If you are issued a UK Family visa, it means that you are eligible to enter the UK as a person who wants to establish a permanent family life with your British family members.
This type of UK visa is the authorizing document that gives foreign nationals who have families in the United Kingdom and want to join them the right to enter and stay in the territory of the UK.
You can get a UK family visa in some situations, such as:
- you are a spouse or partner of a British citizen
- you are a parent of a British national
- you are a child of a UK citizen
- you are a sickened, disabled or aged relative in need of long-term care from a British family member
- you are a widowed partner of a former UK resident
- you are a separated spouse or partner of a resident of the United Kingdom
Who does qualify for a UK Family Visa?
There are some circumstances when you cannot get a UK family visa. When does it happen?
For example, if you’re already in the UK with the UK work visa, or a UK temporary student visa. This excludes getting a Family Visa at the same time.
Also, if you stay in the United Kingdom with a UK visitor visa with a validity period of 6 months or less. However, if you are waiting for a final court decision on a family or divorce matter because you have applied for a UK Spouse Visa – this rule does not apply.
Going abroad and need a visa? Check out our other articles for more guidance:
What are the UK Family Visa Types?
There are 4 types of Family Visas for the United Kingdom. The type of visa you may need depends on your personal circumstances and your relationship with the British citizen who will sponsor your stay.
Read the article below to learn more about Family Visas in the United Kingdom and check if you are eligible for any of them.
UK Spouse Visa
You can apply for the UK Spouse Visa if you plan to join your spouse or partner in the UK.
In such a situation, your partner must be a British citizen, the UK settled person, a refugee or a person under humanitarian protection.
Your relationship with your partner does not necessarily have to be a marriage. If you stay in a durable relationship or civil partnership with a British national, you can apply for a Spouse Visa as well.
United Kingdom Parent Visa
If you are a mother or father of a UK citizen or a person settled in the UK (persons that have spent at least 7 continuous years in the country), you can apply for a UK Parent Visa.
This type of visa is dedicated only to parents of minor children (under 18 years old). If you have an adult child residing in the UK, check the information about the Family visa for an adult who needs long-run care by a relative.
UK Child Visa
You can apply for the UK Child Visa for your son or daughter only if you are a British citizen or a person settled in the UK. The applicant must be your dependent child living in the UK with you or be the minor person living outside of the United Kingdom who wants to join you (if you are their parent, of course). Child Visa can be extended if the applicant wishes to stay in the UK for a longer period of time.
Family visa for an adult who needs long-run care by a relative
Adult persons in need of care by a relative can apply for a Family Visa for an adult who needs long-run care by a relative.
This long name defines the purpose of this visa which is long-term care that needs to be provided by an applicant’s relative who is a British citizen, settled person, refugee or under humanitarian protection in the UK.
The applicant who needs this type of care must be older than 18 years old and prove that he/she suffers from a disability or a medical condition, or who has reached old age.
UK Family visa on the basis of your private life
The Family visa on the basis of your private life can be issued to an applicant who has lived in the UK for quite some time and wants to remain permanently in the UK but their British partner or parents died or they divorced. Despite these unfavourable personal circumstances, the person in such a life situation does not necessarily need to leave the United Kingdom. He/she can apply for the mentioned type of visa in order to extend their residence in the UK.
How to settle in the UK if your partner dies
Dependents of a deceased British citizen/resident can be issued a visa in order to facilitate their permanent stay in the United Kingdom.
As a former spouse/civil partner/partner in a durable relationship of a deceased British citizen or a settled person in the UK, such a person acquires the right of a permanent stay in the UK. If you are in such a situation, you can apply for a Family visa on the basis of your private life, but you need to meet some requirements. One of them is that you must hold a valid Family Visa appropriate to the relationship with the deceased British citizen. It can be, for example, a UK Spouse Visa.
UK Visa for a separated or divorced dependent partner
The UK Separated or Divorced Dependent Partner Visa is issued to persons after a divorce or separation with a British sponsor but only under certain conditions. You can be issued this type of visa if your relationship has broken down due to domestic violence from your partner. In such a situation you can remain permanently in the UK after your relationship has ended. You can apply for this type of UK visa if you have a valid Spouse Visa.
UK Visa photo
Another important thing you should keep in mind is the UK visa photo which must meet some official requirements.
If you want to learn more about the UK visa photo then you might as well check out Passport Photo Online.
This service will automatically create a photo with biometric standards. It will crop and resize, and remove the background of the photo.
The tool will also verify if the photo complies with the requirements for British visa photos.
What are you waiting for? Download the app on Google Play or AppStore and make your own visa photos at the comfort of your home.
Sources
Karolina’s passion for law, technology and photography led her to PhotoAiD S.A., where for the past 3 years she has been an expert in the implementation of passport photo compliance procedures in +80 countries around the world.
