More

Dependant visa (outside the UK)

This information relates to making a dependant partner/spouse/child visa application from outside of the UK.

Note: students joining courses after 1 January 2024 can only bring dependants if they are government sponsored, or studying PhD/other doctoral qual/research-based higher degree.

Who can bring dependants to the UK

You must be one of the following:

  • a postgraduate student studying a research based degree or PhD of 9 months or longer.
  • a new government-sponsored student on a course that lasts longer than 6 months

Your relationship

A dependant partner or child is one of the following:

  • your husband, wife or civil partner
  • your unmarried partner
  • your child under 18 years old - including if they were born in the UK during your stay

You’ll need to provide evidence of your relationship if you are applying for the first time, for example:

  • a marriage or civil partnership certificate for your partner
  • a birth certificate for your child

For dependant children, both parents must each be either applying at the same time as the applicant or have permission to be in the UK (other than as a visitor), unless the parent with permission as a Student or as the partner of a Student is the sole surviving parent, or the parent with permission as a Student or as the partner of a Student has sole responsibility for the child’s upbringing, or there are serious and compelling reasons to grant the child entry clearance with the parent who has permission as a Student or as the partner of a Student.

If your child is 16 or 17

If your child is 16 or 17 on the date you apply you’ll need to prove they are not living an independent life, for example they’re not married or in a civil partnership.

You’ll need to prove:

  • where they live - if they do not live with you, you’ll need to explain why
  • any rent or upkeep they pay you each month
  • that you support them financially if they do not live with you

If your child lives with you, you’ll need to provide 2 of the following documents confirming their address:

  • a bank statement
  • credit card bills
  • driving licence
  • NHS registration document
  • an official letter from their university or college

Funds required for living costs (maintenance)

Your partner and child must each have a certain amount of money available to them. This is in addition to the money you must have to support yourself.

They will need to show financial evidence for £680.00 a month up to a maximum of 9 months.

If you’re applying at the same time as your partner or child (you’re applying together as a family), you’ll need to prove you have both money to pay for your course and to support yourself as well as additional money for each of them.

If your partner or child is applying at a different time to you (they’re applying separately) they only need to prove they have money to support themselves.

You (or your partner or child) must have this money for at least 28 consecutive days. The end date of the 28 day period must be within 31 days of the date they apply for their visa.

If you have financial sponsorship, you’ll need to provide evidence from your financial sponsor in the form of a letter from them. If this does not cover your partner or child, you’ll need to prove you have money to support them instead.

If you and your partner or child are from a country listed under the ‘differential evidence requirement’ and you’re applying at the same time, they do not need to provide evidence they have money to support themselves. However, they might be asked to provide this evidence before they get a decision on their application. If they do need to provide it, they’ll be contacted by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) after they’ve submitted their application.

Documents required

As part of the online application process, your partner or child will be requested to;

  • Confirm your details as the main applicant
  • Enter your Student visa and course information
  • Enter the CAS number which would have been issued to you by DMU when you made your Student visa application

This should then ensure that their visa application will be assigned with yours and be granted the same visa end date as you.

 

Examples of supporting documents that may be required 

  • Passport
  • Marriage Certificate/Proof of relationship
  • Financial documentation (bank statements/bank letter etc)
  • If financially sponsored by a government or international business for example, they will need to include an official financial sponsorship letter
  • Translations of any documents that are not in English or Welsh as well as the original documents
  • Provide a Tuberculosis (TB) test (if required to provide this, you can check this here)

 

Apply online

Your partner or child will need to apply online.

They’ll need your 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 Centre (VAC) this will be used to produce their Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). 

They will have to collect their BRP within 10 days of when they said they’d arrive in the UK which they will be asked to confirm in their visa application.

They may be able to pay to get their visa faster or use other services depending on which country they’re in, you can check this with the visa application centre you will be applying at.

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

Fees

Each person will need to pay £490.00 for the visa application fee

They will have to pay an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) in order to be able to access National Health Service (NHS) services in the UK. From 6 February 2024, IHS is charged at £776.00 per year (£388.00 per half year)  - check how much they’ll have to pay.