SET(M) Form Guide: Partner ILR Application

Partner couple preparing a SET(M) settlement application and supporting evidence
SET(M) preparation brings timing, relationship, financial and identity evidence together.

Reviewed against official sources on 29 August 2026. The SET(M) online service is used for relevant settlement applications as the partner or parent of a person who is settled in the UK. Route and form instructions can change. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

A successful partner application depends on meeting the family-route requirements, not simply completing the form. Confirm the route, qualifying period, relationship, financial, accommodation, English and Life in the UK requirements before submitting.

What is SET(M)?

SET(M) is the name used for the official online settlement application for relevant partners or parents of a person who is settled in the UK. Start from the current GOV.UK SET(M) page rather than an old saved form or an unofficial link.

Not every family member uses SET(M), and not every partner is at the settlement stage. The correct application depends on the leave currently held and the route being completed.

Check the partner route and timing

A partner on the standard five-year route normally needs the required period as a partner under the relevant family rules. Time on unrelated visa routes should not simply be added to that period. The ten-year family route has different provisions.

Read the current official partner settlement guidance and our spouse ILR guide. Establish the route shown in the latest grant before selecting an application date.

The general ILR date planner can help with calendar planning, but it cannot determine whether family-route time, relationship requirements or financial evidence qualify.

Relationship evidence

The application may need to show that the relationship is genuine and subsisting and that the couple intend to continue living together permanently in the UK. Evidence should reflect the actual circumstances and the period relevant to the application.

  • Marriage or civil-partnership evidence where applicable.
  • Correspondence and official records showing shared addresses.
  • Joint financial or household records where available.
  • Explanations and evidence for periods living apart.
  • Relevant information about children and family life.

There is no universal document count that proves every relationship. Use the application’s current document instructions and provide a coherent picture without manufacturing or padding evidence.

Financial requirement

The applicable financial rules can depend on when the family route began, the type of income or savings relied on, and any exception or transitional provision. Do not apply one headline threshold to every partner case without checking the current rules.

Prepare evidence for the exact source relied on, such as employment, self-employment, pension, specified non-employment income or cash savings. Required periods and document formats can differ. If relying on an exception, check the alternative requirements that apply.

Accommodation, English and Life in the UK

The form may ask about accommodation and whether it is adequate without prohibited overcrowding or recourse to public funds where the rules require that assessment. Keep tenancy, ownership, occupancy and household information consistent.

Settlement applicants commonly need to meet the English-language and Life in the UK requirements unless exempt. Review the English requirement and Life in the UK Test guide. The evidence and validity rules are not the same.

Information to prepare for SET(M)

  • Applicant and partner identity and immigration details.
  • Relationship history and previous marriages or partnerships.
  • Addresses, periods of cohabitation and any time living apart.
  • Income, employment, savings and housing details relevant to the chosen category.
  • Children and other dependants included or affected.
  • Travel, criminality and immigration-compliance history.

Use the ILR document checklist as an organiser, then follow the personalised evidence list generated by the online application.

Completing and submitting the form

  • Answer from a verified timeline and evidence set.
  • Explain inconsistent addresses, absences or periods apart.
  • Check the financial category and evidence dates before submission.
  • Save a copy of the completed answers and document checklist.
  • Confirm the current fee and service options in the official process.

Use the official SET(M) online application page. Our how to apply for ILR guide explains the wider submission, identity and decision process.

Children and separate settlement dates

Do not assume that every child or dependant automatically settles with the partner applicant. Eligibility, consent, care arrangements, the other parent’s status and the child’s own route can matter. See our ILR for dependants guide.

When regulated advice may be important

Consider regulated advice for complex finances, self-employment, relationship breakdown, long periods apart, previous refusals, criminality, uncertain immigration status, children with different parents or statuses, or an application relying on an exception. Search the official immigration adviser register.

Last reviewed: 29 August 2026. Editor: Howard Wilson. Read our editorial standards.