Coventry Law Centre : Immigration advice : Information leaflets : Relatives who come to the UK

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Relatives who come to the UK

This leaflet explains what the Immigration Rules say about relatives (other than husbands, wives and children under 18) coming to the United Kingdom to join someone who is settled here.

What relatives can you bring to the United Kingdom?

The Immigration Rules say that widowed mothers and widowed fathers aged 65 or over, and parents or grandparents travelling together, one of whom is 65 or over, can come to the United Kingdom. In certain circumstances, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, uncles and aunts over the age of 18, and also parents and grandparents under 65, may be allowed to come.

How do they qualify to come to the United Kingdom?

You must currently live and be settled in the United Kingdom legally with no time limit on your stay, and they must be able to show that:

they are completely or mainly financially dependent on you;
they do not have any other close relatives in their own country who can support them financially; and
you have enough money to support and accommodate them without help from public funds.

If there are exceptional compassionate circumstances, children over 18, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles and other parents and grandparents who live alone may come if they meet the requirements set out above.

They must get entry clearance before travelling to the United Kingdom. The Coventry Law Centre can advise you on how to make an application or entry clearance.

What are public funds?

If you wish to bring your relatives to live in the UK, you must be able to support and accommodate yourselves without claiming certain state benefits. These are:

Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA);
housing and homelessness assistance;
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit;
Working Families Tax Credit;
a social fund payment;
Child Benefit, or
any disability allowance.

What is entry clearance?

Entry clearance is a visa to travel to the United Kingdom. Your relatives must apply for entry clearance to the British Embassy, High Commission or other Diplomatic Mission (known as British Diplomatic Posts) in the country where your relatives live.

You can get guidance leaflets and information about visas from Coventry Law Centre. If your relatives are refused entry clearance they would normally have a right to appeal against that decision. Please note that you will have only 28 days to lodge an appeal if you wish to do so.

Coventry Law Centre offers free legal advice and representation.

Appeals

The Law Centre will advise you about appealing and may represent you at the hearing. You can contact the Law Centre for an appeal appointment or telephone our free legal advice line on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10:00am and 12:00noon on 024 76253168.