UK Family Visa Applications 

Our team of experienced immigration solicitors at Rees Clayton Solicitors are here to support your application for a Family Visa to enter the UK. We are dedicated to understanding the unique details of each of our clients’circumstances and make sure that every case is handled with care. Our solicitors are available to guide you through to immigration process to ensure that you can obtain the most suitable visa.

We are here to provide you with expert legal advice tailored specifically to your individual circumstances on all aspects of immigration and asylum matters.  We use a friendly, personal but professional service with years of experience and an excellent track record of challenging decisions and winning complex immigration cases at all levels and look forward to helping you.

 

What is a Family Visa? 

Whether you are a British Citizen, a foreign national or you have settled status, if you have the right to live in the UK it is only natural that you might want to bring your spouse, partner, dependents, or other family members to join you. in all these cases you will have to apply for a Family Visa. A Family Visa will allot your family member/members to join you in the UK and stay for more than 6 months. If they want to visit for less than 6 months, they should apply for a Standard Visitor Visa instead.

UK Family Visas are available for a range of family members including:

  • Spouse or partner
  • Fiancé or proposed civil partner
  • Child or dependent under the age of 18
  • Parent
  • Relative who will provide long-term care for you

There are several complex routes available to enter or remain in the UK. Our immigration lawyers are here to provide legal advice that goes above and beyond the Home Office’s own guidelines, tailoring it to the unique needs and circumstances of each client to make the process as smooth as possible.

 

Spouse Family Visa 

You need to apply for a Spouse Family Visa is you want your partner to join you in the UK. To do this you must be a British citizen or have settled status in the UK. You will also have to meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • Be in a marriage or civil partnership that is recognised in the UK
  • Have been living with your partner in a relationship for at least two years
  • Be the fiancé or proposed civil partner and will marry or enter a civil partnership in the UK within six months of arriving

 

Spouse Visa Eligibility 

To apply for a Family Visa as a spouse there are requirements that you must meet, these are:

  • You are your partner must be over the age of 18
  • You must not be in a forbidden relationship with you partner
  • You must have already met your partner in person
  • You must be in a genuine marriage
  • You must have been free to marry
  • You must intend to live together on a permanent basis
  • Your sponsor must earn at least £18,600. There is a higher threshold if you have children who also need sponsoring. The requirement is £22,400 for one child and an additional £2,400 for each additional child
  • You must prove that you have sufficient knowledge of the English Language

Our Spouse Family Visa pagehas more details on UK Spouse Visas, Fiancé Visas and Non-Married Partner Visas.

 

Extending UK Family Visas 

It is possible to extend your visa so that you can stay with your family member longer if you have already entered the UK. If you want to do this, you must do this before your current visa expires. If you are looking to extend your Family Visa only to stay with the same family member you might be able to apply for a 28-day extension to your current visa. Alternatively, you might be eligible to apply for Settlement or Indefinite Leave to Remain, providing that you have lived in the UK for a certain length of time.

 

How long does it take to apply for a UK Family Visa?

If you are outside of the UK applying for a UK Family Visa, the process could take up to 12 weeks. If you are within the UK applying for a UK Family Visa, you should get a decision within 8 weeks of application submission. There is however an option to apply for priority services and have your application fast-tracked – This will allow you to get a decision within 5 working days.

 

Apply for Your Family Visa with Rees Clayton Solicitors 

Here at Rees Clayton Solicitors, we are experienced immigration lawyers and are available to help you with your Family Visa applications. We can help you in determining which visa you need to apply for and guide you through the entire process. We can correspond with the relevant legal bodies on your behalf and ensure that you submit all the relevant documentation with you application to give you the best chance of success.

Get in touch with our immigration specialists today for a free consultation and to discuss your individual requirements.