The UK Family Visa allows eligible foreign nationals to join their family members in the UK for an extended period of six months or more. This visa enables you to bring your spouse or partner, fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner, child, parent, or a relative in need of long-term care. If your family member intends to stay in the UK for less than six months, a Standard Visitor Visa may be more appropriate.
To sponsor a family member on a family visa, you must have a valid immigration status that permits dependent family members to join you in the UK. You must either be a UK or Irish citizen, hold settled status in the UK (such as Indefinite Leave to Remain or Settled Status), or have refugee status or humanitarian protection.
Several visa categories are available under the family visa route, including:
If you’d like to speak to someone about the best options for your family, please get in touch with the team at Ascent Immigration. Our immigration lawyers have a wealth of experience in supporting people with their visa applications and providing them with the advice they need.
As mentioned above, certain requirements will need to be met by the sponsor (family member living in the UK) in order to allow your family or loved ones to join you in the UK.
Sponsors will need to meet the following requirements:
The family member coming to the UK must meet the following requirements:
Need support with your visa application call us on 051-8485550 or enquire online to book your advice session with one of Ascent Immigration lawyers.
Applying for a family visa can be complex, but our team of immigration lawyers are here to help. We provide expert guidance on eligibility, visa categories, and the documentation required to strengthen your application. Ensuring that your application meets all Home Office requirements, from proving your relationship to meeting financial and language criteria.
We can also assist with appeals if your application is refused, helping you navigate the process and present new evidence if needed.
Additionally, once you’ve obtained your family visa, we can offer advice on settling in the UK and applying for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or citizenship. With expert support at every step, we make the family visa process smoother and more straightforward.
To apply as a partner on a UK Family Visa, both you and your partner must be at least 18 years old.
Your partner must also meet one of the following criteria:
You and your partner must intend to live together permanently in the UK after applying.
If your partner has settled or pre-settled status, you may also be eligible to apply through the free EU Settlement Scheme.
You’ll need to demonstrate one of the following:
You must also prove that:
If you cannot meet these requirements, you may still qualify for a visa if:
You must prove that:
You cannot work or study during your engagement and will need to apply to extend your stay once you marry or enter a civil partnership. Upon approval, you’ll gain the right to work or study in the UK.
Provide evidence from sources like the government, a bank, landlord, utility provider, or a medical professional that shows:
Examples include:
If you don’t have the above, you can provide:
If work, study, or cultural reasons prevent you from living together, you’ll need to show ongoing commitment by providing evidence that:
If you extend or switch to this visa, you can stay for an additional two years and six months.
If you’re a parent looking to join or stay with your child in the UK, you can apply for a family visa as a parent. However, if you are eligible to apply as a partner, you must do so instead of applying as a parent.
Your child must meet the following conditions:
Your child must also be living in the UK, and one of the following must be true:
If your child has settled or pre-settled status, you may also apply through the EU Settlement Scheme or for a EU Settlement Scheme family permit.
You must have sole or shared parental responsibility for your child.
If your child lives with their other parent or carer, you must have in-person access to your child, as agreed with the other parent or by court order.
You must demonstrate that you play an active role in your child’s upbringing and plan to continue doing so after your application. You can provide evidence from:
Examples of evidence include:
You will need permission from the court to submit court orders. Include written proof of permission from the court when you apply.
If you do not have this type of evidence, you can provide alternatives, though it’s less likely that your visa will be approved. These alternatives may include:
Note: Items like greeting cards, photos, or social media messages are considered weak evidence and may not support your application.
You must also prove:
The caseworker will assess whether your income and housing costs show you can support yourself. If your child or other dependants live with you, you’ll also need to prove that you can support them without public funds.
Check the specific financial requirements and evidence needed to prove your income.
If you don’t meet the English language and financial requirements, you may still qualify for a visa if:
You can apply for a family visa to join your parent in the UK. Depending on your circumstances, you may not need a family visa if at least one of your parents has indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or proof of permanent residence. In some cases, you may be eligible to settle in the UK.
You will receive the same permission to stay as your parent. You can either:
You must:
If you are under 18, you will need to know the type of permission to stay in the UK (limited leave to remain) your parent holds.
If you are 18 or over, you can only apply if your leave to remain in the UK started before you turned 18, and you must apply from within the UK.
Your eligibility to apply depends on your age and how your parent applied for their visa.
You must:
One of your parents must be applying or have applied for a visa or an extension of their permission to stay as:
If neither applies, you may still be eligible if there are serious reasons to allow you to join or stay in the UK, and plans are in place for your care.
You can either be included in your parent’s application as a dependant or apply separately.
You can only apply if you have leave to remain on a family visa that started when you were under 18.
You will need to provide evidence of your parent’s income to prove they meet the financial requirements for their type of family visa. For example, if your parent is applying for a family visa as a partner, you will need proof that they meet the financial requirement for partners.
Check the information and evidence needed to prove your parent’s income.
You will need to prepare the necessary information and evidence to provide with your application.
The form you need to complete depends on your parent’s visa application. If your parent is applying to enter the UK as the partner of:
If any of the above applies, you must complete the Appendix FM online form.
If not, you will need to complete both:
If your parent has leave to enter or remain in the UK on a 5 or 10-year route to settlement as the partner of a:
You must complete the Appendix FM online form.
If none of the above applies, you will need to complete both the online application form and the Appendix 1 paper form.
If you are already in the UK, you must apply online and prepare the necessary information and evidence for your application. You can also check if you’re eligible for a different visa type.
You may be eligible for a fee waiver if you cannot pay the visa fee due to financial hardship. This includes situations where:
Apply for a fee waiver online from outside or inside the UK if you are completing the Appendix FM online form.
The time it takes to receive a decision depends on whether you apply from outside or inside the UK:
For applicants on the 10-year route to settlement, it may take up to 12 months to receive a decision. Your parent’s decision letter will confirm whether they are on the 5-year or 10-year route.
If you are extending your family visa, your previous decision letter will also state which settlement route you and your parent are on.
If you require long-term care due to illness, disability, or age, you can apply for a visa to join a parent, grandchild, sibling, son, or daughter who is permanently living in the UK. This visa allows you to come to the UK for care that is not available or affordable in your current country.
You must apply from outside the UK, unless you are extending an existing visa in this category.
If your relative has settled or pre-settled status, you may be eligible to apply through the free EU Settlement Scheme.
To qualify, you must demonstrate that:
Additionally, your relative in the UK must be able to:
Check the information and evidence required to prove your relative’s income.
The length of time you can stay in the UK depends on your relative’s immigration status.
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, the law may change, and the information may not reflect the most current legal developments. No warranty is given regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information, and we do not accept liability in such cases. We recommend consulting with a qualified lawyer at Ascent Immigration before making any decisions based on the content provided.
Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers – Your UK Immigration Queries Simplified!
The processing time for a UK family visa can vary depending on several factors, including the type of visa, where you are applying from, and whether you use priority services. Typically, it takes around 12 weeks (3 months) to process the visa from the date of your appointment at the visa application center.
The cost of a UK family visa can vary depending on the type of visa, the length of stay, and where you are applying from. Below are some typical fees associated with UK family visas as of the latest update:
Partner or Spouse Visa (applying from outside the UK): £1,538
Partner or Spouse Visa (applying from within the UK): £1,048
Child Visa (applying from outside the UK): £1,538
Child Visa (applying from within the UK): £1,048
Close family members such as spouses, children, parents, and sometimes siblings can apply. The definitions and eligibility criteria can vary by country.
For a quicker decision on your application, you can submit a priority request
Priority Service: This service aims to process your application within 5 working days. It is available for both in-country and out-of-country applications.
Super Priority Service: This service aims to provide a decision by the end of the next working day after your biometric appointment. This is available for applications within the UK.
Yes, you will have to pay a certificate cost and immigration skills charge for each worker you sponsor depending on the category of application and the duration of sponsorship.
You must pay the correct fee depending on your category of application:
In addition to the certificate cost, you must also pay the Immigration Skills charge:
Some countries require applicants to demonstrate a basic proficiency in the national language. This might involve passing a language test.
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