The United Kingdom respects family values ​​and the human right to reunion with loved ones.

Your partner or child may be able to join or stay with you in the UK if:

● you were part of a family before you were forced to leave your country;

● you have refugee status, 5 years’ humanitarian protection or settlement on protection grounds but do not yet have British citizenship.

If you formed your family after you left your country, your partner or child must first apply for a family visa to join you in the UK. More about getting a family visa.

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Your partner or child cannot join you if:

● you have not received a decision on your asylum claim;

● you are under 18.

If their application is successful, your family members will be allowed to come to or stay in the UK with the same permission as you.

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Eligibility for family reunion

Your partner and any children must meet the following requirements.

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Partner

You must be able to prove that:

● you are married;

● you are in a civil partnership.

If you are not in a civil partnership, your partner may be able to join you if:

● you were given refugee status or humanitarian protection on or after 9 October 2006;

● you have lived together in a relationship like a marriage or civil partnership for at least 2 years.

You and your partner must intend to live together and continue your relationship after they apply.

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Your child must be:

● under the age of 18;

● going to live with you and your partner;

● not married.

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Apply outside the UK

Your partner or child must apply online for family reunion. 

They will also have to complete application form VAF4A with Appendix 4.

They will need to have their fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre as part of their application.

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Apply in the UK

Your partner or child can apply to stay with you in the UK if all the following are true:

● you have refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK;

● they are making their first application to stay with you and they are already in the UK;

● they can prove their relationship pre-dates your departure from your home country because of persecution.

They must apply by letter to:

UKVI Family Reunion Team

Admin Team

7th Floor

Capital Building

Liverpool

L3 9PP

When your family member applies, they will be asked to make an appointment at a Service and Support Centre to provide their biometric information (their fingerprints and a photo) and have their supporting documents checked.

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Fees

There is no fee for applying for family reunion for eligible family members.

You may be able to get an EU Settlement Scheme family permit to come to the UK if you are a family member of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein. You may also be able to apply if you’re the family member of an eligible person from Northern Ireland.

The family members of some British citizens can also get a permit.

You must be outside the UK to apply.

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What family permits are for

A family permit makes it easier to travel with your family member to the UK or to join them there.

It lets you come to the UK for up to 6 months. You can work and study, and come and go as many times as you want before the permit expires.

You can apply to stay longer in the UK if you’re eligible for the EU Settlement Scheme.

You can either:

● apply for a family permit before you come to the UK, and then apply to the EU Settlement Scheme once you are here;

● apply to the EU Settlement Scheme from outside the UK, if you are eligible.

You can only apply to the EU Settlement Scheme from outside the UK if you are eligible and either:

● you are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein and have a valid passport or national identity card with a biometric chip;

● you are from somewhere else and you have a UK-issued biometric residence card (if it has not expired).

Otherwise, you will need to apply for a family permit to come to the UK.

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Who can apply?

There are different ways you can be eligible for a family permit. How you apply depends on how you are eligible.

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If you are a family member of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein.

You can apply for the permit if your family member started living in the UK by 31 December 2020. This includes family members who have British citizenship if they also have:

●  their citizenship from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein, and if they lived in the UK using their free movement rights before becoming a British citizen; 

● dual nationality with an EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein, and they settled in the UK before 16 July 2012 without using their free movement rights. 

You can also apply if your family member lives outside the UK but regularly works in the UK.

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If you used to have a family member living in the UK.

You can apply if you used to have a family member from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein living in the UK but they have died, left the UK or the family relationship has broken down. This is also known as having ‘retained the right of residence’.

Your family member must have lived in the UK by 31 December 2020. If they moved to the UK later, you will usually need a visa to come to the UK.

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If you are a family member of a British citizen.

You can apply as a family member of a British citizen if you are currently living with them in an EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein. You must have been living there with your family member by 31 December 2020 to apply.

You must apply for a family permit before you can return to the UK.

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If you are the family member of an eligible person from Northern Ireland.

You can apply if you have a family member who is an eligible person from Northern Ireland.

To be eligible, your family member must be an Irish, British, or dual British and Irish citizen who was born in Northern Ireland.

When they were born, they must also have had a parent who held British, Irish, or dual citizenship (or had no restriction on how long they could stay in Northern Ireland).

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Fees

It is free to apply for the permit.

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After you have applied

If your application is successful, check how long your permit lasts and when you can apply to stay longer in the UK.

Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) is how you settle in the UK. It is also called ‘settlement’. It gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you are eligible. You can use it to apply for British citizenship.

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There are different ways to apply for indefinite leave to remain based on your circumstances.

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If you or your family member are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you may be able to apply for settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme instead.

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If you work in the UK

You may be able to apply if you have a work visa.

You must usually have lived and worked in the UK for 5 years. If you have a tier 1 visa, it can be 2 or 3 years. If you have an Innovator or Global Talent visa, it can be 3 years.

You may also need to meet the salary or financial requirements - this depends on your visa.

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What is the standard set of documents?

- Applicant’s current passport;

- A legal basis for your stay in the UK, ie a long-term visa;

- Documents on all your departures from the United Kingdom;

- Evidence that the applicant is fluent in English and has successfully passed the Life in the UK test;

- Payment information from the employer, which indicates that the applicant receives a salary not less than the statutory minimum, if applying for a British permanent residence permit from a Skilled Worker visa.

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How you apply depends on whether you:

1. have a tier 2, T2, International Sportsperson or Skilled Worker visa;

2. have a Global Talent, Tier 1 Entrepreneur or Investor visa;

3. have an Innovator visa;

4. represent an overseas business;

5. have a Turkish Worker or Businessperson visa;

6. are a private servant in a diplomatic household with an International Agreement visa, or a domestic worker.

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If you have family in the UK

You may be able to apply if you have a partner, parent or child or other relative settled in the UK - either as a British citizen or a person with indefinite leave to remain.

How you apply depends on which visa you have and how your family member settled.

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There are other ways to apply if:

1. your partner has died;
2. your relationship ended because of domestic violence;
3. You may be able to apply if you have been living here for 10 years or more.

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There is a different way to apply if you have a visa that is on the basis of your private life. Applications open in June 2022.

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If you are a Commonwealth citizen

You can apply if you have been living in the UK for 5 years on a UK Ancestry visa.

Some Commonwealth citizens have the right of abode in the UK. This means you can live or work in the UK without immigration restrictions. Check if you can apply to prove you have the right of abode in the UK. 

You may be eligible for citizenship instead, for example by applying under the Windrush scheme.

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Other ways to apply

You may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain if you:

• are a refugee or have humanitarian protection or Discretionary Leave
• are returning to the UK having previously had indefinite leave to remain
• served in the armed forces

Otherwise, you can get advice about staying in the UK on the Citizens Advice website.

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How long does it take to make a decision on the leave?

You will usually receive a decision within 6 months.

You should not leave the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you have a decision. If you do, your application will be withdrawn.

You will be contacted if your application is complex and time consuming, for example:

● if your supporting documents need to be checked;

● if you need to be interviewed;

● due to your personal circumstances, for example, if you have a criminal record.

You can apply for a Fiancé visa.

To do this, you must first 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 during your engagement.

What documents must be submitted to obtain a visa?

Full list of documents:

1. Invitation from the host party;

2. National and international passport with copies of all pages;

3. Results of passing the medical commission (certificate of absence of tuberculosis);

4. Certificate of no criminal record and probation;

5. Insurance policy with an amount of coverage equal to 30,000 euros;

6. Air ticket (in both directions) or booking for it;

7. Copy of the national passport (visa, if available) of the host party;

8. Certificate from the employer on the fact of employment and the amount of the salary of the host party;

9. Certificate of card balance and card accounts of the host party;

10. Information on the actual place of residence (copy of the rental agreement / ownership of real estate, as well as receipts for taxes and utilities);

11. Notice of marriage certificate - on the upcoming wedding ceremony;

12. Confirmation of the current relationship with the bride / groom (screenshots of correspondence, text messages, photos, etc.);

13. Certificate of sufficient English knowledge (according to level A1), for which you must pass one of the available exam formats: BEC, ICFE, UCLES, FCE, TOEFL, IELTS, ILEC;

14. Confirmation of electronic queuing for document submission;

15. Two photographs of the established sample;

16. Completed questionnaire and special supplement to it;

17. Receipt of payment of the consular fee;

18. Certificate of employment and payroll for the last six months;

19. Copies: birth certificates of children (minors), birth certificate of the applicant, certificates of civil status, property rights (movable and immovable property).

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The UK visa officers always reserve the right to request additional documents from the applicant for a Fiancé visa to the United Kingdom. All submitted documentation must be genuine, translated into English and notarized (seal of the translation agency).

What is the maximum length of stay in a country with such a visa?

If you are applying as a fiancé or proposed civil partner, you can stay for 6 months.

You will then need to apply for an extension.

Where can I apply for a Fiancé visa?

You can apply online.

The naturalization and registration of the British passport is the final stage for those foreigners who are going to choose the United Kingdom as their home. It usually takes several years of serious effort and planning before an immigrant is eligible to apply for English citizenship.

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To apply for citizenship, you need a residence permit in the UK until you obtain citizenship. Your permit must be valid until you pass the citizenship ceremony.

If you have an indefinite residence permit (ILR) or settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, this is considered a residence permit.

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List of basic documents for applying for citizenship:

1. National passport of the country of citizenship and its photocopy;

2. Valid international passport and all past international passports;

3. Certificate of no criminal record at home;

4. Document certifying the legality of stay in the UK;

5. Documentary proof of a legal source of income sufficient for the applicant and his/her family to live without social subsidies from the state;

6. Certificate from the tax service of the country on the absence of debt;

7. Medical opinion of a British medical institution on the state of health;

8. Certificate from the British police on the absence of problems with the country laws;

9. Recommendations;

10. Four photos.

You can apply for British citizenship if you:

-  are 18 or over;

-  are married to someone who is a British citizen;

-  have lived in the UK for at least 3 years before the date of your application.

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You can apply as soon as you have one of the following:

● indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK;

● ‘settled status’ (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain under the EU Settlement Scheme’);

● indefinite leave to enter the UK (permission to move to the UK permanently from abroad).

You must also:

• prove you were in the UK exactly 3 years before the day the Home Office receives your application;
• prove your knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic;
• show you have passed the life in the UK test;
• be of good character; 
• read the naturalisation guidance

This is one way to apply for British citizenship. Check if you are eligible another way - including through the Windrush scheme.

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What are the residency requirements?

You must have lived in the UK for at least 3 years before the date of your application.

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Time you have spent outside the UK

To be eligible, you should not have:

● spent more than 270 days outside the UK during the 3 years before your application;

● spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months.

You may be exempt from the residency requirements if your partner works abroad either for the UK government or an organisation closely linked to government.

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When to apply?

You must have been physically present in the UK exactly 3 years before the Home Office receives your application. Your application may be rejected if you cannot prove this.

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How to apply for citizenship?

There are 2 ways to apply for British citizenship. You can either:

• make an application yourself;
• use an agent or representative.

Read the guidance to check if you can apply and what documents you need to provide. 

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How much it costs?

It costs 1,330 pounds to apply.

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How long it takes?

You will usually get a decision within 6 months - some applications can take longer.

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Children under 18

Your child is usually automatically a British citizen if they were born in the UK and their other parent was a British citizen.

Check if there are other ways your child is eligible for British citizenship.

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If your partner has died

You cannot apply for citizenship as the partner of a British citizen if your partner has died. Check if you are eligible another way - for example if you have indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

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You might be asked to attend an interview where you’ll need to speak without an interpreter.

You will need to attend a citizenship ceremony if your application is successful.

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What to do after obtaining citizenship?

After you get your certificate of British citizenship, you must send your biometric residence permit (BRP) back to the Home Office within 5 working days of getting your British citizenship certificate.

● Cut your BRP into 4 pieces and put it in an envelope;

● Include a note saying you are returning your permit because you have become a citizen. Include your name, date of birth and the document number (found on the front of the card) in the note.

You will be fined up to 1,000 pounds if you do not return your permit within 5 working days.

You can apply for citizenship if you have lived in the UK for 5 years and have had one of the following for 12 months:

-  indefinite leave to remain in the UK (ILR);

- ‘settled status’ (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain under the EU Settlement Scheme’);

- permission to move to the UK permanently from abroad.

You must also:

1. be over 18;
2. prove you were in the UK exactly 5 years before the day the Home Office receives your application;
3. prove your knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic;
4. have passed the life in the UK test;
5. intend to continue living in the UK;
6. be of good character; 
7. read the naturalisation guidance.

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Residency requirements

You must have lived in the UK for at least 5 years before the date of your application.

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When to apply?

The date the Home Office receives your application depends on how you apply. If you apply online, your application will be received on the same day. It will take longer if you apply by post.

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What is the application fee?

It costs 1,330 pounds to apply.

You will also need to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken - there is no fee for this. You will be told how to do this after you have applied.

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What to do after obtaining citizenship?

After you get your certificate of British citizenship, you must send your biometric residence permit (BRP) back to the Home Office within 5 working days of getting your British citizenship certificate.

● Cut your BRP into 4 pieces and put it in an envelope;

● Include a note saying you are returning your permit because you have become a citizen. Include your name, date of birth and the document number (found on the front of the card) in the note.

You will be fined up to 1,000 pounds if you do not return your permit within 5 working days.

Learn more about obtaining citizenship with an indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and other documents.

You may be eligible to apply to register as a British citizen if you are not recognised as a citizen of any country.

How you apply depends on when and where you were born.

What is the fee of applying?

It costs 1,206 pounds to apply if you are 18 or over.

It costs 1,012 pounds if you are under 18.

Children who turn 18 during the application process will have to pay an extra 80 pounds for a citizenship ceremony. 

Learn more about acquiring citizenship for stateless persons.

If you are settled in the UK but do not have a document to prove it, you may be eligible to apply to the ‘Windrush Scheme’.

You may be able to apply for a document to prove you can live and work in the UK if one of the following is true:

• you came to the UK from a Commonwealth country before 1973
• your parents came to the UK from a Commonwealth country before 1973
• you came to the UK from any country before 31 December 1988 and are now settled here

It is free to apply.

To be eligible for citizenship through investment, the following conditions must be met:

● You must be over 18 years old;

● The applicant should not have any criminal record;

● Excellent knowledge of English is required;

● The applicant must not threaten the United Kingdom.

Those who have invested a minimum of £ 2,000,000 in existing British companies will be able to obtain a British passport. This applies to citizens who have received a Tier 1 Investor visa.

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To acquire citizenship in the UK, people with an Innovator visa need to invest £ 50,000 or more in the development of their UK company, become its director and be responsible for its existence and development.

The applicant, his/her partner and children under the age of 18 can apply for citizenship one year after receiving the ILR certificate. During this year, the applicant is not allowed to travel outside the UK for more than 90 days.

The citizenship application fee is £ 1330 per person.

Before you plan to move to the UK, there are a few important things to keep in mind: 

1. Finding accommodation. You should have a clear plan when it comes to your place of residence. If possible, try to find an apartment or house before you move to the UK so that you don't waste time looking for a property upon arrival. Also, if you plan to open a bank account after you move, you will need a home address. 

2. Open a bank account. You will need a bank account and debit cards to make most payments in the UK. To open a bank account, you must have a valid address. But if you don't have one, you can use the services of moving companies that provide this service. Some people use the addresses of their friends or family members. In any case, you should prepare yourself to overcome this obstacle during your move. Contact one of the major banks such as NatWest, Barclay's or HSBC to find out which account might be best for you.

3. Get ready to apply for a national insurance number. Your National Insurance Number (NIN) is the account number that tracks your insurance premiums and the taxes you pay. If you have a BRP, this number may already be stamped on the card. But if you don't have one, you need to apply for one. Keep in mind that you can only apply for a NINO once you are in the UK.

4. The cost of living in the UK varies, but in general it is more expensive in the south and cheaper in the north. Use an online cost of living comparison tool to find out how much your costs may increase after you move.

5. Many new immigrants to the UK end up in the capital, London, where there are generally more job opportunities. However, London is also home to many of the most expensive places to live in the country. To make a good investment in a rental property in London, consider these favorable neighborhoods:

• Barking and Dagenham
• Hillingdon
• Croydon
• Waltham Forest
• Havering
• Bexley

6. Buy an Oyster card. The Oyster card is a prepaid public transport pass that gives you access to trains and buses in London without having to buy a separate ticket. You can buy an Oyster card at most newsagents and at every train station in London.

7. Familiarize yourself with cultural differences. Despite the cultural diversity, especially in major cities like London and Manchester, the culture in the UK can be very different from your country of origin.

• Do your best to familiarize yourself with UK culture by asking questions about phrases or gestures that may confuse you.
• Buy a book about UK culture or about emigrating to the UK.