Family reunion, within the context of UK immigration, allows foreign nationals residing in the UK under work, study, or refugee routes to reunite with their close family members. Fundamentally, the policy is designed to help families that have been split by the necessity of migration due to economic opportunities or safety concerns.
As a principle of immigration law, family reunification reinforces the basic human right to family life and supports the social and psychological well-being of foreign nationals in the UK by reconnecting them with their spouses, children, and sometimes other dependent relatives, helping them to settle more comfortably and integrate better into UK society.
In this guide, we set out the development of family reunion immigration policies in the UK and how they have impacted families of migrants. We also set out the current legal routes and application process for UK family visas, sharing practical insights into the process of bringing families together under the UK immigration rules.
Section A: Family Reunion in the UK Immigration System
Family reunion is a broad concept within UK immigration policy that refers to the different legal routes through which families can live together in the UK. It is not a single visa category but an umbrella term covering a range of immigration provisions for partners, children and other qualifying relatives of individuals who are settled, British, studying, working or granted protection in the UK. Some of these routes sit within the Immigration Rules, such as the family visa under Appendix FM or dependant visas for workers and students, while others operate as humanitarian pathways, including the refugee Family Reunion route which is now suspended for new applications.
The common purpose across these various routes is to preserve family life where separation has occurred due to migration, study, employment or forced displacement. Each route has specific eligibility rules, evidential requirements and conditions of stay, and the differences between them can be significant. Understanding these distinctions is central to identifying which route may apply to a particular family and what requirements must be met.
1. The Meaning of “Family Reunion” in the UK Immigration Context
In its strict legal sense, “family reunion” refers to the humanitarian route that allowed recognised refugees and individuals with humanitarian protection to bring pre-flight partners and dependent children to the UK. This dedicated Family Reunion visa is now closed to new applications, although transitional arrangements continue for cases lodged before the suspension date.
Beyond this narrow definition, the term is often used more broadly to describe the wider system of family migration routes that enable individuals to sponsor or join family members in the UK. These include family visas under Appendix FM, dependant routes for workers and students, Adult Dependent Relative applications, and the family provisions within schemes such as the Ukraine programmes and UK resettlement pathways.
When considering family reunion in this wider sense, the differences between the routes matter. Some require meeting the minimum income requirement or English language rules, while others do not. Some grant a pathway to settlement, while others are temporary. The rules vary further depending on the sponsor’s status, whether the relationship existed before the sponsor came to the UK and whether the family member is already in the UK or applying from overseas.
2. Impact of Family Reunion
Family reunion plays a significant role in the stability and long-term prospects of migrants in the UK. Reuniting with family can support emotional well-being and create a more secure environment for integrating into work, education and community life. The arrival of a partner or child often shifts the migrant’s experience from temporary adaptation to longer-term settlement, which has implications not only for the individual and family but also for their employer, landlord and local community.
Separation from family is one of the most difficult aspects of migration. Reunification can ease the pressure that prolonged distance creates and restore continuity in daily life. For refugees and those who have fled insecurity or conflict, rebuilding family life in a safe setting can be vital to recovery. For workers or students who have relocated to the UK, family arrival often determines whether the UK becomes a place to settle or a temporary chapter.
Family unity often supports financial stability. When partners are able to work or contribute to childcare, households can improve their economic prospects more quickly. Many families move from precarious arrangements to more sustainable employment and housing when they are able to function as a unit rather than across borders. This broader family contribution can also improve community-level outcomes as families put down stronger roots.
Families help to embed newcomers into communities. Children joining parents in the UK often adapt rapidly through school, which drives wider integration. Cultural ties and local networks form more readily when families live together, enabling faster adjustment to UK norms and supporting participation in local services, work and education.
The process of securing a family visa or dependant route is often demanding. Families face significant application fees, the Immigration Health Surcharge, and strict evidential and financial requirements under Appendix FM. Workers and students may find that dependant rules vary widely across visa categories, with some routes—such as care workers and many international students—no longer allowing dependants at all. Refugee family reunion, previously a straightforward humanitarian route, is now suspended for new applications, leaving many protection-holding families reliant on more restrictive alternatives. Even once reunited, families must adjust to new social and economic realities, which can strain relationships.
Family migration policy shapes who can be reunited, how quickly, at what cost and under what conditions. Income requirements, English language rules, dependant restrictions and humanitarian exceptions all determine which families can rebuild their lives together in the UK. As these policies change, families are often forced to reassess their plans and legal options. Guidance, financial thresholds and sponsor duties influence outcomes in practice, so staying informed about policy changes is central to successful family reunion.
DavidsonMorris Strategic Insight
Family reunion in the UK is a fragmented system. It quickly becomes clear to applicants that each route has its own rules, timeframes and fees, but what they do all have in common is that the application has to be evidence-led. A relationship is not enough, you have to prove each of the relevant criteria are met.
The biggest risk at the early stage then is choosing the wrong route, because the wrong starting point can waste months and thousands of pounds and put a refusal on your immigration record.
Section B: How UK Policy Shapes Family Reunion
Family reunion has developed through successive waves of immigration reform. While the underlying principle of keeping families together has remained constant, the rules governing how families can enter or remain in the UK have shifted repeatedly in response to economic, political and social pressures. These shifts have tightened access at some points and widened it at others, with particular volatility over the past decade. For many families, the result is a patchwork of routes that differ significantly in evidential demands, cost and accessibility.
The framework governing family migration has evolved over many decades. The following developments illustrate how the UK’s approach to family reunion has moved from broad entitlement toward increasingly structured, and at times restrictive, criteria.
a. Post-war citizenship and early migration controls
The British Nationality Act 1948 created a wide citizenship base that facilitated family movement from Commonwealth countries. Subsequent laws, including the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962, introduced greater control over entry but preserved avenues for immediate family members to join those already settled in the UK.
b. 1971 Immigration Act – a shift toward controlled family entry
The 1971 Act introduced the principle of patriality, limiting automatic residence rights to those with a close ancestral connection to the UK. Family reunion increasingly depended on documentary proof of relationship and dependency, laying the groundwork for more formal and evidence-heavy family migration rules.
c. 1980s tightening and the origins of today’s documentation demands
The Immigration Act 1988 strengthened requirements for proving dependency and financial stability. These changes restricted routes for elderly parents and wider relatives and narrowed family reunion toward the nuclear family model that underpins modern Appendix FM.
d. New Labour era – managed migration alongside family liberalisation
From the late 1990s, the Government widened work and study migration but also recognised the importance of family support in integration. Some family provisions became more flexible, yet the groundwork for today’s points-based system also emerged.
e. 2012 family migration reforms – minimum income requirement introduced
A major pivot came with the introduction of the minimum income requirement (MIR) for partner visas under Appendix FM. The £18,600 threshold marked a significant tightening and has been repeatedly criticised for separating low-income families. It remains one of the most consequential rules in UK family migration.
f. COVID-19 concessions
Pandemic-era concessions focused on extensions, income evidence, and flexible application arrangements. Many temporary measures have since ended, but they highlighted the system’s vulnerability to disruption.
g. Brexit and the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
The EUSS created a new framework for family members of EEA nationals living in the UK before 31 December 2020. It preserved family reunion rights for that cohort while closing EU free movement routes thereafter. Those arriving after 1 January 2021 are subject to the UK’s standard family and dependant rules.
h. 2024 reforms – dependants and income thresholds
Further restrictions were introduced from 2024. Most international students can no longer bring dependants unless studying a qualifying postgraduate course, and care workers and senior care workers in England cannot bring new dependants from 11 March 2024, with limited exceptions. The MIR for new partner applications rose from £18,600 to £29,000, and previous government proposals to increase it further were later withdrawn, leaving the current threshold under review.
These changes reflect the Government’s focus on reducing net migration and shaping who may accompany or join visa holders in the UK.
i. 2025 suspension of the refugee Family Reunion route
One of the most impactful recent developments is the suspension of new refugee family reunion applications from 3pm on 4 September 2025. This temporary pause—pending a wider review of family migration rules—removes the UK’s primary humanitarian route for pre-flight partners and children of refugees. Transitional processing continues for applications lodged before the deadline, but new cases must consider Appendix FM or humanitarian grounds outside the Rules.
DavidsonMorris Strategic Insight
Under this government, we’re seeing significant reforms coming in at short notice, with policy direction heading towards tighter control, heavier documentation and higher economic thresholds. The 2025 suspension of refugee family reunion shows how quickly a route can disappear.
If you are at the planning stage, or are close to applying, check you are working to the correct rules at the time you intend to apply. Treat the Rules as a moving beast, not something fixed.
Section C: Current Legal Framework for Family Reunion in the UK
Family reunion in the wider sense operates across several immigration routes. Each route has its own legal framework, eligibility rules, evidential requirements and opportunities for settlement. The system is not uniform.
Some categories, like partner and child visas under Appendix FM, offer a structured pathway with clear criteria. Others, like routes for dependants of workers and students, operate according to the rules of the main visa category. Humanitarian routes, including refugee family reunion, have historically operated outside the economic criteria applied to most migrants, although the dedicated refugee route is now suspended for new applications.
| Route | Who it is for |
|---|---|
| Partner / Spouse (Appendix FM) | Married, civil or durable partners living together or intending to live together in the UK |
| Parent (Appendix FM) | Parents with responsibility for, or direct access to, a child in the UK |
| Child (Appendix FM) | Children under 18 joining or remaining with a parent or parents in the UK |
| Dependants of Workers | Spouses, partners and children of Skilled Workers, Global Business Mobility workers and other eligible work routes |
| Dependants of Students | Limited to family of certain postgraduate research or government-sponsored students |
| Adult Dependent Relative (ADR) | Parents, grandparents, adult children or siblings needing long-term personal care |
| Refugee Family Reunion (suspended for new applications) | Pre-flight partners and dependent children of refugees or people with humanitarian protection |
| Ukraine and Other Special Schemes | Family members of eligible sponsors under country-specific programmes |
| EUSS Family Members (residual routes) | Certain joining family members of EU, EEA and Swiss citizens covered by the EU Settlement Scheme |
1. Family Visas for Spouses, Partners and Children (Appendix FM)
Appendix FM governs the main family migration categories for partners, parents and children. These routes are available where the sponsor is a British citizen, is settled in the UK, has refugee status or humanitarian protection, or holds certain forms of limited leave that permit sponsorship. Appendix FM routes are fee-bearing and generally require the applicant to meet the minimum income requirement, English language rules and accommodation standards.
The requirements vary by subcategory:
a. Partner and Spouse Visas
Applicants must show a genuine and subsisting relationship with a qualifying sponsor. They must meet the minimum income requirement of £29,000 for new applications and demonstrate adequate accommodation and English language capability. For those whose first partner application was before 11 April 2024, the lower £18,600 threshold continues to apply to extensions and settlement. The partner route provides a pathway to settlement after a qualifying period.
b. Child Visas
Children under 18 may join a parent who is British, settled or otherwise able to sponsor them. While there is no stand-alone minimum income requirement for child applications, the parent must demonstrate that they can provide adequate accommodation and maintenance without recourse to public funds.
c. Parent Route
Where a parent has sole responsibility for, or access rights to, a child who is British or settled, they may apply under Appendix FM. This route places the child’s welfare at the centre of the assessment.
For a detailed overview of these routes, see our guide to the UK Family Visa >
2. Dependants of Workers
Many work visa categories allow dependants to accompany or join the main applicant. Dependants can normally work, access education and, in many cases, progress toward settlement if the main applicant secures indefinite leave to remain.
Policies differ by route:
a. Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility Dependants
Skilled Workers, Senior or Specialist Workers and other eligible categories may bring spouses, partners and dependent children, subject to meeting financial requirements. These routes remain central for employers building long-term workforce plans.
b. Health and Care Worker Route
Rule changes effective from 11 March 2024 mean that care workers and senior care workers in England cannot sponsor new dependants unless they meet specific conditions. Existing dependants remain protected and some limited exceptions apply. These changes have altered workforce planning and raised retention concerns within the sector.
For a detailed overview, see our guide for Skilled Worker Dependants >
3. Dependants of Students
From 1 January 2024, most international students cannot bring dependants unless they are studying a postgraduate research programme or government-sponsored at postgraduate level. This restriction represents a marked shift in policy and has narrowed the scope for family reunion among international students. Dependants who do qualify must show financial resources and satisfy relationship criteria.
Further details, see our guide for international student dependants >
4. Adult Dependent Relatives (ADR)
The Adult Dependent Relative route is one of the narrowest and most challenging family migration categories. It applies to parents, grandparents, siblings or children over 18 who require long-term personal care that can only be provided by a relative in the UK. Applicants must show a medical condition or age-related frailty requiring long-term care, that such care is unavailable or unaffordable in the home country, that the UK sponsor can provide adequate maintenance and accommodation.
The high evidential burden makes approval rare, and refusals are common. Families often need to consider whether a human rights application outside the Rules is more realistic.
Read our guide to the ADR visa >
5. Refugee Family Reunion (Now Suspended for New Applications)
Refugee family reunion was a dedicated humanitarian route allowing recognised refugees and individuals with humanitarian protection to bring pre-flight partners and dependent children to the UK. It was fee-free and did not require meeting the minimum income requirement or English language rules. This route is now suspended for new applications from 3:00pm on 4 September 2025 under Statement of Changes HC 1298. Applications lodged before that deadline continue under transitional rules. Those who did not apply before the cut-off must now look to Appendix FM or, in limited circumstances, to human rights or resettlement provisions.
See our guide to the family reunion visa >
6. Ukraine Schemes and Other Special Family Programmes
The UK operates temporary and country-specific schemes that include provisions for family members. These schemes sit outside the Immigration Rules and have bespoke eligibility criteria. Broad examples include:
a. Ukraine Schemes
The Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine provide bespoke arrangements for those fleeing the conflict. Eligibility turns on the family relationship with a qualifying UK-based relative or sponsor, and the documentation required differs from mainstream routes.
b. Resettlement Programmes
Schemes such as the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) include narrowly defined family reunion provisions for individuals who are resettled through these pathways.
c. EUSS Family Permits
While new EUSS family permit applications are now significantly restricted, certain joining family members for pre-deadline EEA nationals may still qualify under limited circumstances.
Read our guide to Ukraine schemes >
DavidsonMorris Strategic Insight
Your choice of route is largely determined by your sponsor’s status, not by what makes sense for your family. Whichever route you opt for, be clear on the criteria and the evidence rules because they vary widely across different visas.
Section D: Eligibility Criteria Across UK Family Reunion Routes
Eligibility for family reunion depends on which immigration route applies to the family’s circumstances. Each route has its own tests and evidential requirements, and meeting the correct criteria is central to a successful application. The rules differ significantly between Appendix FM family visas, dependant routes for workers and students, Adult Dependent Relative applications, and humanitarian or discretionary pathways. The recent suspension of the dedicated refugee Family Reunion route adds further complexity, pushing many families into more demanding visa categories where financial thresholds, English language rules and accommodation standards must be met.
The following subsections outline the key eligibility criteria across the main routes through which families are reunited in the UK.
1. Partner and Spouse Visas
Partner and spouse visas under Appendix FM are the main route for couples where one person is British, settled or otherwise able to sponsor. The core tests are relationship, income, accommodation and English language. The couple have to show that the relationship is genuine and ongoing, through a mix of joint documents, correspondence and personal evidence. For new partner applications, the minimum income requirement is £29,000. Where the first partner application was made before 11 April 2024, the transitional £18,600 threshold continues to apply for extensions and settlement. The sponsor also needs to demonstrate adequate accommodation, and the applicant has to meet the English language rules at the required level. When granted, the visa is usually on a 5-year or 10-year route to settlement, depending on how consistently the Rules are met.
Read our visa guides for partners and spouses >
2. Unmarried and Durable Partners
Unmarried partners follow a similar framework under Appendix FM but must first establish that the relationship is comparable to marriage or a civil partnership. That generally means at least two years of living together in a committed partnership. Evidence of cohabitation becomes central, with bank statements, tenancy agreements, utility bills and other shared records used to show a shared household over time. Once the partnership test is met, the same financial, accommodation and English language requirements apply as for married couples. Where cohabitation evidence is patchy, families often need to compensate with detailed statements and supporting records that explain the gaps.
Read our guide to the unmaried partner visa >
3. Children
Child applications under Appendix FM are designed to allow children under 18 to join or remain with a parent or parents in the UK. The child must not be married, in a civil partnership or living an independent life. There is no separate minimum income threshold in child-only applications, but the sponsoring parent must show that they can maintain and accommodate the child without recourse to public funds. Birth certificates and proof of parental responsibility are required, and where only one parent is in the UK, the Home Office will look closely at consent from the other parent or evidence that the UK-based parent has sole responsibility. In practice, the child’s welfare and stability are central to how the rules are interpreted.
Read our guide to the Child visa >
4. Dependants of Workers
Dependants of workers apply under the dependant provisions of the main work route, for example Skilled Worker or Global Business Mobility. They must show that they are the worker’s spouse, partner or child and that they can be maintained without recourse to public funds, usually through a combination of the worker’s income, employer certification or personal savings. Skilled Worker remains one of the more flexible options for family reunion, but not all work categories treat dependants in the same way. Since 11 March 2024, care workers and senior care workers in England cannot sponsor new dependants apart from limited exceptions, although existing dependants keep their position. For employers, this has turned family policy into a factor in recruitment, particularly in health and social care.
Read our guide for dependants here >
5. Dependants of Students
Student dependant rules have tightened significantly. Most international students can no longer bring dependants, with only postgraduate research students and government-sponsored students at postgraduate level qualifying in most cases. Where dependants are still allowed, they need to prove their relationship to the main student and show that there are sufficient funds to maintain the family. The maintenance levels are set in UKVI guidance and must be evidenced for the required period. For many prospective students, the new restrictions now mean that study in the UK is no longer a realistic route to family reunion.
Read our guide for student dependants >
6. Adult Dependent Relatives (ADR)
The Adult Dependent Relative route is reserved for exceptional cases where an elderly or seriously ill relative requires long-term personal care that can only be provided by a family member in the UK. The test is demanding. Applicants must show that they cannot obtain the required level of care in their home country, whether because services are unavailable, unaffordable or unsuitable. The UK sponsor has to show they can accommodate and maintain the relative without access to public funds. In practice, detailed medical evidence and information about care options and costs overseas are needed. Many families find that, unless the facts are particularly stark, a human rights application outside the Rules may be more realistic than an ADR application on its own.
Read our guide for adult dependant relatives >
7. Refugee Family Reunion (Suspended for New Applications)
Refugee family reunion operated as a fee-free humanitarian route under Appendix Family Reunion (Sponsors with Protection). It allowed recognised refugees and those with humanitarian protection to bring pre-flight partners and dependent children to the UK without having to meet the minimum income requirement or English language rules. The key tests were the sponsor’s status, the existence of the family relationship before flight and the ongoing nature of that relationship. From 3pm on 4 September 2025, the route is suspended for new applications. Only cases lodged before that deadline continue under the previous rules. Families who did not apply in time now have to look at Appendix FM or human rights applications outside the Rules, which carry different costs and thresholds.
Read our guide on the Refugee Family Reunion visa >
8. Human Rights Applications Outside the Rules
Some families fall outside the structure of the Immigration Rules altogether. They may not meet the financial requirement, their circumstances may not fit any family or dependant category, or a relevant route such as refugee family reunion may be unavailable. In those cases, the focus moves to Article 8 ECHR and applications outside the Rules. The legal question is whether refusal would have unjustifiably harsh consequences for family life, taking into account the practical realities of relocation, separation and care. Cases involving children, serious health issues, disability or complex care arrangements often turn on the depth and quality of the evidence rather than on a checklist of rules. Detailed statements, medical and social care material, and independent country evidence are usually needed to build a persuasive human rights case.
| Route | Financial requirement |
|---|---|
| Partner / Spouse (Appendix FM) | Minimum income requirement (MIR) of £29,000 for new partner applications, or transitional £18,600 where the first partner application was before 11 April 2024. |
| Parent (Appendix FM) | No standalone MIR, but the sponsor must show adequate maintenance and accommodation without recourse to public funds. |
| Child (Appendix FM) | No specific MIR for the child; adequate maintenance and accommodation required. |
| Dependants of Workers | Maintenance requirement, often satisfied by the sponsor, employer certification or personal funds at prescribed levels. |
| Dependants of Students | Maintenance requirement based on a set amount per dependant, calculated against length and location of the course. |
| Adult Dependent Relative (ADR) | No MIR, but the UK sponsor must commit to maintaining and accommodating the ADR without recourse to public funds. |
| Refugee Family Reunion (suspended for new applications) | No MIR and no formal maintenance test under the historic rules. |
| Ukraine and Other Special Schemes | No MIR in most schemes, but some programmes require sponsors to show sufficient resources. |
| EUSS Family Members | No MIR; focus is on meeting relationship and eligibility criteria under the scheme. |
DavidsonMorris Strategic Insight
A genuine relationship can only be relied on for a visa where it can be adequately evidenced and where the other criteria are met. A strong relationship is not going to overcome failure to meet the minimum income requirement, and a genuine parent–child bond won’t override a lack of evidence of parental responsibility. The Home Office wants evidence not sentiment.
Anything that can’t be evidenced properly needs a plan B before the application is submitted.
Section E: Human Rights & Applications Outside the Rules
Not every family can meet the detailed requirements of the Immigration Rules. In some cases, the Rules do not provide an appropriate route at all. Where that happens, families may need to rely on human rights arguments, most often under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, to seek leave outside the Rules. This has become more significant since the suspension of the dedicated refugee Family Reunion route, because many protection-holding families are now pushed toward Appendix FM or discretionary decisions where Article 8 is central to the outcome.
1. Article 8 ECHR and the “Unjustifiably Harsh Consequences” Test
Article 8 protects the right to respect for private and family life. It does not guarantee a right to enter or remain in the UK, but it does require the Home Office and the courts to weigh the impact of immigration decisions on family life against the public interest in immigration control. In practice, this assessment is often framed around whether refusal would have “unjustifiably harsh consequences” for the family as a whole.
When assessing harshness, decision-makers look at the real-world implications of enforcing separation or expecting the family to relocate. Factors can include health, care responsibilities, safety in the country of origin, the practical ability of family members to live elsewhere and the depth of ties to the UK. The more entrenched and dependent the family life, the stronger the case that refusal would go beyond the level of hardship that Parliament has accepted as a normal incident of immigration control.
2. The Best Interests of Children
Where children are involved, the decision-maker is required to treat the child’s best interests as a primary consideration. That does not mean that the child’s interests always prevail, but it does mean that they must be identified, addressed and weighed explicitly. For family reunion cases, this usually requires careful analysis of where the child lives now, who provides day-to-day care, what schooling and support they receive and what the impact of ongoing separation or relocation would be.
In many cases, the question becomes whether it is reasonable or realistic to expect a British child or a child who has lived in the UK for many years to relocate abroad to preserve family life. Even where the Rules are not met, a well evidenced account of the child’s circumstances can be decisive in whether a human rights application succeeds.
3. When Families Rely on Applications Outside the Rules
Families may need to make an application outside the Rules where:
a. they cannot meet the financial requirement
b. their relationship structure or history does not fit within Appendix FM
c. an Adult Dependent Relative application has failed or is not viable
d. the dedicated refugee Family Reunion route is unavailable due to the current suspension
e. there are serious medical, welfare or protection issues that fall beyond the scope of the Rules
In these situations the application asks the Home Office to exercise discretion, either by granting leave under existing policy or by recognising that refusal would breach Article 8. The key difference from a standard Appendix FM or dependant application is that the legal test is not a checklist but a proportionality assessment. The question is whether the impact on family life is justified in all the circumstances.
4. Interaction with Appendix FM Refusals
Many human rights cases arise after an application under the Rules has been refused. A refusal under Appendix FM does not close off the possibility of leave being granted on Article 8 grounds, but it does raise the bar. The Home Office and the tribunals will usually start from the position that the rules-based system reflects the public interest and that only cases with additional compelling features justify an outcome outside those Rules.
In practice, this means that simply falling short of the MIR or other requirements will not be enough. Families need to show more than ordinary inconvenience or financial strain. Issues such as serious illness, disability, care responsibilities or a child’s particular needs often form the basis of a stronger challenge. Where a refusal decision carries a right of appeal, the tribunal will consider both compliance with the Rules and the proportionality of removal or exclusion.
5. Evidence for a Compelling Human Rights Case
Applications outside the Rules succeed or fail on the quality of the evidence. Assertions of hardship are rarely persuasive on their own. Families should expect to provide:
a. detailed witness statements explaining the history of the relationship, separation and current circumstances
b. medical reports where health issues or disability are central to the case
c. social services or school reports where the welfare of children is engaged
d. independent country evidence where safety, discrimination or lack of medical provision overseas is an issue
e. financial and accommodation records that demonstrate the practical impact of refusal
The aim is to present a coherent picture of why refusal would go beyond the level of disruption that is inherent in immigration control and into the territory of unjustifiable harshness. In the current environment, where the family Rules are tight and the refugee Family Reunion route is suspended for new cases, Article 8 arguments and carefully prepared human rights evidence have a growing role in family reunion planning.
DavidsonMorris Strategic Insight
Article 8 entails a high eligibility and evidential threshold. It is by no means a fallback option or plan B. For example, hardship alone is not enough; the question is whether refusal produces consequences that go beyond the norm.
If you are considering this route, you will need to show the Home Office strong, actual proof, not just an explanation, of why your family cannot relocate or remain separated.
Section F: Application Process for UK Family Reunion Routes
While each UK family route has its own detailed rules, most applications follow a similar procedural pattern. The main differences lie in which online form is used, what evidence is required and how the Home Office assesses risk, credibility and financial stability. Applicants need to identify the correct route at the outset, prepare the right documentary package and understand the impact of mistakes or omissions. The process can be time-consuming and resource-heavy, particularly once application fees, the Immigration Health Surcharge and legal support are factored in.
1. Key Stages in a UK Family Application
Most UK family-related applications, whether under Appendix FM, as PBS dependants or under special schemes, follow the same broad stages.
a. Choosing the Correct Route
The first step is to confirm which family route applies to the sponsor and the family member. A British or settled sponsor will usually be looking at a family visa under Appendix FM. A Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility or other sponsored worker may be looking at a dependant application that follows their route. Students, refugees, those with humanitarian protection and individuals with limited leave all face different options. Getting this wrong can waste fees and create delays, so route selection is a substantive step, not an administrative formality.
b. Gathering Evidence
Applicants then pull together the documents needed to show that they meet the route requirements. Relationship evidence, financial records, accommodation information and status documents are common across many routes. Adult Dependent Relative and human rights cases often require medical reports, social services records or independent expert evidence. Where documents are not available, detailed explanations and alternative evidence become important.
c. Completing the Online Application
Most family and dependant applications start with an online form on the Home Office or GOV.UK platform. The form used depends on the route, status of the sponsor and whether the application is made from within the UK or overseas. Accuracy is important because statements made here will be checked against supporting documents and, in some cases, previous immigration history.
d. Paying Fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge
Family visas and most dependant routes involve application fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge, payable in advance for each year of limited leave sought. These costs are now a major factor in route selection. Humanitarian schemes, historic refugee family reunion and some resettlement programmes have operated without these fees, but mainstream family routes are firmly fee-bearing.
e. Biometric Enrolment and Supporting Document Upload
Applicants are required to enrol biometrics at a visa application centre overseas or at a UKVCAS centre in the UK. Many routes also require online upload of documents to a third-party system used by UKVI. Some schemes still allow documents to be submitted at the appointment, but digitisation is moving the process toward online document submission as standard.
f. Decision and Conditions of Leave
Once the application is under consideration, the Home Office assesses eligibility, credibility and suitability. Decisions can take weeks or months depending on the route, country and service used. Grants of leave will specify duration, work conditions, access to public funds and whether time counts toward settlement. Refusals will set out the reasons and will either carry a right of appeal, a right to administrative review or require a fresh application where realistic.
For route-specific timelines and process detail on Appendix FM family visas, see Family Visa UK.
2. Route-Specific Process Differences
Although the broad steps are similar, each family migration pathway has its own procedural nuances.
a. Appendix FM Family Visas
Partner, parent and child applications under Appendix FM are document-heavy and evidentially strict. Financial and accommodation requirements are assessed by reference to detailed rules on specified evidence, and failure to meet these rules often leads to refusal. Some applicants may be eligible to use priority or super priority services for faster decisions, although availability and service standards vary.
b. Worker and Student Dependants
Applications linked to work and study routes are often bundled with or sequenced around the main applicant’s application. The evidence focus is on relationship, maintenance and the principal visa holder’s status. Changes in dependant rules, particularly for care workers and most taught students, mean that case preparation now needs to address eligibility before any online form is started.
c. Adult Dependent Relatives
ADR cases typically require more extensive pre-application work. Families need to commission detailed medical evidence and assemble proof of care options and costs in the home country. The Home Office applies a high threshold, so the evidential package often needs to address both the Rules and the prospect of a human rights argument if the Rules test is not met.
d. Refugee Family Reunion and Humanitarian Routes
Historic refugee family reunion applications were routed through a dedicated process with no fee and a focus on identity and pre-flight relationships. With new applications now suspended, families are increasingly forced into Appendix FM or applications outside the Rules. These cases often involve additional steps such as obtaining expert reports on risk, vulnerability and the impact of separation, particularly where Article 8 is engaged.
3. Common Process Challenges & Risks
Families across all routes encounter recurring challenges during the application process.
a. Evidence Gaps and Inconsistent Information
Missing or inconsistent documents can create doubts about relationship history, income or care arrangements. For example, fragmented financial records or gaps in cohabitation evidence can matter as much as the underlying reality of the relationship. Early document review is important to identify and address these gaps.
b. Cost and Timing Pressures
Application fees, the Immigration Health Surcharge and legal costs place significant strain on families, particularly where multiple applications are needed. Delays and backlogs add to the uncertainty. Families trying to coordinate schooling, employment or tenancy changes often have limited flexibility once the application is lodged.
c. Consequences of Refusal
A refused application generally leads to the loss of the Home Office fee and, depending on the route, limited or no appeal rights. The refusal will also sit on the applicant’s immigration record and can influence future applications. In some cases an appeal or administrative review is appropriate. In others, a carefully planned fresh application with improved evidence gives a better prospect of success.
For guidance on handling refusals and next steps, see UK Visa Refused: What To Do Next.
DavidsonMorris Strategic Insight
Once the application is submitted, mistakes cannot be corrected without starting again or risking losing fees and extending separation. Get the application as airtight as possible first time around and have it sense-checked by a professional before it goes to the Home Office, which will be forensic in its assessment.
Section G: Future of Family Immigration in the UK
Family migration continues to sit at the centre of wider immigration policy debates. The Government has made repeated commitments to reduce net migration while also acknowledging the importance of stable family life for integration and community cohesion. Recent reforms—including the minimum income requirement uplift, restrictions on work and student dependants, and the temporary suspension of the refugee Family Reunion route—signal a shift toward a more controlled and economically focused system. At the same time, ongoing legal challenges, parliamentary scrutiny and sector-wide responses continue to shape the direction of policy. Families navigating the UK immigration system should expect further change over the coming years as the Government reviews how family routes function across economic, humanitarian and human rights frameworks.
1. Current Trends and Influential Factors
Recent policy changes reflect a sustained direction of travel toward greater scrutiny in family migration. Partner and spouse routes now operate under a higher income threshold, and dependants of care workers and most international students have been curtailed. These measures reflect broader efforts to prioritise self-sufficiency, reduce overall numbers and focus on the economic contribution of incoming families. As a result, families increasingly encounter stricter evidential demands and greater emphasis on meeting financial and English language standards.
The Home Office continues to digitalise application processes, shifting toward online evidence upload, digital status and automated checks. These developments aim to streamline decision-making but can also create difficulties for applicants lacking access to technology, translators or document scanning. For some families, particularly those applying from post-conflict or low-infrastructure countries, digital-first processes can heighten evidential challenges.
Legal challenges remain a central influence on the development of family migration policy. Cases concerning the best interests of children, proportionality and the impact of separation continue to shape the boundaries of Article 8 decision-making. Courts have repeatedly emphasised the need for decision-makers to engage with the factual realities of family life. As restrictions tighten in the Rules, the role of human rights assessments outside the Rules is likely to become more significant for affected families.
2. Policy Reform Prospects
The future direction of family migration policy will depend on the outcome of ongoing Government reviews, economic conditions and the UK’s international obligations.
Following the increase to a £29,000 minimum income threshold for partner visas, the level and structure of the requirement remain under review. Previous proposals for further increases were withdrawn, but the Government continues to assess how financial criteria affect family life, equality of access and economic outcomes. The Migration Advisory Committee has noted that family income thresholds in the UK are high compared with international norms, and it has signalled that alternative models could be viable.
The temporary suspension of the refugee Family Reunion route suggests that the Government intends to redesign the humanitarian family framework. The outcome of the policy review may lead to a new set of rules or a more integrated approach across family and protection systems. For now, the shift away from a dedicated entitlement-based route means that protection-holding families must rely on Appendix FM or Article 8 arguments, both of which carry more restrictive and costly criteria.
Pressures on the labour market, the needs of the health and social care sector and regional demographic challenges may shape future adjustments. As the UK population ages, families with multi-generational responsibilities may prompt renewed debate on the accessibility of the Adult Dependent Relative route and the role of extended families in supporting care.
Post-Brexit arrangements, mobility partnerships and trade agreements increasingly influence UK migration rules. Future agreements may include family provisions, particularly where reciprocal mobility is negotiated. European and global trends in humanitarian protection may also shape future routes for displaced families.
3. Advocacy, Reform Campaigns & Sector Influence
Civil society organisations, legal representatives and community groups continue to exert influence on the direction of family migration policy.
Campaign groups argue that the current financial requirements disproportionately affect lower-income families, young workers and those in certain regions. Proposals include regional income thresholds, partner-based assessments and more flexible approaches to savings and third-party support.
Advocates for migrant and refugee families highlight that the Rules are tightly confined to nuclear family structures and exclude siblings, adult children and elderly parents in almost all cases. Calls for broader cultural recognition of extended family roles are becoming more prominent in policy consultation responses.
There is growing pressure for simplification of the Immigration Rules, which remain highly technical and fragmented. Improving accessibility, reducing evidential burdens and enhancing transparency are recurring themes among legal practitioners and support organisations.
With many family routes now outside the scope of legal aid, access to regulated advice is limited for low-income families. Advocacy groups continue to stress that meaningful access to justice requires affordable representation, particularly where human rights issues are engaged.
DavidsonMorris Strategic Insight
In the current climate of immigration uncertainty in the UK, families with long-term plans should look to anticipate rule changes and understand their exposure to future changes, such as increases in income thresholds or dependant restrictions. As a general position, families are safest to assume the system is likely to become more demanding, not less, and structure their plans with that in mind. Taking advice on timings and possible future reforms will also help to future-proof plans.
Section H: Summary
Family reunion in UK immigration is a network of routes that determine whether and how families can live together in the UK. The framework spans Appendix FM partner, parent and child visas, dependant routes for workers and students, Adult Dependent Relatives, special schemes such as the Ukraine programmes and, historically, the dedicated refugee Family Reunion route. Each route has its own eligibility rules, evidence demands and costs, and the choice of route has real consequences for timing, risk and long-term status.
Recent reforms have reshaped the landscape. The minimum income requirement for new partner applications has risen to £29,000. Most international students can no longer bring dependants. Care workers face new restrictions on sponsoring family members. The refugee Family Reunion route is suspended for new applications, forcing many protection-holding families to rely on Appendix FM or human rights claims.
Against that backdrop, Article 8 ECHR and applications outside the Rules have taken on greater importance, especially where families cannot meet financial thresholds or rigid category rules. Successful outcomes depend on identifying the right route early, understanding how policy changes affect that route and preparing a cohesive evidential case that reflects the reality of the family’s circumstances.
Section I: Need Assistance?
If you are planning a UK family application or are unsure which route applies to your circumstances, it is sensible to take advice before you submit anything to the Home Office. We offer fixed-fee telephone consultations to review your position, assess the available options and identify the evidence you will need. To arrange an appointment, contact us.
Section J: Family Reunion FAQs
What is the difference between a UK family visa and family reunion?
In strict legal terms, “family reunion” usually refers to the humanitarian route for refugees and people with humanitarian protection to bring pre-flight partners and children to the UK. “Family visas” under Appendix FM are the main routes for partners, parents and children of British or settled sponsors and some others, and they are fee-bearing, with financial, English language and accommodation requirements. In this guide, “family reunion” is used in the wider sense of all routes that allow families to live together in the UK, including family visas, dependant routes, Adult Dependent Relatives and special schemes.
Who can apply for a UK family visa under Appendix FM?
Appendix FM family visas are available to partners, spouses, fiancé(e)s, parents and children of sponsors who are British citizens, settled in the UK, have refugee status or humanitarian protection, or hold certain types of limited leave that permit sponsorship. Applicants need to show a genuine relationship, adequate accommodation and, in most partner cases, that the financial and English language requirements are met. The route provides a pathway to settlement over time.
Is the refugee Family Reunion route still open?
No, the dedicated refugee Family Reunion route is currently suspended for new applications from 3pm on 4 September 2025. Valid applications lodged before that deadline continue to be processed under the previous rules, but new cases now need to look at alternatives such as Appendix FM family visas, resettlement schemes where available or human rights applications outside the Rules. A separate guide explains the position for refugees and those with humanitarian protection in more detail.
What are the financial requirements for bringing a partner or spouse to the UK?
For new partner and spouse applications under Appendix FM, the sponsor is generally required to show a minimum gross annual income of £29,000 or a combination of income and savings that reaches the required level. Sponsors whose first partner application was made before 11 April 2024 usually remain on the previous £18,600 threshold for extensions and settlement. Different financial rules apply to some other family routes, such as child applications, dependants of workers and students, and Adult Dependent Relatives, where the focus is on maintenance and accommodation rather than a single headline income figure.
Can dependants still join workers and students in the UK?
Some workers can still bring or be joined by dependants, including Skilled Workers, Senior or Specialist Workers and other eligible sponsored routes, subject to their route’s maintenance rules. However, there are now significant restrictions. Care workers and senior care workers in England cannot sponsor new dependants from 11 March 2024 apart from limited exceptions. Most international students cannot bring dependants unless they are postgraduate research students or government-sponsored at postgraduate level. Families should check the specific dependant rules for the worker or student route involved before making plans.
How long do UK family and dependant applications take?
Processing times vary by route, country and whether the application is made outside or inside the UK. Standard partner and child applications can take several months, although some locations offer priority or super priority options for an additional fee. Dependant applications for workers and students may be assessed on similar timescales to the main applicant. Human rights and Adult Dependent Relative cases often take longer because of the volume and complexity of the evidence involved. Families should plan on the basis of indicative timeframes rather than fixed guarantees and allow for potential delays.
What happens if a family application is refused?
A refusal generally results in loss of the Home Office fee and can affect future applications because it stays on the immigration record. The decision letter will explain whether there is a right of appeal or a right to administrative review. In some cases, an appeal is the best way to challenge legal or factual errors. In others, it may be more effective to address the reasons for refusal and prepare a fresh application with stronger evidence. Where human rights arguments are involved, the refusal may be tested in the tribunal as an Article 8 case.
When do families use human rights applications outside the Rules?
Families consider applications outside the Rules when they cannot meet the requirements of Appendix FM or the relevant dependant category, or where the Rules do not provide a suitable route at all. This may arise where the sponsor cannot meet the minimum income requirement, an Adult Dependent Relative application is not realistic, or the refugee Family Reunion route is unavailable. These cases rely on Article 8 ECHR and require detailed evidence that refusal would have unjustifiably harsh consequences for the family, particularly where children, serious health issues or care responsibilities are involved.
Can charities or NGOs help with family reunion cases?
Charities, NGOs and community organisations can play an important role in supporting families. They may provide general guidance, signposting, practical help with documents and, in some cases, access to regulated legal advice or pro bono representation. However, many family routes now sit outside legal aid, so families should check carefully whether an organisation is authorised to give immigration advice and what level of service is available. In most cases, a combination of accredited legal advice and practical support from trusted organisations gives the strongest foundation for a family reunion application.
Section K: Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Family Reunion | Broad term used in this guide to describe all UK immigration routes that allow families to live together in the UK, including family visas, dependant routes, Adult Dependent Relatives, humanitarian pathways and special schemes. |
| Family Visa (Appendix FM) | A rules-based visa for partners, parents and children of British citizens, settled persons, some protection holders and certain other sponsors, usually subject to financial, English language and accommodation requirements. |
| Appendix FM | Part of the UK Immigration Rules that sets out the main family migration categories for partners, parents and children, including requirements for eligibility, financial evidence, English language and accommodation. |
| Minimum Income Requirement (MIR) | The minimum gross annual income a sponsor must usually show to bring a partner to the UK under Appendix FM. For new partner applications the threshold is £29,000, with a lower transitional rate for earlier applicants. |
| Dependant | A spouse, partner or child applying to join or accompany a main visa holder, such as a worker or student, under the dependant provisions of that route. |
| Adult Dependent Relative (ADR) | A narrow family route for parents, grandparents, siblings or adult children who require long-term personal care that can only be provided by a relative in the UK and where such care is unavailable or unaffordable overseas. |
| Refugee Family Reunion | A humanitarian route for recognised refugees and people with humanitarian protection to bring pre-flight partners and dependent children to the UK. It is currently suspended for new applications from 3pm on 4 September 2025. |
| Article 8 ECHR | The right to respect for private and family life under the European Convention on Human Rights, often relied on in applications or appeals made outside the Immigration Rules where strict requirements cannot be met. |
| Applications Outside the Rules | Immigration applications that do not meet the specific criteria of the Immigration Rules but seek leave to enter or remain based on human rights, compelling circumstances or other discretionary grounds. |
| Unjustifiably Harsh Consequences | The proportionality test commonly used in Article 8 cases to decide whether refusing a family application would have a level of impact on family life that cannot be justified by the public interest in immigration control. |
| Best Interests of the Child | A principle requiring decision-makers to treat a child’s best interests as a primary consideration when assessing immigration applications or appeals that affect children. |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) | A charge paid by most applicants for limited leave, in addition to the application fee, to access NHS treatment during their stay in the UK. |
| Points-Based System (PBS) Dependant | The spouse, partner or child of a main applicant in a points-based work or study route, such as Skilled Worker or Student, applying under the dependant provisions of that category. |
| Sponsor | The person in the UK (or in some cases the main visa holder) who supports a family or dependant application, such as a British citizen, settled person, refugee, worker or student. |
| Visa Application Centre (VAC) | An overseas location where applicants enrol biometric information and, in some cases, submit documents as part of a UK visa application. |
| UKVCAS | The UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services centres used in the UK for biometric enrolment and document submission for many in-country applications. |
| EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) | The scheme for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members living in the UK by 31 December 2020 to secure settled or pre-settled status after Brexit, with limited ongoing family reunion provisions. |
| UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) | A UK programme that resettles vulnerable refugees referred by UNHCR, with limited family reunion provisions for certain family members of those resettled. |
| Special Country Schemes | Bespoke immigration schemes for nationals of particular countries, such as Ukraine programmes or Afghan schemes, which may include specific arrangements for family members. |
Section L: Additional Resources & Links
| Resource | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| GOV.UK: Family visas | Official Home Office guidance on partner, parent and child visas under the UK Immigration Rules. | https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa |
| GOV.UK: Immigration Rules Appendix FM | The Immigration Rules section setting out detailed requirements for family members of British, settled and certain other sponsors. | https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-fm-family-members |
| GOV.UK: Refugee family reunion | Government guidance on family reunion for refugees and people with humanitarian protection, including the current position following suspension of new applications. | https://www.gov.uk/family-reunion |
| GOV.UK: Statements of Changes to the Immigration Rules | Collection of Statements of Changes, including the instrument that suspended the refugee Family Reunion route. | https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-rules-statement-of-changes |
| GOV.UK: EU Settlement Scheme guidance | Official information on the EU Settlement Scheme and remaining family reunion provisions for eligible family members. | https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families |
| British Red Cross: Refugee family reunion | Practical information and support services for refugees seeking to reunite with family members in the UK. | https://www.redcross.org.uk/get-help/get-help-as-a-refugee/refugee-family-reunion |
| Refugee Council: Family reunion | Briefings and practical guidance on refugee family reunion policy, support and recent changes. | https://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/information/refugee-asylum-facts/family-reunion/ |
| UNHCR UK: Family reunification | UNHCR information on international standards and advocacy around refugee family reunification in the UK and Europe. | https://www.unhcr.org/uk/family-reunification |
