BEFORE YOU LEAVE

UK Dependent Visa

The UK Dependent Visa is a crucial immigration pathway that allows family members of UK visa holders to join their loved ones in Britain. This comprehensive route ensures families can remain together while the main applicant pursues work, study, or business opportunities in the UK. Whether you're a skilled professional, international student, or entrepreneur, understanding dependent visa requirements can help reunite your family in the UK.

The dependent visa system covers various immigration categories, including work visas like the Skilled Worker route, student visas, business visas such as Innovator Founder, and speciality routes like Global Talent and UK Ancestry visas. This flexibility means that most visa holders with eligible routes can bring their immediate family members to share their UK experience.

Major Changes to UK Dependent Visa Rules in 2025

The most significant changes affect Skilled Worker visa holders. From July 22, 2025, new restrictions limit which Skilled Workers can bring dependents:

• Workers in jobs at RQF Level 3–5 on the Immigration Salary List or Shortage Occupation List cannot bring dependents
• Only roles at RQF Level 6 or above remain eligible for dependent sponsorship
• Existing dependents who applied before July 22, 2025, are protected and can remain in the UK

International students face ongoing restrictions introduced in January 2024:

• Only PhD students and postgraduate researchers can bring dependents
• Undergraduate and taught Master's students cannot sponsor family members
• Government-sponsored students on courses longer than 6 months may have exceptions

From March 11, 2024, care workers and senior care workers on Health and Care Worker visas cannot bring dependents to the UK, reflecting the government's approach to managing immigration levels in this sector.

What is a UK Dependent Visa?

A UK Dependent Visa enables close family members of primary visa holders to live, work, and study in the UK without requiring separate sponsorship. The visa is designed to maintain family unity while ensuring that dependents contribute positively to UK society. Unlike many other immigration routes, dependent visa holders enjoy considerable freedom once in the UK, including unrestricted work rights and access to healthcare services.

Who Can Apply for a UK Dependent Visa in 2025?

Your family members can apply for dependent visas if you hold one of these qualifying visas:

• Skilled Worker visa (with restrictions from July 2025)
• Health and Care Worker visa (excluding care workers)
• Global Talent visa
• Scale-up visa
• Global Business Mobility visas
• Innovator Founder visa
• Representative of an Overseas Business visa

• Student visa (PhD and research programmes only from January 2024)
• UK Ancestry visa
• Minister of Religion visa
• International Sportsperson visa

Who Qualifies for a Dependent Visa?

Spouses and Partners: Your spouse or civil partner can apply if you have a valid marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate. Unmarried partners must prove they have lived together in a relationship similar to marriage for at least two years before the application date. Same-sex relationships are fully recognised under UK immigration law.

Children: Children under 18 years old at the time of application automatically qualify as dependents. Children aged 16-17 may also qualify if they remain financially dependent on the main applicant and continue living in the family home, unless attending boarding school or university.

Adult Dependent Relatives: In exceptional circumstances, elderly parents or other adult relatives may qualify if they require long-term care that cannot be provided in their home country and can only be given by family members in the UK.

UK Dependent Visa Eligibility Requirements

For Spouses and Partners: You must provide clear evidence of your genuine and subsisting relationship. Married couples need official marriage certificates, while civil partners require civil partnership certificates. Unmarried partners must demonstrate cohabitation through joint tenancy agreements, shared bank accounts, utility bills in both names, and other evidence of shared domestic arrangements for at least two years.

For Children: Birth certificates showing both parents' names are essential. If you're a single parent, you may need to provide evidence of sole responsibility for the child's upbringing. Adopted children require legal adoption documents, and step-children need evidence of the family relationship and ongoing care arrangements.

The following maintenance funds are required for a Skilled Worker Dependant Visa

These funds must be held in your bank account for at least 28 consecutive days before applying, with the 28-day period ending within 31 days of your application submission.

• Main applicants whose sponsors hold A-rated licences and certify maintenance on the Certificate of Sponsorship
• Applicants who have been in the UK with valid leave for 12 months or more
• Certain categories like Global Talent visa holders may have different or no financial requirements

You must show that suitable accommodation is available for all family members in the UK. This doesn't mean owning property, but you need evidence of adequate housing arrangements, whether through rental agreements, mortgage documents, or letters from hosts confirming accommodation availability.

How to Apply for a UK Dependent Visa

Step-by-Step Application Process

Step 1: Prepare Your Application: Gather all required documents before starting the online application. Ensure you have the main applicant's Global Web Form (GWF) number or Unique Application Number (UAN) to link your applications together.

Step 2: Complete the Online Form: Use the correct application form for your relationship to the main applicant. The forms for dependent partners differ from those for dependent children, so selecting the right one is crucial for processing efficiency.

Step 3: Pay Required Fees: Pay the visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge during the online application process. Keep payment receipts as proof of transaction completion.

Step 4: Book Biometric Appointment: Schedule your biometric appointment at the nearest UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) centre if applying from within the UK, or at a Visa Application Centre if applying from overseas.

Step 5: Submit Supporting Documents: Upload or submit all required documents according to the instructions provided during your application. Ensure all documents meet UKVI requirements for format, translation, and certification.

Required Documents for Dependent Visa Applications

Essential Documents for All Applicants:

• Current passport with at least one blank page
• Previous passports showing travel history (if applicable)
• Completed online application form
• Payment receipts for fees and health surcharge

Relationship Evidence:

• Marriage certificates or civil partnership certificates (officially translated if not in English)
• Birth certificates for children showing both parents' names
• Evidence of cohabitation showing genuine and subsisting relationship (utility bills, bank statements, tenancy agreements)
• Divorce certificates if either partner was previously married

Financial Documents:

• Bank statements covering the 28-day maintenance period
• Salary slips for employed main applicants
• Sponsor's financial certification (if applicable)
• Evidence of other income sources if relevant

Additional Requirements:

• TB test certificates (for applicants from certain countries)
• Criminal record certificates (if required based on nationality or previous residence)
• Photographs meeting UK visa photo requirements

Rights and Restrictions for UK Dependent Visa Holders

If your UK Dependent Visa application is approved, the length of your stay will usually match the visa of the main applicant you’re joining. So, if your partner's or parent’s visa is valid for two more years, yours will also be granted for two years.

If your loved one already has Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or British Citizenship as a Relevant Points-Based System Migrant, you’ll typically receive a three-year visa instead.

What Dependent Visa Holders Can Do

Employment Rights: Dependent visa holders enjoy unrestricted access to the UK job market without requiring sponsorship from employers. They can work full-time or part-time in most professions and can change jobs freely without notifying the Home Office. This flexibility makes dependent visas particularly attractive for families looking to establish themselves in the UK.

Education Access: Dependents can enrol in any educational institution, from primary schools to universities, without requiring separate student visas. Children of dependent visa holders can access state education, while adults can pursue higher education or professional qualifications.

Healthcare Benefits: After paying the Immigration Health Surcharge, dependent visa holders can access NHS services on the same basis as UK residents. This includes GP services, hospital treatment, and emergency care without additional charges.

Travel Freedom: Dependent visa holders can travel in and out of the UK freely during their visa validity period, provided they maintain their relationship with the main visa holder and continue to meet visa conditions.

Public Funds Prohibition: Dependent visa holders cannot claim most public funds, including:

• Housing benefits or council tax support
• Income support or universal credit
• Child benefits or tax credits
• Disability benefits or pension credit

Professional Restrictions: While employment is generally unrestricted, dependent visa holders cannot work in certain regulated professions without additional authorisation, such as doctors in training positions or professional sports coaches.

Visa Condition Compliance: Dependents must maintain their relationship with the main visa holder and continue to meet all visa conditions. Relationship breakdown or changes in circumstances may affect their ability to remain in the UK.

Path to Settlement: From Dependent Visa to (Indefinite Leave to Remain) ILR

Indefinite Leave to Remain for Dependents

Dependent visa holders can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after five years of continuous residence in the UK, provided the main visa holder also qualifies for settlement. This pathway offers a route to permanent UK residence and eventual British citizenship.

ILR Requirements for Dependent Partners:

• Continuous residence in the UK for five years
• Ongoing genuine and subsisting relationship with the main applicant
• Meeting English language requirements at B1 level
• Passing the Life in the UK test
• No extended absences from the UK (generally not more than 180 days in any 12-month period)

ILR Requirements for Dependent Children:

• Remaining unmarried and without children of their own
• Continuing to live with and depend on their parents
• Meeting age requirements (applications should be made before turning 18 if possible)

Permanent Residence: ILR provides permanent residence status, eliminating the need for visa renewals and associated costs. Holders can live and work in the UK indefinitely without immigration restrictions.

Path to British Citizenship: After holding ILR for 12 months, eligible individuals can apply for British citizenship, providing full rights as UK nationals including voting rights and unrestricted international travel.

Access to Public Funds: ILR holders can access public funds and benefits that were previously restricted, providing additional financial security and support options.

Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Challenge: Providing insufficient or incorrect relationship evidence

Solution: Gather comprehensive documentation showing genuine and ongoing relationships. For unmarried partners, compile evidence spanning the full two-year cohabitation period including joint financial commitments, correspondence, and witness statements.

Challenge: Meeting maintenance fund requirements, especially for larger families

Solution: Plan well in advance to accumulate the required funds and ensure they remain in your account for the full 28-day period. Consider whether your sponsor's A-rated licence might exempt you from these requirements.

Challenge: Extended processing times affecting travel or work plans

Solution: Apply well before current visa expiry dates and consider priority processing if available. Ensure all documents are complete and accurate to avoid requests for additional information.

Challenge: Proving relationships in complex family structures (step-children, adoption, etc.)

Solution: Seek professional immigration advice to ensure you provide appropriate documentation for your specific family circumstances.

Recent Policy Changes and Future Considerations

The UK government has outlined several proposed changes to the immigration system that may affect dependent visas in the future:

English Language Requirements: Proposals include tiered English language requirements for adult dependents:

• A1 level at initial application
• A2 level at visa extension
• B2 level at settlement application

Extended Settlement Period: The qualifying period for ILR may extend from five to ten years for most migrants, though five-year pathways may remain for dependents of British citizens.

Enhanced Compliance Measures: Strengthened deportation powers for visa holders who breach conditions or commit criminal offenses may affect dependent visa holders' security of status.

Planning for Changes

Stay Informed: Immigration rules change frequently, so regularly check official government guidance and consider professional immigration advice for complex situations.

Maintain Compliance: Ensure all family members maintain compliance with visa conditions and keep detailed records of UK residence to support future applications.

Consider Timing: If you're close to qualifying for ILR, consider applying before potential rule changes take effect to benefit from current, potentially more favourable requirements.

FAQ

• What is my immigration status while my application is pending?v

  • If applicants submit their application before their authorised stay ends, their existing immigration status will continue until their application is decided, even if the decision is not made until after the end of their permitted stay. Applicant can continue to work until their case is decided if the conditions of their existing leave allow them to do so.

• UK Immigration: ID Check Appv

  • The UK Immigration ID Check app is revolutionising how visa applicants verify their identity for UK skilled worker visa applications. This official UKVI mobile application allows you to complete identity verification remotely using your smartphone, eliminating the need for time-consuming visits to visa application centres. The app uses advanced biometric technology to scan your document's chip and confirm your identity securely.

• Who Can Use the UK Immigration ID Check App?v

  • Not everyone can use the ID Check app. Applicants are eligible if they have one of the following:

    • A biometric passport from an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland
    • A biometric passport for British Nationals (Overseas), Hong Kong SAR passport holders, or EEA nationals applying for certain visa routes, such as the BNO visa
    • An expired Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), if your visa route allows, up to 18 months after expiry
• How the UK Immigration ID Check Process Worksv

  • The process starts with the visa application on the GOV.UK website. When the applicant reaches the identity verification stage, they’ll be prompted to open or download the UK Immigration: ID Check app. They can link their application to the app by scanning the QR code shown on their application page or by entering a connection code.

    Once linked, the app will ask the applicant to scan their identity document. First, the applicant should take a clear photo of their passport or BRP. Then, hold their phone over the document’s biometric chip until the app confirms that their information has been checked.

• What to Do If the App Cannot Read Your Documentv

  • If the UK Immigration ID Check app encounters difficulties reading your document's chip, applicants have alternative options. They can book an appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) or UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point for in-person identity verification. This backup option ensures that the applicant’s visa application can proceed without delays, giving them flexibility in how they complete the identity verification process.

• Government Feesv

  • Home Office fees for Dependant visa Application
    	Postal or Standard Application	Super Priority Service	Priority Service	Overseas or Offshore Application
    Main Applicant	£304 - £1,751	£1,304 - £2,751	£804 - £2,251	£304 - £1,519
    Partner or child aged under 18 (if applying together)	£304 - £1,751	£1,304 - £2,751	£804 - £2,251	£304 - £1,519
    Partner or child aged under 18 (if they are applying later) or child aged over 18	£304 - £1,751	£1,304 - £2,751	£804 - £2,251	£304 - £1,519

• Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)v

  • The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) was implemented by the Home Office on 6th April 2015. People coming to the UK for more than six months must pay this health surcharge as a part of their immigration application towards the National Health Service (healthcare in the UK).

    Offshore applicants must pay the health surcharge for visas longer than six months, while onshore applicants must pay for any length of visa.

    Applicants will have to pay £776 per year as a student, or as a Youth Mobility Scheme or applicant under 18 years old. For all other visa and immigration applications, they must pay £1,035 per year. Dependents will usually need to pay the same amount as the main applicant. The exact amount they must pay depends on how much leave they are granted. They can calculate how much they will have to pay before you apply. If the period of the grant applied for is less than six months, then half of the yearly amount is to be paid, and if the period of the grant applied for is more than six months, then the whole year amount is to be paid.

    Visa applications will not be granted if applicants do not pay the healthcare surcharge, and the applications will be delayed if the correct amount is not paid.

    The following persons are exempted from paying the IHS:

    • diplomats or members of a visiting armed forces and not subject to immigration control
    • dependants of a member of the UK's armed forces
    • dependants of a member of another country's armed forces who is exempt from immigration control
    • applicants for a visa for the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands
    • British Overseas Territory citizens resident in the Falkland Islands
    • asylum seekers and applicants for humanitarian protection and their dependants
    • domestic workers who have been identified as victims of slavery or human trafficking
    • those applying for discretionary leave to remain in the UK as someone who has been identified as a victim of slavery or human trafficking and their dependents
    • those applying for permission to remain as the victim of domestic abuse and their dependants
    • those claiming that being made to leave the UK would be against their rights under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights and their dependents

    Applicants and their dependants applying for Health and Care Worker visa

• Processing Timesv

  • Standard Processing Times

    Applications from Outside the UK: Standard processing typically takes 3 weeks for most dependent visa applications. However, processing times can vary based on the complexity of your case, the volume of applications being processed, and the specific visa application centre handling your submission.

    Applications from Inside the UK: Standard processing usually takes 8 weeks when applying to extend or switch to a dependent visa from within the UK. The Home Office aims to process most applications within this timeframe, but complex cases may take longer.

    Priority Processing Options

    Priority Service: Available for an additional £500 per application, priority service aims to process applications within 5 working days. This service is subject to availability and may not be offered at all visa application centres.

    Super Priority Service: For an additional £1,000 per application, super priority service targets decision-making within 24 hours. This premium service is limited and typically only available for applications submitted from within the UK.

    Factors Affecting Processing Times

    Application Quality: Complete applications with all required documents typically process faster than those requiring additional information or clarification from applicants.

    Peak Periods: Processing times may extend during busy periods, particularly at the start of academic years for student-related applications or during holiday seasons.

    Document Verification: Applications requiring extensive document verification or additional security checks may experience longer processing times regardless of the service level selected.