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The UK Dependent visa lets close family members of a visa holder join them, keeping families together during work, study or business in the UK. Whether you are a Skilled Worker, a student or on an ancestry route, this guide explains the rules, the application and the recent changes.
What is a UK Dependent visa?
A Dependent visa lets close family members of a UK visa holder join them. Eligible main routes include the Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker and Temporary Worker visas, study visas, business routes such as Innovator Founder, and Ancestry visas. Dependants can live, work and study in the UK and use the NHS, with no separate sponsorship needed for employment.
Recent changes to the rules
- Since January 2024, students can only bring dependants if they are on a PhD or postgraduate research programme.
- Since March 2024, care workers and senior care workers can no longer sponsor dependants.
Who can apply?
Eligibility depends on the relationship with the main applicant:
- Spouse or partner: married or in a civil partnership, or an unmarried partner in a genuine relationship of at least two years.
- Children: under 18 at the time of application; those over 16 must show they are financially dependent and live with the main applicant.
- Adult dependent relatives in specific cases, such as an elderly parent needing long-term care.
Eligibility requirements
You will need proof of the relationship (marriage, civil partnership or birth certificates), to meet the financial requirement (£285 for a partner, £315 for the first child and £200 for each additional child, unless an A-rated sponsor certifies maintenance), and to intend to live together in the UK. No English test is needed for the dependent visa, though it is for settlement.
How to apply
Apply online, linking to the main applicant's Unique Application Number, pay the visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (use our visa fees calculator), provide your documents, and attend a biometric appointment at a UKVCAS centre. Standard processing is about three weeks from outside the UK and up to eight weeks inside, with priority services where available.
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The Borderless platform provides a centralized system for all sponsorships, automating reminders for key tasks and ensuring best practices across your organization, simplifying audit preparation and ongoing compliance.
Documents
Prepare your passport, proof of relationship, financial evidence or A-rated sponsor certification, a TB test result if applicable, and a criminal record check if required.
Dependent visa costs
A dependant pays the same visa fee as the main applicant's route and length. For a Skilled Worker dependant from 8 April 2026 that is £819 for up to three years and £1,618 for more than three years. On top of that, the Immigration Health Surcharge is £1,035 a year for adults and £776 a year for children. Check the latest with our visa fees calculator.
Rights and restrictions
Dependants can work without sponsorship (except as a doctor or dentist in training, or a professional sportsperson), study, and use the NHS. They cannot claim public funds.
Proving status
Like other routes, a dependant's status is now held as an eVisa through a UKVI account, proven with a share code rather than a physical card.
Pathway to Indefinite Leave to Remain
Dependants can usually apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years of continuous residence, if the main applicant qualifies, the relationship is genuine, and children remain dependent and living with their parents. ILR can lead to British citizenship after a year.
Frequently asked questions
Can dependants work? Yes, without sponsorship, with a few exceptions.
What if the main holder's visa is revoked? Dependants' visas may be affected. See our sponsor licence revocation guide.
Can dependants claim public funds? No.
How Borderless helps
We help employers and families through the visa process and ongoing compliance. Get in touch.
