Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how her Department plans to assess whether an individual applying for a spouse visa will meet the specific circumstances criteria if they (a) do not meet the minimum income requirement of £18,600 a year or (b) they have one child but earn less than £22,400.

Guidance on assessing whether a spouse visa application which fails to meet the minimum income requirement raises exceptional circumstances is contained in section 13 of the Immigration Directorate Instruction Family Migration Appendix FM Section 1.0a: Family Life (as a Partner or Parent): 5-Year Routes. This is published on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapter-8-appendix-fm-family-members