UK Announces How Much Savings Foreigners Need for Family Visa instead of £29,000 Salary

• The UK government has confirmed that applicants for a family visa can use cash savings in place of the standard income requirement
• Savings above a specific threshold qualify as income under the UK family visa financial rules, offering an alternative route for many applicants
• The UK government also published a full list of documents required for the family visa application, covering employment letters, payslips, and bank statements

The UK government has confirmed that foreigners applying for a family visa in 2026 can use personal savings as an alternative to meeting the standard income requirement, which is typically based on a salary of around £29,000 (approximately ₦58.5 million).

According to the government's official guidance, cash savings of more than £16,000 (approximately ₦32.3 million) above that threshold qualify as a recognised source of income for the purposes of the family visa application.

This means applicants who cannot show regular employment earnings may still be able to meet the financial requirement by demonstrating adequate savings.

What counts as income for UK family visa

Beyond savings, the guidance lists several other sources that can count toward the financial requirement. These include employment income before tax and National Insurance contributions, earnings from self-employment or from running a limited company in the UK, pension payments, and non-work income such as dividends or rental earnings from property.

Applicants who are self-employed must calculate their income based on what they earned in the six months leading up to the date of their application.

The financial requirement is not always based on the applicant alone. Partners applying to join a spouse in the UK must show their combined income.

Parents being joined by a child must show their own income. The guidance allows income to come from either the applicant, the UK-based family member, or both.

In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the UK had waived the £29,000 family visa income requirement for two categories of foreigners.

UK: 6 visa options for migrants after divorce/separation

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the UK had highlighted six visa options for migrants after a divorce or a separation.

The official guidance, published by the UK Home Office, makes clear that affected migrants must not wait for their current visa to expire before seeking a new immigration status.

Applying as soon as the relationship ends is strongly advised.