Category A: 6 Months Employment
What you need to know
- •Category A requires 6 months with the same employer at or above the £29,000 threshold.
- •You need payslips, bank statements, and an employer letter all covering the same 6-month period.
- •The salary on payslips must match the employer letter and be reflected in bank statement credits.
- •If you changed jobs within 6 months, you must use Category B instead.
- •Non-contractual overtime and discretionary bonuses may not count toward the threshold.
Category A income evidence applies when the sponsor (or applicant at extension/ILR) has been employed by the same employer for at least 6 months on a gross annual salary of at least £29,000 (2026 threshold). You need 6 months of consecutive payslips, 6 months of corresponding bank statements, and an employer letter. The documents must match perfectly in salary figures, payment dates, and employer details.
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When to Use Category A
Category A is the right choice under the spouse visa financial requirement rules if:
- The sponsor (or applicant at extension/ILR stage) has been employed by the same employer for at least 6 months before the application date
- Their gross annual salary has been at or above £29,000 throughout the 6-month period
- They are still employed by that employer at the time of application
- Their income is straightforward (salaried employment, not self-employment)
If any of these conditions are not met, consider Category B (for variable or multi-employer income), self-employment income, or the cash savings route.
Documents Required for Category A
1. Payslips (6 Months)
Provide payslips for the 6-month period immediately before the application date. Each payslip must show:
- Your full name
- Employer name and address
- Employer PAYE reference number
- Your National Insurance number
- Pay period dates
- Payment date
- Gross pay, deductions, and net pay
The payslips must be consecutive with no gaps. If you are paid monthly, you need 6 payslips. If paid weekly, you need approximately 26 payslips. If paid fortnightly, approximately 13. See our financial documents guide for formatting details.
2. Bank Statements (6 Months)
Provide bank statements from the account into which your salary is paid, covering the same 6-month period. The statements must show:
- Bank name and logo
- Account holder name
- Account number and sort code
- Statement period
- All transactions including salary credits
The salary credits on the bank statements must correspond to the payment dates and net pay amounts on the payslips. If they do not match, the caseworker will raise a query or refuse the application.
3. Employer Letter
A letter from the employer confirming:
- The employee's full name
- Job title
- Start date of employment
- Current gross annual salary
- Type of employment (permanent, fixed-term, full-time, part-time)
- The letter must be on company letterhead, dated within 28 days of the application, and signed by a senior person with their name, title, and direct contact details
How the Salary Is Assessed
Under Category A, the Home Office looks at whether the gross annual salary at the date of application meets the threshold. The calculation depends on how you are paid:
- Annual salary stated in contract: If your employment contract states an annual salary of £29,000 or above, this is straightforward. The payslips should corroborate this (monthly gross of approximately £2,417).
- Hourly rate: If you are paid an hourly rate, the Home Office calculates your annual salary as: hourly rate x contracted weekly hours x 52. For example, £14 per hour x 40 hours x 52 = £29,120.
- Variable hours: If your hours vary, Category A may not be appropriate. Category B might be better as it looks at actual earnings over 12 months.
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Overtime, Bonuses, and Allowances
Whether additional income components count under Category A depends on whether they are contractual:
- Contractual overtime: Overtime that is guaranteed in your employment contract (e.g., you are contracted to work 5 hours overtime per week) can be included.
- Non-contractual overtime: Overtime that is available but not guaranteed cannot reliably be included under Category A. The caseworker may exclude it.
- Guaranteed bonuses: A bonus that is contractually guaranteed (e.g., a 13th-month salary) can be included.
- Discretionary bonuses: Bonuses at the employer's discretion cannot be relied upon under Category A.
- Regular allowances: London weighting, shift allowances, or car allowances that are part of your standard pay package can be included if they are shown on every payslip.
If you need overtime or bonuses to reach the threshold, consider Category B instead, which looks at your actual total earnings over 12 months.
Making Your Documents Match
The most important thing in a Category A application is consistency across all documents. Before submitting, check:
- Salary figures: The gross annual salary in the employer letter must match the gross pay on your payslips (divide annual salary by 12 for monthly, by 52 for weekly). Small rounding differences are acceptable.
- Payment dates: The payment dates on your payslips must correspond to salary credits appearing in your bank statements.
- Net pay amounts: The net pay on your payslips must match the salary credit amounts on your bank statements.
- Employer details: The employer name must be identical across the employer letter, payslips, and bank statement credits (sometimes bank statements show a shortened or trading name — note this in your covering letter).
- Your name: Your name must appear consistently across all documents and match the name on your application form.
Common Category A Refusal Reasons
Based on common Spouse visa refusal reasons, the most frequent Category A issues are:
- Payslips do not cover the full 6-month period (one month missing)
- Bank statements do not match payslips (payment dates or amounts differ)
- Employer letter is missing required information (no start date, no salary, not on letterhead)
- Salary is below the threshold (even by a small amount)
- Sponsor changed jobs within the 6-month period without switching to Category B
- Non-contractual overtime was included in the salary calculation, and the caseworker excluded it
Step-by-Step Category A Preparation
- Confirm eligibility: Check you have been with the same employer for at least 6 months and your gross annual salary is at least £29,000 (see the current income threshold on GOV.UK).
- Collect payslips: Gather 6 consecutive months of payslips. If any are missing, request duplicates from your payroll department.
- Obtain bank statements: Get statements for the same 6-month period from the account your salary is paid into.
- Request employer letter: Ask your employer for a letter meeting all the requirements listed above. Allow time for this — some HR departments are slow.
- Cross-check everything: Compare payslips to bank statements to the employer letter. Every figure and date must align.
- Write a covering letter: Explain which documents you are providing and note any minor discrepancies (such as bank credits appearing under a different company name).
This guide is general information, not immigration advice. Immigration rules change frequently. For advice on your specific situation, consult an OISC-registered adviser or immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the latest rules.
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