How much it costs depends on who you’re joining and how you apply.

Cost if joining your partner, parent or child                                     

Apply outside the UK      £1,846                                                          

Apply in the UK                £1,048                                                          

Cost for each dependant added to your application

Apply outside the UK      £1,846 each person

Apply in the UK                £1,048 each person

Cost for adults who need to be looked after by a relative

How much it costs depends on what permission your relative has.

If they have temporary ‘protection status’ (permission to stay as a refugee or with humanitarian protection) it costs:

• £404 if you’re applying from outside the UK

• £1,048 if you’re applying from inside the UK

Otherwise, it costs:

• £3,250 if you’re applying from outside the UK

• £1,048 if you’re applying from inside the UK

Let your bank know that a large amount of money will be coming out of your account - otherwise it might cancel your payment.

If you cannot pay the fee, you may be eligible for a fee waiver in certain situations - for example if you cannot afford a place to live or your essential living costs.

Healthcare surcharge

You might also need to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application.

For each adult (18 or older) it costs:

• £1,560 if you’re staying for 2 years and 6 months

• £1,872 if you’re staying for 2 years and 9 months

• £3,120 if you’re staying for 5 years

For each child (under 18), it costs:

• £1,175 if you’re staying for 2 years and 6 months

• £1,410 if you’re staying for 2 years and 9 months

• £2,350 if you’re staying for 5 years

Get a faster decision on your application

If you’re applying from the UK, you may be able to pay an extra £1,000 for the super priority service to get a faster decision.

You cannot use the super priority service if you’re applying as an adult coming to be cared for by a relative.

Once you’ve got your decision letter, your biometric residence permit will take up to 10 working days to arrive.

To apply as a partner, you and your partner both need to be 18 or over.

Your partner must also either:

• be a British or Irish citizen

• have settled in the UK - for example, they have indefinite leave to remain, settled status or proof of permanent residence

• be from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and have pre-settled status - they must have started living in the UK before 1 January 2021

• have a Turkish Businessperson visa or Turkish Worker visa

• have protection status (leave to remain as a refugee, permission to stay as a refugee or a person with humanitarian protection)

You and your partner must intend to live together permanently in the UK after you apply.

If your partner has settled or pre-settled status you may be able to apply to the free EU Settlement Scheme.

What you’ll need to prove

You must be able to prove one of the following:

• you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK

• you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply

• you are a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner and will marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arriving

You also need to prove you:

• have a good knowledge of English

• can financially support yourself and your dependants

If you do not meet these requirements you may still be able to apply for a visa or extend your permission to stay if:

• you have a child in the UK who is a British or Irish citizen or has lived in the UK for 7 years and it would be unreasonable for them to leave the UK

• there would be very significant difficulties for you and your partner that could not be overcome if you lived together as a couple outside the UK

• it would breach your human rights to stop you coming to the UK or make you leave

If you’re applying as a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner

You must prove that:

• any previous marriages or civil partnerships have ended

• you plan to marry or become civil partners within 6 months of arriving in the UK

You will not be able to work or study during your engagement.

You’ll need to apply for permission to extend your stay in the UK when you marry or enter into a civil partnership. If your application is approved, you’ll have the right to work or study in the UK.

How to prove your relationship

Send evidence that:

• comes from the government, a bank, landlord, utility provider, or a medical professional

• confirms your relationship with your partner - for example, that you live together, share expenses or are married or in a civil partnership

• is less than 4 years old

You can use things like:

• a marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate

• a tenancy agreement, utility bills or council tax bills confirming that you live at the same address or pay bills together

• a bank statement from a joint bank account, or confirming that you live at the same address

• a letter from your doctor or dentist confirming that you live at the same address

If you do not have any evidence that meets this criteria, there is other evidence you can provide instead. However, it’s less likely that you’ll be given a visa in this case.

Other evidence you can provide includes:

• a one-off bill like vet’s fees or home repair costs

• letters confirming you and your partner are on the voting register for the same address

• student finance paperwork confirming that you live at the same address

Things like greetings cards, travel tickets, receipts, photographs and text or social media messages are not considered strong evidence of your relationship and are unlikely to help your application.

How long you can stay

You can stay in the UK for 2 years and 9 months on this visa. If you’re applying as a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner, you can stay for 6 months.

After this you’ll need to apply to extend your stay.

If you extend or switch to this visa

If you extend your family visa or switch to this visa you can stay in the UK for 2 years and 6 months.

How to apply

You’ll need to prepare information and documents to provide with your application.

How you apply depends on whether you’re in the UK or not.

Outside the UK

You must apply online from outside the UK.

In the UK

You must apply online in the UK.

If you cannot pay the fee

You can apply for a fee waiver if you cannot pay the fee because you:

• do not have a place to live and cannot afford one

• have a place to live but cannot afford essential living costs like food or heating

• have a very low income and paying the fee would harm your child’s wellbeing

Apply for a fee waiver online from outside the UK.

Apply for a fee waiver online from inside the UK.

Get help to apply online

You can get help with completing the online visa application form if you:

• do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device

• do not have internet access

You can only use this service if you’re applying in the UK.

You cannot get immigration advice through this service.

How long it takes

If you apply outside the UK you’ll usually get a decision within 24 weeks.

If you apply inside the UK and you meet the minimum income requirements and English language requirements, you’ll usually get a decision within 8 weeks.

If you apply inside the UK and you do not meet the minimum income requirements and English language requirements, it currently takes about 12 months to get a decision.

You may be able to pay for a faster decision.

Applying with your children

You can add children to your application as dependants if both of the following apply:

• they are under 18 when you apply, or were under 18 when they were first granted leave

• they do not live an independent life

Your child is living an independent life if, for example, they’ve left home, got married and had children.

When you can settle permanently

The earliest you can apply to settle in the UK (called ‘indefinite leave to remain’) is after you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years continuously on a family visa as a partner.

You cannot include time you’ve spent in the UK:

• on any other visa

• as a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner

The rules are different if you applied before 9 July 2012.

If you applied before 9 July 2012

You can only extend your family visa if all the following are true:

• you were given permission to stay in the UK as a partner before 9 July 2012

• you are not eligible to settle in the UK

• you have not been granted or refused another visa

You must also prove that:

• you and your partner have enough money to financially support yourself and your dependants without relying on public funds

• you have knowledge of English

You may need to prove your knowledge of the English language when you apply.

When you do not need to prove it

You do not need to prove your knowledge of English or take a test if one of the following is true:

• you’re applying as a child

• you’re applying as an adult coming to be cared for by a relative

• you’ve been in the UK on a family visa for 5 years and you’re extending it as a partner or parent

• you’re over 65

• you have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from meeting the requirement

You also will not need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of one of the following countries or territories:

• Antigua and Barbuda

• Australia

• the Bahamas

• Barbados

• Belize

• the British overseas territories

• Canada

• Dominica

• Grenada

• Guyana

• Jamaica

• Malta

• New Zealand

• St Kitts and Nevis

• St Lucia

• St Vincent and the Grenadines

• Trinidad and Tobago

• USA

How to prove your knowledge of English

You can prove it with an academic qualification, or by taking a test.

Academic qualifications

You can prove your knowledge of English if you have a degree or academic qualification that was taught or researched in English.

If your qualification is from a UK university or college, you only need your degree certificate.

If your qualification is from a university or college outside the UK

You’ll need to provide a certificate from Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) to show that your qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or higher and that it was taught in English.

There are 2 kinds of certificate:

• a statement of comparability

• a visa and nationality statement

You need a statement of comparability if you got your qualification from a university or college in one of these countries:

• Antigua and Barbuda

• Australia

• the Bahamas

• Barbados

• Belize

• Dominica

• Grenada

• Guyana

• Ireland

• Jamaica

• Malta

• New Zealand

• St Kitts and Nevis

• St Lucia

• St Vincent and the Grenadines

• Trinidad and Tobago

• USA

If you got your qualification from a university or college in any other country, you need a visa and nationality statement.

Take an approved English language test

You can prove your knowledge of English by passing an approved English language test.

You must pass at least level A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale for your first visa application. You can choose to take a higher level test.

If you pass level B1 or higher, you can use your test result again when you apply for settlement after 5 years. Your test still needs to be on the approved list of qualifications and your test certificate must not have been withdrawn by the test provider.

You and your partner must have a combined income of at least £29,000 a year if:

• you’re applying as a partner

• you want to settle in the UK (get ‘indefinite leave to remain’) within 5 years

You must prove you have extra money if you have children who:

• are not British or Irish citizens

• do not have pre-settled status

• are not permanently settled in the UK

You might not need to prove you have extra money if your children are citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland and they do not have pre-settled status or are not permanently settled in the UK. Check the guidance in appendix FM 1.7: financial requirement for more information.

This is called the ‘minimum income requirement’.

You may be able to use your savings instead of income.

How you prove you have the money depends on how you got the income.

If you’ve experienced a loss of income because of coronavirus (COVID-19), for example if you’ve been furloughed or you’re self employed, you might still be able to apply. Read the guidance for UK visa applicants and temporary UK residents.

What counts as income

You and your partner can use:

• income from employment before tax and National Insurance (check your P60 or payslips) - you can only use your own income if you earn it in the UK

• income you earn from self-employment or as a director of a limited company in the UK - check your Self Assessment tax return

• cash savings above £16,000

• money from a pension

• non-work income, for example from property rentals or dividends

If you’re using income from self-employment or employment, you’ll need to prove you or your partner received that income for 6 months or more.

Example

You’ve worked with the same employer earning £29,000 or more for 6 months or longer.

What proof you need to give

You’ll need to provide proof of your income with your application. If you or your partner are employed, you could include:

• bank statements showing you or your partner’s income

• 6 months of payslips

• a letter from an employer, dated and on headed paper

The employer’s letter should confirm:

• you or your partner are employed there

• the job title or position you or your partner hold

• how long you or your partner have worked there

• the type of contract (for example, permanent, fixed term)

• what you or your partner earn before tax and National Insurance

• how long you or your partner have been paid your current salary

• the payslips are genuine

You’ll be told exactly what documents to provide when you apply online.

Check the guidance in appendix FM 1.7: financial requirement if:

• you or your partner’s income is not from employment, for example it’s from running a limited company, savings, or a pension

• you or your partner have taken maternity or paternity leave in the last 6 months

• you want to combine different income sources

The detailed guidance also explains the evidence you need to provide for each of the types of income you’re relying on.

If you cannot meet the minimum income requirement

You need to show you and your partner meet the minimum income requirement if you want to settle in 5 years as a partner.

If you do not meet the requirement, you may be able to settle in 10 years.

When you do not need to meet the income requirement

You may be able to settle in 5 years without meeting the minimum income requirement if either:

• you’re applying as a parent

• you get certain benefits, for example Disability Living Allowance or Carer’s Allowance

You need to show you and your family have enough money to adequately support and accommodate yourselves without relying on public funds. The caseworker considers your income and housing costs.

Check the guidance in appendix FM 1.7: financial requirement for more information.

You’ll need to have information and some evidence ready when you make your application. Include information for you and any dependants applying at the same time.

You’ll need to provide:

• all your names

• your date of birth

• your current passport or other valid travel ID

• copies of the photo page and any visa or entry stamps in your previous passports

• a copy of your biometric residence permit, if you have one

• details of any previous immigration applications you’ve made

• details of any criminal convictions

• your national insurance number, if you have one

• your parents’ date of birth and nationality if you’re applying from outside the UK

• your tuberculosis test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the test

• a certified translation of any document that is not in English or Welsh

You’ll need to have a blank page in your passport on which to put the visa if you’re applying outside the UK.

You’ll need an email address to make an online application.

You’ll also need to:

• give proof of your finances

• prove your knowledge of English

You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances - for example a sponsorship form from your family member in the UK.

You’ll be told how to provide your documents when you apply.

If you’re unable to provide specified documents because of coronavirus (COVID-19), you might still be able to apply. Read the guidance for UK visa applicants and temporary UK residents.

Your partner’s details

If you have a partner, you’ll be asked about their:

• name

• date of birth

• nationality

• passport

• right to be in the UK, for example they’re a British citizen

You’ll also need to give details of:

• any people your partner was previously married to, in a civil partnership with or had children with

• evidence of marriages ending, for example a divorce certificate

• anyone your partner supports with money, for example their parents

Proof of relationship

If you’re applying as a spouse or partner, you’ll be asked about:

• your relationship with your partner, for example how you met and how often you see each other

• how long you’ve lived together - you’ll need to provide proof like council tax bills

• things you pay for together

• whether you’re your partner’s carer

Your previous partners

You’ll need to include details of anyone you previously married or had children with. Include evidence of marriages ending, for example a divorce certificate.

Children

You’ll need to give details of your children (and your partner’s children if you have one). You’ll be asked about all children, even if they’re not applying.

You’ll need to give details of:

• their name

• their nationality

• their date of birth

• their passport details

• who the child normally lives with

• any other people with parental responsibility for your child, for example your step children’s other parents

• how you’re involved in their day to day life

• arrangements you have to see the child - for example the courts have granted you access

• the child’s extended family

• any countries your child has visited or lived in

Your life outside the UK

You’ll need to give details of:

• countries outside the UK you’ve lived in and visited

• family and friends in the countries where you were born or have nationality