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Applying for a Student dependant visa
Some students are eligible to bring dependants to the UK. This section is designed to help you prepare for a student dependant visa application.
You should read the GOV.UK website and the student dependant sections in the Student Route caseworker guidance for full details on applying with dependants. You can also find more information on the UKCISA website.
Current UEL students wanting to invite dependants to the UK, should refer to the Dependant Visa on the intranet for further information.
Who are dependants?
Your partner and children are the only family members that can apply for a student dependant visa.
Your partner can be:
- Your husband
- Your wife
- Your civil partner
- Your unmarried partner, or same-sex partner
Your children must be:
- Aged less than 18 years old when they apply OR,
- Aged 18 or over only if they are already in the UK as a dependant child and are extending their dependant visa.
Your children must not have formed an independent family unit or be leading an independent life, and they must not intend to do so when they are in the UK.
When bringing dependant children to the UK, both parents must either be in the UK, or, coming to the UK with the children at the same time. In exceptional circumstances can one parent come to the UK alone, such as when the child’s other parent is not alive, or if you have sole responsibility of the child’s upbringing, or if there are serious or compelling reasons. You would be required to provide evidence with the student dependant visa application. Please see UKCISA for further information.
Who is eligible to bring dependants to the UK?
You can only bring dependants to the UK if you have or, are applying for a student visa and
- Your course is at least 9 months in length at postgraduate level or at RQF level 7 or above or,
- You are government sponsored to study a full-time course at least 6 months in length.
The following documents must be submitted to support the student dependant visa application.
Passport
Your dependant(s) must submit a valid passport in support of their visa application. Their passport will need at least one full page that is blank on both sides.
Tuberculosis (TB) test certificate
Your dependant will need to take a TB test and submit their TB test certificate with their visa application, if they are coming to the UK for more than six months and they have been living for at least six months in one of the countries specified by by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) on their website.
The test must be taken at a TB test clinic that has been approved by UKVI. The test will involve having a chest x-ray and if their test shows that they do not have TB, they will be issued with a certificate which is valid for six months. They must include this certificate in support of their visa application.
Proof of relationship
Partner
A marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate showing the relationship between you and your partner. If you are married or in a civil partnership, your dependant should provide the marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate. The application also requires your dependant to provide 'evidence the relationship is subsisting'. UKVI advise providing official documents as evidence you are living together.
If you are not married, your dependant will need to provide evidence that you have been living together in a relationship similar to marriage for at least two years. Only official documents will only be considered, and they will need to cover the minimum two-year period in full. For example, you may use bank statements, utility bills or tenancy agreements, that show you have been living at the same address.
Children
A birth certificate or government registration certificate showing the relationship between you and your child.
Children aged 16 and over at the time of application will need to submit two different documents demonstrating that they have not formed an independent family unit or be leading an independent life e.g. NHS registration document, letter from their educational institution confirming their address or bank statements. Please see page 107 of the Student route caseworker guidance for further information.
Financial documents
The student dependant visa application requirements are very strict, it is important to ensure their financial documents contain all the required information.
Please refer to the tab 'Financial requirements' for more information.
Police Registration certificate (if applicable)
If your dependants most recent immigration permission has (or had) the condition to register with the police, they must submit their up-to-date police registration certificate with their student dependant visa application. For further information visit the UKCISA website and the Metropolitan Police website.
Translations
If your dependants documents are not in English, they will need to submit the document in their language and include a fully certified translation by a professional translator or translation company of these documents.
The translation must provide the following:
- A statement from the translator or translation company confirming that it is an accurate translation of the original document
- The date of the translation
- The translator or an official of the translation company's full name and signature and,
- The translator or translation company's contact details.
Student Status letter
This only applies if you are a current enrolled student and your dependants are applying for a student dependant visa at a later stage. Please refer to the Dependant visa guidance on the intranet for further information.
As part of the student dependant visa application dependants must have enough funds to cover living costs in the UK.
How much maintenance must my dependants show?
Your dependants are required to show £845 for each month of the visa duration, up to a maximum of nine months. This is a total of £7,605 per dependant if the visa will be granted for 9 months or more (9 x £845).
Living in the UK for longer than 12 months
If your dependants have lived in the UK with a visa for 12 months or more by the date they submit the visa application, and they submit the visa application inside the UK, they will meet the funds requirements and not need to submit evidence of funds with the visa application. They should still prepare the funds in case they are required to submit as part of a random selection.
Differentiation arrangement
If you and your dependant(s) are applying at the same time and are both nationals of one of the below countries, you will qualify for the differentiation arrangements for 'low-risk applicants'.
Australia, Bahrain, Barbados, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, The Dominican Republic, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Macau SAR, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, New Zealand, Oman, Peru, Qatar, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, British National Overseas, plus EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals.
Please see paragraph 22 of Appendix ST of the Immigration Rules.
This means you and your dependants will not need to submit financial evidence with your visa application if you are applying at the same time.
Evidence of funds/ bank accounts
Your dependants can show they have the required funds in a variety of formats. For example, your dependants could submit a bank statement, bank letter, passbook or fixed deposit certificate.
The funds can be held in either your name, your dependant’s name or in the case of dependant children their other parent's name.
The financial documentation must show that the required level of funds have been held for a minimum consecutive 28 day period. This means that the funds must not have dropped below the amount that your dependants need to show at any time during the 28 day period. This amount your dependants need to show should remain in your account until your visa has been issued to you. In addition, the financial document must not be more than 31 days old on the date you submit your visa application.
If you are in receipt of official financial sponsorship from either a government or international company which covers the living costs of any dependants, a letter from the sponsor confirming this can be submitted to meet the financial requirements. The letter would need to confirm the amount they are providing to cover the living costs for any dependants. If it does not cover the full amount required, additional financial documentation would need to be provided to cover the shortfall.
More information can be found in GOV.UK website the and in the Financial Requirement Caseworker Guidance.
Before your dependants start their student dependant visa application, they should make sure they are familiar with the requirements.
The more prepared they are before making their visa application the less risk there is of making a mistake. In order to become more familiar with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requirements they should read advice from the UKCISA website.
They should also read the Home Office Student and Child Student Guidance before applying for their student dependant visa.
How do my dependants apply for a dependant visa?
The student dependant visa application is online. Your dependants can make their online application once they have prepared all the required documents.
Applying outside the UK
Each dependant must complete a separate application online at the GOV.UK website.
In most countries, as part of the online application an appointment is booked to attend the visa application centre to enrol biometrics (have your fingerprints and facial image taken) and submit supporting documents.
The visa application fee is currently £363 for each dependant application. Dependants are also required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) which is charged at £470 per year for the duration the visa will be valid. More information on the visa application fees can be found on the GOV.UK website.
Most dependants will receive a single entry visa in their passport and will collect their Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) from a Post Office upon arrival to the UK.
EEA and Swiss nationals who have used the ID check app will be granted a digital status so will not be issued with a BRP.
Applying inside the UK
Dependants applying at the same time as you should use this online application form.
Dependant partners applying later than you should use this online application form.
Dependant children applying later than you should use this online application form.
If your dependants are in the UK they should check their current visa allows them to switch to student dependant in the UK by visiting the GOV.UK website. Any dependant applying for a student dependant visa application from within the UK must make the application before their current visa expires.
The visa application fee is currently £490 for each dependant application. Dependants are also required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) which is charged at £470 per year for the duration the visa will be valid. More information on the visa application fees can be found on the GOV.UK website.