Family Visa UK: Get Assistance with Family Immigration Lawyer

Family Visas allows eligible foreign nationals to join their family members in the UK. While there is no set UK Family Visa, there are many types of visas for family members that fall under different immigration categories. These are used by relatives and partners of British nationals and British residents, who want to join or accompany them in/to the UK.

These visas vary in length, cost, and processing time. They each have different requirements depending on the applicant’s background, relationship to their relative, and reason for joining them in the United Kingdom. Most UK Family Visas require the applicant to prove their relationship to their UK relative (usually called the ‘sponsor’).

To find out more about the different types of Family-based UK Visas and their requirements, call our team on 0204 502 8582. Our team of London based family visa lawyers can help you understand your requirements, options and next steps for you to join and accompany your family in the UK.

Contents

• Requirements for a Family Visa
• Types of Family-based Visa
• Spouse and Partner Visas
• Ancestry Visas
• Child Dependant Visas
• Adult Dependant Visas
• EEA Family Permits
• Family-based Visitor Visas
• Financial requirements
• Evidence you need to provide
• English language requirement
• How much does it cost?
• What happens after I apply?
• Reasons a UK Family Visa Application Could Be Refused
• How can we help?
• Frequently asked questions

There is a range of UK partner visas that allow people to join their long-term partners in the UK. These include:

• UK Fiance Visas/Proposed Civil Partner Visas: for those intending to marry or form a civil partnership with a UK resident within 6 months.
• Spouse Visas: for married couples, civil partners, or those in a long-term relationship with someone settled in the UK or who is a British citizen.
• Civil Partnership Visas: for those who are the civil partners of a British citizen or settled person
• Unmarried Partner Visas: for those who want to join their British or settled long-term partner in the UK

Partner Visa: processing time

The average processing time for a Partner Visa is two to 12 weeks, although some applications can take longer to review if fraud is suspected or there is something complex or unusual about your case.

Partner Visa: required documents

• To prove that your relationship with your partner is genuine, you can include a range of documents. These include:
• Evidence of conversations you have had with your partner during your relationship (phone logs, emails, chat logs, texts, video sessions, etc)
• Photographs of you together
• Tickets from traveling to/with each other
• Tickets from events you have attended together
• Bank statements from shared bank accounts
• Receipts from meals out together
• Receipts from gifts you have bought each other

Ancestral Visas are used by people who have/had a grandparent who was a British citizen by birth. To be eligible, you need to be:

• A Commonwealth citizen
• Able to prove your relationship to your UK grandparent is real
• Planning to work once in the UK
• Applying from outside the UK
• Over the age of 17

A UK Ancestry Visa lasts for five years, and you can use this time as part of the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).

Ancestry Visa: processing time

The estimated processing time for this type of visa is three weeks. However, this time could vary depending on the complexity and where you are applying from.

Ancestry Visa: application costs

The application fee for this visa is £726

Ancestry Visa: required documents

There are several documents you must provide to meet the UK ancestry requirements. You should include:

• Your passport
• Bank statements which prove you have enough money to support yourself in the UK
• Results of your Tuberculosis screening
• Your birth certificate
• The birth certificates of the parent and grandparent that your claim is based on
• The marriage certificates of your grandparents (if they were married)
• Evidence that you’re planning to work in the UK (for example, if you have any job offers or interviews lined up for when you arrive)

Adult Dependant Visas are some of the hardest UK Family Visas to make an application for, and the refusal rate for them is very high.

To be eligible for an Adult Dependant Relative Visa, you must be in need of long-term care from a family member in the UK. This person can be a child, grandchild, parent or sibling, but they must be living permanently in the UK. They can be a British citizen or have settled status.

To meet the requirements for this visa, you need to demonstrate the following:

• You need care and help to complete everyday tasks, including personal and household tasks because of disability, illness, or age
• You are unable to receive this care in the country you live in because it is either unavailable or unaffordable
• The person you want to join in the UK can support you, care for you, and accommodate you for at least five years without claiming public funds
• You are over the age of 18

This route is a permanent family-based UK visa. This means that your stay is unlimited – you do not need to extend your visa or apply for settled status. This is one of the reasons the route is so competitive and complex. There is a significantly high refusal rate for applications for adult dependants. When this is factored into the cost of this category of application, it is highly advised that you seek the help of an immigration professional, like a adviser or lawyer who specialises in family visa law, who can help prepare you to prepare you application.

Adult Dependant Visa: processing time

This visa takes approximately 12 weeks to be processed by UKVI, although, as it is a complex visa category, this can often be extended.

Adult Dependant Visa: required documents

The applicant must first be able to prove that they need long-term care. Documents to show this can include the following:

• Medical evidence showing that they have a physical or mental condition that prohibits them from completing everyday tasks. This must be from a doctor or health professional.
• Evidence which shows they cannot get this care in their home country. This needs to be from either a local health authority; a local authority; or a doctor/health professional.
• Evidence to show that the UK sponsor is able to provide them with the care they need. This can include bank statements, proof of a steady income (such as a job contract)
• Proof that the UK sponsor is either British or settled in the UK. Passports, birth certificates and relevant immigration documents (such as proof they hold Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK) can be used.

If you are coming to the UK on a points-based-visa, your partner and children can apply to accompany you.

This process is called a Dependant Visa application. You are eligible to do this if you have/are applying for entry clearance under the Innovator Founder visa, Skilled Worker, or Temporary Worker visa categories.

To apply for this type of visa, you need to show that you have enough money to support all your family members without claiming public funds. This can include your prospective salary (if applying as a worker) but you must also have enough saved to ensure that you can support yourself and all dependants before you receive your first paycheque.

A ‘dependant’ is any of the following:

• Your wife, husband, civil partner, or long-term (two years or more) unmarried partner
• Your child under the age of 18
• Your child over the age of 18 (if they are already living in the UK as your dependant*)

*This is valid when applying for a visa extension after finishing your period of living in the UK with your initial visa. For example, if you have lived in the UK with your family on a Skilled Worker Visa for two and a half years and, during this time, your child passes their 18^th birthday.

Child Dependant Visa processing time

Family members of UK visa-holders must apply online for their visas. Once they have done this, their visa should take approximately 30 days to process. Dependant Visa applications are often relatively straightforward

Child Dependant Visa documents

If you want to bring your family with you when living in the UK with a visa, you will need to provide several documents to support your application. These include:

• The applicant’s passport
• A photo for a UK visa, printed in colour
• Original birth certificates
• Proof of a Tuberculosis screening
• Previous passports (to show travel history)
• Proof of income (to show that the dependant will be supported during their time in the UK)

If you’re a national from a country outside of the European Economic Area (EEA) and you have an EEA family member who is living in the UK, you may be able to join them using an EEA Family Permit.

To be eligible for this, you can be a close or extended relative of an EEA national (not including British) who is currently living in the UK. These are defined as: brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews or nieces.

The EEA Settlement Scheme Family Permit functions in a very similar way to the EEA Family Permit. However, you can only apply for this if you are a ‘close’ family member. This includes brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons.  Both are valid for six months.

EEA Family Permit: processing time

The reported processing time for this route is 15 days.

EEA Family Permit: costs

Both routes are free.

EEA Family Permit: required documents

With your application, you should include:

• Your passport
• Proof of your relationship to your EEA family member (e.g a birth certificate)
• Proof that you have enough funds to support yourself during your time in the UK without the need for public funds

If you want to visit your family in UK for a short period of time, you can apply for a UK Family Visit Visa. This route falls under the Standard Visitor Visa category.

This is a temporary visa that allows you to enter the UK for a limited amount of time (up to six months) to visit a family member. During this visit, you are not permitted to work or conduct business, and you must return once your visit has elapsed.

Family Visitor Visa: processing time

The average processing time for this type of Family Visa is between 15 and 30 days.

Family Visitor Visa: application costs

A Visitor Visa costs £135.

In some circumstances, such as if you are visiting for medical purposes, the length of a Visit Visa can be extended up to 10 years, although visitors are required not to stay in the UK for more than six months at each visit during this extended period.

Family Visitor Visa: required documents

You should include the following documents in any Visitor Visa application:

• A valid travel document (like a passport)
• Financial documents which show you have funds to support yourself (like bank statements, or employment details)
• Proof that you have a credible reason for the return to the UK once your visa has expired. This could be proof of an existing job, study course, partnership, family, etc.

UK Family visa sponsors must earn a minimum of £29,000 per year. However, this requirement may change in the coming months.

In June 2025, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) released a review of the financial rules for UK family visas. This review was prompted by concerns over the previous government’s decision to increase income thresholds, which many believed would separate families or force British citizens to live abroad.

The MAC suggested lowering the income requirement to between £23,000 and £25,000. They argued that family visas serve a different purpose than skilled-worker visas and that very high income thresholds could violate the right to family life under the European Convention on Human Rights.

The report also recommended changes to make the application process clearer and faster, while supporting family unity. This includes adjusting income calculations and removing extra charges for children.

Ministers will review these recommendations through a consultation process, with possible changes expected by late 2025 or early 2026. Meanwhile, the current £29,000 income requirement for sponsoring a partner remains in effect.

Applicants may also use cash savings to satisfy the financial requirement. For new applications (post-April 2024), savings of £88,500 held for at least six months can be used in place of income.

All income relied upon must come from permitted sources, such as employment (including self-employment), pension, property rental, dividends, or cash savings. Moreover, you must supply specific evidence to prove these funds — for example, bank statements, payslips, tax returns, or proof of savings — as set out in the immigration rules.

To apply for a UK family visa, different evidence is required based on the applicant’s relationship to the sponsor.

For Spouses and Partners:

• Marriage or Civil Partnership Certificate: These are required to prove the legal legitimacy of your relationship.
• Proof of Cohabitation: Documents like utility bills or joint rental agreements are required to show you live together.
• Financial Evidence: Bank statements and employment details must be submitted to meet the minimum income requirement of £29,000.
• English Language Certification: The sponsored partner must submit exam results or degrees to demonstrate they have adequate English language proficiency.
• Accommodation Details: Lease agreements or property inspection reports to confirm that the living arrangements available are appropriate and law-abiding.

For Children:

• Birth Certificate: The birth certificate of the child should be submitted to prove their relationship with the sponsor parent.
• Proof of Sole Responsibility: Documents like court orders indicating the parent’s responsibility if they have shared custody.
• Financial Evidence:Bank statements and employment details must be submitted to prove the sponsor can financially support the child.
• Consent of Non-Accompanying Parents: Written consent for the application is mandatory if the other parent is a non-UK resident.
• Accommodation Details: Proof of adequate living space for the child.

For Adults Needing Care:

• Proof of Residence: Documents showing continuous residence in the UK, such as resident permits or previous visas.
• Personal Statements: Personal statements are required to explain the applicant’s ties to the UK and potential difficulties they may face if required to leave.
• Letters of Support: These can come from friends or community leaders confirming the applicant’s connection to the local community.

Each category requires tailored evidence to establish relationships, financial capability, and living arrangements, ensuring the applicant can reside in the UK without relying on public funds.

Yes. Applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency at level A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale. This requirement ensures that individuals have a basic understanding of English, which includes the ability to understand and use simple phrases and expressions.

To prove their proficiency, applicants can submit results from an approved English language test or a relevant degree certificate that confirms their English language skills.

The cost of applying for a UK family visa varies depending on who you are joining and whether you are applying from inside or outside the UK.

If Joining Your Partner, Parent, or Child:

• Outside the UK: £2,064
• Inside the UK: £1,321

For Each Dependant Added to Your Application:

• Outside the UK: £2,064 per person
• Inside the UK: £1,321 per person

Adults Needing Care from a Relative

• If your relative has temporary protection status (such as refugee or humanitarian protection):
  • £452
• Otherwise:
  • £3,635

It’s advisable to inform your bank about the large transaction to avoid any issues with payment processing. If you cannot afford the fees, you may qualify for a fee waiver in specific circumstances, such as if you are unable to secure housing or cover basic living costs.

Healthcare Surcharge (IHS)

You may also need to pay a healthcare surcharge as part of your application:

• For Adults (18 or older):
  • £2,587.50 for a stay of 2 years and 6 months
  • £3,105 for a stay of 2 years and 9 months
  • £10,350 for a stay of 5 years
• For Families:
  • £7,115 for a family of 3 for 2.5 years including one person under 18
  • £9,055 for a family of 4 for 2.5 years including two persons under 18
  • £8,538 for a family of 3 for 3 years including one person under 18
  • £10,866 for a family of 4 for 3 years including two persons under 18
  • £14,230 for a family of 3 for 5 years including one person under 18
  • £18,110 for a family of 4 for 5 years including two persons under 18

If you are applying from the UK, you can pay an additional £1000 for the super priority service to receive a faster decision on your application. However, this service is not available for all cases.

Once you have applied for your family visa, you must attend an appointment with the Home Office to provide biometric information (fingerprints and photo).

If your application is approved, you’ll receive an eVisa and instructions on accessing it via a UKVI account. While you can work and study with the visa, those applying as a fiancé or proposed civil partner cannot work or study until they marry or enter a civil partnership and apply for an extension of stay.

There are a number of reasons why your Family Visa could be refused. You will be informed by the UK Home Office why your application was denied.

Reasons why your Family Visa request was denied include:

• Lack of sufficient evidence to prove a genuine relationship
• Failure to meet the financial criteria
• Providing incorrect or misleading information
• A history of breaching immigration law
• Concerns about national security
• A criminal record

You will be informed if you can appeal the decision and if you wish to do so it is important to follow the deadlines provided by the Home Office. For further advice on next steps reach out to an immigration expert.

Deciding whether you need a family visa lawyer largely depends on the complexity of your circumstances, but many people find that professional guidance offers valuable clarity and reassurance.

UK family visa rules can be intricate, with strict eligibility requirements, detailed financial thresholds, and precise documentation standards. Even small mistakes can lead to delays or refusals.

An immigration lawyer can help you understand which visa route is most suitable, ensure your application is correctly prepared, and advise on how best to present your evidence. This support is especially helpful if your situation involves previous refusals, unusual financial arrangements, or concerns about meeting the relationship or English-language criteria.

While it is possible to apply without legal assistance, having a specialist involved can reduce stress and improve the likelihood of a successful outcome.

Although it is not mandatory to hire an Family immigration lawyer in London to submit your Family Visa application, seeking the help of a professional will maximise your chances of success.

One of our family immigration experts will ensure that your forms are correctly filed and that you hold adequate evidence to support your case.

Call us today to discuss your case either in person, via video call or over the phone. We will be happy to assess your eligibility for a Family Visa and provide you and your dependents with all the professional help you need.