As per a report by the Open University, the skills shortage in the UK costs organizations more than £6.3 billion per year. As a result, the United Kingdom has now become a popular destination among Indians wanting to move abroad for better employment prospects.
After landing a job and moving to the UK, a large number of Indians also invite their families to live with them on a temporary or permanent basis. But this is often a challenging, expensive, and time-consuming affair for most. The majority of the complexity arises from the lack of knowledge about the requirements to invite family to the UK.
Detailed understanding of the steps for sponsoring your family to live with you in the UK can make the whole process hassle-free and convenient. So, how do you invite your family to reside with you in the UK? Here is what you need to know-
Duration of Stay
The steps you need to follow to bring your family to the UK abundantly depend on the duration for which your family will be living with you. The visa requirements vary for families wanting to visit the UK for less than six months and above six months.
Short Duration Visit
If you want your family to join you in the UK, they can apply for a Standard Visitor visa. It is valid for up to 6 months from the date of arrival in the UK. In the past, there were multiple visa types, like Family Visitor visa, Child Visitor visa, and General Visitor visa. However, they are now replaced with the Standard Visitor visa.
If your family wants to visit you multiple times, there is also a Long-Term Standard Visitor visa. It is available for 2, 5, and 10 years. However, your family can only live with you for up to 6 months per visit.
How to Apply for Standard Visitor Visa?
Here are the steps you need to follow to get your family members a Standard Visitor visa-
- Visit www.gov.uk and apply for Standard Visitor visa by providing basic details of your family member
- The nearest Visa Application Center (VAC) will be assigned which your family member needs to visit for providing Biometric Information (Fingerprints and Photographs)
- The family member will also be required to submit some documents such as-
- Valid travel documents
- Financial documents of the family member as well as the sponsor (relative working in the UK)
- Address proof
- Employment proof
- Business proof in case if the applicant self-employed
Even if you want to invite your child who is under 18 years, the Standard Visitor visa is the way to go. The application process for them would be the same as above, but they will have to submit documents such as-
- Valid travel documents
- Consent letter from parent or guardian
- Contact details of parent or guardian
- Detailed information about the sponsor or relative working in the UK
- Financial proofs
- If the child is travelling with someone who is not his/her parent or legal guardian, detailed information of that person needs to be submitted as well
Long Duration Visit
If you are working in the UK and you want to invite your family member/s for more than six months, they will have to come as ‘dependents’. This rule applies to everyone working in the UK with Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 4, or Tier 5 visa. The dependents can be your child (under or over 18 years), spouse, or parents.
To apply for a long duration visa, the sponsor or the family member working in the UK will have to provide financial proofs. It is to ensure that you can support the visiting family member throughout their stay in the UK. While the application process is mostly the same as discussed above, there can be additional requirements based on the profession of the sponsor.
For instance, if you are in the UK as a nurse, you can only invite your family after clearing OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination). Only after clearing OSCE that one can become a permanent member of NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council).
UK Family Visa
The steps mentioned above can be followed by family members of someone who is in the UK on Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 4, or Tier 5 visa. But what if the UK-based family member is already a British Citizen or settled in the UK with indefinite leave to remain? In such cases, the family member who wants to visits them can also apply for a Family visa.
This type of visa is available for spouses and children. The requirements vary based on the category under which the visa is being applied.
- For Spouses– Spouses joining their partners in the UK will be required to prove that they and their UK-based partners are above 18 years old. They also need to prove that they have been married or engaged for more than two years.
- For Children– A child joining a UK-based parent needs to provide adequate documents to confirm their relationship with the parent. They also need to provide documents to confirm that they will be staying with the parent in the UK. The parent should provide financial proofs of adequate funds to support their child’s stay.
With a Family visa, the visiting family member will be able to stay in the UK for up to 2.5 years or more. In case if the sponsor wants his/her family member to stay longer, there is also an option for the sponsor to switch to the Family visa and then invite the family member to the UK.
Parents or Relative Needing Long-Term Care
Indians living permanently in the UK, apart from their spouses and children, can also invite their above 18 years relatives like parents on a family visa. However, this is only possible when the relative requires long-term care, which is not affordable or available in India.
The sponsor or the family member residing in the UK will be required to provide adequate financial and other proofs. This is to confirm that they can support the stay of their relative in the UK.
Living the British Dream with Your Family in the UK
Excellent employment opportunities, higher wages, stunning beauty, and a better standard of living are some of the top reasons for moving to the UK. As can be seen above, there are many different ways in which you can also invite your family to the UK so that together, you and your family members can live the British dream.
Healthcare professionals can always rely on Dynamic Health Staff to find a suitable . A strategic arm of the Dynamic Group of companies, we have more than three decades of manning experience and an extensive reputation of being one of the best in the industry.
Apart from helping our candidates find healthcare jobs at top hospitals and facilities in the UK, our career consultants also help you-
- Prepare for IELTS and OET
- Understand the job eligibility and visa application process
- Provide complete assistance to help you move to the UK and begin your career
Get in touch with us today to learn more about our services and find your dream healthcare job in the UK.
