If you are in danger right now
999Can't talk — call and press 55
0808 2000 247Domestic abuse helpline, 24/7, interpreters available
116 123Samaritans, if things are hard and there is no one to talk to
Your status: almost everything depends on it
In the UK, the rights of domestic abuse survivors depend heavily on which visa you're here on. Below is the fork. Find your row.
| Who you are | What's available |
|---|---|
| Partner visa: Appendix FM (except fiancé(e)), EUSS pre-settled, partner of a refugee, partner of a member of the armed forces, partner of a work or student visa holder, Ukraine Scheme | MVDAC — Migrant Victims of Domestic Abuse Concession: 3 months of status, the right to work, access to public funds. Free, form LOTR (DVV), target processing time 5 working days |
| Partner of a British citizen, a person with ILR, a refugee, a settled status holder, or a member of the armed forces with 4+ years' service | Plus permanent status (ILR) under Appendix VDA. Fee £3,226 per person; a fee waiver may be possible if you're destitute or homeless |
| Partner of a work or student visa holder | MVDAC — yes. ILR — no. After 3 months you need another route |
| Your own work, student or visitor visa (not as a partner) | Neither MVDAC nor ILR |
| Fiancé(e) visa | Explicitly excluded from both routes |
| Already claimed asylum | A separate system: Migrant Help 0808 801 0503, section 95, ASPEN card |
The standard of proof for ILR is the "balance of probabilities"; for those abandoned abroad it's lower. The guidance explicitly requires the impact of trauma on your account to be taken into account: a confused or incomplete story is not a reason to disbelieve you.
The most dangerous mistake in this kind of information is promising ILR to everyone who has survived abuse. We don't do that. The fork above is how the rules work, not an assessment of your case. Only an IAA-registered adviser or an SRA or BSB lawyer can assess your case.