#1 Family and Spouse Visa Lawyers & Solicitors

Family and Spouse Visa Explained

The UK Family and Spouse Visas allow individuals to join their family members in the UK for longer than 6 months.

You can find out more about the different ways to stay in the UK with your family or partner and how our lawyers can help you by clicking on the links below:

UK Spouse Visa

The UK spouse visa, alternatively referred to as the UK marriage visa, grants married individuals the opportunity to join their partner settled in the UK, devoid of visa constraints. This visa facilitates spouses and partners of British citizens or those with Indefinite Leave to Remain living, working, and/or studying in the UK.

The UK spouse visa duration varies depending on whether it was granted inside or outside the UK. If issued while you were in the UK, whether residing or visiting, it's valid for 30 months. However, if obtained while you were overseas, it extends to 33 months. Following this period, you can apply for an extension, allowing you to remain in the UK for a total of five years. Upon completing five years on a UK spouse visa, you become eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

If you're currently living in the UK under a different visa, such as a student visa, you might be eligible to switch to a UK spouse visa provided you and your spouse meet the necessary criteria.

If you're considering applying for a UK spouse visa, we can help you. Fill out the quick form on our Immigration page, and we will connect you with solicitors who can guide you on your eligibility and assist you in completing the necessary paperwork and compiling the required documents for a successful application.

 If you're currently living in the UK under a different visa, such as a student visa, you might be eligible to switch to a UK spouse visa provided you and your spouse meet the necessary criteria.

​The application procedure typically lasts two to twelve weeks, during which our solicitors specialising in UK spouse visas will monitor your progress and address any inquiries from the UK Border Agency.

UK Spouse Visa Eligibility & Requirements

To qualify for a UK spouse visa, several stringent criteria must be met:

1. Both you and your spouse must be at least 18 years old and have legally tied the knot. This stipulation aims to prevent coerced or arranged marriages.
2. You must demonstrate a genuine intention to establish a permanent residence together.
3. Financial independence is crucial; you must have adequate funds to sustain yourselves and any dependents without resorting to public assistance.
4. If your partner is sponsoring you, they must earn a minimum of £18,600 annually or possess sufficient savings to support your visa application. Additional financial requirements apply if dependent children are involved.
5. Suitable accommodation must be secured to accommodate you, your spouse, and any dependents.
6. Meeting the English language proficiency standard is imperative to satisfy visa prerequisites.

UK family visa

UK Family visas can be separated into four categories of family migration; these include:

• Unmarried Partner Visa
• Child dependent Visa
• Adult Dependant Relative Visa
• Parent Visa

 The requirements for a UK family visa will depend on the relevant category of family migration.

Unmarried partner visa

The UK Unmarried Partner Visa is a visa for an unmarried partner of a British citizen or settled person to live with an unmarried partner in the UK. Immigration rules allow a person who is not married or in a civil partnership to join a settled partner in the UK provided that certain conditions are met. 

Unmarried partner visa Eligibility & Requirements

To be eligible for a UK unmarried partner visa, you must meet these conditions:

• Both you and your sponsoring partner must be at least 18 years old.
• You and your partner must have the intention to permanently live together.
• Any previous relationships for either you or your partner must be conclusively ended.
• You must demonstrate that you've lived with your partner in a relationship akin to marriage for at least two years, supported by documentary evidence.
• You and your partner should have ample financial resources to support yourselves and any dependents without relying on public funds.
• Your unmarried partner must earn a minimum of £18,600 per year or have enough savings to sponsor you, with additional financial requirements if sponsoring children.
• You must have suitable accommodation for yourself, your partner, and any dependents.
• You need to meet the English language proficiency criteria.

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 under the UK unmarried partner visa will be a total of 33 months. After 33 months, you will be able to extend for a further 30 months, and once you have been in the UK for five years, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

Child dependent visa

A Child Dependent Visa enables a child to join or stay with their parent(s) in the UK, either on a temporary basis or a permanent basis. If you're a British national residing overseas and desire to bring your child back to the UK with you, or if you're already in the UK with either temporary or permanent permission to stay and want your children to come and live with you, there are regulations within the UK Immigration Rules that allow you to do this based on their status as your dependent offspring.

Child dependent visa Eligibility & Requirements

To qualify for a UK dependent child visa, the following conditions must be fulfilled:

• The child must be below the age of 18; and
• They must not be living independently, married, or in a civil partnership, and they must not have any children of their own.

Financial requirements for a Child dependent visa

 In order to bring dependent children into the UK, you must demonstrate that you possess the following funds:

• £3,800 annually for the first child
• £2,400 annually for each additional child

​This requirement is separate from the £18,600 threshold for a UK spouse or unmarried partner visa.

Adult dependent relative visa

Under extraordinary situations, the UK Immigration Regulations permit individuals from outside Europe to request permission to stay in the United Kingdom due to their connection as a 'dependent adult relative' of an individual with settled status or British Nationality. The Adult Dependent Relative visa is a visa for adult dependent relatives of British citizens or settled persons who wish to settle in the UK.

Adult dependent relative visa Eligibility & Requirements

To qualify for a UK Adult Dependent Relative Visa, you need to meet these criteria:

• Your relative must be 18 years or older.
• They must be a close family member, like a parent, grandparent, sibling, or child.
• As the sponsor, you must be a British citizen or settled in the UK with indefinite leave to remain.
• The applicant must be outside the UK when applying.
• Your relative must prove they require long-term personal care daily, including assistance with tasks like bathing and cooking.
• The needed care must not be available or reasonably accessible in their home country due to factors like unavailability, unaffordability, or lack of capable caregivers (such as close family).
• You must demonstrate your ability to support, accommodate, and care for your relative without relying on additional welfare or public funds, and provide evidence of sustaining this for five years.

Could I bring an elderly family member needing care to the UK?

If you're established in the UK and responsible for the daily care of an adult family member, they can apply for a UK Adult Dependent Relative Visa to join you indefinitely.

UK parent visa

If you have a child in the UK, as a parent, you can apply for a visa to join them via the ‘Parent Route’. If you're a parent of a child who holds British citizenship or has settled status in the UK, the UK Immigration Rules allow you to apply to reunite with your child in the UK.

UK parent visa Elegibility & Requirements

The conditions to qualify for entry into the UK through the Parent Route hinge on whether the child is a British citizen or considered 'settled' (indicating they possess either naturalisation or Indefinite Leave to Remain status) in the UK.

​If the child holds British citizenship or is 'settled' in the UK, the applicant must demonstrate sole responsibility for the child's care or possess access rights to the child. Additionally, they must furnish evidence of financial capability to support themselves and any dependents, along with proficiency in English.

​In instances where the child lacks British citizenship or 'settled' status in the UK, the applicant must satisfy all the aforementioned criteria, and the child must have resided continuously in the UK for seven years or more. Furthermore, it must be deemed not in the child's best interests to depart from the UK with the applicant.

What constitutes a 'parent' for the UK parent visa entails:

• A biological parent by birth
• An adoptive guardian
• A step-parent in the event of the biological parent's demise

Cost of Family and Spouse Visas

The application fee is typically £1,846.

You will also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) and provide your biometric information including fingerprints and a photograph.

At Dos, we extremely suggest talking to a lawyer to understand if you are eligible before doing such a monetary investment. Fill out the quick form on our Immigration page, and we will connect you with up to three lawyers for free who can help you with Family and Spouse Visas so you can make sure you have total confidence you will be successful before investing so much money in the application.

Cost of hiring a lawyer or solicitor for the British Citizenship application

The cost of a solicitor to help with a Family or Spouse Visa depends on many factors, including the number of people involved, complexity and specific requirements. It is expected to range from £700 to £1,000 per person on average, but it could vary.

How can Dos help me obtain a Family or Spouse visa?

​At Dos, we understand how important it is for our clients and their families to settle and finally make the UK their permanent home. If you are considering applying for a Family or Spouse Visa, fill out the quick form on our Immigration page, and we will connect you with specialist Family and Spouse Visa lawyers who will provide you with the best immigration advice and representation to assist you.

Enhance your chances for a successful UK spouse or family visa application with our comprehensive range of services, including:

• Expert guidance on eligibility criteria for UK spouse or family visas
• Assisted completion of your UK family or spouse visa application
• Support with challenging UK spouse and family visa refusals through judicial reviews and appeals

​With our lawyers' extensive experience and updated knowledge of spouse or family visas regulations, we significantly enhance the likelihood of a successful application outcome.

​If you have inquiries regarding spouse or family visas, we will connect you with our family lawyers across the UK for personalised assistance. Our lawyers are available face-to-face and remotely through phone calls and video calls.

​Start the process now by filling out the quick form on our Immigration page, and we will connect you with up to three family lawyers for free in minutes.

Expert guidance on eligibility criteria for UK spouse or family visas:

Navigating the complexities of visa eligibility for relatives can be daunting. Seeking expert guidance early on is wise. By grasping the prerequisites for a UK spouse visa and UK family visa, you significantly enhance your prospects of smooth application approval, minimising delays and anxiety.

​Our team of experienced spouse and family visa attorneys is ready to examine your circumstances, elucidate the pertinent requirements for either a UK family visa or a UK spouse visa, and chart the optimal visa pathway for your loved ones. We stand prepared to assist you through every phase of the application process, maximising your likelihood of a successful outcome.

Assisted completion of your UK family or spouse visa application:

Seeking expert assistance becomes invaluable in completing the requisite forms accurately and determining the essential supporting documents.

​Our team of solicitors specialising in UK family and spouse visas regularly assists clients through this process. 

UK spouse and family visa refusals, judicial review and appeals

If your application for a UK spouse or family visa has been rejected, there are several avenues you might consider exploring. The primary routes for contesting a refusal of a UK family or spouse visa are:

1. Submitting a new application for a UK spouse or family visa, ensuring to address any issues that led to the initial refusal.
2. Pursuing a Judicial Review, which involves challenging the legality of the decision-making process. This entails assessing whether the applicable laws were correctly applied to your visa application and if the proper procedures were followed. It's important to note that new evidence cannot be introduced during this process.
3. Initiating a UK family or spouse visa appeal, provided you have the right to appeal. This involves seeking reconsideration of your visa application by the immigration tribunal. Unlike the Judicial Review process, new evidence can be presented during an appeal.

​Our team of experienced UK family and spouse visa solicitors will hand visa refusals and appeals for you. We can offer guidance on your available options, assist you in taking the appropriate steps, and significantly improve your prospects of securing approval for your family or spouse visa.

Why should I choose Dos for Family and Spouse Visas?

• We will connect you with a lawyer with a high success rate in Family and Spouse Visa applications
• We only work with lawyers with accredited expertise in Immigration Law
• Dos is recognised as the leading immigration marketplace in the UK
• Extensive collective experience exceeding 200 years in immigration law
• Personalised attention and commitment to client satisfaction
• Transparent fixed fee structure for clarity in cost. Lawyers will give you a quote first

Fill out the quick form on our Immigration page, and we will connect you with the best lawyers for your Family or Spouse Visa.

Have others been successful through Dos?

Dos' case studies show the diverse immigrants we have assisted in obtaining British citizenship. Our team is ready to help you with naturalisation applications for yourself and your family. For more information, fill out the quick form on our Immigration page, and we will connect you with up to three British Citizenship lawyers.