What is a Family Visa UK?

A Family Visa UK is used to cover several visa categories where an overseas family member can be sponsored to the UK for a purpose.

The category of visas include the following visas, the purpose of which can be derived from the title:

    • Partner Visas
    • Adult Dependent Relative
    • Children
    • Dependants Of Those In Points Based System (PBS) routes
    • UK Ancestry
    • Students
    • Business Routes
    • Family Reunion
    • EUSS Dependants; and
    • Visit visas.

The overseas family member will typically need to be related to a person who can sponsor them here for:

    • settlement;
    • a route leading to settlement; or
    • travel into the UK for a visit. 

Applicants must apply from outside the UK, unless they are permitted to 'switch' immigration category within the UK (which is possible where a visa has been issued for more than a 6 month period). If you are considering coming to the UK through a Family Visa our team of lawyers can provide advice and legal assistance.

What Are The Requirements For A Family Visa?

All Family Visa types require the sponsor to:

    • Indefinite Leave To Remain Or Is British
    • For Settlement Routes:
    • Is A Turkish Worker
    • Has Permission Through The EUSS
    • Holds a Valid Visa through which a Dependant can be sponsored.

The specific UK Family Visa requirements will depend on which visa the family member will be sponsored through.

The following are common UK dependent visa requirements, but each visa type has specific criteria which need to be addressed:

  • be related to the sponsor, for example a spouse or civil partner or child of the relationship
  • otherwise connected to the sponsor, such as an unmarried partner or fiance
  • demonstrate they have relationship or connection with the sponsor
  • show such a relationship is genuine

show how their stay will be funded

  • there would normally need to be adequate accommodation for the applicant and any dependants
  • most visa types require an applicant to meet a specified English language proficiency test.

This article touches upon these routes but more detailed information can be found by clicking on the links where we provide more detailed information.

 Partner Visa UK

The Partner Visa UK is for those coming to the UK as the Spouse, Civil Partner, Unmarried Partner or on a Fiance (and Proposed Civil Partner) to join the sponsor, see below. Children under 18 of the relationship can also apply to join their parents, whilst children who are not of both parents are able to, subject to meeting a sole responsibility test.

Partner Visa Requirements

    • Both parties to the relationship need to be over 18 years old
    • Any previous relationship must have broken down permanently
    • The relationship between the parties must be 'genuine' and subsisting
    • A financial income requirement of £29,000 must be met (£18,600 for those who applied before 5 April 2024)
    • An English language requirement must be met progressing from A1, A2 (extension stage), B1 (Indefinite Leave to Remain stage) unless an individual is from a specified majority English speaking country or an exemption applies such as the applicant is over the age of 65.
    • Suitable accommodation must be in place particularly for children in order to comply with UK housing laws.

Fiance Visa Requirements

All the above requirements apply save for the parties need to must show they intend to marry or undergo a Civil Partnership within 6 months of their entry to the UK.

Applicants from specified countries also need to supply a Tuberculosis Test certificate.

The May 2025, UK Government White Paper stated the government would not increase the length of time partners need to be in the UK from 5 to 10 years as proposed in other immigration categories. The Migration Advisory Committee (government advisory body on UK immigration) have been tasked to review the financial requirements which have been frozen since the government came to power. The latest indications are that they are considering a banding of between £23-£27K with another banding at £23K to comply.

Child Visa

Children of those applying through the Partner visa who are under 18 and of the relationship can apply to join their parents in the UK.

Sole Responsibility

  •  If the child is not from the relationship then a 'sole responsibility' test may apply which can be challenging as the parent needs to show they have been responsible for all aspects of the child's life - this is common to all UK Family Visa routes.

If the child was born outside the UK and the sponsoring parent had indefinite leave to remain or was a British citizen at time of their birth then, they are automatically a British citizen through operation of law and should apply for a British passport which must be applied from their home country. This can take time to process and so careful planning is required.

Children of the relationship born in the UK are likely to be British and so a passport application should be made from within the UK.

PBS Dependent Visa

Dependents of Points Based System (PBS) applicants should apply for entry clearance from their home country, unless they are in the UK on another visa long term visa of more than 6 months duration which will enable them to 'switch' status without having to travel - or simply say in brackets (see above for switching).

Which PBS Dependents Are Eligible To Apply?

  • The Spouse, Civil Partner or Unmarried Partner of the main applicant Children of the relationship aged under 18 or for those who are over 21 who are in education and form part of the household,
  • Children who are not from the relationship who will need to meet the Sole Responsibility Test.

Please note partners and children of care workers may be unable to be sponsored to the UK, although transition laws apply.

What Are The Requirement For A PBS Dependant To Apply?

  • The partner will need to provide a marriage or civil partnership certificate.
  • An unmarried partner will usually need to show they have been cohabiting for at least 2 years unless they are unable to due to religious or cultural reasons.
  • A partner will need to supply some recent evidence to show they cohabiting with their partner.
  • Children will need to provide a birth or adoption certificate.
  • Evidencing sole responsibility for children who are not from the current relationship will require various documents to show a parent has control of the child and it depends on the circumstances of the case.
  • A financial requirement will apply but it is possible for the main applicant's company can certify or assume financial responsibility for the first month of their stay here. For those applying from within the UK and have been here lawfully for at least 12 months do not need to apply any evidence to meet this.
  • A TB test certificate may be required.

A PBS dependent will be granted the same length of visa as the main applicant and will need to complete 5 continuous years of stay to be eligible for indefinite leave regardless of when the main applicant is granted this status. For example, if the main Applicant entered the UK with a PBS visa on 1 January 2020 and was granted ILR on 1 January 2025 but the dependent entered on 1 January 2023 the UK they will still have to complete a 5 year period so will not be eligible to apply for ILR until 1 January 2028 which should be borne in mind when planning your stay in the UK.

Adult Dependent Relative

This category is there to enable those with ILR status to sponsor a parent or parents to the UK. It should be pointed out at the outset that it is perhaps the toughest or one of the most difficult in which to succeed - UK immigration law dependent visa UK requirements this are notoriously difficult to meet.

Adult Dependent Relative Visa Requirements

  • Both parents must be aged over the age of 65
  • Dependence on the children in the UK
  • Incapable of looking after themselves or one another
  • They can be maintained and accommodated without recourse to public funds.

Applying for visa in advance is mandatory. Switching status within the UK is very difficult and will only be granted where there are compassionate circumstances. Our experience of these is that in many cases the initial visa application may be rejected and but allowed after a court hearing.

The Home Office will want to see very good evidence to show dependence between the sponsor and the parents or parents over a number of years which can be financial, physical and/or emotional.

Our team were involved with a case where the parent had been living with the UK sponsor, who had advanced dementia, psychosis and heart problems. The Home Office rejected the application but the decision was overturned on appeal due to the circumstances of the case - this demonstrates the challenge that applicants face.

UK Ancestry Visa

The UK Ancestry visa is for Commonwealth nationals who have a grandparent born in the UK or the Republic of Ireland (1931).

It is therefore for nationals with a lineage to the UK who are from the Commonwealth and is intended to provide them with the opportunity to live and work in the UK and thereafter settle if they wish to do so.

UK Ancestry Visa Requirements

    • The applicant must be over the age 18
    • Have a grandparent born in the UK or Ireland
    • Intend to work in the UK either as employee or through self employment
    • Can maintain and accommodate themselves without recourse to public funds.
    • Spouses, civil partner and unmarried partners can also accompany the main applicant.

As above children of the relationship can also come to the UK, any children of not of the relationship will need to be meet the sole responsibility test.

Applicants will be granted a 5 year visa on completion of which they can apply for indefinite leave to remain subject to showing compliance with the above rules and need to meet a Life in the UK test requirement.

EUSS nationals

Dependents of EUSS nationals including spouses, civil partner and unmarried partners where the relationship had pre-existed Brexit (31 December 2020) were able to accompany or apply for an EEA Family Permit to join the main applicant in the UK. 

EUSS nationals with settled or pre settled status can sponsor their partners and children to the UK through the Partner visa category.

4In other words since Brexit EU nationals who intend to bring family members to the UK since 1 January 2021 can only do so through domestic UK immigration rules unless the relationship pre-dated Brexit.

Business routes

This includes the:

    • Global Talent visa - for those who have exception talent or promise in the field of science, engineering, humanities, social sciences, medicine, digital technology and the arts and culture
    • High Potential Visa - those who have graduated from the top 50 universities globally
    • Innovator Founder Visa - those have an innovative and scaleable business.

Partners and children can also accompany the main applicant. 

Student

Dependants of students studying above degree level and above may be able to bring their partner and children to the UK. The rules have been tightened and now only apply to research students.

Dependants must be one of the following:

  • a government-sponsored student starting a course that lasts longer than 6 months; and
  • a full-time student on a postgraduate level course (RQF level 7 or above) that lasts 9 months or longer.

If the postgraduate level course started on or after 1 January 2024, it must be either:

  • a PhD or other doctorate (RQF level 8); or
  • a research-based higher degree.