UK family visas are a category of UK entry and residence authorizations that are issued to those who want to establish a permanent family life with their UK resident family members.
There are few ways through which you can get a UK family visa:
- As a spouse or partner of a UK resident.
- As a parent of a UK resident.
- As a child of a UK resident.
- As a sickened, disabled or aged relative in need for long-term care from a UK resident.
- On the basis of a private life.
- As a widowed partner of a former UK resident.
- As a separated spouse or partner.
Do I Qualify for a UK Family Visa?
You cannot get a UK family visa if your circumstances are as follows:
- You’re already in the UK with a UK work visa, or a UK temporary student visa.
- You’re living in the UK with a UK visitor visa with validity period of 6 months or less. The rule doesn’t apply for UK visitor marriage visa, or if you’re awaiting for a final court decision on a family or divorce matter.
What are the UK Family Visa Types?
There’s a range of UK family visa categories you may get depending which is your personal circumstances and your relationship with the sponsoring UK resident.
Spouse Visa
The UK Spouse Visa is issued to those who want to join their spouse in the UK or other partner who is either a British citizen, a settled person, a refugee or someone under the humanitarian protection.
Your relationship with your partner must be either a marriage, a durable relationship or civil partnership.
Parent Visa
The UK Parent Visa is issued to parents of British citizens or settled persons or persons that have spent at least 7 continuous years in the UK.
To qualify for this visa the child must be younger than 18, or must have been that age when you’ve first applied for the UK family visa.
Child Visa
The UK Child Visa is issued to children of a settled person in the UK.
You have to be the dependent child living in the UK with your parent, who is making a joint application with you for a UK visa or an extension of stay in the UK.
Family visa for an adult who needs a long-run care by a relative
The Visa for adults in need of care by a relative is issued for the purpose of taking long-term care from a relative who is a British citizen, settled person, refugee or under humanitarian protection in the UK. The person that needs this type of care has to be an adult of age 18 or older suffering from a disability or a medical condition, or who has reached the old age.
Family visa on the basis of your private life
The Family visa on the basis of your private life is given to remain permanently in the UK, after having lived there for quite some time, due to your unfavorable personal circumstances for leaving the UK, or overlong residence in the UK.
Settle in the UK if Your Partner Dies
Dependents of a deceased partner visa is issued to those who want to permanently remain in the UK, as a former spouse/civil partner/partner in a durable relationship, of a deceased British citizen or a settled person in the UK. You must have a valid family visa appropriate to the aforesaid relationship with the deceased sponsor, i.e. Spouse visa
Visa as a separated or divorced dependent partner
Separated or divorced dependent partner visa is issued for the purpose of remaining permanently if your relationship has broken down due of domestic violence from your partner. You must have had your last visa was as a spouse or partner of the aforesaid sponsor and public funds until application for settlement is processed.