Apply for or extend a family visa

Who can apply

You can apply for a family visa to live with a family member in Jersey including:

spouse or partner
fiancé or proposed civil partner
child aged under 18
parent
adult dependant relative

You must apply outside of Jersey.

You must apply through the UK visa application process. Your application will then be sent to Jersey for us to make a decision.

Jersey rules are aligned with the UK but they're not the same.

Jersey Immigration Rules

Family visas: apply, extend or switch on GOV.UK

Requirements for all applications

Proving you can maintain and accommodate

You'll need to demonstrate that you can maintain and accommodate yourselves and any dependants in Jersey without accessing public funds.

In Jersey, an applicant will need to demonstrate that available net income (once rent has been removed) is sufficient to maintain and accommodate themselves and that their net income is greater than a similar household claiming income support.

Knowledge of English

You may be required to prove your knowledge of the English language when you apply. You must meet the following English language requirement in one of the following ways:

have passed an A1 English language test or above, held at Highlands College
be a national of a majority English speaking country (Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, USA)
hold a degree taught in the UK or a majority English speaking country (excluding Canada)
have obtained a foreign academic qualification (not a professional or vocational qualification) deemed by the ECCTIS (UK ENIC) for the UK to meet the recognised standard of a bachelor's or master's degree or PhD in the UK, which was taught or researched in English

Children under the age of 18 years old and adults over the age of 65 are exempt form the English language requirement.

Immigration language requirements and citizenship test

Requirements for your visa type

Apply as a spouse, partner or fiancé

To apply as a partner, you and your partner both need to be 18 or over.

Your partner must also either:

be a British or Irish citizen
have settled in the UK, for example, they have indefinite leave to remain, settled status or proof of permanent residence
be from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and have pre-settled status, they must have started living in the UK before 1 January 2021

You and your partner must intend to live together permanently in the UK after you apply.

If your partner has settled or pre-settled status you may be able to apply to the free EU Settlement Scheme.

You must be able to prove 1 of the following:

you're in a civil partnership or marriage that's recognised in the UK
you've been living together in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partnership, in that it is more than a boyfriend/girlfriend type relationship, for at least 2 years when you apply
you are a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner and will marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arriving
you've been in a relationship for at least 2 years akin to marriage or civil partnership when you apply but you cannot live together, for example because you're working or studying in different places, or it's not accepted in your culture

You also need to prove you:

you have a good knowledge of English
you can maintain and accommodate yourself without recourse to public funds
that any previous marriages or civil partnerships have ended (if apply as a fiancé or civil partner)

Apply with your children

You can add children to your application as dependants if both of the following apply:

they are under 18 when you apply
they do not live an independent life, for example, they've left home, got married and had children

When applying to bring a child with you to Jersey from a previous relationship you will need to demonstrate that you have sole responsibility for the upbringing of that child.

Apply as a parent

If you are not eligible to apply to be a spouse or partner, you might be eligible to apply as a parent. Your child:

must be under the age of 18 years old
must not be living an independent life
must be living in Jersey
must be settled in Jersey, is a British citizen or holds indefinite leave to remain or settled status or pre-settled status

In addition, you must be able to prove that you have sole or shared parental responsibility for the child you are joining and will be taking an active part in their upbringing in Jersey.

Apply as an adult dependant relative

You can apply for an adult dependant relative visa for a relative to join you in Jersey where you can prove:

you need long-term care to do every day personal and household tasks because of illness, disability or your age
you're 18 or over
the care you need is not available or affordable in the country you live in

You must also prove the relative you're joining in Jersey can accommodate and care for you without recourse to public funds for either:

the whole time your relative has permission to stay in Jersey
5 years, if your relative is a British citizen or settled in Jersey

Apply for a family visa

You must apply for your visa when you're outside of Jersey.

You'll also need to pay the relevant fee and show that you meet all the application criteria.

You'll usually receive a decision within 12 weeks of the date you attend the Visa Application Centre. It can take up to 24 weeks.

If approved your visa is granted for:

2 years and 9 months, for spouse or partner visa
6 months, fiancé

Apply for a visa on GOV.UK

Extend your existing family visa

Before your current permission expires, you can apply to:

extend your stay as a spouse or partner
switch from a fiancé visa to a spouse or partner visa

You'll need to pay the relevant immigration and nationality fees.

You'll usually receive a decision within 3 weeks.

You must apply directly to Jersey Customs and Immigration using the form on extending your stay in Jersey.

When you can permanently live (settle) in Jersey

You can apply to permanently live in Jersey after living on-Island continuously for 5 years on a family visa as a partner.

You won't be able to include time you've spent in the UK:

on any other visa
as a fiancé or proposed civil partner

Settling in Jersey: indefinite leave to remain