Family Reunion for Iranian Refugees in the UK: 2026 Status and Your Options

What is refugee family reunion?

Refugee family reunion refers to the immigration routes that allow the close family members of a person in the UK with refugee status or humanitarian protection to join them here. For Iranian nationals who arrived in the UK through the asylum system and were granted protection, the practical goal after status is often the same: to bring a spouse, partner or children out of Iran, or out of a third country where they have been waiting, and into the UK legally.

For most of the last decade, the main tool for this was Appendix FRP: a dedicated, fee-free route under the Immigration Rules specifically designed for the pre-flight spouses, civil partners and children under 18 of a refugee or humanitarian protection holder. It recognised that refugees cannot reasonably meet the financial and English requirements applied to standard family routes, and it removed those requirements entirely. It was well used by Glasgow’s refugee population, which includes a significant Iranian community.

That route is currently suspended. This page explains what changed, what it means for Iranian families specifically, and what alternative routes remain open.

The 4 September 2025 suspension: current status

By Statement of Changes HC 1298, the Home Office suspended new applications under Appendix FRP from 15:00 on 4 September 2025. The stated context was operational pressure and a wider Government review of the family-migration framework. As of June 2026 the suspension remains in force. No firm reopening date has been announced.

Applications submitted before 15:00 on 4 September 2025 continue to be processed under transitional provisions, meaning the rules in force before the suspension apply to those cases. If you lodged an application before the cut-off and are waiting for a decision, we can monitor progress and correspond with the Home Office on your behalf.

The review that triggered the suspension could result in a return to Appendix FRP, a replacement route with modified eligibility, or a permanent redirection toward the standard family routes. Until there is a concrete announcement on gov.uk, the position is that the route is paused and families of refugees must use the alternatives. We recommend checking gov.uk for the current status, as this is a policy area under active review that may change before or after this page is read. If you are an Iranian refugee or humanitarian protection holder in Glasgow wanting to bring family to the UK, the right step is to get a route assessment now rather than wait for a possible reinstatement that may not come on a predictable timeline. Some families who have been waiting have already spent the time that an assessment would take, and the alternative routes may be open to them sooner than they expect.

What the suspension means for Iranian families specifically

The impact of the suspension falls unevenly across different refugee communities, and for Iranian nationals it carries a particular weight. Iranian refugees in the UK are a varied group: people who arrived via formal asylum processes, professionals who sought protection after political persecution, individuals who fled religious or gender-based violence, and those who came through less formal routes. Many have now been in Glasgow for years, have built stable lives, and are at the stage where they want to be with their families.

The practical obstacles for Iranian family members trying to use the alternative routes are more severe than for many other nationalities. There is no UK visa application centre inside Iran, which means any family member applying for a UK family visa must first obtain a visa or entry permission for a third country, travel to that country, and attend a VAC in Istanbul, Ankara, Dubai or Yerevan. This is not a bureaucratic inconvenience: for some Iranian families, the ability to travel to a third country safely and affordably is itself a significant challenge.

Iranian civil documents, including marriage certificates and birth certificates, are issued in Persian and require certified English translation. Obtaining originals or certified copies, particularly for family members in parts of Iran where public administration is disrupted, or where the relevant documents were issued in a city the applicant can no longer easily access, can be slow and difficult. International sanctions affecting Iran can complicate paying the Home Office application fee from an Iranian bank account. None of these challenges are insurmountable, but they all need to be planned for in advance, and the alternative routes to Appendix FRP do not reduce or waive them.

One practical note specific to Iranian nationals: Iran is not on the Home Office tuberculosis testing list. Iranian family members do not need to provide a TB test certificate as part of a UK family visa application. This is a meaningful difference from applicants from countries such as Pakistan, India or Nigeria where the TB certificate is mandatory. It removes one step from the preparation, though the third-country biometrics requirement and the Persian document preparation apply in full regardless.

Glasgow has a well-established Iranian community, with members concentrated in the West End and Southside of the city. Some arrived as students at Scottish universities and stayed; others came through the asylum system and were dispersed to Glasgow. Many have since obtained settled status or British citizenship and are now at the stage of sponsoring family members. The suspension of Appendix FRP has directly affected families in this community who were either planning to use the route or were in the process of gathering documents when the suspension came into force in September 2025.

Alternative routes open now

While Appendix FRP is paused, four alternative pathways remain available. The correct one depends on the family relationship and the sponsor’s current status in the UK.

Appendix FM for Iranian refugee sponsors

Appendix FM is the main family route for British citizens and settled persons in the UK. A refugee or humanitarian protection holder can sponsor a spouse or partner under this route once they hold Indefinite Leave to Remain. The standard Appendix FM requirements apply in full: a minimum income of £29,000 a year, the English language requirement at A1 CEFR for the initial application, and the accommodation requirement.

This is a meaningful shift from Appendix FRP, which had no financial requirement at all. A refugee who has been in the UK for some years and holds ILR may well be able to meet the £29,000 threshold. A refugee in the early years of their leave, or one whose employment has been disrupted, may not. We assess the sponsor’s income and identify whether the FM partner route is realistic before any fee is paid. Where savings are being used to meet the financial requirement, £88,500 must have been held in a qualifying account for at least six months. A combination of income and savings may also be used where the rules permit.

Where a couple’s relationship was formed before the sponsor left Iran, the Article 8 proportionality of imposing the full FM financial requirements is a relevant consideration in how the case is framed. A couple separated by the asylum process, who have maintained their relationship across years and across international borders, can present that history as part of the case even when applying under a standard route. This does not override the FM requirements, but it is relevant to how the application is structured and written. We advise on how to approach this at the consultation stage.

For the Iranian applicant in this scenario, the requirements include an English test at A1 CEFR. Iranian nationals are not exempt from the English language requirement, and Iran is not a majority-English-speaking country under the Immigration Rules. The test must be taken at an approved Secure English Language Test centre. For applicants inside Iran, that means travelling to a third country for the test, which can often be combined with the biometrics appointment at the same third-country VAC. We advise on this logistics planning as part of the application preparation. Alternatively, a degree taught and assessed in English, verified by Ecctis, satisfies the requirement, though Iranian universities teach primarily in Persian, so this route applies less often for Iranian applicants.

The English requirement rises at each stage of the partner route: A1 for the initial application, A2 for the FLR(M) extension, and B1 for settlement. The settlement level rises from B1 to B2 from 26 March 2027, so applicants starting the route now should plan their English progression accordingly. We track this for every client and prepare for the extension and settlement stages well in advance of each deadline.

Appendix FM is not limited to spouses. A refugee who holds ILR can also sponsor children under the FM child route, provided the FM criteria for that category are met. For children in different circumstances, Appendix Child Relative (Sponsors with Protection) may be the more appropriate route, particularly for refugee sponsors who do not yet hold ILR.

For a full explanation of the Appendix FM partner route and its requirements, see our Spouse Visa guide and our Spouse Visa for Iranian Nationals page.

Appendix Child Relative (Sponsors with Protection)

Appendix Child Relative (Sponsors with Protection) is designed for situations where a refugee or humanitarian protection holder in the UK wants to bring a child to join them, and the standard Appendix FM child route does not fit. This might be because the FM financial requirements cannot be met, or because the child’s relationship to the sponsor falls outside the FM categories, or because the sponsor holds refugee leave rather than ILR.

This route is less well known than either Appendix FRP or Appendix FM, and it is sometimes overlooked when families are trying to map their options after the suspension. For Iranian sponsors with protection status who have not yet obtained ILR, it may be the only route available for their children. It does not carry the £29,000 income threshold of the FM partner route, though it has its own requirements relating to the sponsor’s protection status, the child’s circumstances, and the family relationship.

The Iran-specific document challenges apply here as they do on every route: birth certificates are in Persian and require certified English translation, and the child must attend a third-country visa application centre for biometrics. We confirm whether this route applies at the advice stage and walk through every document requirement from the start.

Appendix Adult Dependent Relative

Appendix Adult Dependent Relative (ADR) is intended for elderly parents or other adult relatives who require long-term personal care that can only reasonably be provided by a relative in the UK. The test is not simply whether the relative would prefer to be in the UK, or whether the sponsor would prefer to have them here: the applicant must demonstrate that the level of care they require cannot be obtained in their home country, even with the support of other family members or through professional services available there.

The Home Office applies this threshold strictly. ADR is appropriate for the limited category of cases that genuinely meet the care-dependency test. It is not a substitute for refugee family reunion for spouses and children. For Iranian families, an elderly parent who is genuinely unable to care for themselves and for whom no adequate care is available in Iran may meet the criteria, but the evidence requirements are demanding.

ADR carries a higher application fee than most family routes, around £3,250, and processing times of 12 to 24 weeks. The Iranian applicant must still attend a third-country VAC for biometrics, and their documents must be translated from Persian. We advise on ADR eligibility honestly: if the circumstances do not meet the care-dependency threshold, we say so rather than let a family pay a large fee for an application that has a low prospect of success.

Outside-the-rules Article 8 applications

Where no defined immigration route fits a family’s circumstances, it may still be possible to apply outside the Immigration Rules on the basis of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Article 8 protects the right to respect for family and private life. An outside-the-rules application asks the Home Office to grant leave on the basis that refusing would be a disproportionate interference with those rights, even though the strict criteria of a formal route are not met.

For Iranian families, this route is particularly relevant in several scenarios: a refugee with limited leave who cannot yet use Appendix FM because they do not hold ILR; a family where the financial requirement presents an insurmountable obstacle and no other strict route applies; a sibling or other extended family member for whom no defined route exists but whose separation from the UK-based sponsor constitutes a genuine and serious interference with family life; and cases where the specific facts of the family’s history, including the circumstances of the sponsor’s flight from Iran, make refusal of reunion disproportionate.

These applications require more preparation than a standard route application: a detailed witness statement from the Iranian sponsor explaining the family relationship and the circumstances of separation, country-of-origin evidence showing why the family cannot safely reunite in Iran, and a structured case setting out why refusal would be disproportionate. Where children are involved, their best interests are a primary consideration. We prepare and submit outside-the-rules applications. If the Home Office refuses and an appeal follows, we advise on the grounds and refer you to a representative for the First-tier Tribunal hearing. We do not conduct tribunal advocacy, but we build the factual record that a representative needs.

Iran-specific practicalities: VAC, documents and fee payment

Three challenges are specific to Iranian family members and apply on every UK family visa route, regardless of which alternative to Appendix FRP is used. They need to be planned for from the start of the application, not discovered at the point of submission.

No visa application centre in Iran. There is no UK visa application centre currently operating inside Iran. Iranian family members must travel to a third country to enrol biometrics and lodge documents. The most commonly used locations are Istanbul and Ankara in Turkey, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, and Yerevan in Armenia. Planning this correctly matters: the applicant needs entry permission for the third country, an appointment booked at the VAC there, accommodation, and all documents ready to lodge. Istanbul is the most frequently chosen location for Iranian applicants. Dubai is widely used by those with UAE visit permits. Yerevan is a growing alternative. Appointment availability can be limited, and booking weeks or months in advance is common. For family members who also need to take an English language test, combining the test with the biometrics trip to the same third country reduces the number of overseas journeys required. We advise on which centre is most practical and what to bring on the day.

Persian civil documents. Iranian civil documents are in Persian and require certified English translation before the Home Office can accept them. The primary documents needed are the shenasnameh (identity booklet), the sanad-e ezdevaj (official marriage certificate, where the application involves a spouse), and birth certificates for children. Obtaining originals or certified copies from the Iranian civil registry can be slow, and for many Glasgow refugee families this involves coordination through family members still in Iran or through community networks. Start this process well in advance. Certified translation must be done by a translator qualified and competent to translate from Persian to English, with their statement of competence and signature on the translation. The Home Office does not require a specific accreditation, but the translation must be complete and accurate. We advise on translation providers experienced with Iranian documents.

Missing or unavailable documents. A significant proportion of Iranian refugee family cases involve applicants who cannot produce standard civil registry documents. Records may be lost, the relevant registry may be inaccessible, or retrieving documents from Iranian authorities may carry a risk for the family member still in Iran. The Home Office accepts non-documentary evidence where documentary evidence is genuinely unavailable through no fault of the applicant. Substitute evidence regularly used in these cases includes: WhatsApp messages, emails and call logs over an extended period; Western Union, MoneyGram or bank records showing regular financial support sent to Iran; photographs spanning the relationship over years; statements from community members or religious leaders; and whatever partial registry records can be safely obtained. A well-constructed bundle of consistent, detailed records is far stronger than a sparse generic collection. Our Glasgow advisers have experience building these bundles specifically for Iranian families.

Fee payment and sanctions. International sanctions affecting Iran can make it difficult to pay the Home Office application fee from an Iranian bank account or using an Iranian-issued payment card. Family members typically arrange for the fee to be paid by the UK-based refugee sponsor, or through a financial channel not subject to the relevant restrictions. The Home Office does not require payment to come from the applicant’s own account. The Immigration Health Surcharge faces the same constraint. We raise this at the start of every Iranian family application, because discovering it at the submission stage causes delays. We are not financial advisers and cannot advise on sanctions compliance in a legal sense, but we can walk you through the practical steps that Iranian applicants routinely use to complete their applications successfully.

What Appendix FRP covered, and why its suspension matters

Understanding what Appendix FRP provided helps explain why the suspension has been so significant for refugee families, and why the alternatives are a harder fit for many Iranian sponsors.

Under Appendix FRP, the following family members of a refugee or humanitarian protection holder could apply to join them in the UK with no financial requirement, no English language requirement, and no Home Office application fee:

• The pre-flight spouse or civil partner (where the relationship existed before the sponsor left their country of origin)
• The pre-flight unmarried partner in a durable relationship
• Children under 18 at the date of application

The “pre-flight” condition was central: the route was specifically for families separated by the circumstances that forced the sponsor to flee. Post-flight relationships, where the couple met after the sponsor arrived in the UK, were already directed to the standard Appendix FM route. For Iranian sponsors who married before fleeing, or who have children in Iran, Appendix FRP was often the only viable route. The financial requirement of £29,000 a year now required by Appendix FM was absent from FRP precisely because it was recognised that refugees cannot reasonably meet it during the early years of rebuilding their lives in the UK.

The removal of the fee was also significant. Appendix FRP was one of the only UK immigration routes that carried no Home Office charge. The alternative routes now available carry standard fees of £2,064 or more per applicant, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge at £1,035 per year of leave. For a refugee family reuniting a spouse and two children, the combined fee and IHS liability can reach several thousand pounds, a sum that is genuinely out of reach for many families in the early years after a protection grant.

Fees and costs for alternative route applications in 2026

The key point on costs is that none of the alternatives to Appendix FRP are free. The following figures apply to 2026, following the Home Office fee increase of approximately 6 to 7% that took effect on 8 April 2026.

In addition to Home Office fees and IHS, Iranian family members should budget for: certified translation of Persian civil documents; any approved English language test; travel and accommodation for the third-country biometrics appointment in Istanbul, Ankara, Dubai or Yerevan; and any attestation or notarisation costs for specific documents. A realistic total preparation cost across all these elements can be several hundred pounds on top of the Home Office fees. We provide a full written cost breakdown at the advice stage.

How an alternative-route application works in practice

Most alternative-route family visa applications are made online through the gov.uk service. The process moves through five stages, with the Iran-specific logistics woven into each.

Stage 1: Route mapping. We assess the family relationship, the sponsor’s current immigration status in the UK, and the family member’s circumstances in Iran or wherever they currently are. We identify the correct alternative route or, where no strict route applies, advise on outside-the-rules options before any fee is paid. For Iranian families this also includes mapping the third-country VAC options and the document-gathering timeline.

Stage 2: Evidence build. We issue a personalised checklist. The family member in Iran or in a third country gathers identity documents, marriage and birth certificates where applicable, and the English language evidence. The Glasgow-based sponsor pulls together financial documents, proof of immigration status, accommodation evidence, and the relationship timeline. For non-standard evidence cases, we advise on building a substitute bundle from the outset.

Stage 3: Application preparation. We complete the online form, prepare the supporting cover letter, and label every document. For outside-the-rules Article 8 applications the cover letter is a substantive submission; for standard route applications it guides the caseworker through what may be a complex evidence bundle. We advise on the payment logistics for the Iranian applicant before the form is submitted.

Stage 4: Submission and biometrics. We submit the form online, arrange payment of the fee and Immigration Health Surcharge, and confirm the biometrics appointment at the third-country visa application centre. Documents may be uploaded digitally through the VFS portal or lodged on the day of the biometrics appointment. We confirm exactly what the family member needs to bring to their appointment in Istanbul, Ankara, Dubai or Yerevan.

Stage 5: Decision and arrival. The Home Office issues a decision. If granted, the family member receives entry clearance and travels to the UK. We help coordinate arrival in Glasgow, including BRP collection at the designated local post office where applicable.

After arrival in Glasgow

Each route grants different leave on arrival. An Appendix FM partner grant is 33 months entry clearance, leading to an FLR(M) extension and, after five continuous years on the partner route, Indefinite Leave to Remain. Our ILR guide covers the settlement stage for those approaching the five-year mark. An Adult Dependent Relative grant gives five years of leave with a route to settlement thereafter.

Once the family is in the UK, we track the next milestone, whether that is an FLR(M) extension, an ILR application, or the English progression from A1 to A2 to B1, and begin preparing for it in advance of the relevant deadline. A family that arrived through a difficult alternative-route application in the absence of Appendix FRP should not have to rebuild the case from scratch at the next stage. We keep the file current from the moment the application is made.

If an application is refused

A refusal on an alternative family route is not automatically the end of the route. Where the decision contains a case-working error, there may be a right of administrative review. Some family-route refusals carry a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal on human rights grounds. In many cases a carefully rebuilt fresh application, addressing the specific reasons for refusal, is the faster and stronger path.

Common refusal reasons on alternative routes for Iranian applicants include: financial evidence not in the correct format or not covering the required period; English evidence missing or not meeting the required level; civil documents lacking certified translation or not considered adequate proof of the relationship; relationship evidence that is generic rather than a specific documented timeline; and procedural issues arising from the third-country biometrics appointment. All of these are addressable in a rebuilt application.

We review the refusal letter against the Immigration Rules and advise honestly on which option gives the best prospect. For Iranian families in Glasgow, a refusal is not something to deal with alone. The combination of Iran-specific factors, the absence of Appendix FRP, and the more demanding alternative routes means that rebuilding an application correctly matters more than simply resubmitting. We identify what went wrong, whether it was the financial evidence, the translation of the sanad-e ezdevaj, the English evidence, or the relationship documentation, and we rebuild each part before any further fee is paid. Where an appeal to the First-tier Tribunal is the correct path, we advise on the grounds and refer you to a representative for the hearing. We do not conduct tribunal advocacy, but we build the factual record and the grounds analysis that a representative needs to run the case effectively.

Iranian refugees and the Glasgow community

Glasgow is one of the UK’s principal refugee dispersal cities. Its Iranian community spans those who came through the asylum system and those who came through other routes and subsequently sought protection. Many are now settled, hold British citizenship, work in medicine, academia and the professions, and are deeply embedded in the city’s life. The concentration in the West End and parts of the Southside means the community is relatively cohesive, and many clients find us through word of mouth from others who have used our services for spouse visa or protection-related work.

The suspension of Appendix FRP in September 2025 directly affected families in Glasgow who were in the process of gathering documents or planning applications when the cut-off came into force. Some had been waiting years for the sponsor to obtain settled status before applying. The situation for those families is genuinely difficult, and this page does not pretend otherwise. What we can do is map the alternatives accurately, advise on which is the strongest fit for each family’s situation, and prepare every step of the application as carefully as possible.

We work alongside the Scottish Refugee Council, Refugee Survival Trust and Maryhill Integration Network. These organisations provide community-level support, advocacy and practical help to refugees across Glasgow, and they refer cases requiring formal immigration advice to us. Clients who come to us from these referral networks are treated with the same care as clients who find us directly.

Clients outside Glasgow, across Paisley, Renfrew, and other parts of west and central Scotland, can work with us by phone, video and secure document exchange. Most of the preparation is done remotely. The Glasgow-based Iranian sponsor and their family member in Iran or in a third country do not need to be in the same place to get the file built correctly.

How UK Visa Assistance helps

UK Visa Assistance is a Glasgow immigration practice. We advise on and prepare family reunion applications for Iranian refugees and humanitarian protection holders: identifying which alternative route fits your family’s circumstances, mapping the Iran-specific logistics of the third-country VAC and Persian document translation, building the evidence bundle, preparing the application and supporting statement, and submitting on your behalf. We work on fixed fees agreed in advance, with a full cost breakdown provided at the assessment stage, so there are no surprises.

We advise on refusals and, where appropriate, on whether administrative review, a fresh application, or a tribunal appeal is the strongest next step. For tribunal appeals, we advise on the grounds and the evidence, and refer to a representative for the hearing. We do not advise on or represent the underlying asylum or protection claim, and we do not conduct tribunal advocacy or judicial review. If you need advice on your protection status or asylum process, the Scottish Refugee Council and Refugee Legal Centre can help and we can point you to the right referral. Our role begins once the sponsor has a protection status that allows them to consider sponsoring family.

We act for sponsors and applicants across Glasgow, Paisley, Renfrew and the wider west of Scotland. Most of the work is done by phone, video call and secure document exchange. The Iranian sponsor in Glasgow and the family member in Iran or a third country can work with us together from wherever they are.

To start, call 0141 496 0321 or request a callback for a free initial assessment of your family’s options.

For the full guide to refugee family reunion and alternative routes, see our Family Reunion Visa service

For Iranian nationals on the partner route, see Spouse Visa for Iranian Nationals

For the complete Appendix FM partner-route guide, see our Spouse Visa service

For settlement applications on the partner route, see our ILR service