Family Visas

Family Visas

Family visas can be separated into four categories of family migration.

These include:

  1. Adult dependent relatives visas
  2. Unmarried partner visas
  3. Parents visas
  4. Dependent child visa

1: Adult dependent relative visa

Can I sponsor an adult relative that needs care to the UK?

If you are a British Citizen or settled in the UK and have an adult relative who depends on you for day-to-day support and care, then they can apply for an Adult Dependent Relative Visa, so they can join you in the UK for up to five years.

After five years, your relative may apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

Requirements for an adult dependent relative visa:

  • The applicant must over 18 and be outside the UK at the time of application.
  • The applicant must be close to a family member for example: siblings, parents and grandparents.
  • You will need to show that you can provide proper support, accommodation and care for your relative without claiming additional welfare or public funds to do so, and you must show evidence that you can continue this for a period of five years.
  • As a sponsor, you must be a British citizen or at least settled in the UK with an Indefinite Leave to Remain.
  • Your relative will need to provide evidence that he or she requires long-term personal care on a day to day
  • The care needed must not be available or reasonably requested in the country where they reside either due to simple unavailability, unaffordability, or because there is nobody there who can provide it (such as close family).

2: Unmarried partner visas:

Follow these requirements for an unmarried partner visa

  • You and your partner must have sufficient funds to support yourselves (and any dependants) without claiming public funds.
  • You must have suitable accommodation available for you, your partner and any dependents.
  • You and your sponsoring partner must both be 18 years of age or over.
  • You and your partner must intend to live together on a permanent basis.
  • Your unmarried partner must be earning at least £18,600 per annum or have sufficient savings [£62,500] to be able to sponsor you. If they are also sponsoring children as dependents, then the financial requirement will increase.

How long can you remain in the UK under an unmarried partner visa:

If you apply for your unmarried partner visa in the UK, you can stay in the country for up to 30 months.

If you make the application outside of the country, your stay will be a total of 33 months.

Extension of visa application:

After 33 months, you will be able to extend for a further 30 months.

Settlement in the UK:

Once you have been completed five years in the UK under this visa category, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

Acquiring British citizenship:

You can qualify to apply for British citizenship following completion of 12x months after grant of settlement.

3: Parent Visa

If you have a qualifying child [British/Settled] in the UK, as a parent you can apply for a visa to join your child through the parent route under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules.

The term “parent! is defined as:

  1.  An adoptive parent
  2. A step-parent where the biological parent has died
  3. A biological parent

The requirements for entering the UK via the parent route:

Eligibility requirements for entering the UK via the Parent Route depend on whether the child in question is British or “settled” (meaning they have naturalization or Indefinite Leave to Remain) in the UK.

If the child is British or "settled" in the UK

The applicant will need to show that they have, either:

  • sole responsibility for caring for the child, or
  • have access rights to the child

They will then need to provide evidence that you can financially support themselves and any dependents and can speak English.

If child is not a British or Settled

In cases where the child is not British or “settled” in the UK, the applicant must not only meet all of the above criteria, but the child in question must have been living continuously in the UK for seven or more years, and that it would not be in the child’s best interests leave the UK with you.

4: Dependent child visa

If you have a dependant child in the UK or even abroad, they can join you/apply for limited leave to remain in the UK.

You will have to prove your relationship with the child, the arrangement of suitable accommodation, and financial suitability to sponsor your child/ren.

Requirements for a dependent child visa:

  • The child must not be leading an independent life.
  • The child must not be married or in a civil partnership.
  • The child must not have any child/ren of their own.
  • The child must be under the age of 18.

Financial requirements:

You must be able to show that you have the following funds:

  1. £3,800 per year for the first child
  2. £2,400 per year for each additional child

(This is all on top of the £18,600 requirements for a spouse or unmarried partner visa)

Suitable Accommodation:

You must have an arrangement of suitable accommodation to house the child you are sponsoring. You should have:

  1. A tenancy agreement, or
  2. A duly signed and dated letter from your landlord confirming availability of suitable accommodation and no objection towards child’s addition in the property upon successful grant of entry clearance visa.

 

Get in touch with us now on 01206 489 077 or make an inquiry online to get expert help.