Family Visa Applications Broadly Unchanged in Year to April 2026
20 May 2026
If you hold a family visa or are planning to apply, the latest Home Office statistics show that demand on the family route has stayed broadly stable.
There were 74,300 family visa applications in the year ending April 2026. That compares to 74,400 in the year ending April 2025, a difference of just 100 applications. The Home Office describes the figures as "broadly unchanged."
Beneath that stable headline, one sub-route has shifted significantly. Monthly applications for Refugee Family Reunion visas dropped from 8,400 in September 2025 to 5,400 in April 2026. This follows a pause to new Refugee Family Reunion applications announced on 4 September 2025. The Home Office says those affected "may apply through other family routes, if they believe they meet the relevant immigration rules."
For family visa holders working towards settlement, the stable overall volumes suggest no major shift in the route's accessibility. If you were planning to apply via the Refugee Family Reunion route, check whether another family route is open to you before applying.
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