Navigating the UK Family Visa Process: A Guide for Families

Obtaining a UK Family Visa can be challenging for many families due to the strict eligibility criteria that applicants are expected to fulfill.

As a result, countless individuals have been denied the opportunity to reunite with their loved ones in the UK.

If you are looking to apply for the Family Visa, it’s essential to understand the eligibility and documentation requirements and the steps involved in the application process.

This can minimize delays and increase your chances of a successful outcome.

This article will guide you through these crucial steps and considerations to help you navigate the process effectively.

UK Family sitting outside eating together

What is the Family Visa?

A UK Family Visa is a type of permit that enables non-UK citizens to legally join their family members in the UK for an extended period, typically lasting more than six months.

If you successfully obtain a family visa, you will be able to stay with your relative in the UK for an initial period of up to 33 months.

When your visa expires, you’ll be able to extend your stay for an additional 30 months.

After living in the UK for five years, you may be eligible to acquire indefinite leave to remain (ILR), which gives you the privilege to live, work, and study in the UK for as long as you want.

With your ILR, you can go a step further and apply for citizenship if you are eligible.

Types of Family Visa

There are different types of family visas, and the one you should apply for will depend on your relationship with the individual you’re coming to stay with. The different types of family visas include:

Spouse or Partner Visa
Parent Visa
Child Visa
Adult Dependent Relative Visa

Eligibility Requirements for the UK Family Visa

To be eligible for the Family Visa, your UK-based family member must be any one of the following:

A British or Irish citizen
A person with indefinite leave to remain
An individual with refuge or humanitarian protection status

Furthermore, you must meet the specific requirements for the particular family visa you’re applying for.

Eligibility Requirements for Partner Visa

You can apply for the Partner visa if you and your partner meet one of the following requirements:

You’re in a genuine marriage or a civil partnership recognized in the UK
You have been living together or in a relationship for at least two years
You are a fiancé, fiancée, or proposed civil partner and plan to wed or form a civil partnership within six months of arriving in the UK.
You have been in a relationship for at least two years but cannot live together because you work or study in different locations or because of cultural restrictions.

You must also meet all of the following requirements:

You and your partner are 18 or older
You and your partner earn an annual income of at least £29,000
Your partner has a suitable living space.
You have good knowledge of English
You both intend to live in the UK with your partner permanently.

If you are engaged or in a civil partnership, you will initially receive a six-month stay visa. After marrying or registering a civil partnership, you can switch to a Partner Visa, which is valid for 30 months and can be extended for another 30 months.

Eligibility Requirement for Parents Visa

As a parent seeking to care for their child in the UK, these are the specific requirements that you must meet:

Your child must be under the age of 18 on the date that you apply
Your child must not be living an independent life
Your child has lived in the UK for at least seven years before the application date

Additionally, you must have sufficient funds to support yourself and your child. You must also prove that you are active in your child’s upbringing.

To do this, you will need to provide government-backed documents that show you have been previously caring for your child.

Eligibility For Child Visa

When applying for the Family Visa as a child coming to stay with their parent, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

Be under 18 at the time of the application
Not be married or in a civil partnership
Be living with their parents unless they live away from home for studies.

Eligibility Requirements for Adult Dependent Relatives

Adults who need long-term care from a relative living permanently in the UK can apply for an Adult Dependent Visa if they meet the following requirements:

Are 18 or over
Are not eligible for other visas under the family visa route.

They must prove that they need long-term medical care due to age, illness, or disability and that the required care is not available or affordable in their home country.

The validity of the Adult Dependent Visa differs from the general Family Visa validity.

If the applicant’s relative is a British citizen or has settled status, you can live permanently in the UK.

However, if your relative has pre-settled, refugee, or humanitarian protection status, they can stay for as long as the relative is in the UK.

Documents Required for the Family Visa

You must provide the following documents when applying for a Family Visa:

A valid passport or travel document
Two passport-sized photographs
A signed sponsorship form
A bank statement
Birth certificate and marriage or civil partnership certificate that shows your familial ties with your UK-based relative
Proof of your relative’s accommodation in the UK
Proof of a clean criminal record.

How to Apply for the Family Visa

You can apply for a UK Family Visa online on the UK government website. You must fill out the online application form and upload your supporting documents.

Afterwards, you must pay the visa application fee and immigration healthcare surcharge.

You’ll also need to book an appointment at a visa application center to provide your biometric information (fingerprints and photographs).

Cost and Processing Time for the Visa

If you are applying for a Family Visa to join your spouse, partner r, or child, you will need to pay a visa fee of £1,846.

However, Adult Dependent Visa applicants will pay £3,250 if their UK-based family member is a citizen or permanent resident or £404 if their relative has refugee or humanitarian protection status.

Additionally, you must pay a healthcare surcharge of £1,035 for each year you live in the UK and a biometrics fee of £19.20.

The time it takes to process a Family visa is 12 weeks.