UK Family Visas (2026 Guide)

A UK family visa allows non-UK residents to live in the UK with a family member who is a British citizen, settled person, or someone with valid immigration status.

For many spouse and partner-route applications, the financial requirement commonly discussed is £29,000, although transitional cases and route details can affect how the rule is applied.

Many spouse and partner-route applicants need approved English-language proof, often through an accepted test such as IELTS for UKVI, depending on the route stage and any exemptions or alternative evidence.

A general planning range people often use is around 2 to 6 months for applications from outside the UK, but real processing times vary and priority services may be available.

Some UK family visas allow work, but the exact right to work depends on the route and the conditions of the permission granted.

The main family-related routes most users search for are spouse visa, fiancé visa, parent visa, and child dependant visa.

Many family-route applicants deal with CEFR levels such as A1, A2, or B1 depending on the stage of the application, for example initial entry, extension, or settlement.

Some routes allow children to join a parent in the UK, but the exact child-dependant rules depend on the immigration route and the child’s circumstances.