Dependants on a student visa

Who can bring dependants to the UK

You can only bring dependants if:

• You are studying a PhD course or other doctorate course
• You are studying for a full-time postgraduate research degree that is 9 months or longer
• You are fully sponsored by a government to study full-time on a course that is 6 months or longer

The following cannot bring dependants:

• Undergraduate or postgraduate Masters students not in receipt of a Government award towards their studies
• Pre-sessional students holding a conditional offer for their Undergraduate / Masters / PhD course will not be able to bring family members to the UK under the Student Visa route for the pre-sessional course
• Students studying on a part-time course that meets the Student Visa requirements

If your dependents wish to visit for up to six months only, they may wish to come as visitors. Please note, however, that it is not possible to switch from a visitor visa into a Points Based System dependant visa or any other visa from within the UK.

Who can be your dependant

• Spouse or civil partner
• An unmarried partner of a minimum 2 years
• Your child if they are under 18 years old

If you wish to bring your children, both parents need to be coming to the UK (your spouse or partner needs to join on the dependant visa).

An exception to this might apply if the other parent has died, or you have ‘sole parental responsibility’ and sole custody for the child confirmed by the Court.

Supporting documents needed for dependants

• Valid passport for each dependant
• Evidence of sufficient funds
• Evidence of relationship to student (birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc.)
• If an unmarried partner, then you will need to show evidence of living together for at least 2 years
• TB test certificate if applicable
• Valid UK immigration permission (BRP) if applying from inside the UK
• Official translations if any documents are not in English

Further information on supporting documents for dependants can be found on the GOV.uk.

Financial requirements

You must have a certain amount of money available for each of your dependants. The amount will depend on where you will be studying.

• £845 per month dependant (for up to 9 months) if you study in London
• £680 per month dependant (for up to 9 months) if you study outside of London

The dependants can apply for their visas at the same time as you, which means that you (as the student) will have to prove you have money to pay for your tuition fees and living expenses, and additional money to support each of your dependants. Your spouse/partner can use their own funds to meet the financial requirements if necessary.

All required funds must be in the bank account for at least 28 consecutive days, and the bank statement cannot be older than 31 days on the day of the visa application.

Application fee

When submitting the dependant visa application, an application fee applies.

Each person will have to pay:

• £490 for the visa (outside the UK) or £490 (inside the UK)
• IHS fee (Immigration Health Surcharge)

Each dependant will need to have their biometric information taken. That will include their fingerprints and a photo.

There might be an option to pay extra for Priority or Super Priority visa service.

Applying outside the UK

Your partner and children must either:

• apply online as your partner outside the UK
• apply online as your child outside the UK

They’ll need your visa application number - you get it when you apply. This number is called a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN). You’ll find it on emails and letters from the Home Office about your application.

As part of their application, they’ll need to have their fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application center (to get a biometric residence permit).

They’ll have to collect their biometric residence permit within 10 days of when they said they’d arrive in the UK.

They may be able to pay to get their visa faster or use other services depending on which country they’re in - check with the visa application center.

If their application is successful, their visa will end on the same date as yours.

Applying within the UK

Your partner or child can apply to extend or switch their visa either:

• At the same time as you apply to extend or switch your own visa
• At any time before their current visa expires

This includes children who have turned 18 during your stay.

It is important to be aware that if your partner or child joins you in the UK on a different visa category, they might not be able to switch to the Dependant visa from inside the UK.

Your partner or child cannot switch in the UK if they have one of the following visas:

• a visitor visa
• a short-term study visa
• a Parent or Child Student visa
• a seasonal worker visa
• a domestic worker in a private household visa

Graduate Route dependants

You can have family members as dependants on your Graduate Route visa, however, they must have already been granted leave as your Student Dependant at the time you apply for the Graduate Route, and you must apply together from inside the UK.

They cannot switch to be your dependant after you have been granted the Graduate Visa.

Working on a dependant visa

Dependants who are over 16 years of age can work full-time. There are no restrictions on the type of work they choose to do, with a few exceptions:

• they cannot work as a professional sportsperson
• they cannot work professionally as a doctor or dentist in training

A dependant can stay in the UK only with the primary Student visa holder and for as long as their visa is valid.