If you have a close relative who has a British Nationality and would like to sponsor your family visa, then you will be pleased to learn that the rule of joining family members has relaxes a bit. It is now possible to sponsor non-European Union (EU), settled British citizens as your Family Visa For UK. This is possible with the new settlement rules which allow you to take advantage of You can sponsor your non-EU family member if s/he is 18 years of age or older.A family visa allows extended family members to stay in the UK. This is unlike a visitor visa which only allows temporary visits. The main advantage of the family visa over a visitor’s visa is you can stay for longer and work. There are two types of family visas for UK residents, the main one being a partner visa and the second a parent Visa .

Family Visa For Uk

The UK offers a great option to those wishing to relocate their family due to work, schooling, or other opportunities. In fact, between 2012 and September 2017, there were around 389,000 new registrations relating to dependents joining a principal visa holder in the UK. Approximately 1/3 of these were spouse visas, and the remainder were children under 18 years of age.The United Kingdom is one of the most desired destinations for people looking to immigrate and make a better life. With a country that provides jobs, education, and healthcare, it’s no wonder why so many are interested in moving to the UK.

Overview

You need a family visa to live with a family member in the UK for more than 6 months.

Applying from outside the UK

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

• spouse or partner
• fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner
• child
• parent
• relative who’ll provide long-term care for you

If you’re visiting the UK for 6 months or less, check if you need a Standard Visitor visa or Marriage Visitor visa.

Extending your family visa

You can apply to extend your stay with your family member if you’re already in the UK on a family visa.

You can extend at any time before your current permission to stay in the UK expires.

If you’re extending to stay with the same family member, you’ll only get up to 28 days left on your current stay added to your new visa.

You must live in the UK for a certain amount of time before you’re eligible for settlement (‘indefinite leave to remain’). Before you extend your visa, check how much time you need to settle in the UK.

You might be able to apply to stay on the basis of your private life if you’ve lived in the UK for many years already.

Switching to a family visa

If you came to the UK on a different visa, you might be able to switch to a family visa to stay with your:

• spouse or partner
• child
• parent

You can switch at any time before your current permission to stay in the UK expires.

Fees

How much it costs depends on how you apply.

	Apply outside the UK	Apply in the UK
Cost if joining your partner, parent or child	£1,538	£1,048
Cost for each dependant added to your application	£1,538 each person	£1,048 each person
Cost for an adult who needs to be looked after by a relative	£3,250	£1,048

Let your bank know that a large amount of money will be coming out of your account – otherwise it might cancel your payment.

Healthcare surcharge

You might also need to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application.

For each adult (18 or older) it costs:

• £1,560 if you’re staying for 2 years and 6 months
• £1,872 if you’re staying for 2 years and 9 months
• £3,120 if you’re staying for 5 years

For each child (under 18), it costs:

• £1,175 if you’re staying for 2 years and 6 months
• £1,410 if you’re staying for 2 years and 9 months
• £2,350 if you’re staying for 5 years

Get a faster decision on your application

If you’re applying from the UK, you may be able to pay an extra £800 for the super priority service to get a faster decision.

You cannot use the super priority service if you’re applying as an adult coming to be cared for by a relative.

Once you’ve got your decision letter, your biometric residence permit will take up to 10 working days to arrive.

How long it takes

If you apply outside the UK a decision will usually be made within 24 weeks.

If you apply in the UK a decision will usually be made within 8 weeks of your application date if you use the standard service.

If you use the super priority service a decision will usually be made:

• by the end of the next working day after providing your biometric information if your appointment is on a weekday
• 2 working days after providing your biometric information if your appointment is at the weekend

Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.

It might take longer if your application is complex, for example you:

• do not meet the minimum income requirement
• cannot prove your knowledge of English
• need to attend an interview
• have not provided all the evidence that the Home Office needs
• have a criminal conviction or another personal circumstance that needs to be reviewed

Other ways you can stay

You were the victim of domestic abuse or your partner died

You might be able to apply to settle in the UK if you had permission to stay in the UK as a partner when either:

• you were the victim of domestic abuse
• your partner died

Your family member has refugee status or humanitarian protection

You might be able to apply for ‘family reunion’ to join a partner or parent who has either:

• refugee status in the UK
• humanitarian protection in the UK

If you or your family are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

If you or a close family member started living in the UK before 1 January 2021, you may be able to apply to the free EU Settlement Scheme. Otherwise you need a visa or family permit to come to the UK.

Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.

When you cannot get a family visa

In some circumstances you cannot apply for, or switch to, a family visa.

Your family member has a work visa or student visa

You cannot apply for a family visa if your family member is in the UK temporarily on a work visa or student visa.

You can apply to stay with them as a dependant instead.

You have a visitor visa or a visa for 6 months or less

You’ll usually need to leave the UK to apply for a family visa if either:

• you have permission to be in the UK as a visitor
• your visa is for 6 months or less

However, you might be able to switch to a family visa in the UK if you have either:

• a 6-month family visa as a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner
• permission to stay in the UK for the outcome