From 3 August 2026, a partner granted permission under Appendix FM will normally receive leave ending on the same date as their sponsor’s 30-month protection permission. The change applies where the sponsor has been granted 30 months’ permission on the basis of protection status, generally following an asylum claim made on or after 2 March 2026.
The rule prevents a partner’s permission from continuing after the protection sponsor’s leave expires. It does not create a new dependant route or remove the usual Appendix FM relationship, English-language, financial and suitability requirements.
What changed and why
People granted protection following qualifying asylum claims made from 2 March 2026 normally receive 30 months’ permission rather than the previous five-year initial grant. The policy is explained in our guide to temporary refugee protection.
Before the change, a partner applying from overseas could ordinarily receive up to 33 months, while someone applying inside the UK could receive up to 30 months. A partner applying after the sponsor’s permission had begun could therefore receive leave extending beyond the sponsor’s expiry date.
The official explanatory memorandum explains that this could leave the partner with family-route permission after the sponsor had lost lawful status or been refused further protection. The new provision aligns the partner’s grant with the time remaining on the sponsor’s existing permission.
Partner leave at a glance
| Point | Before 3 August 2026 | From 3 August 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Partner’s grant | Up to 33 months from overseas or 30 months inside the UK | Ends when the sponsor’s 30-month protection permission ends |
| Could the partner outlast the sponsor? | Yes | Not under the aligned grant |
| Public funds | Normally restricted | No recourse to public funds |
| Renewal timing | Could fall on a different date | Normally falls due alongside the sponsor’s application |
A practical example
Suppose your spouse received 30 months of protection permission in April 2026 and you apply from overseas in February 2027. Instead of receiving a fresh 33-month period, your permission would end when your spouse’s existing leave ends. Your first grant would therefore be shorter than the standard partner grant.
You should not assume that the sponsor’s renewal automatically extends your permission. Each person must submit a valid application before their own permission expires. If the sponsor’s protection is renewed, the partner must make a further application under the rules applying at that time.
Costs and supporting evidence
As of July 2026, a partner family-visa application costs £2,064 from outside the UK or £1,407 from inside the UK. The Immigration Health Surcharge is normally £1,035 per adult for each year granted and is calculated in six-month blocks. A shorter aligned grant may reduce the surcharge, but it can also bring the next application forward. A fee waiver may be available where an applicant cannot afford the application costs or essential living expenses.
Keep your relationship evidence current. The usual partner requirements continue to apply, including proof of a genuine and subsisting relationship and, unless an exception applies, the spouse visa financial requirement.
An unmarried partner visa is subject to the same alignment rule where the sponsor holds the relevant 30-month protection grant. Family sponsorship is different from an employer holding a sponsor licence.
Work, public funds and settlement
A partner granted permission under Appendix FM can normally work and study, but the aligned grant is subject to no recourse to public funds. Someone facing destitution or serious financial hardship may be able to request access to public funds through a change-of-conditions application.
Alignment does not merge the partner’s route with the sponsor’s protection route or guarantee settlement. Time may count towards the relevant family settlement route, depending on the basis of each grant. Qualifying lawful residence may also contribute towards indefinite leave to remain based on long residence.
The former refugee family reunion route remains suspended for most new partner applications made after 4 September 2025. New partners generally need to apply under Appendix FM instead. Our family reunion visa guide, overview of refugee protection and family reunion changes and guide to family visa applications in 2026 explain the distinction.
Moving later to a Skilled Worker visa or a properly structured self-sponsorship route would bring different work, dependant and settlement rules.
Talk to us before you apply
When two grants share an expiry date, timing errors can place both applications at risk. Speak to our immigration solicitors in London at Garth Coates Solicitors on +44 (0)20 7799 1600 or request a consultation before applying.
