Points-Based System Dependant Visas

A dependant partner or child may be able to accompany or join a person who is applying for, or already holds, permission under an eligible UK work or study route.

“Points-Based System dependant” is a commonly used general term. There is no single dependant visa covering every route. Eligibility, financial requirements, work rights, switching and settlement depend on the main applicant’s particular immigration category and history.

At a glance

Who it is for: The spouse, civil partner, unmarried partner or dependent child of a person applying under, or holding, an eligible work or study visa.

Eligible routes: These can include Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, Global Business Mobility, Global Talent, Innovator Founder, Scale-up, High Potential Individual, International Sportsperson, Minister of Religion, certain Temporary Work routes, Student and Graduate. Each route has its own dependant provisions.

Where to apply: Applications can normally be made from outside the UK or, where switching is permitted, from inside the UK. Each dependant must make a separate application.

Length of permission: Permission will usually expire on the same date as the main applicant’s visa. Where a child’s parents have visas ending on different dates, the child’s permission will generally end on the earlier date.

Work and study: Dependant partners are normally permitted to work, including employment, self-employment and voluntary work, and to study. Employment as a professional sportsperson or sports coach is usually prohibited. Study may be subject to the Academic Technology Approval Scheme.

Public funds: Access to public funds is normally prohibited.

Settlement: Dependants may qualify for settlement where the main applicant’s route leads to settlement and the relevant qualifying-period, relationship, residence, English-language and Knowledge of Life requirements are met.

Main eligibility requirements

The main applicant must be applying for, hold, or in some circumstances have obtained settlement after holding, permission under an immigration route that permits dependants.

A dependant partner can be a husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner.
Both partners must normally be aged 18 or over.

The partners must not be within a prohibited degree of relationship and must have met in person.
A marriage or civil partnership must be legally valid and recognised in the country where it took place.
An unmarried couple must normally have been in a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least two years before the application.
Two years of continuous cohabitation is not an absolute requirement. Where the couple cannot live together, the evidence must demonstrate the reason and their continuing commitment to each other.
The relationship must be genuine and subsisting, and any previous marriage, civil partnership or durable relationship must have broken down permanently.
A child must normally be under 18 when first applying as a dependant.
A child aged 18 or over may normally continue only where they were previously granted permission as a dependent child and are not leading an independent life.
A dependent child must not be married or in a civil partnership and must not be living an independent life.
Suitable arrangements must be in place for the care and accommodation of a child under 18.
Both of the child’s parents must normally be applying at the same time or already have permission to live in the UK. Exceptions may apply where one parent is the sole surviving parent, has sole responsibility, the other parent is British or settled and living in the UK, or there are serious and compelling reasons.
The relevant financial requirement must be met.
The dependant must meet the validity and suitability requirements and provide a tuberculosis certificate where required.
There is normally no separate English-language requirement for an initial application as a work or study-route dependant.

Important route-specific restrictions

Care workers and senior care workers

A Skilled Worker sponsored as a care worker or senior care worker under occupation code 6135 or 6136 will generally be unable to bring new dependants unless a transitional or limited exception applies.

A dependant may normally apply under the transitional arrangements where the main applicant’s original Skilled Worker application in a care-worker or senior-care-worker role was made before 11 March 2024 and the worker has continuously held qualifying Skilled Worker permission in either of those roles.

Limited provisions also exist for certain children, including some children born in the UK and certain in-country applications involving sole responsibility, a sole surviving parent or two parents sponsored in the relevant care occupations. The exact circumstances and location of the child must be checked.

Medium-skilled Skilled Worker roles

Where the main applicant is sponsored in a medium-skilled occupation below RQF level 6 identified in the relevant tables of Appendix Skilled Occupations, their partner and children will generally be unable to apply as dependants unless a transitional or another specified exception applies.

The principal transitional protection applies where the main applicant has continuously held Skilled Worker permission in a medium-skilled role based on an application made before 22 July 2025.

Limited provisions apply to particular children and certain in-country applications. There is also a specific provision concerning workers extending or switching as prison officers under occupation code 3314.

Student dependants

Not every Student Visa holder can bring dependants. A Student can generally be accompanied by dependants where they are:

Government-sponsored and studying a full-time course lasting at least six months; or
Studying a full-time postgraduate course lasting at least nine months at a higher education provider with a track record of compliance.

Where the postgraduate course started on or after 1 January 2024, it must normally be a PhD, another doctoral qualification or a research-based higher degree. Transitional provisions may apply to existing dependants and children born during the Student’s permission.

Graduate route dependants

The Graduate route does not normally allow a person to add a new dependant partner.

A partner can normally apply as a Graduate dependant only if they already held, or last held, permission as the main applicant’s Student dependant.

A dependent child must normally have held permission as a Student dependant. Limited provisions also cover children born in the UK during the main applicant’s Student or Graduate permission.

Why the main applicant’s route must be checked

The right to bring dependants cannot be determined simply from the description “work visa” or “study visa”. Some routes allow partners and children, some restrict them, and others do not provide a dependant category. Transitional rules may depend on the main applicant’s occupation code, original application date, immigration history and whether the dependant is applying from inside or outside the UK.

Financial requirement

Work-route dependants

Under many work routes, the following maintenance funds are normally required:

£285 for a dependant partner.
£315 for the first dependent child.
£200 for each additional dependent child.

These amounts must be available in addition to any maintenance funds required for the main applicant and other dependants.

The funds must normally have been held for at least 28 consecutive days. The end of that 28-day period must fall within 31 days before the application date.

A dependant applying from inside the UK may not need to provide financial evidence where they have been living in the UK with valid permission for at least 12 months.

Under certain sponsored work routes, the employer may certify maintenance for the main applicant and their dependants. This must be correctly confirmed on the Certificate of Sponsorship. Sponsor certification is not available under every route.

Student dependants

A Student’s partner or child will normally require:

£845 for each month of permission, up to a maximum of nine months, where the Student studies in London.
£680 for each month of permission, up to a maximum of nine months, where the Student studies outside London.

The dependant funds must be held in addition to the Student’s course fees, personal maintenance requirement and the funds required for any other dependants.

The money must normally be held for at least 28 consecutive days, ending no more than 31 days before the application.

A Student dependant who has lived in the UK with valid permission for at least 12 months may not need to demonstrate the maintenance funds. Different evidential arrangements may apply to applicants covered by the differential-evidence provisions or an eligible government or international scholarship.

Application fees and healthcare surcharge

Each dependant must normally pay a separate application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge.

Eligible dependants of a person applying under or holding a Health and Care Visa are normally exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge and may benefit from reduced application fees.

Evidence commonly required

The dependant’s current passport or other valid travel document.
Evidence of the main applicant’s visa, eVisa, immigration application or grant of permission.
The main applicant’s Certificate of Sponsorship, Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies or other route-specific evidence where relevant.
The main applicant’s application reference number or family linking code.
A legally recognised marriage or civil partnership certificate.
For unmarried partners, evidence of a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership lasting for at least two years.
A clear relationship chronology supported by suitable evidence of cohabitation, communication, travel, shared finances, mutual support and family life.
Evidence explaining why a couple has lived apart where applicable.
A child’s full birth certificate, adoption records or other documents establishing the legal parental relationship.
Evidence of parental responsibility, consent from the other parent, custody arrangements or serious and compelling circumstances where only one parent is applying or living in the UK.
Evidence that an older dependent child is not married, has not formed an independent family unit and continues to live as part of the family household.
Bank statements or other permitted financial documents meeting the required amount, ownership, date and holding-period rules.
Sponsor certification or official financial-sponsorship evidence where the applicable route permits it.
A tuberculosis certificate where required.
Certified translations of documents not written in English or Welsh.

Application process

Identify the main applicant’s exact immigration route and confirm that it permits dependants.
Check whether any occupation-based, course-based or transitional restriction applies.
Confirm whether the applicant meets the definition of a dependant partner or dependent child.
Check the position of both parents where a dependent child is applying.
Confirm whether the application must be made from outside the UK or whether an in-country extension or switch is permitted.
Calculate the correct maintenance requirement and identify who can hold the funds.
Prepare the relationship, financial, immigration-status and route-specific evidence.
Complete a separate online application for each dependant and link it to the main applicant’s application where appropriate.
Pay the applicable application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge unless an exemption applies.
Prove the applicant’s identity using the UK Immigration: ID Check application or attend a biometric appointment, depending on the instructions provided.
Upload the supporting documents and respond promptly to any further Home Office request.

Switching from inside the UK

A partner or child will not normally be permitted to switch to dependant status from inside the UK if they currently hold, or were last granted, permission as:

A Visitor.
A Short-term Student.
A Parent of a Child Student.
A Seasonal Worker.
A Domestic Worker in a Private Household.

A person who has permission outside the Immigration Rules or is on immigration bail will also normally be unable to switch under the dependant provisions.

Additional course-completion restrictions apply where the proposed dependant currently or last held Student permission. They must normally have completed their sponsored course or completed at least 24 months of a PhD.

Permission, work and study. A dependant’s permission will usually end on the same date as the main applicant’s permission.

A dependant partner will normally be permitted to:

Work for an employer.
Be self-employed.
Undertake voluntary work.
Study, subject to any applicable ATAS requirement.
Travel outside the UK and return while their permission remains valid.

A dependant is normally prohibited from working as a professional sportsperson or sports coach. Limited route-specific exceptions may apply.

Some Student dependants in short-course or below-degree continuation cases may be prohibited from working. The conditions stated in the dependant’s immigration permission must therefore be checked.

Dependants are normally prohibited from accessing public funds.

Children born in the UK

A child born in the UK does not automatically become British merely because their parent holds a work or study visa.

A dependant application should normally be made for the child before travelling outside the UK and returning. A full UK birth certificate showing the names of the parents will usually be required.

Where the child is to remain in the UK as a dependant, the application should normally be made before the child turns 18.

Extension and settlement

Dependants must make their own extension applications. Their permission does not automatically extend when the main applicant extends or changes their visa.

Whether a dependant can qualify for settlement depends on the main applicant’s route. Routes such as Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Innovator Founder, Scale-up, International Sportsperson and Minister of Religion can lead to settlement where the relevant requirements are met.

Student, Graduate, High Potential Individual, Global Business Mobility and most Temporary Work routes do not themselves provide a direct route to settlement.

A dependant partner applying for settlement under an eligible work route will normally need to:

Have completed the applicable qualifying period, which is commonly five continuous years as the main applicant’s dependant partner.
Continue to meet the relevant relationship requirements.
Show that the main applicant is being granted settlement, has already settled through the qualifying route or has become British after settling through that route.
Meet the continuous-residence requirement.
Meet the applicable English-language requirement unless exempt.
Pass the Life in the UK Test unless exempt.

For settlement applications made before 26 March 2027, the English-language requirement is normally speaking and listening at CEFR level B1. For applications made on or after 26 March 2027, the required level becomes B2 unless an exemption applies.

A child’s settlement application is governed by the relevant route and Appendix Children. The outcome may depend on the child’s age, whether they are leading an independent life and the immigration position of both parents.

Common issues

Assuming that every work or study visa permits dependants.
Failing to identify the main applicant’s exact visa route and occupation code.
Overlooking the care-worker or medium-skilled occupation restrictions.
Attempting to add a new partner under the Graduate route where the partner was not previously a Student dependant.
Assuming that every postgraduate Student can bring dependants.
Providing insufficient evidence of a genuine and subsisting partner relationship.
Treating two years of cohabitation as the only way to demonstrate an unmarried partnership.
Failing to explain periods during which the couple lived apart.
Applying for an adult child who was not previously granted permission as a dependant.
Failing to address the position or consent of the child’s other parent.
Using the wrong maintenance amount or failing to hold the funds for the required period.
Relying on an employer’s maintenance certification where it has not been properly recorded on the Certificate of Sponsorship.
Attempting to switch from Visitor or another prohibited immigration category.
Assuming that a dependant will qualify for settlement at the same time as the main applicant without checking their own qualifying period.

Frequently asked questions

Must dependants apply at the same time as the main applicant?

Not usually. A partner or child can normally apply at the same time as the main applicant or apply later to join them. Their permission will usually end on the same date as the main applicant’s permission.

Can an unmarried partner qualify without two years of cohabitation?

Possibly. The couple must normally have been in a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least two years. Continuous cohabitation for the entire two-year period is not mandatory, but convincing evidence of the relationship and continuing commitment will be required.

Can a dependant work in the UK?

Dependant partners are normally permitted to undertake employment, self-employment and voluntary work. They are usually prohibited from working as a professional sportsperson or sports coach. Certain Student dependant cases have additional restrictions.

Can a dependant switch from a Visitor Visa?

Usually not. A Visitor will normally need to leave the UK and make the dependant application from overseas.

Can a care worker bring their partner and children?

A care worker or senior care worker sponsored under occupation code 6135 or 6136 will generally be unable to bring new dependants unless a transitional or specified exception applies. Workers continuously sponsored in qualifying care roles under an application made before 11 March 2024 may remain protected.

Can the dependant of a medium-skilled worker apply?

New dependants are generally restricted where the Skilled Worker is sponsored in a medium-skilled occupation below RQF level 6. Transitional protection may apply where the worker has continuously held qualifying Skilled Worker permission in a medium-skilled role based on an application made before 22 July 2025.

Can every international Student bring dependants?

No. The Student must normally be government-sponsored on a course lasting at least six months or studying an eligible full-time postgraduate course lasting at least nine months. For courses starting on or after 1 January 2024, the postgraduate course must normally be a PhD, another doctorate or a research-based higher degree.

Can a Graduate Visa holder add a new partner?

Usually not. A partner can normally continue as a Graduate dependant only if they previously held permission as the main applicant’s Student dependant.

Does a dependant visa lead to settlement?

It depends on the main applicant’s route. Dependants of people on settlement routes may qualify after meeting their own qualifying-period and other requirements. Dependants under Student, Graduate, High Potential Individual, Global Business Mobility and Temporary Work routes do not obtain settlement directly through those routes.

Immigration law, fees and policy can change. This page should be reviewed regularly, and advice should be obtained about individual circumstances.

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