Can ChatGPT Help With a UK Spouse Visa? What to Check
Yes, ChatGPT and other AI chat tools can help with parts of a UK spouse visa application. They are good at explaining terms, turning a list into a checklist and helping you plan a cover letter. Their weak point is figures and dates. AI answers are often based on older web pages, so they can repeat rules that have since changed. The most common example is the £18,600 income figure. For a first partner application today, GOV.UK says the figure is £29,000.
Before you rely on any AI answer, check these five things on GOV.UK:
- The income threshold: £29,000 for new partner applications
- The savings calculation: savings above £16,000, divided by 2.5
- The fees and health surcharge: £2,064 plus £3,105 per adult from outside the UK
- The English level: A1 for the first visa, A2 for the extension
- The document format rules: bank statement stamps, the 28-day rule, translations
All figures and rules were checked on GOV.UK on 5 October 2026. Rules change, so confirm them again before you pay or apply. The Home Office has also asked the Migration Advisory Committee to review the income threshold, so it may change.
Why AI tools quote out-of-date figures
AI chat tools learn from text published on the internet up to a certain date. Some can also search the web, but they may still use older pages. A lot of that text is old. Blog posts, forums and news articles written before 2024 still talk about £18,600, and an AI tool may repeat them as if they were still current.
Home Office guidance explains the change: on 11 April 2024, the minimum income threshold for new applicants under Appendix FM increased from £18,600 to £29,000. The same guidance says that applications made after that date no longer have a separate amount added for each child. The threshold is the same, whatever the number of children.
The £18,600 figure has not disappeared completely, which makes this more confusing. GOV.UK says that if you are extending your stay with the same partner, and your first application was made before 11 April 2024, the figure for that extension is £18,600. For this extension, GOV.UK adds £3,800 for the first child and £2,400 for each additional child, up to a total of £29,000. An AI tool may mix these two cases together.
The five things to check on GOV.UK
1. The income threshold
GOV.UK says that partners usually need to prove a combined income of at least £29,000 a year. There is a different rule if your partner receives certain disability or carer's benefits. The page to check is Financial requirements if you're applying as a partner or spouse.
2. How savings are counted
AI answers can get this calculation wrong, or skip the first step. The Immigration Rules (Appendix FM, paragraphs E-ECP.3.1 and E-LTRP.3.1) give the formula for the first visa and the extension:
(total savings minus £16,000) divided by 2.5 = the amount that counts towards the threshold
The savings must have been held for at least 6 months before the date of application. With no income, the formula gives £88,500 in savings to reach £29,000: £88,500 minus £16,000 is £72,500, and £72,500 divided by 2.5 is £29,000. If an AI tool gives you a much lower savings figure, it may be using the old £18,600 threshold. Our spouse visa financial requirement calculator shows the calculation step by step.
3. Fees and the health surcharge
GOV.UK lists the partner visa fee as £2,064 from outside the UK and £1,407 from inside the UK. On top of that, you pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, which is £1,035 a year for adults. For a first visa of 2 years and 9 months, that is £3,105 per adult. From inside the UK, the visa is for up to 2 years and 6 months, which is £2,587.50 per adult. Fees and the surcharge have both gone up several times in recent years, so an older AI answer can be wrong by hundreds of pounds. The full breakdown is in our post on UK spouse visa fees in 2026.
4. The English language level
GOV.UK says you must pass at least level A1 on the CEFR scale for the first partner visa. When you extend after 2 years and 6 months, you need at least A2 in speaking and listening, unless your first test was already at A2 or higher. The test must come from an approved provider, or you show a degree that meets the rules. GOV.UK also lists people who do not need to prove their English, for example people over 65 and nationals of some countries, such as Canada and the USA.
5. The document format rules
An AI answer may say "provide 6 months of bank statements" but miss the detail that matters. Appendix FM-SE, the part of the Immigration Rules on evidence, says:
- Electronic bank statements must come with a letter from the bank on its headed stationery confirming they are authentic, or carry the bank's official stamp on every page.
- Recent evidence: where evidence covers a period that ends on the date of application, the most recent part of it must be dated no earlier than 28 days before that date.
- Translations: any document not in English or Welsh needs the original and a full translation. The translation must be dated and include confirmation that it is accurate, the translator's full name and signature, and their contact details. For applications made from inside the UK, it must also be certified by a qualified translator.
What AI tools are good for
Used carefully, an AI chat tool can save you time on the parts of the work that are about organising, not rules:
- Making a checklist from the GOV.UK document list you paste in
- Explaining words like "sponsor", "entry clearance" or "specified evidence" in simpler language
- Planning a structure for a cover letter or a relationship timeline
- Naming files clearly, for example
bank-statement-2026-05.pdf - Translating instructions into your own language so you can read them more easily
One practical point: do not paste passport numbers, bank account numbers or other personal details into a chat tool. Use placeholders like "[passport number]" instead.
What AI tools cannot do for you
An AI tool cannot tell you whether your application meets the rules. Advice about your own case is regulated in the UK. If you want someone to look at your situation, the adviser must be regulated, for example a solicitor or an adviser registered with the Immigration Advice Authority. An AI chat tool is neither.
It also cannot check your actual documents. It cannot see whether a bank statement is missing a page or whether a payslip matches a deposit. That part is still your job.
ChatGPT compared with organising it yourself
Many people use both: AI to help explain, GOV.UK for every figure and rule, and their own checklist to keep track.
| AI chat tool | Organising it yourself from GOV.UK | |
|---|---|---|
| Figures and dates | Can be out of date | Current, if you check the live page |
| Speed | Fast answers | Slower, pages are spread out |
| Document list | General, may miss items | Official, but you build the list |
| Format rules | Often missing detail | In Appendix FM-SE, but long to read |
| Tracking what you have | No memory of your uploads | Folders or a spreadsheet |
| Your own case | Cannot advise | Use a regulated adviser if needed |
The simple rule: check every figure from an AI tool on GOV.UK before you use it.
Frequently asked questions
Is the UK spouse visa income requirement still £18,600? Not for new applications. GOV.UK says partners usually need a combined income of at least £29,000 a year. The £18,600 figure applies when you extend your stay with the same partner and your first application was made before 11 April 2024. For that extension, GOV.UK adds an amount for each child, up to a total of £29,000.
Can I use ChatGPT to write my spouse visa cover letter? You can use it to plan the structure and make the wording clearer. Check every fact, date and figure yourself, and do not paste personal numbers into the chat.
How much savings do I need for a spouse visa with no income? Using the Home Office formula, (savings minus £16,000) divided by 2.5, you reach £29,000 with £88,500 in savings. The savings must have been held for at least 6 months before you apply.
Why does ChatGPT give different fees from GOV.UK? AI tools often learn from older web pages. Fees and the health surcharge have changed several times, so always use the amounts on the live GOV.UK page.
How Stratovisa helps
Stratovisa does the organising step, using a document list taken from GOV.UK. It builds your checklist from your answers about your situation, gives each document its own slot for upload, and shows what is still missing. When everything is in place, you download one organised package for your online application. It does not tell you whether you qualify. It keeps the paperwork complete and in order. See how it works for the spouse and partner visa.