Domestic violence
Applying for permission to settle here as a victim of domestic violence
If your relationship with a British citizen or a person settled in the UK has broken down as a result of domestic violence, you may be able to apply for permission to settle here permanently.
To be given permission to settle as a victim of domestic violence, you must prove that:
- you have been given permission to enter or remain in the UK as the husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried/same-sex partner of a British citizen or a person settled here (even if that permission is no longer valid);
- your relationship was existing and genuine (not a ‘marriage of convenience’, for example) when you were last given permission to enter or remain; and
- you were the victim of domestic violence, and this is what caused the relationship to break down before the end of your permission to enter or remain.
