test will be required from the applicant, it’s £150 if taken in the UK or IDR 3,000,000 if taken in Indonesia (test centres located in Jakarta, Bali and Surabaya.)
Bali and Surabaya Visa Application Test Centres where you will have your biometrics taken have an additional fee of £76.50 to pay. You can pay this fee when you book your appointment online. Standard biometric appointments in Jakarta have no fee attached to them.
An optional priority fee of £500 (10,199,332 IDR) can be paid at the time of submission for a chance to reach a decision more quickly.
The amount paid at the time of the application submission will depend on the exchange rate used at the time which is set by the UK Government. Consequently, applicants typically pay between up to 5% more than the exchange rates listed on popular currency exchange websites.
Applicants may also need to consider another additional cost if they choose to pay for an immigration consultant to help with the application.
Our team have a rich background in immigration, from an ex-UK Immigration Officer for the UK Home Office to Immigration Experts who have all been through the process personally.
Our Spouse Visa Services are a full representation service. This is our most comprehensive service involving Daniel Choat (who worked in the Home Office) handling your application from start to finish. Among other things, we will ensure that the Immigration Rules are met, complete and submit the online application form, ensure all the documentation is in order, write a covering support letter and ensure that all the other support letters are completed accordingly, arrange the visa center appointment, submit the supporting documents on your behalf and collect your passport when it is returned (Jakarta only).
We also offer a short 15-minute “Pick Our Brains” service as well as 1-hour consultations to discuss your application, answer any questions you may have, advise on documents that should be submitted, and do a final application / supporting document check before you upload the documents. Perfect for those who just need a little extra help, without committing to our full representation service.
We also offer our services and advice in Bahasa Indonesian, translation of documents, and can accompany you to the application centre (Jakarta only for now).
The VFS visa centers in Indonesia
These are the centers that UK spouse visa applicants from Indonesia have to attend after the online application has been submitted
There are 4 VFS visa centers in Indonesia
Location | Address | Opening Hours |
Bali | Park 23, 3rd Floor, Jl. Kediri, Tuban, Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali Indonesia, 80361 | Visa Submission: Monday - Friday (except public holidays) 08:00 - 15:00 (WITA) Passport Collection: 12:00 - 15:00 (WITA) |
Jakarta | Kuningan City 2nd floor No. L2-19, Jalan Prof. Dr. Satrio Kav. 18, Setiabudi, Kuningan, Jakarta 12940 Indonesia | Visa Submission: Monday - Friday (except public holidays) 08:00 - 12:00 and 13:15 - 16:00 (WIB) Passport Collection: Monday - Friday (except public holiday) 14:00 – 16:00 (WIB) |
Jakarta - Westin Hotel | Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. C-22 A 12940 Jakarta | Appointment scheduling mandatory |
Surabaya | Graha Bukopin 10th Floor, Unit 11 Jalan Panglima Sudirman No. 10 - 18, Surabaya - 60271, Indonesia | Visa Submission Only: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (except public holiday) 08:00 - 15:00 (WIB) |
Please note that the above is subject to change at any time. Applicants are advised to check the current availability of the centers on the VFS website
How to submit the supporting documents from Indonesia
Applicants usually have the following options when submitting their supporting documents.
Upload the documentation via the self-upload portal on the VFS website. Applicants can normally self-upload their supporting documents from their home computers. Self-uploading can be done on the VFS website after the following:The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) has been paid; and The spouse visa UK fee in 2024 has been paid. It is this document-submitting procedure that we generally recommend – the uploading portal has been dramatically improved over the past few years.
Submit the documents at the visa center in Indonesia using the document scanning assistance service. A member of VFS staff will be available to scan the supporting documents. Please note that there will be an additional fee for this service.
What is the UK spouse visa from Indonesia processing time in 2024?
Our experience has been that typically, the visa processing time is up to 12 weeks from the date of biometric submission, with the option of a fast-track service that may yield results in approximately 6 weeks (though not guaranteed).
We post the processing timelines on our Instagram and Facebook with each Visa that gets approved, so follow us for more updates.
UK Spouse Visa Requirements applying from Indonesia 2024
There are 5 key requirements:
You are in a genuine and subsisting relationship and legally married or in a civil partnership or recognised as unmarried partners Not only that but the relationship you are in needs t• o be Genuine and Subsisting and we would look to evidence the application with things such as marriage or civil partnership certificates, itineraries from previous travel to see each other, photos of you together throughout your relationship, evidence that you have been living together overseas akin to marriage or that you have been maintaining communications and providing each other with emotional support throughout the times you have been apart and in a long-distance relationship.
English language requirement The most straightforward way to meet this requirement is to take the Life Skills Speaking and Listening English test from one of the approved test providers. The A1 level is required for the initial application, the A2 level for the extension or Further Leave to Remain and the B1 level for the Indefinite Leave to Remain application at the 5-year stage. If you are confident with your English language you may wish to consider taking the B1 test so you can use that certificate for the initial and future applications and save yourself the need to book and attend further tests at a later date. The following points are also relevant: You are exempt from taking the English language test if you are Over 65 years old or a national of a certain English-speaking country. Additionally, you may be able to prove it with an academic qualification: Academic qualifications
TB Screening certificate The TB screening test can be taken at one of the approved TB screening clinics within Indonesia, test centers can be found on the link below: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tuberculosis-test-for-a-uk-visa-clinics-in-indonesia/tuberculosis-testing-in-indonesia
Adequate accommodation is available in the UK “Adequate accommodation” means that the applicant and sponsor have a suitable place to live that is safe, meets the required housing standards, and is not overcrowded. This may be a property that is owned or rented by the sponsor or if you are returning to the UK as a couple it may be the home of a family member who is willing to accommodate you and your partner upon your arrival. The requirement for ‘adequate accommodation’ means that the family will be living in accommodation which: - Is owned or occupied exclusively by the applicant and their family; - Will be obtained without recourse to public funds; - Is not, or will not, be overcrowded; and - Does not breach public health regulations. - Consent by the landlord or property owner is provided
The financial requirement This is notoriously difficult to show correctly and is one of the biggest reasons for refusal. We will start with how much the income threshold is as this amount can vary depending on factors such as whether non-British national children are involved. Where there are no child dependents, the minimum annual gross income is £18,600 per year. An additional gross annual income of £3,800 is required for the first child-sponsored and an additional £2,400 for each further child. The level of the financial requirement will therefore be: • Partner with no children or no children who are subject to the income requirement – £18,600 • 1 child in addition to the partner – £22,400 • 2 children in addition to the partner – £24,800 • 3 children in addition to the partner – £27,200 As this was published in March 2024 it’s worth mentioning the Government announcement that the income levels are to be amended from the 11th April 2024 to £29,000 and then are set to rise to £38,700 by early 2025. The following are all ways that the sponsor can meet the financial requirement in the initial application The sponsor (this is a UK national or resident in the UK): • Salaried employment, • Non-salaried employment • Self-employment such as being a sole trader • As a Director of a Limited Company • Overseas employment and a job offer to start within the UK • Pension income • Property rental income • Cash savings • Dividends and other investment income • Maintenance grant or Stipend Where the sponsor receives any of the following benefits or allowances in the UK, the applicant will show evidence of “adequate maintenance” within the application rather than meeting the income threshold: • Career's Allowance • Disability Living Allowance • Severe Disablement Allowance • Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit • Attendance Allowance • Personal Independence Payment • Armed Forces Independence Payment or Guaranteed Income Payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme • Constant Attendance Allowance, Mobility Supplement or War Disablement • Pension under the War Pensions Scheme • Police Injury Pension
Other UK Spouse Visa from Indonesia Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can we book the visa center appointment in Indonesia before submitting the
online application?
A: No. The visa center appointment in Indonesia can only be booked after you have submitted
the application (which is done by paying the Home Office fees).
Q: At what date do the requirements have to be satisfied?
A: The relevant date is normally the date that you pay the Home Office fees on the online
application (this is known as the “date of application”). Contrary to what some partners might assume, the date at which the applicant attends the visa center in Indonesia is not normally relevant.
Q: What is the most common reason for refusals for UK spouse visa applications from
Indonesia?
A: The most common reason for refusals is the financial requirement. You are required to not
only satisfy the minimum income threshold (£18,600, higher if dependent children are applying, lower if a permitted benefit is received), but you are also required to submit documents which comply with document-specific Immigration Rules.
Q: Can the applicant leave Indonesia whilst the spouse visa application is processing?
A: Applicants can leave Indonesia whilst the spouse visa application is processing. Contrary to
applications made from inside the UK, this does not withdraw the application. If you anticipate the applicant leaving Indonesia, you may wish to consider the “keep my passport” service. Please note, however, that the applicant will need to return to Indonesia to re-submit and collect the passport once the spouse visa application has been decided.
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