UK Family Visa for Irish Citizens

Who cannot get a UK visa for their family?

You cannot get a UK visa for your family if:

• You’re already in the UK with a UK work visa, or a UK temporary student visa.
• You’re living in the UK with a UK visitor visa with a validity period of 6 months or less. This doesn’t apply for a UK visitor marriage visa, or if you’re awaiting a final court decision on a family or divorce matter.

When trying to obtain a UK family visa, it is important to prove to the UK government that your relationship with your family member(s) is genuine. To do this you will need to supply marriage/birth certificates, photographic evidence and other documentation.

The UK government offers different visas that are aimed at family members who wish to relocate to the UK. Each visa category has different eligibility requirements and some permit long-term stays in the country, while others are short-term visas.

The following of examples of UK family visas:

• Spouse, civil partner, or proposed partner visa
• Parent visa
• Child visa
• Disabled or aged relative visa
• Widow/widower visa

There is a range of visas reserved for Irish or UK citizens who wish to bring their foreign long-term partners to the UK. These include:

• UK Fiance Visas/Proposed Civil Partner Visas: for those who want to join their engaged British/settled partner before marrying them in the UK
• Spouse Visas: for those who are married to someone with British citizenship or settled status per the EU settlement scheme
• Civil Partnership Visas: for those who are the civil partners of UK nationals or settled persons per the EU settlement scheme
• Unmarried Partner Visas: for those who want to join their British or settled long-term partner in the UK

Documents for Spouse and Partner visas

To prove the relationship, the following documents will be required:

• Marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate
• Tenancy agreements
• Bills, bank accounts, and other purchase
• Evidence of conversations which demonstrate a genuine relationship
• Photographs showing the length of the relationship history
• Tickets from travelling to/with each other or events you have attended together
• Letters of statements from yourselves and your family members and/or friends confirming the nature of the relationship

Processing time and cost of UK Spouse/Partner visa application

The average processing time for a Partner Visa is between 2 – 12 weeks and the visa usually lasts 33 months before they are permitted to be renewed.

After 5 consecutive years, the partner can then apply for permanent residence in the UK. Applying for a Spouse/Partner visa costs £1,464 for applications made inside the UK and £1,523 from outside.

The Parent Visa is issued to parents of Irish citizens living in the UK, and the parent must be going to be responsible for the child while living in the UK.

To qualify for this visa the child of the parent has to be younger than 18 or must have been that age when you first applied for the UK visa and has to be an Irish or UK national.

Required documents for UK Parent Visa

Documents to prove the parental role can be based on evidence supplied by the government, school, court or a medical professional and must show you’re living with and/or caring for the child.

This could be a letter from your child’s school, a letter to your address from the local authority confirming your child’s school, a letter from your child’s doctor, dentist, or other medical professional confirming that you are responsible for taking them to appointments etc.

You’ll also have to demonstrate proficient English skills and proof of financial support when making the application.

Processing time and cost for the UK Parent Visa

The average processing time for a Parent Visa is between 8 – 12 weeks and permission lasts 2 years and 9 months on this visa – once this expires you’ll need to apply to extend your stay for another 2 years 6 months.

After 5 consecutive years per immigration rules, it is possible to apply to change their immigration status to permanent residence in the UK.

Parent Visas currently cost £1,033 for applications made inside the UK and £1,523 from outside the UK.

The UK Child visa is reserved for children of Irish and UK citizens already living in the UK who want their child who lives elsewhere to join them in the UK.

If the child was born in the UK and therefore a UK national, and their parents are Irish or British, they do not need to apply for a visa.

However, if they were born outside the UK, the following criteria must apply:

• Must be under 18
• Not be married or in a civil partnership
• Not be living an independent life
• Be financially supported without claiming the public funds

One of your parents must also be applying in tandem for a visa as a partner joining the other parent or as a parent that will have the sole responsibility of you.

Documents required for the Child Visa application

Documents you will need to provide are:

• Valid passport
• 2 passport-sized coloured photos
• Proof of English language proficiency (if applicable)
• Proof of financial means
• Proof of relationship with your UK residing parent, such as a birth certificate or adoption certificate
• Details of any previous immigration applications (if applicable) and criminal convictions (if applicable)
• Health and tuberculosis result (if applicable)

All documents must be provided in English or Welsh – otherwise you are required to submit a certified translated version,

Processing time and cost of the Child Visa

The average processing time for a Child Visa is between 8 – 12 weeks. Once issued the visa lasts 2 years and 6 months, after which you’ll need to apply to extend.

Child Visas cost £993 for applications made inside the UK and £1,464 from outside.

This visa is reserved for Irish nationals and residents who are based outside of the UK and require long-term care from a family member, whether that is a parent, grandchild, sibling, son or daughter living permanently in the UK. The applicant will need to prove the following:

• They require long-term support in daily personal and/or household chores due to their illness, disability or/and age
• The care is not available or affordable in the country they are from
• The UK family member will be able to support, accommodate and care without claiming social welfare benefits for at least 5 years
• They are 18 years or older

Documents required

Here are some of the supporting documents that will be required when applying:

• Valid passport
• 2 passport-sized coloured photos
• Proof of English language proficiency (if applicable)
• Proof of financial means (if applicable)
• Proof of relationship with your UK residing carer
• Details of any previous immigration applications (if applicable) and criminal convictions (if applicable)
• Health and tuberculosis result (if applicable)

Processing time and cost

The average processing time for a Carer Visa is between 10 days and permitted validity is dependent on the family member that is going to care for you.

As an Irish or British carer, the visa will be unlimited without the need to extend or settle. The Carer Visas cost £1,033 for applications made inside the UK and £3,250 from outside.

There are other visas that are available for people who qualify under different circumstances. This can include being permitted to remain indefinitely in the UK under the Human Rights Act, due to private life circumstances that make leaving the UK particularly challenging after living in the country for some years. You must meet these conditions to qualify:

• You are under 18 years old and you’ve lived in the UK continuously for at least 7 years, and it would be unreasonable to leave the UK
• You are between the ages of 18 and 24 and you’ve lived continuously in the UK for more than half your life
• You are 18 years or above, have spent less than 20 years in the UK but would have very significant problems living in another country
• You are 25 years or above, and you’ve been in the UK continuously for 20 years

Widowers or widows may apply to go to the UK if their partner has passed away and was an Irish or British citizen. The deceased partner must have been their spouse (husband or wife), civil partner, or someone they were living with like a spouse (de-facto partner).

When your partner died, you must have:

• been living together in the UK
• intended to live together permanently in the UK

This visa can be applied for any time after a partner’s death and must be applied for in the UK. The application fee for the visa for widows’ or widowers’ of UK nationals is £2,404.