UK family visas
UK dependant visa: join your partner or parent on a work or study visa
A dependant visa is for the partner or child of someone who holds a UK work or study visa. It is not the same as a spouse visa, which is for the partner of a British or settled person.
- Who applies
- Partner and children under 18
- Linked to
- The main visa holder's visa
- Rules
- Differ by route and change often
Who it suits
Is this visa for you?
- A partner or child of a Skilled Worker or other work-visa holder
- A partner or child of a Student visa holder who is allowed to bring dependants
- Families moving together to the UK for work or study
The basics
What the UK looks for
- The main visa holder is on a route that allows dependants
- Proof of your relationship to the main visa holder
- For some routes, proof of funds for each dependant
- Children must be under 18 and, in general, unmarried and living with you
A summary of the published rules. The full rules have more conditions, and they change. GOV.UK: Student visa family members
Take care
Where cases go wrong
- Student visa holders can bring dependants only on certain courses, such as government-sponsored courses over 6 months and postgraduate research courses
- A partner of a British citizen needs a spouse visa, not a dependant visa
- Dependant rules have changed in recent years, so old advice can be wrong
Your case has details a web page cannot cover.
A consultation tells you where you stand, and what to do first.
Book a consultationFAQs
Dependant visa questions
I am married to a UK citizen. Do I apply as a dependant?
No. If your partner is British, Irish or settled in the UK, you apply for the spouse or partner visa instead.
Can I bring my partner on a Student visa?
Only if your course qualifies, for example a government-sponsored course longer than 6 months or a postgraduate research course. Most one-year taught masters degrees do not qualify.
Let's map your global pathway
A first consultation covers eligibility, realistic timelines, total cost and the tax consequences of the move. You leave with a written plan, not a brochure.