Can I bring my girlfriend or boyfriend to the UK?

When relocating to the UK, you often need to consider UK immigration options for your partner. Many (but not all) UK immigration routes allow your partner to apply for a dependant visa.

If you are married to your partner, it is often easier to apply for a dependant visa. In this blog, we tell you more about what happens when you are not married to your partner. 

Certain UK immigration routes allow for the main applicant to bring their partner to the UK. The partner would need to apply for a dependant visa. As part of that application, the partner would need to prove (amongst other requirements) that they are either married to (or in a civil partnership with) the main applicant, or have been in a relationship akin to marriage (or civil partnership) with the main applicant for no less than 2 years before the date of application.

In the latter case (often referred to as ‘unmarried partners’ or ‘durable partners’), the Home Office would expect that the couple’s relationship goes beyond that of  “girlfriend/boyfriend”. The couple must have lived together as if they are married during the 2-year period before making the application, and they must be able to evidence this by showing that they have shared responsibilities, for example, they are both signatories to their flat lease, they are both registered on utility bills, and they have joint bank accounts.

The Home Office would generally expect to see that the couple’s relationship is genuine and subsisting at the time of application. Where the applicants have not lived together for at least 2 years, there must be a very good reason for not doing so. An example given by the Home Office involves living in a country that does not permit cohabitation before marriage, or a country that does not permit same-sex relationships. The threshold for what would be considered “a good reason” is quite high.

There is, unfortunately, no UK immigration route specifically for new or more casual relationships. If your partner cannot meet the dependant visa threshold, there may be other options they could explore. Your partner may, for example, qualify for a UK visa in their own right. This could be a student or work visa.

How Gherson can assist

Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on UK visa matters. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

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