SERVICE

Family Members and Dependents

Key contact

Morton Fraser Partner Stuart McWilliams
Stuart McWilliams
Partner
Stuart is an accredited specialist in immigration law and a partner in our Litigation division in Glasgow. 
0141 274 1147

If you are moving to the UK to live with a partner, then you may be eligible for a spouse visa, civil partner visa or unmarried partner visa. These visas are complicated and require you to show that you meet a number of requirements. Read about these below:

What requirements do I need to meet? 

  • That you have a genuine relationship
  • That you have somewhere to live
  • That your fiancé, husband, wife or partner has enough in income or savings to support you. In most cases, that do not involve children, the British national needs to be earning £18,600 a year before tax to support the visa application
  • In some cases you may need to meet English language or medical requirements as well
  • You can apply from this visa from your home country for this type of visa and in most cases you can expect a decision in 8 - 12 weeks but there are steps you can take to speed up the process

If you are already in the UK you may be able to apply for this type of visa without travelling abroad, but this will not be possible if you are visiting the UK.

The Home Office fees vary depending on whether you are applying for a fiancé or partner visa, and where you are applying from.

This visa category allows you to apply for a permanent visa in the UK but only once you have completed  a period of 5 years in the UK, and this will involve at least 1 visa extension application.

There are also visa categories for bringing children to the UK, but the requirements depend on the nationality of the parents and we can help you navigate these rules to start your family life in the UK.

How we can help 

  • The documents needed for the application to avoid a refusal
  • The application process you will need to follow
  • The long term considerations for you, and when you will likely be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain (a right to stay in the UK permanently)

We offer a range of fixed fee packages for variety of different areas of work including:

  • Providing advice on how to apply
  • Preparing visa applications for you
  • Reviewing supporting documents and
  • Providing a covering letter for the application

If you would like to discuss how we can help with the application process please get in touch.

Our approach to fees

We understand the importance of providing clarity on fees and value for money. We offer fixed fee packages for a variety of different areas of work, from submitting an application to appealing a Home Office refusal. If it is not possible to provide a fixed fee then we'll provide a clear indication of the likely fee based on an agreed scope of work.