UK Unmarried Partner Visa Documents: 2 Years Living Together

If you apply for a UK partner visa as an unmarried couple, there is no marriage certificate to send. Instead, the documents need to show a relationship similar to marriage that has lasted at least 2 years before the date you apply. For couples who live together, most of the file is usually dated paperwork addressed to you at the same home, such as:

• a tenancy agreement or mortgage paperwork for the shared home
• council tax bills
• gas, electricity, water or broadband bills
• statements from a joint bank account, sent to that address
• a letter from a GP or dentist that shows the address

GOV.UK wants these papers to be under 4 years old and issued by an official body: a bank, a landlord, a utility company, a doctor or a part of government. All figures and rules were checked on GOV.UK on 14 October 2026.

What the rules say about 2 years

Paragraph GEN.1.2 of Appendix FM defines a "partner". For couples who are not married, it covers an "unmarried partner, where the couple have been in a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least 2 years before the date of application."

The GOV.UK page for partners puts it in plainer words. Either the two of you have shared a home as a couple for at least 2 years by the time you apply, or you have been together for at least 2 years but have had to live apart. Its examples are jobs or courses in different places, or cultural reasons.

The Home Office instructions for its own staff ("Family life (as a partner or parent) and exceptional circumstances", version 29.0, 5 August 2026) add two useful points:

• the 2 years must be complete before the application date
• the 2-year period "does not require evidence of cohabitation for the period", and it allows for couples who are apart for a while, for example for work

The same document says the key point is that the relationship "has been genuine and subsisting for the duration of the 2-year period and continues to be at the date of application." In plain words, the relationship must be real and still continuing. So the paperwork should cover a period of time, not only one day.

Cohabitation evidence: what each document proves

Each type of paper proves something slightly different. Before you start collecting, decide what you want each one to show.

GOV.UK does not say that every paper must show both names. If you have none of the main types, the GOV.UK partner page mentions three other kinds: a one-off bill (for example from a vet or for home repairs), letters confirming you are both registered to vote at one address, and student finance paperwork showing that address.

Build a 24-month timeline

GOV.UK does not give a set number of documents, or say how many you need for each month. A timeline is a simple way to see what you have and which months have little or nothing.

1. Write the dates. Start from the planned application date and count back 24 months. Put each month on a row.
2. Add two columns, one for each partner. In each cell, note any paper that places that person at the shared home in that month.
3. Mark the gaps. An empty row is easy to spot. It might be a month with no bills, or the time between two homes.
4. Fill gaps where you can. Council tax is often billed once a year, so one bill covers many months. Annual statements, insurance renewals and tenancy renewals also cover long periods.

If you moved during the 2 years, the timeline will show two addresses. Keep papers from the end of the first home and the start of the second, such as the old tenancy end date and the new tenancy start date, so the move is clear.

If you were apart for part of the period, the staff instructions quoted above say the 2 years do not need proof of a shared home for every month. For couples who live apart, the GOV.UK partner page asks for evidence of an ongoing commitment: regular contact, financial support for each other, care of any children you have together, and time spent together. Photos and chat records are covered in our guide to proof of relationship documents.

Dates, names and addresses: small checks

Most problems with this kind of paperwork are simple and easy to fix before you apply.

• A date on every page. A bill with no visible date cannot be placed on the timeline. Download the full PDF, not a cropped screenshot.
• The address written the same way. "Flat 2, 10 High Street" and "10A High Street" may be the same home. If your landlord or council uses a different format, keep a paper that shows both, such as the tenancy.
• The age of the paper. GOV.UK sets an upper limit of 4 years. The staff instructions sort evidence into 3 groups, from most valued to least valued. They put anything older than 4 years, counted from the application date, in the lowest group.
• Online-only bills. Many bills and statements only exist as downloads. Save them as PDF and rename them clearly.
• Name changes. If one of you changed name, keep the document that links the old name to the new one.

Documents in another language

If a bill or letter is not in English or Welsh, paragraph 39B(f) of Part 1 of the Immigration Rules asks for the original and a full translation that can be checked independently. Part 1 also says the translation must be dated and confirm it is accurate. It must give the full name and signature of the translator or an authorised official of the translation company, and the contact details of the translator or translation company. For applications made inside the UK, a qualified translator must certify it and include their credentials. Our guide to certified translation for a spouse visa explains the format.

Order the file before you upload

The upload instructions appear once you start the online application. A clear order before that point saves time.

1. One short summary page of the timeline (optional, but useful for you)
2. Tenancy or mortgage papers, oldest first
3. Council tax bills, oldest first
4. Utility and broadband bills, oldest first
5. Bank statements and other letters, oldest first
6. Translations, each placed right after its original

Use file names that give the month and type, for example 2025-06 council tax, 10 High St.pdf. The online form also asks how long you have lived together, so check that the dates you type match the papers.

Frequently asked questions

Do unmarried partners need a document for every month of the 2 years? GOV.UK does not set a number. The Home Office staff instructions say the 2-year period does not require evidence of cohabitation for the whole time. The relationship must be real and continuing (the guidance says "genuine and subsisting") for the 2 years and on the date you apply.

Does every document need both of our names? No rule says so. GOV.UK asks for documents that confirm the relationship, for example that you share a home.

Which documents does GOV.UK name for unmarried couples? The partner page names tenancy agreements, utility and council tax bills, joint bank statements, and letters from a doctor or dentist. Without these, it mentions one-off bills, voting register letters and student finance paperwork.

How old can the documents be? GOV.UK says they should be less than 4 years old.

Is the 2 years counted to the day I apply? Appendix FM says at least 2 years before the date of application. The staff instructions say the period must be complete before that date.

How Stratovisa helps

When you choose unmarried partner at the start, your Stratovisa checklist adds a slot for proof of living together or joint expenses. It lists the document types GOV.UK gives, such as tenancy, council tax and utility bills, joint bank statements and medical letters, plus records for couples who cannot live together. You upload the files into that slot, with room for certified translations, and the dashboard shows what is still missing. When everything is in place, you download one organised package. Read more about the UK family visa.