Can I Bring My Family to the UK?

Another compelling concern is whether one can bring a sibling to the UK. Again, like in the above case, they have to meet the primary prerequisite conditions, which are equally demanding. They include:

• If the sibling is over 18, an application for a dependent relative visa must be made. 
• The sibling must be ill or in need of personal care available and affordable in the UK but unavailable or unaffordable in their mother country. 
• You must prove that you can financially support your sibling for at least five years without claiming public funds for support. 
• In addition, you also need to commit to paying any public funds that are given to your sibling(s) over the period that they would be in the UK.
• These conditions also apply to a sibling who is below 18 years. 

Can I bring My Nephew or Niece to the UK?

Yes this is also possible. Family members who have permanent residence in the UK (i.e. have permanent residence here or if EU /EEA nationals have settled or pre-settled status here), can under certain conditions, also bring or sponsor their nephews or nieces to come to the UK as dependent family members. 

For more info, please read our article, Can I Sponsor My Nephew or Niece to the UK?

Alternative routes based on the sponsoring family member’s UK immigration situation

If you are a British or Irish citizen or an EU or EEA or Swiss national living in the UK, with settled status, those are crucial qualifications for bringing your family member to live with you in the UK permanently.

If, however, your family member wishes to come here merely to visit you, and your immigration status in the UK is in a category as set out above, or if you have pre-settled status, then a much simpler process of applying for a visit visa is involved. If your family members are visa nationals, they would need to apply for a visit visa from abroad and satisfy the visa officer that their trip is not to remain in the UK permanently but merely to visit you, or if they are not visa nationals, then they would simply take a flight to the UK, and satisfy the immigration officer here at the port of entry, that their trip is merely to visit you and return.

Visitor visas are granted for a maximum period of 6 months and are not extendable unless there are exceptional circumstances, for example, your family member whilst here develops a disease which, unless treated immediately, would prove to be fatal. In these exceptional cases, it is possible to switch to a medical visa for a further six months, provided there is a clear prognosis as to how long the private treatment will last.

As you can see, getting a dependent relative visa is quite an ordeal. You thus have minimal chances of ever bringing your parents or relatives to the UK. Nonetheless, it’s not all gloom if you engage some of the best solicitors in the country. Gulbenkian Andonian is proven in such tasks with a significantly high degree of success where many other law firms have failed. Consider involving them throughout for help as well as receiving updates on the ever-changing legal immigration demands.