Dependant Visa UK
UK Dependant Visa Guidance
If you have or want a UK visa in various work categories, such as Worker routes (formerly Tier 2), Temporary Worker routes (formerly Tier 5), Representatives of overseas business, Innovators, Global Talent migrants, or UK ancestry, you can bring your family members with you under the UK Dependant Visa.
But in 2023, the UK government made the visa rules tougher for foreign workers and their dependents to reduce immigration. The new rules require higher salaries for skilled workers and stricter conditions for dependents. Only postgraduate students on research programmes, including PhD students, can bring dependents now. These changes can impact many current and future UK Dependant Visa applicants.
As a dedicated immigration firm, we offer approachable, prompt, and accurate legal advice that you can depend on. By entrusting us with the management of your family’s entire UK entry application, you can be assured of receiving the right legal guidance and robust legal representation.
Who Is Eligible for a UK Dependant Visa?
Dependant Visa is for family members of a qualifying migrant. A ‘dependant’ means:
Husband, wife, or civil partner Unmarried or same-sex partner Child under 18 years when applying Other family members are unlikely to get dependent status for a Dependant Visa.
Spouses or partners need a Dependant Visa if they are:
In the UK on a relevant visa Applying for a visa at the same time as the Dependant Visa Same-sex or unmarried partners need to show a genuine relationship like marriage for two years.
Children can get a Dependant Visa if:
Both parents are applying for entry clearance together Both parents are in the UK, and the child wants to join them One parent is in the UK, and the other is applying to join them with the child Children can get a Dependant visa with one parent in some cases.
The family must have enough funds to support themselves without public funds. For example, if the main applicant wants a Skilled Worker Visa, they need £285 in savings for the dependent partner, £315 more for the first dependent child, and £200 more for each extra dependent child. But if a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence holder with an A-rating says they have these funds, the applicant does not need to prove it.
How to Apply for a Dependant Visa?
You can apply for a Dependant Visa online (except for North Korea), inside or outside the UK. Our expert lawyers will simplify the process for you.
Documents Needed for a UK PBS Dependant Visa Application
You need these documents for the application (Note: This is not a complete list):
- Passport or valid travel document
- Marriage Certificate for Spouse or Birth Certificate for Child
- Bank statements
- Proof of the relationship between the dependant and main applicant
- Tuberculosis test results (if needed)
- Criminal record check results (if needed)
We will help you prepare the required documents for your whole family, meeting UKVI standards.
Processing Time for the Dependant Visa
- From outside the UK, a Dependant visa can take up to 12 weeks to process. You can pay an extra fee for faster processing within 5 working days through the priority service.
- The standard processing time is 8 weeks inside the UK, with priority (5 working days) and super priority (24 hours) services available at an extra cost.
Dependant Visa Fees in the UK
The dependant visa fees are the same as the main applicant’s fees. Each dependent also pays the Immigration Health surcharge, which is £624 per year for adults and £470 per year for children. A biometric enrolment fee of £19.20 is charged inside the UK.
Benefits of a PBS Dependant Visa
As a dependant, you can work and study in the UK (with some limits), and children can go to state or private schools. Plus, your family stays together, living in a new country. After a certain time, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
Requirements for a UK Dependant Visa
To get a UK Dependant Visa, dependants need to:
- Show their identity
- Prove their relationship to the main applicant
- Plan to live with their sponsor in the UK for the visa period
- Have enough funds to support themselves without public funds Rules for the UK’s Dependent Visa
Rules depend on the dependent route chosen. Partners need to show a real and lasting relationship, and children need to be under 18, unless they have been dependants since being under 18.
Eligibility Requirements for a Dependant Visa
Qualifying family members, including spouses, civil partners, unmarried partners, and children under 18, can apply for a dependent visa. Partners must prove a genuine relationship and an intention to live with the main applicant. Children must not lead an independent life.
Leaders in Dependant Visa Applications
Leaders, or main applicants, eligible for a UK visa can sponsor their dependent family members to apply for a dependent visa. This enables family members to join or continue living together with the main applicant in the UK.
Duration of Stay under Dependant’s Visa
The dependant visa duration aligns with the sponsor’s visa. If parents have varying visa lengths, a child’s visa matches the parent with the shorter remaining period. After completing a qualifying period, dependant partners may apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
Who Can Come to the UK as a Dependant?
Only direct family members, including spouses, civil partners, unmarried partners in a durable relationship, and children under 18, can apply as visa dependants.
Working in the UK for Dependant Visa Holders
Dependant visa holders can work in the UK with certain restrictions. Employment as a professional sportsperson or a Doctor/Dentist in training has limitations.
Funds Required for a Dependant Visa
Dependants of Skilled Workers need to meet minimum fund requirements, but evidence may be waived if sponsored by an A-rated sponsor certifying maintenance. Other dependants may need to show “adequate” funds.
New Rules 2024 UK major Updates for Student, Carers, Skilled, Dependent and Family visa:
International students who are not studying a postgraduate research programme will not be able to bring their dependants (spouses, partners, or children) to the UK on a Student visa.
International students who are studying a postgraduate research programme, such as a PhD, will still be able to bring their dependants to the UK on a Student visa.
International students who have completed their course will be able to switch their visa to a work route visa, such as a Skilled Worker visa, if they have a job offer from a UK employer.
International students who have completed their course will still be able to apply for the Graduate Immigration Route, which allows them to stay in the UK for two or three years to work or look for work.
International students and their dependants will have to pay higher fees for the Immigration Health Surcharge, which gives them access to the National Health Service (NHS) during their stay in the UK.
These are some of the major changes that will affect many international students and their families who want to come to or stay in the UK from January 2024. If you are planning to apply for a UK visa, make sure you check the latest requirements and guidance on the official UK government website or consult a reliable immigration firm.
There are some rumours that the dependent or spouse visa on a skilled work permit (tier 2) will be restricted soon. Yes, according to the secretary from the UK’Home office, it is true but there is no commitment for restriction on specific dates for dependent (skilled work permit-Tier 2)
How Visa Avail Can Assist with Your UK Dependant Visa Application
At Visa Avail, our qualified lawyers possess extensive experience in successfully processing UK Dependant Visa applications. We understand the complexity of these applications and strive to provide clear guidance. Our commitment to exceptional customer service ensures you receive support at every stage of your application, with constant updates on its progress from the initial meeting to the final decision on your visa.
If you have or want a UK visa in various work categories, such as Worker routes (formerly Tier 2), Temporary Worker routes (formerly Tier 5), Representatives of overseas business, Innovators, Global Talent migrants, or UK ancestry, you can bring your family members with you under the UK Dependant Visa.
But in 2023, the UK government made the visa rules tougher for foreign workers and their dependents to reduce immigration. The new rules require higher salaries for skilled workers and stricter conditions for dependents. Only postgraduate students on research programmes, including PhD students, can bring dependents now. These changes can impact many current and future UK Dependant Visa applicants.
Who Is Eligible for a UK Dependant Visa?
Dependant Visa is for family members of a qualifying migrant. A ‘dependant’ means:
Husband, wife, or civil partner Unmarried or same-sex partner Child under 18 years when applying Other family members are unlikely to get dependent status for a Dependant Visa.
Spouses or partners need a Dependant Visa if they are:
In the UK on a relevant visa Applying for a visa at the same time as the Dependant Visa Same-sex or unmarried partners need to show a genuine relationship like marriage for two years.
Children can get a Dependant Visa if:
Both parents are applying for entry clearance together Both parents are in the UK, and the child wants to join them One parent is in the UK, and the other is applying to join them with the child Children can get a Dependant visa with one parent in some cases.
The family must have enough funds to support themselves without public funds. For example, if the main applicant wants a Skilled Worker Visa, they need £285 in savings for the dependent partner, £315 more for the first dependent child, and £200 more for each extra dependent child. But if a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence holder with an A-rating says they have these funds, the applicant does not need to prove it.
How to Apply for a Dependant Visa?
You can apply for a Dependant Visa online (except for North Korea), inside or outside the UK. Our expert lawyers will simplify the process for you.
Documents Needed for a UK PBS Dependant Visa Application
You need these documents for the application (Note: This is not a complete list):
- Passport or valid travel document
- Marriage Certificate for Spouse or Birth Certificate for Child
- Bank statements
- Proof of the relationship between the dependant and main applicant
- Tuberculosis test results (if needed)
- Criminal record check results (if needed)
We will help you prepare the required documents for your whole family, meeting UKVI standards.
Processing Time for the Dependant Visa
- From outside the UK, a Dependant visa can take up to 12 weeks to process. You can pay an extra fee for faster processing within 5 working days through the priority service.
- The standard processing time is 8 weeks inside the UK, with priority (5 working days) and super priority (24 hours) services available at an extra cost.
Dependant Visa Fees in the UK
The dependant visa fees are the same as the main applicant’s fees. Each dependent also pays the Immigration Health surcharge, which is £624 per year for adults and £470 per year for children. A biometric enrolment fee of £19.20 is charged inside the UK.
Benefits of a PBS Dependant Visa
As a dependant, you can work and study in the UK (with some limits), and children can go to state or private schools. Plus, your family stays together, living in a new country. After a certain time, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
Requirements for a UK Dependant Visa
To get a UK Dependant Visa, dependants need to:
- Show their identity
- Prove their relationship to the main applicant
- Plan to live with their sponsor in the UK for the visa period
- Have enough funds to support themselves without public funds Rules for the UK’s Dependent Visa
Rules depend on the dependent route chosen. Partners need to show a real and lasting relationship, and children need to be under 18, unless they have been dependants since being under 18.
Eligibility Requirements for a Dependant Visa
Qualifying family members, including spouses, civil partners, unmarried partners, and children under 18, can apply for a dependent visa. Partners must prove a genuine relationship and an intention to live with the main applicant. Children must not lead an independent life.
Leaders in Dependant Visa Applications
Leaders, or main applicants, eligible for a UK visa can sponsor their dependent family members to apply for a dependent visa. This enables family members to join or continue living together with the main applicant in the UK.
Duration of Stay under Dependant’s Visa
The dependant visa duration aligns with the sponsor’s visa. If parents have varying visa lengths, a child’s visa matches the parent with the shorter remaining period. After completing a qualifying period, dependant partners may apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
Who Can Come to the UK as a Dependant?
Only direct family members, including spouses, civil partners, unmarried partners in a durable relationship, and children under 18, can apply as visa dependants.
Working in the UK for Dependant Visa Holders
Dependant visa holders can work in the UK with certain restrictions. Employment as a professional sportsperson or a Doctor/Dentist in training has limitations.
Funds Required for a Dependant Visa
Dependants of Skilled Workers need to meet minimum fund requirements, but evidence may be waived if sponsored by an A-rated sponsor certifying maintenance. Other dependants may need to show “adequate” funds.
New Rules 2024 UK major Updates for Student, Carers, Skilled, Dependent and Family visa:
International students who are not studying a postgraduate research programme will not be able to bring their dependants (spouses, partners, or children) to the UK on a Student visa.
International students who are studying a postgraduate research programme, such as a PhD, will still be able to bring their dependants to the UK on a Student visa.
International students who have completed their course will be able to switch their visa to a work route visa, such as a Skilled Worker visa, if they have a job offer from a UK employer.
International students who have completed their course will still be able to apply for the Graduate Immigration Route, which allows them to stay in the UK for two or three years to work or look for work.
International students and their dependants will have to pay higher fees for the Immigration Health Surcharge, which gives them access to the National Health Service (NHS) during their stay in the UK.
These are some of the major changes that will affect many international students and their families who want to come to or stay in the UK from January 2024. If you are planning to apply for a UK visa, make sure you check the latest requirements and guidance on the official UK government website or consult a reliable immigration firm.
There are some rumours that the dependent or spouse visa on a skilled work permit (tier 2) will be restricted soon. Yes, according to the secretary from the UK’Home office, it is true but there is no commitment for restriction on specific dates for dependent (skilled work permit-Tier 2)
How Visa Avail Can Assist with Your UK Dependant Visa Application
At Visa Avail, our qualified lawyers possess extensive experience in successfully processing UK Dependant Visa applications. We understand the complexity of these applications and strive to provide clear guidance. Our commitment to exceptional customer service ensures you receive support at every stage of your application, with constant updates on its progress from the initial meeting to the final decision on your visa.
If you have or want a UK visa in various work categories, such as Worker routes (formerly Tier 2), Temporary Worker routes (formerly Tier 5), Representatives of overseas business, Innovators, Global Talent migrants, or UK ancestry, you can bring your family members with you under the UK Dependant Visa.
But in 2023, the UK government made the visa rules tougher for foreign workers and their dependents to reduce immigration. The new rules require higher salaries for skilled workers and stricter conditions for dependents. Only postgraduate students on research programmes, including PhD students, can bring dependents now. These changes can impact many current and future UK Dependant Visa applicants.