§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the conditions that have to be met by the partner of someone seeking permission to live in the United Kingdom before they may be admitted. [25865]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe term "partner" is not defined in immigration legislation or rules. Different descriptions are used and so it is not possible to give a precise answer to this Question. Someone seeking permission to enter the United Kingdom with a view to settlement as a spouse or fiancé(e) must show that he or she is present and settled in the United Kingdom and that, as a couple, they intend to live together permanently and are able to maintain and accommodate themselves without recourse to public funds. The parties to the marriage, or proposed marriage, must have met. If the overseas partner is seeking permission to enter under the concession for unmarried partners, introduced on 13 October 1997, the couple must additionally show that they have been living together in a relationship akin to marriage which has subsisted for four years or more; that they are legally unable to marry (other than by reason of consanguineous relationships or age); and that any previous marriage, or similar relationship, has permanently broken down. In all cases, the overseas partner must be in possession of a valid entry clearance for entry in the appropriate capacity.