The Tier 2 Dependent visa allows family members of those already in the UK on an eligible work visa (previously Tier 2 visa) to come and join them.
For more skilled worker dependant guidance, including how you could become eligible for it and for help when submitting your application, reach out to one of our immigration advisers today, or contact us online.
The Tier 2 Dependent visa is a visa that allows certain dependent family members of Tier 2 visa holders to travel to the UK and join them.
This visa route is also available to those who hold settled status through indefinite leave to remain or British citizenship and previously held a Tier 2 (or equivalent) visa.
Note that UK Tier 2 visas are now closed for new applicants and have been replaced by the Skilled Worker visa and the Health & Care Worker visa. Because of this, the Tier 2 Dependent visa is also known by the following names:
However, the requirements for all of these visas are all broadly the same.
In order to be eligible for a Tier 2 Dependent Visa, you and your family members must fulfil the following eligibility criteria:
As previously mentioned, UK Tier 2 visas are closed to new applicants and have been replaced by a new set of visas.
However, people still in the UK on these old Tier 2 visas are still eligible to bring their dependents to the UK. These include the following visas:
Foreign nationals who have entered the UK on one of the new replacement visas are also eligible to bring their dependent family members. These include:
An eligible Tier 2 or Skilled Worker visa holder may bring the following family members to the UK to join them:
Tier 2 or Skilled Worker visa holders must provide proof that the relationship with their family members is genuine as part of their application.
In order for you to come to the UK on a Tier 2 Dependent visa, you must provide proof of your relationship in order to satisfy the Home Office that your relationship is genuine.
For example, this may take the form of a valid marriage or civil partnership certificate if you wish to bring your partner or spouse to the UK. Marriages and civil partnerships must be legally recognised in the UK for you to be eligible for this visa.
For unmarried partners, you must provide compelling proof that you have been in a relationship with your partner for at least 2 years. This may be in the form of documents such as tenancy agreements, or shared utility bills.
If the Tier 2 Dependent visa is for a child under the age of 18, proof must be provided that the child is dependent on either you or your partner or spouse. This is to satisfy the rule that only dependent family members can be eligible for this visa.
In addition, proof must be provided to show that the child is not married or in a civil partnership, does not have children of their own and they live (or will live) with you full-time, unless they live away from home as part of their education.
Tier 2 Dependent visa holders have no recourse to public funds in the UK, which means that they cannot claim any benefits.
As a result, you will need to provide adequate proof that your family member in the UK will be able to financially support you throughout your stay when you come to the UK (or that you have access to such funds).
The minimum financial requirements are as follows:
You or your family member will need to demonstrate that you have had these funds available to you for 28 of the 31 days prior to the date of application for the visa. You may do this by providing a recent, up-to-date copy of your bank account statement.
Note that you won’t need to provide proof that you meet the financial requirements if either of the following apply:
It is important that you and your partner have adequate accommodation for your family in the UK. This can be:
As a general rule, an apartment with one room with a shared bed is sufficient for a couple. Nevertheless, your house must have an additional bedroom for each of your children over the age of one.
If you need support with your spouse visa application, we have offices based in London and Blackburn, as well as many other locations across the UK.
It is important that you and your partner have adequate accommodation for your family in the UK. This can be:
As a general rule, an apartment with one room with a shared bed is sufficient for a couple. Nevertheless, your house must have an additional bedroom for each of your children over the age of one.
If you need support with your spouse visa application, we have offices based in London and Blackburn, as well as many other locations across the UK.
Reach out to us for more information or to see how we can help you?
To qualify for a Spouse Visa UK, need to meet the following requirements:
Some of the documents you will need to provide include:
If you feel you cannot provide any of these documents, seek the advice of one of our expert family immigration lawyers.
This will depend on how you choose to submit your Spouse Visa application. The application could take as little as two weeks if you apply from within the UK using the Premium Service Centre.
It is important to note that you may not always be eligible to apply for a Spouse Visa from within the country, as this depends on what kind of visa you are already holding. If you apply for a Spouse Visa from outside of the UK, you may also be able to use a premium service from within your home country. However, this may still take longer than two weeks as using the service will only push your application to the front of the queue.
Your application could take up to 12 weeks if extra checks are required or it’s not immediately apparent whether you meet the visa requirements. Processing times for a Spouse Visa may also vary depending on which country you submit your UK Spouse Visa application form.
It costs £1,523 to submit a Spouse Visa application from abroad. If you are applying from within the UK, you will be charged £1,033.
Nevertheless, there are several additional costs involved with this visa application, such as:
A Fiance Visa lasts for six months; during this time, you will be expected to get married in the UK and switch to a Spouse Visa from your Fiance visa if you wish to remain here.
If you apply from outside the UK, your first Spouse Visa will be issued for 33 months. After this, you will be expected to apply for a spouse visa extension.
This will be valid for a further 30 months. After this time, if you are still eligible, you will be able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. If you apply from inside the UK, your first Spouse Visa will be issued for 30 months followed by an extension visa of 30 months.
Yes, you can work on a spouse visa once you are in the UK. However, you cannot work on a six-month Fiance Visa. Once you are married, you will be able to switch to a Spouse Visa, and this will allow you to work. If you wish to work in the UK, you can apply for a different permit, such as the visa for skilled employees.
Our expert lawyers are available to advise you on the Spouse Visa requirements. Through our service, we will check that you are eligible for a Partner Visa and make sure that you have enough evidence to prove your relationship is genuine to the Home Office. Your lawyer will help to prepare everything to need for the Spouse Visa application process and fully manage and complete your application for you.
The many different categories of the Partner Visa are similar, but understanding which one is right for you can be challenging.
We Manage Your Visas can provide you with an experienced lawyer to assist with your application and help you understand the different options available to you.
Our services include:
Call us or contact us online to start your application or to get more information on the requirements and process.
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