Apply for an EU Settlement Scheme family permit to join family in the UK

Apply if you’re joining a person of Northern Ireland

You can apply for an EU Settlement Scheme family permit if you are an eligible family member of a person of Northern Ireland.

The person of Northern Ireland who is your family member must:

be a British, Irish or dual British and Irish citizen
have been born in Northern Ireland
at the time of their birth, have had at least one parent who held British, Irish or dual citizenship (or had no restriction on how long they could stay in Northern Ireland)
have been living in the UK since before 31 December 2020
have settled or pre-settled status - or show that they were eligible for it if they had applied (or been able to apply) by 30 June 2021

You may be eligible to apply as the family member of a ‘specified relevant person of Northern Ireland’ if you are not from an EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. Your family member must be a person of Northern Ireland who has British or dual British and Irish citizenship (and not sole Irish citizenship).

Eligible family members

You can join your family member who is an eligible person of Northern Ireland if you’re their:

spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner
child or grandchild under 21
dependent child or grandchild over 21
dependent parent or grandparent

This includes family members who were adopted under an adoption order that’s recognised in UK law.

You can also apply if you’re one of the following family members of the spouse or civil partner:

their child or grandchild aged under 21
their dependent child or grandchild over 21
their dependent parent or grandparent

If your family member is a ‘specified relevant person of Northern Ireland’

You can join your family member who is a ‘specified relevant person of Northern Ireland’ if you were not living in the UK by 31 December 2020, and you’re their:

spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner
child or grandchild aged under 21
dependent child or grandchild over 21
dependent parent or grandparent

You can also apply if you’re one of the following family members of the spouse or civil partner:

their child or grandchild aged under 21
their dependent child or grandchild over 21
their dependent parent or grandparent

You must be able to show that due to ‘compelling practical or compassionate’ reasons, it was not possible for your family member to return to the UK by 31 December 2020 without you. For example, because of an illness or coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions.

You can also join your family member if you’re another type of dependent relative (other than a spouse, civil partner, unmarried partner, child, grandchild or dependent parent or grandparent).

This includes if you’re:

dependent on your family member or on their spouse or civil partner, you’re a member of their household or you need their personal care for serious health reasons
subject to a non-legal guardianship order in favour of the family member
the child or adopted child of your family member’s unmarried partner, and you are under the age of 18

You must also be able to provide evidence that your family member:

is not in the UK
has been in the UK for 3 months or less when you apply
was working, looking for work, self-employed, studying or living self-sufficiently in the UK on 30 June 2021

Documents you’ll need to apply

You’ll need evidence that shows:

that your family member is an eligible person of Northern Ireland
proof of your identity
that you’re related to your family member, and - where appropriate - dependent on them

Evidence that your family member is an eligible person of Northern Ireland

You need to provide a birth certificate or passport showing that your family member was born in Northern Ireland.

If you apply based on your family member having Irish citizenship (and you do not rely on them being a ‘specified relevant person of Northern Ireland’), you must provide their valid original passport or national identity card and not a copy.

If you apply based on your family member having British citizenship, you must provide evidence that they are a British citizen - for example, their UK passport.

You also need evidence of a parent’s citizenship (or evidence showing no restriction on their period of residence) at the time of your family member’s birth. This could be the parent’s:

British or Irish passport
British naturalisation certificate or registration certificate, and photo ID of the parent
certificate of Irish citizenship, and photo ID of the parent
biometric residence card or permit, or other Home Office document or stamp, showing no restriction on their period of residence, and photo ID of the parent

If your family member applied to the EU Settlement Scheme, you must provide their application number. This is a 16 digit number - for example, ‘1234-5678-1234-5678’ - in the email your family member got confirming their settled or pre-settled status.

Where your family member chose not to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, or could not apply because they’re a British citizen, you’ll need to provide evidence that shows they meet the eligibility criteria.

You need evidence that shows they:

were resident in the UK by 31 December 2020
have not broken their continuous residence in the UK
pass criminal record checks

Evidence of your identity

This can be either:

a valid passport
a valid national identity card, if you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

You may be able to use other proof of your identity and nationality if you cannot provide either of these because of a ‘compelling practical or compassionate’ reason. For example, you cannot travel to get this document because of an illness.

When you apply, you will need to explain why you cannot provide a passport or national identity card, and provide supporting evidence.

Evidence if you’re their spouse or civil partner

You must show that you’re currently married to or in a civil partnership with the person you’re joining when you apply. For example, a marriage or civil partnership certificate.

You also need to show that your marriage or civil partnership was formed either:

by 31 December 2020
after 31 December 2020, but before this you were their unmarried partner

If it was formed after 31 December 2020, you’ll also need evidence that you were their unmarried partner before then.

Evidence if you’re their unmarried partner

If you’re an unmarried partner you’ll need to provide evidence that you were in your long-term relationship by 31 December 2020.

This usually means showing that you had been living together for 2 years. Evidence could include:

bank statements, utility bills, a tenancy or mortgage agreement, or other official correspondence that shows you and your partner at the same address
documents showing joint finances, like a tax return
documents showing joint business ventures or commitments, like business contracts or investments you’ve made together
birth certificates or custody agreements showing that you shared responsibility for children while living together

You’ll also need to provide evidence that:

you’re still in the relationship when you apply
if you were living in the UK by 31 December 2020, you were legally living here during that time

Evidence if you’re their dependent child, grandchild, parent or grandparent

You’ll have to provide evidence you’re related to your family member, such as a birth certificate.

You’ll also have to show that you are dependent on them if:

you’re over 21 and a dependent child or grandchild of your family member
you’re their dependent parent or grandparent and your family member is under 18 (or was under 18 on 31 December 2020 and you were living in the UK by then)
you’re their dependent parent or grandparent and your family member is over 18 and you were not living in the UK by 31 December 2020

Examples of the evidence you can provide include:

bank statements or money transfers that show you depend on them financially
evidence that shows you depend on them for health care, for example a letter from a hospital consultant

If you’re a dependent parent or grandparent, you will not need to show dependency if your spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner has successfully applied for either:

an EU Settlement Scheme family permit, as the dependent parent or grandparent of your family member
the EU Settlement Scheme, as the dependent parent or grandparent of your family member

Evidence if you’re another type of dependent relative

You’ll need evidence that you’re related to your family member. For example, a birth certificate or a non-adoptive legal guardianship order.

If you’re a dependent relative (who is not a spouse, civil partner, unmarried partner, child, grandchild or dependent parent or grandparent), you will need to show evidence that you’re one of the following:

dependent on the ‘specified relevant person of Northern Ireland’ or on their spouse or civil partner
a member of their household
in need of their personal care because of a serious or permanent health condition

If you’re the child (aged under 18) of the ‘specified relevant person of Northern Ireland’s’ unmarried partner, you will need to show evidence that your parent is the unmarried partner of the person of Northern Ireland.

You need to show that the relationship, and dependency where required, existed by 31 December 2020, and still exists when you apply.

Examples of the evidence you can provide include:

bank statements or money transfers that show you depend on them financially
evidence that shows you depend on them for health care, for example a letter from a hospital consultant