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What are the non spouse/partner U.K. Family Visas available?

UK Immigration has laid down rules to permit you to apply for a Non-spouse/partner U.K. Family Visa if someone in your family is already residing in the UK and you fulfill the criteria. Families with children and elderly relatives can apply for an EU Family Visa if they are dependent upon someone in the UK. Non-spouse/partner Family Visa allows British nationals, people with indefinite leave to remain status. As a side benefit, EEA nationals living in the UK can sponsor their families, in addition to their spouses and partners.

Who is eligible for a Family Visa?

• If you are a non-EEA national and want to live and work in the UK for an extended period of time, you will need to make a UK Visa application. There are different types of visas available depending on your circumstance. If you intend to stay with family in the UK for more than six months, you will need a Family Visa. If you are living outside of the UK, you can apply for a Family Visa to join your spouse, fiancee, partner, child, parent, or relative who will provide long-term care for you. 

What are the non partner/spouse UK Family Visa Types?

• There is a range of UK family visa categories, depending on your personal circumstances and your relationship with the sponsoring UK resident. Apart from the Partner/Spouse Visa which we have posted on in a previous post, there are the:

Parent Visa

• British citizens who have parents living outside the United Kingdom can take them to the UK through a Parent Visa. The Parent Visa is a type of visa established for cases when a parent wants to join their child who is a citizen or a resident of the United Kingdom with no immigration restrictions.

• If you are planning to join your dependent child, the main thing you have to know before applying for this type of visa is that if your partner is living together with the child and is a UK resident, then you will have to apply for the UK spouse visa. You can apply for the UK Parent Visa only if you are no longer in a relationship with the other parent of your child residing in the UK. You can stay in the UK for over 2 and 9 months on this visa before extending it or switching to it for a further 2 years 6 months and apply for indefinite leave after 5 years.

Some of the other requirements are:

1. Your child must be under 18 on the date you apply or have been under 18 when you were first granted leave and not live an independent life.
2. You need to have shared or sole parental responsibility for your UK resident child.
3. You must prove that you are taking an active role in your child’s upbringing and plan to continue doing so. For example, you could provide letters from your child’s school confirming you take them to school or go to parent evenings or doctor, dentist, or health visitor confirming that you take them to appointments or even other parent confirming how much contact you have with your child.
4. You must be able to financially support yourself and your child in the UK.
5. You must have good knowledge of English.

The Child Dependent Visa It is a type of visa that allows residents of the United Kingdom with no immigration restrictions to bring their non-EU child to the UK. The main criterion for a child to be eligible for this type of visa is to have one of their parents already residing in the UK. The requirements for this type of visa depend mostly on whether you were born inside the UK or outside.

For Children born in the UK:

The Home Office will grant permission if the child was born in the UK. with the same permission to stay as the parent and is under-18. The next time the parent applies, either add the child as a dependent or apply separately. If you are over-18, your parent can only include you in their application as a dependant if you got permission to come to or stay in the UK on a family visa when you were under 18 and do not live an independent life and are also applying from inside the UK.

For Children born outside the UK:

If you are under-18, you must not be married, nor be in a civil partnership, or not be living an independent life. You must be financially supported without claiming public funds. One of your parents must also be applying for a visa as a partner joining the other parent or as a parent that has the sole responsibility of you. If you are over 18 then your parent can include you in their application as a dependant. You can also apply separately, but in both cases, you are eligible to apply only if you got permission to enter and remain in the UK for an appointed period of time on a family visa when you were under 18, and you do not live an independent life.

Visa for an adult who needs long-run care by a relative:

The person that needs this type of care has to be an adult of age 18 or older suffering from a disability or a medical condition, or who has reached old age. You must prove that-

1. You are 18 or over.
2. Need long-term care to do everyday personal and household tasks because of illness, disability, or your age.
3. The care you need is not available or affordable in the country you live in.
4. The person you will be joining in the UK will be able to support, accommodate and care for you without claiming public funds for at least 5 years.

Visa on the basis of your private life:

You can only apply on the basis of your private life if you’re already living in the UK. You must be able to prove that-

1. If you are under 18, you must have lived in the UK continuously for at least 7 years and it would be unreasonable to expect you to leave the UK.
2. Only If you are between 18 and 24. You should have lived continuously in the UK for more than half your life.
3. If you are 25 or over, you have been in the UK continuously for 20 years.

How long does it take Non-spouse/partner Family Visa?

• A decision is usually made within 12 weeks if you apply from outside the UK.
• Or else, If you apply in the UK a decision will usually be made within 8 weeks of your application date if you use the standard service and within 2 days if you use the super-priority service.

UK immigration policy works to keep families together. For expert assistance regarding the UK Family Visa which is a complex application that you cannot afford to get wrong, or any other visa for the U.K., contact help@bizlawuk.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 07583452230 to be connected to an expert. Visit www.bizlawuk.co.uk to find out more about how we can help you with our other services. If you find this information useful, please like and share it.