Who can I bring to the UK through refugee family reunion?

As a recognised refugee or person with humanitarian protection in the UK, you can apply to bring your spouse or partner and your children under 18. The relationship must have existed before you left your country of origin. Other family members such as parents, siblings, or adult children are not covered by the standard family reunion rules, though exceptional circumstances may apply.

Is there a fee for refugee family reunion?

No. There is no application fee for refugee family reunion visas. Your family members also do not need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. This is one of the key differences between refugee family reunion and other family visa routes.

How long does refugee family reunion take?

Processing times vary significantly depending on the country your family members are applying from and how complex the case is. Typical processing times range from 2 to 12 months, though some cases take longer, especially where documentation is limited or there are security checks involved.

Do my family members need to speak English?

No. There is no English language requirement for refugee family reunion. Your family members do not need to pass a language test or prove any level of English ability before or after arriving in the UK.

Can I apply for family reunion if I have ILR?

If you originally came to the UK as a refugee and now have ILR, you can still apply for family reunion under the refugee rules. However, if you have become a British citizen, you would need to sponsor your family under the standard family visa route, which has income requirements and fees.

Refugee Family Reunion in the UK: Complete Guide 2026

Refugee family reunion allows recognised refugees and people with humanitarian protection to bring their pre-flight spouse or partner and children under 18 to the UK. There is no application fee, no income requirement, and no English language test. However, the process can be slow and documentation can be challenging, especially when family members are in conflict zones or third countries.

Who Is Eligible to Apply

To sponsor family reunion, you must have been granted refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK. You must not have become a British citizen, as citizens must use the standard family visa route instead. If you have ILR after refugee status, you can still use the refugee family reunion route.

You can apply for your:

Spouse or civil partner — the marriage or civil partnership must have existed before you left your country of origin.
Unmarried partner — if you have been in a relationship similar to marriage for at least 2 years before you left your home country.
Children under 18 — who are not leading an independent life, are not married or in a civil partnership, and were part of the family unit before you left.

Other family members such as parents, adult children, and siblings do not qualify under the standard rules. In exceptional circumstances, the Home Office may grant leave outside the rules, but this is rare and usually requires legal representation.

How to Apply

Your family members apply from outside the UK at a visa application centre. The process is:

Complete the online application form on the GOV.UK family reunion page.
Book a biometrics appointment at the nearest visa application centre (usually run by VFS Global or TLScontact).
Submit supporting documents.
Wait for a decision.

If your family members are in a country where there is no UK visa application centre (for example, due to conflict), they may need to travel to a neighbouring country to submit their application. This can add significant time and cost to the process.

Documents You Will Need

Documentation can be the biggest challenge in refugee family reunion cases. Many refugees have left their home countries in circumstances where carrying documents was not possible. The Home Office is expected to take this into account, but you should provide as much evidence as you can:

Your status documents: Your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or eVisa showing your refugee status or humanitarian protection.
Relationship evidence: Marriage certificate, birth certificates for children, photographs together, and any correspondence showing the relationship existed before you left. See our relationship evidence guide for ideas.
Identity documents: Passports, national identity cards, or any other identity documents your family members have. If documents have been lost, a signed statement explaining why should be provided.
Contact details: Evidence of ongoing contact such as phone records, messaging history, or money transfer receipts.

If your family members do not have passports, the Home Office can issue a travel document for the journey to the UK. This is arranged through the visa application centre.

No Financial Requirements

Unlike the standard spouse visa financial requirement, refugee family reunion has no minimum income threshold. You do not need to show a specific salary or savings amount. There is also no application fee and no Immigration Health Surcharge.

This is a significant difference from other family routes, where the costs can run into thousands of pounds. However, you will still need to arrange accommodation and support for your family when they arrive. Local councils and refugee support organisations can help with this.

After Your Family Arrives

When your family members arrive in the UK, they will receive leave in line with your own status. This means:

They can work and study without restrictions.
They have access to the NHS, state education, and public funds.
Their leave expires at the same time as yours.
They can apply for ILR at the same time as you, after 5 years with refugee status.

The transition can be challenging. Your family members may need support with English language learning, finding work, registering with a GP, and adjusting to life in the UK. Our first week in the UK checklist covers the practical steps.

Getting Help with Your Application

Refugee family reunion applications can be complex, especially when documentation is limited. Free legal advice is available through:

Legal aid — family reunion is within the scope of legal aid, so you may be able to get free legal representation.
The British Red Cross — which runs a dedicated family reunion service across the UK.
Refugee Action and other refugee support charities.

For more on the refugee journey from status to settlement, see our guides to refugee status in the UK and the path from refugee to citizen.

For official information, visit the GOV.UK family reunion page.