Short answer: You do not always have to wait six months after starting a new job before a spouse visa application. Category B may be relevant where the current employment period is shorter or earnings vary. But it normally involves separate checks of current income and actual qualifying income received during the preceding 12 months. A sufficiently high new salary does not automatically satisfy both.
A better job should be a positive step. It can still change how a partner application’s finances must be evidenced. The aim is to establish the right category and timetable before assuming you must wait, or that you can apply immediately.
Category A and Category B answer different questions
Broadly, Category A is associated with qualifying employment held for the required period. Category B can address a shorter period with the current employer or variable income. Salaried and non-salaried calculations differ, and more than one income source can add further rules.
The detailed assessment is in the Home Office financial requirement guidance and Appendix FM-SE. These should be checked rather than applying a blanket “six payslips” rule to every worker.
The two-part Category B check
For an ordinary UK-based employed sponsor, Category B normally considers the qualifying current annual income and the actual qualifying income received during the 12 months before application. Both parts need to meet the applicable requirement using permitted sources.
This means an applicant can pass the current-income check but still have a shortfall in the historical-income check. Equally, a person with substantial earlier earnings can still have a current income position that needs examination.
The usual new partner threshold is £29,000, but you should first check whether transitional or adequate-maintenance rules apply. Our financial requirement guide explains that starting point.
Two examples that show why the distinction matters
Example one: a sponsor starts a £32,000 salaried job after a lengthy period without work. The headline salary may address the current-income question. It does not prove that £29,000 of qualifying actual income was received in the preceding year.
Example two: a sponsor moves directly between jobs and has qualifying earnings across the relevant 12 months. Category B may be worth assessing without assuming a new six-month wait. The employment evidence and calculation still need checking.
These are illustrative scenarios, not eligibility decisions. The relevant periods, salary type and evidence must be established in the real application.
What documents should you gather?
- The new contract, start date and employer’s contact details.
- Payslips and corresponding bank entries from relevant current and former employment.
- Employer letters covering the facts required for each relevant job.
- A record of gaps, changes in salary, unpaid leave and variable pay.
- Evidence of other income sources proposed for the calculation.
- The intended application date and any immigration expiry deadline.
A P60 can help explain annual pay, but it does not automatically replace the specified payslips, bank statements or employer evidence. Make a working schedule of actual payments, then check it against the applicable evidence rules.
Can savings fill the gap?
Do not assume so across every part of the assessment. The Home Office guidance says cash savings cannot be used in the second, actual-income part of the ordinary Category B calculation. Savings can have a role elsewhere under specified rules, but adding a balance to annual earnings without identifying the relevant part is not a valid method.
If the proposal involves multiple earners or a returning sponsor working overseas, ask for the appropriate category-specific assessment. Those circumstances should not be forced into a simple UK-based worked example.
Choose a timetable that respects your visa deadline
Waiting for a longer evidence period can sometimes make a file clearer. But an applicant whose existing permission is nearing expiry cannot treat “wait six months” as harmless generic advice.
Record the immigration deadline alongside the employment timetable. If ordinary requirements cannot be met before expiry, seek qualified advice promptly rather than submitting incomplete evidence or assuming a booking with an adviser extends permission.
Frequently asked questions
Can I combine payslips from two employers?
They can be relevant to the historical-income assessment, but the applicable category and evidence rules control how they are used.
Does passing probation matter?
Probation is an employment arrangement, not a universal immigration waiting period. The qualifying income and specified evidence remain the key questions.
Can my employment offer replace received earnings?
A job offer can be relevant in specific returning-sponsor circumstances. Do not assume it replaces the ordinary actual-income assessment for a UK-based sponsor.
Make the employment change part of a sound plan
Our partner visa service can help check the financial category and evidence before submission. Discuss your new job and application dates with us. Our standard professional fee is £500 per application, per person for an agreed application; government and third-party charges are separate.
Official sources
Sources checked: 6 October 2026. Check the current official requirements for your application date.
- GOV.UK: proof income partner
- GOV.UK: immigration rules appendix fm se family members specified evidence
- GOV.UK: chapter 8 appendix fm family members
- GOV.UK: Home Office detailed guidance (PDF)
This guide provides general information and is not a decision about your individual eligibility. Rules and charges can change. The agreed service and care letter set out our professional scope; no outcome is guaranteed.