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Visa to join a partner or family in the UK

The UK family visa allows you to move and live with a close relative who is lawfully settled in the country — a partner, spouse, fiancé or fiancée, child, parent, or a relative who needs long-term care. The route is designed for permanent residence rather than short visits and, with continued residence in the country, opens the way to indefinite status.

Source: GOV.UK — the official UK government portal

Who can get the visa

Partner or spouse

  • Both partners are at least 18 years old
  • A marriage or civil partnership recognised in the United Kingdom, or living together in a relationship of 2 years or more
  • A fiancé or fiancée must marry within 6 months of entering the country
  • The partner in the United Kingdom must be a British or Irish citizen, hold settled or pre-settled status (for EU citizens — if they arrived before 1 January 2021), hold protection status or be stateless

Child, parent or relative carer

  • A child can join a parent who is settled in the United Kingdom
  • A parent can join a child who is settled in the United Kingdom
  • An adult relative can move if they need long-term care from a relative in the United Kingdom

What it costs

Application from abroad (main applicant)2 064 GBP
Application from inside the United Kingdom1 407 GBP
For each family member added (dependant)+2 064 GBP
Super priority service — an accelerated decision (only for applications inside the country)+1 000 GBP
Immigration health surcharge (IHS) for an adult on a partner visa of 2 years and 9 months+3 105 GBP
Immigration health surcharge (IHS) for a child for the same period+2 328 GBP

Documents to gather

In addition to the form and the passport you must prove three things:

  • The income of the partner in the United Kingdom — as a rule at least £29,000 a year, or savings instead of income
  • Knowledge of English: a degree taught in English (from the United Kingdom or with an Ecctis-confirmed equivalent) or a Secure English Language Test (SELT) certificate from an approved provider
  • The relationship with the partner: a marriage or civil partnership certificate, or evidence of living together for 2 years or more

How the process runs

How to apply for a partner visa

  1. 1

    Make the application

    The application is made online — from abroad, or from inside the United Kingdom when extending or switching from another visa.

  2. 2

    Wait for the decision

    usually 12 weeks when applying from abroad; from inside the United Kingdom — usually 8 weeks if all the requirements are met, otherwise about 12 months

    The processing time depends on where the application is made and on how complete the document pack is.

  3. 3

    Receive the partner visa

    up to 2 years and 9 months

    The first partner visa is granted for up to 2 years and 9 months, with the right to extend it afterwards.

Who you can bring with you

Conditions for the different categories of relatives

Partner or spouse
A joint application is possible if the relative in the United Kingdom is a British or Irish citizen, holds settled or pre-settled status or protection status, or is stateless
Dependent children
No income above £29,000 is required for children who are British or Irish citizens, hold settled or pre-settled status, or are EU/EEA citizens without pre-settled status in certain cases
Adult relative in need of care
The fee for an application from abroad in this category is from £452 to £3,635 depending on the relative’s status in the United Kingdom; from inside the country it is £1,407

Renewal and the grace period

A partner visa can be extended at any point before the current term expires. An extension gives the right to stay in the United Kingdom for up to a further 2 years and 6 months. You can apply for indefinite leave to remain no earlier than after 5 years of continuous residence in the United Kingdom on this visa.

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

You can apply for indefinite leave to remain no earlier than after 5 years of continuous residence in the United Kingdom on a family visa as a partner.

Frequently asked questions about Visa to join a partner or family

Who can get a UK family visa?
The visa is available in several categories: a partner or spouse, a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner, a child, a parent, and also a relative who needs long-term care from a relative living in the United Kingdom.
How much does a family visa application cost?
An application from abroad costs £2,064 for the main applicant; from inside the United Kingdom it is £1,407. The same amount is charged for each family member added. On top of that you must pay the health surcharge — from £1,940 to £5,175 per person depending on age and the length of the visa.
What is the minimum income for a partner visa?
For new applicants the combined income must be at least £29,000 a year. For those who first applied as a partner before 11 April 2024 and are now extending the visa, the previous threshold applies — £18,600 plus additions for children, capped at £29,000. In a number of cases savings can be shown instead of income.
Do you have to prove knowledge of English?
Yes. For a first application level A1 on the CEFR scale is required, and for an extension of a partner visa level A2. Children, applicants over 65, people with health limitations and nationals of a number of countries, including Australia, Canada, the USA and New Zealand, are exempt from the requirement.
How long is a partner visa valid and when can you get permanent residence?
The first partner visa is granted for up to 2 years and 9 months; an extension gives up to a further 2 years and 6 months. You can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) no earlier than after 5 years of continuous residence in the United Kingdom on this visa.
How does a family visa differ from an ordinary visitor visa?
A family visa is needed if you plan to live with a relative in the United Kingdom for more than 6 months. For shorter visits an ordinary Standard Visitor visa is usually enough.

Other ways to move to UK

Every route in one list — migration programmes: UK.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.