Those who want to move to the UK will inevitably need to jump through a number of legal hoops, many of which are financial, as the Home Office relies on financial criteria to decide whether applicants and/or sponsors are in a strong enough position, financially speaking, to support themselves as they start a new life in the UK.
That’s why applicants need to be prepared for the process. They need to know exactly what they’re getting into, and whether they will be eligible for various visa categories. The deciding factors are often related to earnings and savings, whether the category is a Family visa, Skilled Worker visa, or even a Spouse Visa in the UK. So we’ve put together a definitive guide here that will explain the criteria for several of the most prominent visa categories, if you want to legally enter the UK.
Family Visas
Prospective applicants will need to pass the financial requirements. In this case, this involves demonstrating that your income is above a minimum threshold, that you have the necessary savings, or a combination of both.
Let’s start with income; the most commonly utilised means of acquiring a family visa. Sponsors are typically required to meet a threshold of £29,000 per year, which can come from salaried employment, self-employment income, income from property ownership, or income from a pension.
But if the sponsor’s income is lower than £29,000 per year, then their income can be combined with savings to compensate for the difference, though the process for calculating this is complicated. For example, if you’re earning £25,000 per year, then you will need to multiply the difference between your income and 29,000, by 2.5. In this case, that would be 4000 x 2.5 = 10,000. Following that, add your total to 16,000. So, that would be 26,000.
This means that, if your salary was £25,000 and you wanted to sponsor a family member to enter the UK, you would need savings of £26,000 or more.
But if you just want to rely on your savings to sponsor a family member, the process is simpler. You would need at least £88,500 in savings. If you need any further information or support, you can always contact immigration lawyers in London, like London Immigration.
Skilled Worker Visas
If your category of choice is the Skilled Worker visa, you’ll find that its requirements differ slightly from the Family visa. This is because the majority of applicants automatically meet the financial requirements because of a sponsoring employer. However, the process becomes a bit more complicated for applicants can’t meet the criteria.
In this case, applicatants will need to prove that they have at least £1270 saved up, and that it has been held for at least 28 days. If there are additional dependents, this will add on extra costs, like an extra £285 for their partner or £315 for a child. Though, each subsequent child is cheaper, costing £200.