Family route guidance

UK family visas: move with your partner and children.

British and living in South Africa with a South African spouse or partner? Explore a move together, or joining a partner already in the UK. Start with the relationship, finances and each child’s position.

Start a family assessment →Understand your family’s route ↓

Household planning: R199 Family Move Organiser

South Africa to the UK · practical guidance

Family preparing for a move to the UK — Your family · your future

Start with your household

Five questions to shape your family move

You can plan a return to the UK together. If the British partner is already there, the evidence and employment timetable may look different. Choose the question you need to answer next.

1. Partner and spouse routeRecognised marriage, unmarried partnership or a fiancé application? Match the relationship to the sponsor’s status and where you will apply.Explore this step →2. Children and parental responsibilityCheck each child’s nationality, both parents’ status and who is responsible for their upbringing. A parent’s approval does not answer every child question.Explore this step →3. Finances for a joint moveCheck eligible income and savings, including overseas employment and a UK job offer for a returning sponsor. Keep evidence funds separate from fees.Explore this step →4. Preparation and timingPut the financial evidence, documents, appointments and decision in order before committing the household to a moving date.Explore this step →5. Your family assessmentShare the facts with Move Up directly. This questionnaire is an enquiry for review, not a government application or an eligibility decision.Explore this step →

Not ready for the questionnaire? Ask a family question first. Other sponsor statuses and family routes remain in the full guide library.

Your family’s plan

Six stages from the first decision to later permissions

Decision
Agree who wants to move and whether you are moving together or joining a partner. List each person’s nationality and UK status.
Financial and family planning
Map eligible financial sources, accommodation, children’s care and the costs for each applicant. Identify evidence gaps before choosing dates.
Visa options
Confirm the category for each person. The initial planning is provisional until the route and its rules are checked.
Preparation
Collect the route-specific evidence, compare names and dates, explain changes and resolve material inconsistencies before submission.
Biometrics and decision
Follow the application’s identity instructions and respond to requests. UKVI makes the decision; a processing estimate is not a travel guarantee.
Extensions, settlement and citizenship
Record permission dates after approval. Each later stage has its own requirements; the first spouse visa is not ILR or citizenship.

Start with the spouse guide if this is your first family move, or compare first permission with later settlement.

A useful answer first

Family visas, dependants and visits: which question are you asking?

Joining a British or settled partner raises a different route question from joining someone with temporary work or study permission. A relative offering a home or financial support does not, on its own, create a right to live in the UK.

Picture the difference

Joining a settled spouse and accompanying a spouse who has a work visa can both bring a household together, but they are not interchangeable applications.

Your next useful decision

Identify who you want to join, their UK status and which members of your household hope to move. This gives the enquiry a useful starting point.

Compare family and dependant questions →

Support that fits the question

What would Move Up help you with?

A family review can bring the relationship, sponsor’s position and household circumstances into one discussion. Agreed representation can address the individual applications and the evidence relevant to that route.

When another starting point makes more sense

A temporary trip to see relatives may belong in visitor guidance. A relative’s offer to help financially is not the same as an eligible family route.

Before paid work begins, confirm the written service scope, professional fee and separate government or third-party charges. A focused review and full application representation are different appointments.

Compare learning, review and representation →See the relevant fee breakdown →

A client’s experience

Reassurance during a spouse application

Supportive guidance helped the reviewer feel reassured throughout a spouse-visa application.

Kacey · Paraphrased client feedback

One person’s experience, shared to help you understand the support. Your circumstances and outcome may differ.

Plan your costs

A clearer view of what you may pay.

Government charges and professional help are separate costs. Start with the application that matches your circumstances.

Family visa — adult partner application

Enquire for current fee

Total for this application, including the listed charges

Fees reviewed Enquire for current fee

See the fee breakdown

UK government visa / passport fee: Enquire for current fee
IHS healthcare surcharge: Enquire for current fee
Move Up professional fee, excl. VAT: Enquire for current fee
VAT on Move Up fee: Enquire for current fee
Courier: Enquire for current fee
Bank transaction charges: Enquire for current fee
Rounding: Enquire for current fee

Each example covers the named applicant and period. Additional applicants, document work and optional services may change the cost.

Confirm my fees Explore all fee guides

At your pace

How far along are your plans?

I’m exploring possibilitiesFind useful answers without starting an application.I’m building a planConnect the route with costs, family and timing.I’m ready to talkUnderstand what a first conversation can cover.

An existing refusal or approaching expiry? Start with the time-sensitive matter.

Plan your family move one question at a time

Start with the question that matters to your household. Each guide explains what to consider and points you towards the next useful step.

Explore

I’m British and living in South Africa. Can we move together?

Understand how your partner’s route, your children’s status and your return to the UK fit into one family move.

Read this guide Finances

Can my South African earnings count?

See what a returning British sponsor needs to check about overseas earnings, UK employment, savings and the evidence for their circumstances.

Read this guide Children

Does my child need a British passport or a visa?

Start with your child’s citizenship position, then understand which passport, registration or visa questions need checking.

Read this guide Costs

What will our family move cost, and when do we pay?

Build a family budget covering application charges, any health surcharge and the practical costs of preparing and making the move.

Read this guide Evidence

What do our documents need to prove?

Connect each document to the requirement it supports, then spot gaps or inconsistencies before preparing the application.

Read this guide Timing

When should we give notice, change schools or book travel?

Connect preparation, application and decision stages so you can plan work, school and travel with room for uncertainty.

Read this guide

Explore family routes

Go deeper into the question that matters to you.

Choose a topic to see what each guide will help you understand.

Understand the route 3 guides

Partner and spouse visas

Connect the relationship with the UK partner's status, household circumstances and application location.

UK family visas: move with your partner and children.

Five questions to shape your family move

Six stages from the first decision to later permissions

Decision

Financial and family planning

Visa options

Preparation

Biometrics and decision

Extensions, settlement and citizenship

Family visas, dependants and visits: which question are you asking?

Picture the difference

Your next useful decision

What would Move Up help you with?

Reassurance during a spouse application

A clearer view of what you may pay.

Family visa — adult partner application

How far along are your plans?

Plan your family move one question at a time

I’m British and living in South Africa. Can we move together?

Can my South African earnings count?

Does my child need a British passport or a visa?

What will our family move cost, and when do we pay?

What do our documents need to prove?

When should we give notice, change schools or book travel?

Go deeper into the question that matters to you.

Partner and spouse visas

Family reunification

Planning a family settlement application

Dependant visa questions

Access to a child in the UK

Adult dependent relative questions

Bringing a child to the UK

Marriage and nationality questions

Parent visa questions

Right of abode questions

Unmarried partner questions

Family financial evidence

Spouse visa processing questions

English-language evidence

Review and appeal questions

Extending a spouse visa

Family applications from inside the UK

Further leave to remain

Indefinite leave to enter

Returning resident questions

Settlement questions

Keep exploring the wider questions.

Let’s talk about what comes next for you.

Get help with your next step.

Related updates

Can we move to the UK together, or must the British partner go first?

Connect your next questions

Joining a family member with European nationality