Moving to the UK is more than just a chance to find work. It’s a journey for you and your family in one of the world’s liveliest and historically significant countries. With its strong economy and diverse population, the UK is more than just a place to find a good job. It’s also a place to make a good life for your family in a country that mixes old and new.
Think about this: you are starting a rewarding job in a country with famous sites and busy cities, while your family explores the UK’s many cultures and educational opportunities. The UK is more than just a place to work. It’s a place where your family can feel like they fit and do well.
There are good salaries, great healthcare, and an easy way to move to the UK with your family, so it’s easy to bring them along on this exciting trip. Are you ready to move? We can help you get a work visa for the UK, point out the chances that are out there, and show you how to make the move with your family by your side.
You Can Apply for a Work VISA With Spouse or a Family VISA for UK!
There are different types of work visas available in the UK for different types of jobs. It’s important to note that the UK government lets you apply for your family’s visas at the same time as your own work visa. This way, your loved ones can move with you. It’s easy to bring your family with you whether you’re a skilled worker, a healthcare professional, or an inventor.
In another case, you need to get a work visa first in order to bring your family with you. There is another way for your family members to get visas under the family reunion category after you have gotten your work visa and moved to the UK.
United Kingdom is Currently Offering 5 Types of Work VISAs
The UK offers different types of work visas based on your skills and type of job:
- Skilled Worker Visa: Ideal for individuals with a job offer in a role that meets specific skill and salary thresholds. This is the most common route for skilled workers and allows your family to join you in the UK.
- Global Talent Visa: Made for workers with a lot of skills in areas like medicine, engineering, the arts, science, and the humanities. Leaders or people who want to be leaders can bring their families with them.
- Intra-Company Transfer Visa: For people who work for international companies and are being moved to a branch in the UK. This visa lets you move with your family if you are applying for a management or specialized job.
- Health and Care Worker Visa: Especially for trained healthcare workers, like doctors and nurses, who have job offers from the NHS or similar organizations. You can bring your family with you when you move to the UK.
- Innovator Visa: For business owners in the UK who want to start and run a new kind of business. Your business idea has been approved, so you can bring your family along to start a new life together.
Who in Your Family Can Apply for the Family Visa for the UK?
You can bring certain family members to the UK with you on a family visa once you have a work visa. The family members who are eligible are:
1. Spouse or Partner
- Eligibility:
- Legally Married Spouse: Your legally married spouse is eligible to apply.
- Civil Partner: Your civil partner, who is recognized under UK law, can also apply.
- Unmarried Partner: Your partner who is not married can apply if you have lived together for at least two years in a way that is similar to marriage.
2. Dependent Children
- Eligibility:
- Age: Dependent children under 18 years old can apply.
- Dependency: Your kids should be financially reliant on you and not be able to live on their own.
3. Other Dependents
- Eligibility:
- Dependent Adult Children: Adult children who are financially dependent on you and living with you and are at least 18 years old may be qualified in some situations.
- Other Relatives: Other family members, like old parents, may apply in rare cases, but they must meet certain requirements and show that they are very dependent and need care.
Application Requirements
- Proof of Relationship: You will need to show proof that you are related to the applicants, like a marriage certificate, a birth certificate, or proof that you live with them.
- Financial Requirements: There must be enough money in your account for you to support your family without using public funds. Usually, this means showing that you have enough money coming in or saved.
- Accommodation: In the UK, you must show proof that you have a suitable place for your family to live.
Application Process
- Wait for a Decision: As working times change, check to see how your applications are doing and how long they are taking to process.
- Complete the Application: Each person in the family must fill out and send in a visa application form that is appropriate for their role (spouse, child, etc.).
- Submit Supporting Documents: Please send all the necessary paperwork, such as proof of your relationship, proof of your finances, and information about where you will be staying.
- Attend a Visa Appointment: Family members will have to go to a visa interview and give biometric data.
Eligibility Terms for UK Work Visa and Family Visa
To be successful in applying for both your work visa and your family’s visa, you need to know the following:
Work Visa Eligibility
- Job Offer: For this to work, you need a job offer from a UK employer with a legal sponsor license.
- Skill and Salary Threshold: The job you want must require a certain amount of skill, and the pay must be enough for your visa category.
- English Language Proficiency: For some types of visas, you may need to show that you can speak and write English well.
- Financial Proof: You need to show that you have enough money to live on in the UK.
- Health Surcharge: As part of your application, you have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).
Spouse or Family Visa Eligibility
- Relationship Proof: Proof of your link with your children, spouse, or partner, like a marriage certificate or birth certificate.
- Financial Resources: You need to show that you can support your family in the UK with the money you bring in.
- Accommodation: Proof of adequate housing for your family in the UK is required.
- Health Surcharge: The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is also something your family will have to pay.
Application Process for UK Work Visa and Family or Spouse Visa
Step 1: Secure a Job Offer in the UK With Work visa sponsorship
In order to get a work visa, you must first get a job offer from a UK employer with a legal sponsor license. You can look for jobs on sites like Find a Job, which is the official job search website for the UK government, LinkedIn, and specialized employment agencies like Hays, Michael Page, and Reed.
Step 2: Apply for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is an electronic record that your company must give you to prove they are sponsoring you for the job. You need this COS in order to apply for your visa.
Step 3: Apply for the Appropriate Work Visa
On the UK government’s visa application site (www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration), you can apply for the right work visa (e.g., Skilled Worker Visa, Global Talent Visa, Care Taker Visa) with your COS.
Step 4: Pay the Application Fee and Immigration Health Surcharge
You will need to pay a visa application fee, which can be anywhere from £625 to £1,423 based on the type of visa and how long it is valid for. There is also the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), which costs £624 a year for adults and £470 a year for children. You and your family can use the National Health Service (NHS) while you are in the UK if you have an IHS.
Step 5: Attend a Biometric Appointment
You will have to go to a biometric meeting to give your picture and fingerprints. We will use this information to make your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP).
Step 6: Receive Your Decision
You will hear about your visa once your application has been handled. If you are accepted, you will get a visa vignette in your passport that will let you go to the UK.
Step 7: Bring Your Family to the UK
The people in your family can apply for visas once you get to the UK. They have to show proof that they are legally married to you, that they can pay their own expenses, and that they have a place to live in the UK.
Step 8: Apply for Family Members’ Residence Permits
Upon arrival in the UK, your family members will need to collect their Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) and complete any remaining formalities.
Conclusion
It can be fun and rewarding to move to the UK with your family. You will have lots of chances to improve yourself and your career. You can make sure the move goes smoothly for you and your family by learning about the different work and family visa choices and following the steps for applying. Taking these steps will help you start your new life in the UK with your family, from getting a job offer to figuring out the visa rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring my family with me when I move to the UK for work?
Yes, you can apply for family visas to bring your spouse, partner, and dependent children with you. Some work visas, like the Skilled Worker Visa and Global Talent Visa, allow family members to join you.
What documents are needed for a family visa?
Proof of relationship (e.g., marriage certificate, birth certificate).
Proof of financial resources to support your family.
Proof of adequate accommodation in the UK.
Payment of the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).
