.svg)
Eligibility for a UK Family Visa
A UK family visa lets you live in the UK with a close family member who is a British or Irish citizen, has settled status, or holds certain other permission. You can apply as a partner or spouse, a parent, a child, or an adult who needs long-term care from a UK relative, and most routes lead to settlement after five years. If you are a non-UK or Irish national hoping to live in the UK for an extended period, you will need a UK visa, and a family visa is required to join family members for more than six months.
Key takeaways
- It is for someone joining a close family member who is a British or Irish citizen, has settled status, or holds certain other permission such as refugee status.
- The main routes cover a partner or spouse, a parent, a child, and an adult who needs long-term care from a UK relative.
- For most partner and spouse applications you must meet a minimum income requirement of £29,000 a year, which can be met from income, savings, or a combination.
- Adult partners must also meet an English language requirement unless an exemption applies, such as being 65 or over.
- A spouse or partner can stay for up to 2.5 years, extend to a total of five years, and then may apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
- Most routes lead to settlement, and you can usually apply from outside the UK or, in some cases, switch from another visa inside the UK.
Who Can Apply for a Family Visa?
If you are living outside the UK, you can apply for a family visa to join your spouse, fiancée, partner, child, parent, or a relative who will provide long-term care for you. Other eligibility routes include:
- Your relationship has ended through divorce, or your partner has recently passed away.
- You are the parent of a British or settled child, or of a child who has lived in the UK for seven years or more.
- You wish to settle in the UK or extend your existing family visa.
- Your UK-based family member can sponsor your visa application.
You can usually apply from outside the UK or, in some cases, switch from another visa inside the UK.
Types of UK Family Visas
Non-UK and Irish nationals intending to stay in the UK for more than six months will need to apply for a family visa if they meet any of the following criteria:
- Your family member or spouse is a British citizen.
- Your family member or spouse has Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or settled status.
- You have a qualifying relationship with someone in the UK who holds refugee status or humanitarian protection.
If you are already in the UK on a different visa, you might be able to switch to a family visa to stay with your child, fiancée, or partner. The type of family visa you need depends on your relationship with the person settled in the UK.
Spouse Visa
Under the UK family visa scheme, partners and spouses can stay in the UK for up to 2.5 years. After this period, you can apply for an extension, allowing a total stay of five years. After more than five years in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
Requirements for a UK Spouse Visa
- Both you and your partner must be over 18 years old.
- You must be in a genuine relationship.
- You must intend to live in the UK together.
If you apply as a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner, your visa lasts six months. You cannot work during that time, and you must marry or form a civil partnership before it expires, then apply to extend your stay. You can also include dependent children in your application.
Financial and Language Requirements
The sponsoring family member, or you if you have permission to work in the UK, must usually meet a minimum income requirement of £29,000 a year. This can be met through income, savings, or a combination of the two. Different rules apply if your partner receives certain disability or carer's benefits, or if you are extending a route you began before 11 April 2024. Check the current figures on GOV.UK.
You must also meet one of the following English language requirements:
- Pass an approved English language test.
- Hold a qualification that was taught in English.
- Be a national of a majority English-speaking country.
These language requirements do not apply if you have a mental or physical disability that prevents you from meeting them, or if you are 65 or over.
Child Dependent Visa
Children who are overseas nationals can apply for a UK family visa either with their parent's application or separately. To qualify, the child must be under 18 when the application is made and still dependent, without having formed an independent family unit. The sponsoring parent or carer must also meet the financial requirement. After a qualifying period, the child may be able to apply to settle, and later to register or naturalise as a British citizen, subject to the rules in force at the time.
UK Ancestry Visa
A UK Ancestry visa is for a Commonwealth citizen, or a British overseas citizen, British overseas territories citizen, British national (overseas), or citizen of Zimbabwe, who can prove that a grandparent was born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. It allows you to work, live and study in the UK, and after five years you can apply for settled status.
Adult Dependent Visa
Adults over 18 who need long-term care may be eligible for an Adult Dependent Visa. This route is for the parent, grandparent, or adult child of a UK relative who needs long-term personal care because of age, illness or disability. The UK relative can be a British or Irish citizen, or settled in the UK, and the visa can allow an indefinite stay. It is difficult to obtain and requires substantial evidence, including proof that the care you need is not available or affordable in the country where you live.
Family Reunion Visa
The Family Reunion Visa allows family members of refugees in the UK to join them. The refugee acts as the sponsor and must hold refugee status, humanitarian protection, or have entered under specific refugee programmes.
PBS Dependent Visa
The Points-Based System (PBS) Dependent Visa allows family members of someone living in the UK to reside, work, and study in the UK, as long as the main visa holder has permission to stay.
Common Reasons for Family Visa Rejection
- Not meeting the eligibility requirements, such as the financial requirement.
- Incomplete or inconsistent evidence of the relationship.
- A risk to UK public health or safety.
- False or misleading information in the application.
- Criminal convictions that affect eligibility.
Let Us Help You Reunite with Your Family in the UK
Ready to join your loved ones in the UK? Our team can confirm which route fits your circumstances and prepare your application.
BOOK A CONSULTATION | ABOUT IMMTELL
We check this guidance against the official GOV.UK family visa rules. Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a UK family visa?
A UK family visa lets you live in the UK with a close family member who is a British or Irish citizen, has settled status, or holds certain other permission such as refugee status. The main routes are partner or spouse, parent, child, and adult dependent relative.
What is the minimum income for a UK family visa?
For most partner and spouse applications the minimum income requirement is £29,000 a year, which can be met from income, savings, or a combination. Different rules apply if your partner receives certain disability or carer's benefits, or if you are extending a route you began before 11 April 2024. Check the current figures on GOV.UK.
Can I bring my parent or grandparent to live in the UK?
It is possible through the adult dependent relative route, but the bar is high. You must show you need long-term personal care because of age, illness or disability, and that the care you need is not available or affordable in the country where you live.
How much does a UK family visa cost?
Home Office application fees and the immigration health surcharge change from time to time, so check the current amounts on GOV.UK before you apply. For Immtell's professional fees, contact us for current pricing.
