OVERVIEW
Personal Immigration allows people from outside the United Kingdom to enter or stay in the UK to work, study, or join their family members in the UK. The United Kingdom is the sixth-largest economy in the world with a GDP of $2.83 trillion. Each year scores of immigrants arrive in the UK to contribute to its economic growth.
If you are looking for end-to-end personal immigration services, UK Residency is the immigration firm to trust. We closely listen to the needs of our clients and customise our consultancy services accordingly. We help them join the dynamic and fast-moving lifestyle by navigating the complexities of the UK immigration process.
If you want to live with your family member in the UK for more than 6 months, you need to apply for a family visa.
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
You can switch to a family visa from a different visa category to live with a family member including
- Spouse or partner
- Child
- Parent
You are allowed to switch your visa category at any time before your permission to stay in the UK expires.
IF YOU DO NOT MEET THE RULES BECAUSE OF CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
The coronavirus pandemic might make it difficult for you to meet the rules to stay or enter the UK. However, that’s not a problem. Read the guidance for UK visa applicants and temporary UK residents if you wish to extend your stay or switch to a family visa.
Fees
If you came to the UK on a different visa, you might be able to switch to a family visa to stay with your:
Apply outside the UK
Apply in the UK
Cost if joining your partner, parent or child
£1,523
£1,033
Cost for each dependant added to your application
£1,523 each person
£1,033 each person
Cost for an adult who needs to be looked after by a relative
£3,250
£1,033
Let your bank know that a large amount of money will be coming out of your account – otherwise it might cancel your payment.
STUDY
Can study Short Courses up to (6 months or above)
Healthcare surcharge
You might also need to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application.
If you’re applying to extend or switch in the UK
You’ll need to pay £19.20 to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken.
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
- It takes 12 weeks for the decision to be made if you are applying outside of the UK.
- It takes 8 weeks for the decision to be made if you are applying within the UK using a standard service.
However, if you use the super-priority service, the decision will be made:
- By the end of the next working day given your biometric information is provided on a weekday
- After 2 working days, if you have shared your biometric information during an appointment on a weekend
Complex applications may take longer to process, for example:
- If the applicant doesn’t meet the minimum income requirement
- If the applicant has failed to prove his knowledge of English
- The applicant has an interview to attend
- The evidence required by the Home Office is missing or incomplete
- The applicant has a personal circumstance or criminal conviction that needs to be reviewed
Other ways you can stay
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
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.
Your family member has a work visa or student visa
You have a visitor visa or a visa for 6 months or less
- 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 of a family court case or divorce