UK Dependent Visa Guidance for Dependent Partner & Dependent Children under Work, Study and Other Routes

When a principal migrant comes to the UK to work or study, their family often needs to plan in parallel. The Immigration Rules provide for dependent partners and children to accompany or join the lead applicant on most work routes and on some study routes. This article will explain, in practical terms, who can qualify as a dependant, and what to expect during the application process.

Who Counts As A “Dependant”?

For work routes including Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Scale-up, HPI and others, a “dependant” is typically your spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner (usually evidenced by at least two years of durable relationship), and your child under 18 at the date of application (with limited provision for a child over 18 who already has leave as your dependant). These family applications are granted in line with the principal migrant’s permission. 

Child-specific tests, such as living arrangements, “not leading an independent life,” and when one parent is not in the UK, are assessed under Appendix Children and related caseworker guidance. The decision maker will look at parental status, sole responsibility and serious/compelling circumstances where relevant. 

What Differs Route-By-Route?

Which Dependants Can a Skilled Worker Bring to the UK?

Partners and children can usually accompany or join a Skilled Worker, with permission to work (except as a professional sportsperson/coach), study (subject to ATAS where applicable), and remain until the principal migrant’s visa expiry. 

Dependants are NOT permitted for Skilled Workers in the following roles:

(1) care workers and senior care workers, unless they have been employed as a care worker on a Skilled Worker visa before 11 March 2024, and they continue to be sponsored with the same employer or on the same occupation code ; and

(2) medium-skilled occupations unless the worker was already in the UK on Skilled Worker before 22 July 2025 (with limited transitional scenarios).

However, if the applicant is the only living parent responsible for their child, or the child’s other parent is also sponsored for a job listed as ‘medium skilled’, applicants can sponsor only the child to stay in the UK.

Check your Skilled Worker Eligible Occupations and Codes and find out whether your occupation is counted as a higher-skilled occupation.

What is the Maintenance Requirement for Skilled Worker’s Family?

Unless you and your dependants have all been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months, or the employer will cover the family’s first months’ costs in the UK, which must be confirmed on the main applicant’s certificate of sponsorship), the requirement for maintenance is currently £285 for a partner, £315 for the first child and £200 for each additional child, held for 28 days with day 28 within 31 days of application. 

Which Dependants Can a Student Bring to the UK? 

Only government-sponsored students on courses over 6 months or full-time postgraduate research students (RQF7+ research degrees, including PhD) can bring dependants. Taught master’s students starting on or after 1 January 2024 can no longer bring family members, unless government-sponsored.

Financial maintenance for Student dependants is substantially higher and depends on study location (e.g., up to 9 months @ £845/month in London or £680/month outside London), with the usual 28-day funds rule and a 12-month UK-residence exemption

Other Common Work Routes

Most other work routes (e.g., Global Talent, Innovator Founder, High Potential Individual, Scale-up, International Sportsperson, T2 Minister of Religion, Global Business Mobility sub-routes) allow the main visa holder to bring their dependant partners and children. 

Can I switch to Dependent Visas from inside the UK?

You can switch to dependent visa from inside the UK as long as you are not/ you have not last been granted permission: 

• (a) as a Visitor; or
• (b) as a Short-term Student; or
• (c) as a Parent of a Child Student; or
• (d) as a Seasonal Worker; or
• (e) as a Domestic Worker in a Private Household; or
• (f) outside the Immigration Rules.

Dependent Visa Application Evidence and Conditions: What to Expect?

A well-prepared dependant application knits together relationship evidence, living arrangements, finances (where required), and criminal record certificate. Dependant partners are generally allowed to work in any role except as a professional sportsperson/coach; children can study. All are subject to “no recourse to public funds.

For children, Appendix Children criteria must be satisfied, including proof of residence with the parent(s), not being in a marriage/civil partnership, and, where the other parent is not joining the family in the UK, it is important to provide evidence of sole responsibility or compelling circumstances in the best interests of the child.

Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) for a Skilled Worker/Scale-Up/Global Talent/Innovator Founder Dependent Partner and Dependent Child

What Are the Settlement Requirements for a Skilled Worker/Scale-Up/Global Talent/Innovator Founder Dependent Partner?

A partner of a principal migrant on a route-to-settlement work permission, including Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Scale-up, Innovator Founder, may qualify for ILR after completing five years’ continuous residence in the UK (three years for Innovator Founder or certain Global Talent routes) with permission as that person’s dependant. They must meet the following requirements:

• Relationship Requirement
• Qualifying Period Requirement
• Continuous Residence Requirement
• English Language Requirement
• Knowledge of Life in the UK Requirement
• Other Validity and Suitability Requirements

Where the principal migrant settles first, the Home Office will usually grant the partner further limited leave to remain in line with that route so the five-year qualifying period can be completed before applying for ILR.

What Are the Settlement Requirements for a Skilled Worker/Scale-Up/Global Talent/Innovator Founder Dependent Child?

A child can normally apply for settlement at the same time with their parent, or after the parent is settled in the UK, or became a British citizen. The child must have, or most recently have had, permission as the dependant child of the same parent(s) on the relevant route.

In most circumstances, the dependent child must be under the age of 18 on the date of application. A child who is 18 or over can still qualify if their most recent grant of permission was as the principal applicant’s dependent child and they have not married or entered a civil partnership, have not formed an independent family unit, and are not leading an independent life (i.e., they remain part of the parental household and are financially/emotionally supported by the parent(s)).

Unlike dependent partners, dependent children do not usually need to complete a qualifying period if applying in line with a settling parent; however, an adult child will need to meet the same knowledge of life in the UK requirement as an adult applicant.

How Angelov Solicitors can help

We advise employers and individuals across the full range of dependant applications – Skilled Worker (including Health & Care Worker), Global Talent, Scale-up, HPI and permitted Student cases. If you are planning to bring your partner or children, book a one-hour consultation and we will assess your circumstances, set out your options in plain English, and map the next steps within the relevant deadlines.