A ‘durable partner’ is someone you’ve been in a relationship for at least 2 years, who lives with you, or is someone you have a child with.
You and your durable partner must:
- intend to live together permanently
- not be blood relatives
Any other type of relationship or previous marriage that you or your partner have had must have permanently broken down.
You can add a durable partner if they’re not a UK citizen and meet some other conditions about their nationality or residence. If they’re a national of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein they can be added if:
- they arrived in the UK after 31 December 2020
- your relationship began on or before 31 December 2020
If your partner arrived in the UK before the 31 December 2020, they must make their own application, if they’re entitled to a card themselves.
If they’re a national of another country, these conditions also apply unless they have settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS), in which case we will just have to verify their residency.