Family visas
Family routes are the second-largest part of the UK system after work and study, and the one where the evidence matters most. The partner visa for spouses, civil partners and unmarried partners of British citizens and settled people carries a minimum income requirement of £29,000, an English test and a five-year path to settlement; the fiancé(e) visa is a six-month entry stage for couples who will marry in the UK; the parent route covers a parent who is not in a relationship with the child's other parent; and the Adult Dependent Relative route, the strictest in the system, is for elderly or disabled relatives who need long-term care that is not available where they live.
Separate from these are dependants of people on work and study visas, who apply under the main applicant's route rather than under the family rules, and whose rights follow the sponsor's. The 2024 and 2025 restrictions on student and care-worker dependants sit here.
The guides in this section explain each route's test, the documents that prove it, and what happens at extension and settlement. The partner vs fiancé(e) comparison is the usual starting point for couples deciding when and where to marry.
| Route | Sponsorship | Typical duration | Dependants | Settlement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse and partner visa | Partner acts as sponsor (no licence needed) | 2 years 9 months on entry (2.5 years when applying in the UK), then one extension on the 5-year route | Children apply alongside | ILR after 5 years (10-year route if requirements unmet) |
| Fiancé(e) visa | Partner acts as sponsor | 6 months, then switch | Children apply alongside | Via the partner route — the 5-year period starts after switching |
| Dependants of work and student visa holders | Tied to the main applicant's visa | Matches the main applicant's permission | — | Own qualifying period applies on settlement routes |
| Adult Dependent Relative visa | A British, settled or refugee relative in the UK | Settlement on arrival where the sponsor is British or settled; otherwise in line with the sponsor's permission | The applicant's own partner can apply alongside | Settlement on arrival where the sponsor is British or settled |
| Parent visa: joining a child in the UK | Your child in the UK — no financial sponsor | 2 years 9 months on entry (2.5 years inside the UK), then one extension on the 5-year route | Not applicable — the child is the basis of the application | ILR after 5 years (10-year route if requirements unmet) |
- Spouse and partner visa Joining a British citizen or settled partner: the £29,000 financial requirement, English tests, the 5-year route to ILR and unmarried partners.
- Fiancé(e) visa Six months to enter the UK and marry, then switch to the partner route — same financial requirement, but no work rights until you switch.
- Dependants of work and student visa holders Which visas let partners and children join you, what dependants can do in the UK, and the routes where family cannot come.
- Adult Dependent Relative visa Bringing an elderly or disabled parent or other adult relative to the UK for long-term care: the strict test, who can sponsor, the evidence, and what is granted.
- Parent visa: joining a child in the UK For a parent of a British or settled child, or a child with seven years' residence, who is not with the other parent: the 5-year and 10-year routes and what each needs.