Reuniting with your family after being granted protection status

The Refugee Family Reunion route was suspended on 4 September 2025. While the Government has not confirmed when or if a new route will be introduced, it is still possible to bring family members to the UK through other immigration routes.

These routes were not designed with refugees or people with protection status in mind. They have stricter requirements including financial income requirements for the sponsor which many people with protection status will not be able to meet. The Home Office does have the power to grant applications in exceptional circumstances. 

These immigration applications also have application fees and immigration health surcharge fees which need to be paid. You may be able apply for a fee waiver so you do not have to pay the fees if you cannot afford them. 

The route depends on who you want to bring to the UK:

• A partner or spouse can apply under Appendix FM.
• A child under 18 can apply as a dependent or independently, also under Appendix FM.
• A related child who is not your biological child can apply under the child relative route.
• An adult relative, such as a parent, can apply under the Adult Dependent Relative route. This route has a very high refusal rate, and we strongly recommend seeking legal advice before applying.

Appendix FM is the main part of the UK’s Immigration Rules that covers applications by family members of people who are settled or have protection status in the UK. It sets out the requirements that applicants must meet, including on relationships, English Language, suitability, financial, and accommodation. 

A person with refugee status/humanitarian protection in the UK will need to act as a sponsor for their spouse or partner so they can apply to come to the UK. The sponsor in the UK will need a job with minimum earnings of £29,000 salary per year. The sponsor must also provide adequate accommodation without relying on public funds. Social housing and most benefits cannot be used to meet this requirement. 

If you cannot meet the financial requirement, the Home Office can still grant the application in exceptional circumstances. These apply where refusing the application would lead to unjustifiably harsh consequences for you, your family member, or any affected child.

In our experience, where a refugee’s family remains in the country they fled, there are often strong grounds for exceptional circumstances because it has been accepted that the person with refugee status is at risk in that country. However, this must be clearly evidenced. The Home Office will not assume it.

If your application is granted on this basis, your family member will be placed on the longer 10-year route to settlement rather than the current standard 5-year route.

The suspended Refugee Family Reunion route was a free application process. The family visa routes which must now be used have application fees and Immigration Health Surcharges (NHS) fees. These costs can be very high. 

If you cannot afford the fees, you can apply for a fee waiver before submitting your application. The Home Office may grant you a fee waiver where you have limited income and savings and you would not be able to afford the fee, or where your income is not sufficient to meet your child’s needs. If your fee waiver is successful, you will not have to pay the visa application fee or the Immigration Health Surcharge.

To apply, you will need to gather lots of financial evidence. This can include bank statements (for all held accounts) for the previous six months (with major transactions explained), benefit statements, payslips, a tenancy agreement, supporting letters from anyone providing financial assistance, and receipts for regular outgoings.