It’s coming up to the most wonderful time of the year, but perhaps not for families who are separated by borders this Christmas. 

If you wish to reunite with a loved and spend the festive period together in the UK, then you may be eligible to apply for a priority spouse visa or visit visa. Let’s examine some of these UK visa options.

Spouse visa

First up on our list of UK visa options is the spouse visa. The spouse visa is an attractive route for couples who wish to live together in the UK beyond the festive period. To qualify, your partner must be either a British citizen or a settled person in the UK (e.g., a person with indefinite leave to remain or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme). You must be married, in a civil partnership or unmarried (where you have been in a relationship akin to marriage or a civil partnership for at least two years). 

In contrast to a visit visa, a spouse visa allows you to live in the UK for more than six months and permits work, study, and access to healthcare. Perhaps the biggest difference and benefit is that a spouse visa can lead to indefinite leave to remain after five years. This means that you can live in the UK indefinitely, free from immigration restrictions. Once you hold indefinite leave to remain, you can also apply for British citizenship.

To qualify for a spouse visa, you must meet strict eligibility requirements:

1. You must be in a genuine and eligible relationship;
2. You and your partner's gross annual income is at least £29,000;
3. You have suitable accommodation in the UK;
4. You meet the English language requirement at minimum level A1.

If successful, you can stay in the UK for two years and 9 months. After this, you will need to apply to extend your stay. The visa costs £1,846 plus £3,105 for the immigration health surcharge. 
The application should be processed within 12 weeks, or within 30 working days under the priority service (£500). If you wish to receive a decision before Christmas, it is strongly advised that you submit a priority application no later than this week!

Please check out the 10-step guide and country guides which provide helpful and tailored advice depending on which country you are applying from.

Visit visa

Next on our list of UK visa options is the visit visa. If you are looking to visit the UK for a shorter period, for example, to solely spend Christmas with family, then a standard visitor visa may be more suitable. A standard visitor visa permits entry to the UK for up to six months (180 days). However, if you wish to visit the UK regularly then it may be possible to apply for a long-term standard visitor visa for two, five or 10 years. You can stay for a maximum of six months on each visit. 

If you are a ‘visa national’, you must make a visa application from outside of the UK and it must be approved prior to your visit. If you are a ‘non-visa national’ (i.e. EU nationals), you do not need to make an application beforehand and can simply request entry when you arrive at the UK Border. 

If your nationality is not listed here, then you will be classed as a ‘non-visa national’.

You must be 18 or over to apply and your visit must be for a permitted reason, for example, tourism or to visit friends and family. You must be able to show that you are a genuine visitor and demonstrate a clear intention to return to your country of residence at the end of your visit. You must also be able to financially support yourself during your trip including the costs of a return or onward journey.

The Home Office will assess your credibility and intention to visit the UK, therefore it is crucial that you submit a clear and transparent application supported with mandatory supporting documents.
The visa costs £115 for up to sixmonths and the earliest you can apply is three months before travel. The application is normally processed within three weeks, however it is advised that you submit an application as soon as possible as processing times may be extended due to a backlog of applications.

Whichever of the UK visa options you choose, our team of family migration experts are here to guide you through the application process and help to reunite you with loved ones this Christmas! Please get in touch today.

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