For All Countries

The UK EEA Family Permit Visa is a special visa category offered by the United Kingdom for close family members, and in some cases extended family members, of citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA was formed through an agreement between the European Union and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in 1994 and consists of the EU member states plus three of the four EFTA members (Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway). Although Switzerland is not part of the EEA, the UK has included close relatives of Swiss citizens in this visa scheme, making it available to relatives of citizens from a total of 31 countries.

To apply for this visa, the applicant must reside outside the EEA and be an immediate or extended family member of a citizen from one of the designated 31 countries. Immediate family members include a spouse, civil partner, children or grandchildren under the age of 21, dependent parents, and dependent grandparents. Extended family members include unmarried partners, dependent siblings, uncles, aunts, cousins, and nieces or nephews.

📌 Application Requirements

To apply for a UK EEA Family Permit, certain additional conditions must be met. The EEA citizen must either be in the UK or plan to travel to the UK with the applicant within six months. If the EEA citizen has already been living in the UK for more than three months, they are expected to have “Qualified Person” status, meaning they are employed, self-employed, actively seeking work, studying, or financially self-sufficient.

Applicants wishing to remain in the UK after the six-month visa period must apply for an EEA2 Residence Card. This visa is suitable not only for family reunification but also for short-term visits. For example, if you live in Turkey with your EEA citizen spouse and plan a tourist trip to the UK, this visa category would be applicable.

🕒 Travelling Alone and Visa Annotations

A frequently asked question is whether you can travel alone to the UK with an EEA Family Permit. Your visa will display either “to accompany” or “to join” depending on your application. If you will join your relative already in the UK, it will state “to join.” If you will travel together from abroad, it will state “to accompany.” Legally, under EU law (DIRECTIVE 2004/38/EC, Chapter 3, Article 6), there is no restriction on travelling alone, but in practice, some passengers have reported additional questioning or delayed entry at the airport. For this reason, it is advisable for your relative to meet you at the airport.

📝 Required Documents

There is no consular fee for the UK EEA Family Permit, but additional service charges may apply depending on your application circumstances. The basic required documents are:

A passport valid for at least 6 months
Proof of relationship with the EEA citizen (e.g., marriage certificate)
A valid passport or ID of the EEA citizen

These are only the core documents. Depending on your situation, additional items such as photographs, screenshots, apostilled marriage certificates (Formule B), name equivalency certificates, invitation letters, residence cards, cover letters, and documents relating to your employment status may be required.

If your relative has been in the UK for more than three months, additional documents are required:

Residence permit
Employment proof, payslips, work contract, employer letter
Business documents and invoices if self-employed
Financial proof if not working

All documents must be submitted in English.

📌 Applying with Marsel Visa

As the UK EEA Family Permit is a visa category based on immigration law, applications must be prepared with great care. At Marsel Visa, we provide you with a tailored list of documents suited to your circumstances, review your paperwork, complete the application form on your behalf, and ensure that all documents are submitted accurately and completely.

To reunite with your loved ones in the UK safely and without hassle, contact the Marsel Visa team today to start your application.

📍 Contact Us

📧 info@marselvisa.com