Family Migration

Personal Immigration

Family Migration – Entry Clearance

You are likely to require a family visa if you are looking to remain in the UK with your UK-based family for more than 6 months.

You can apply for a family visa to live with your:

  • Spouse or partner.
  • Fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner.
  • Child.
  • Parent.
  • Relative who will provide long-term care for you.

If you want to visit your family members for fewer than 6 months, please see our visitor visa page here.

Applying as a Partner

The UK Immigration Rules define a partner as:

  • A spouse or civil partner; or
  • A fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner; or
  • An unmarried partner - A couple who have been in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partner for at least two years.

To make a UK partner visa application you must:

  • Provide evidence of your identity and immigration status.
  • Satisfy the Suitability Requirements relating to your character, conduct and associations.
  • Satisfy the Relationship Requirements and demonstrate you are in a genuine and subsisting relationship.
  • Satisfy the Financial Requirements to show you have the funds specific to your economic circumstances. There are multiple ways to satisfy the financial requirements.
  • Satisfy the English language requirements and prove your knowledge of the English language. There are limited exemptions to this requirement.

If you can successfully satisfy the partner visa requirements, depending on your circumstances, you could be granted a visa for a period of between 6 months and 33 months.

Family Migration

Applying as a Parent

To apply for a UK Family Visa as a parent, your child must be under the age of 18 on the day you apply or have been under the age of 18 when you were first granted a UK Family Visa as a parent.

To make a UK Family Visa as a parent, you must:

  • Provide evidence of your identity and immigration status.
  • Satisfy the Suitability Requirements relating to your character, conduct and associations.
  • Satisfy the Relationship Requirements and demonstrate an ongoing parent-child relationship.
  • Satisfy the Financial Requirements to show you can maintain and accommodate yourself and your children in the UK without recourse to public funds.
  • Satisfy the English language requirements and prove your knowledge of the English language. There are limited exemptions to this requirement.

Applying as a Child

If you are applying as a child, you can either be added to your parent’s application as a dependent or apply separately. The Rules for applying as a child will differ according to your age and the immigration status of your parents.

With most child visa applications, there will be a requirement to demonstrate an ongoing parent-child relationship and financial requirements amongst others.

Adult Dependent Relative

You can apply for an Adult Dependent Relative visa if you are aged 18 or over and you are sponsored by a relative in the UK who must be:

  • A British citizen.
  • Settled in the UK.
  • Have protection status.
  • An EEA national who has permission to reside under Appendix EU.

You must demonstrate:

  • You require long-term personal care to perform everyday tasks due to age, illness or disability.
  • That care is not available or affordable in your country of residence.
  • Your sponsor can maintain, accommodate, and care for you without claiming public funds.

Fees

Applications for a family visa can be costly and will differ depending on who you are joining and from where you are applying.

Most family visas attract an:

  • Application fee; and
  • Immigration Health Surcharge fee.

If you want a quicker decision on your application, you can pay extra for your application to be expedited.