⚠️ Important Payment Notice: Please note that all UK Government fees—including the Visa Application Fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)—must be paid online using a valid Debit Card or Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express) during the final steps of your online application submission. Alternative payment methods like net banking, UPI, or direct cash transfers are not accepted by UKVI. Please ensure your card has a sufficient limit and is enabled for international transactions before proceeding.
This comprehensive guide covers the eligibility criteria, strict relationship and financial guidelines, mandatory documentation, and procedural steps for individuals applying to join a primary visa holder under the Skilled Worker route.
1. Main Applicant Sponsorship Restrictions
Before preparing an application, confirm that the main visa holder is legally permitted to sponsor dependants under the current framework:
- Standard Skilled Workers: Generally permitted to bring dependants if their job is sponsored at RQF Level 6 (degree level) or above.
- Health and Care Workers: Care workers and senior care workers (SOC codes 6145/6146) are not permitted to bring or sponsor dependants unless they have been continuously employed on a valid Health and Care Worker visa since before March 11, 2024.
2. Detailed Relationship Criteria
The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) enforces precise parameters to verify that a family unit is genuine and subsisting.
A. Spouses and Civil Partners
- Age: Both the main applicant and the dependant must be at least 18 years old on the date of application.
- Legality: The marriage or civil partnership must be legally recognized in the country where it took place and must not breach UK laws (e.g., proxy marriages are heavily scrutinized and usually rejected unless legal in that jurisdiction).
- Intention: Both parties must intend to live together continuously in the UK.
B. Unmarried Partners
- Duration: The relationship must have been genuine and subsisting for at least 2 years.
- Note: Formal, unbroken cohabitation for 2 full years remains the strongest proof, though under current rules, flexible evidence showing a durable relationship (e.g., shared responsibilities, joint holidays, joint financial commitments) can be accepted if living together was not possible due to work or legal restrictions.
C. Dependent Children
- Age Limit: The child must be under 18 at the time of application. If they are 16 or over, they must prove they are not leading an independent life (e.g., they cannot be married, in a civil partnership, or living away from the family home unless in full-time higher education).
- Parental Custody (Sole Responsibility): Both parents must be moving to or already residing lawfully in the UK. If only one parent is coming to the UK, that parent must demonstrate sole legal responsibility for the child's upbringing, or show compelling, compassionate reasons why the child must accompany them.
3. Financial (Maintenance) Framework
Applicants must prove they can sustain themselves without accessing UK public funds. The funds required are separate from, and in addition to, the main applicant’s requirements.
Partner/Spouse = ÂŁ285
First Dependent Child = ÂŁ315
Each Additional Child = ÂŁ200
Meeting the Financial Criteria
- The 28-Day Rule: If providing personal bank statements, the total required balance must have been held in the account for a minimum of 28 consecutive days. The closing balance date on the statement must fall within 31 days of the online application submission date.
- Exemptions: Financial paperwork is completely bypassed if:
- The dependant has already been lawfully residing in the UK on a valid visa for 12 months or longer.
- The main applicant’s employer is an A-rated sponsor and certifies maintenance on the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) by ticking the appropriate boxes to guarantee family maintenance for the first month.
4. Comprehensive Checklist of Supporting Documents
Identity & General Forms
- Valid Passport: Must have at least one blank page for the visa vignette (if biometrics are done in person).
- Main Applicant Data: The main applicant’s CoS number, passport copy, and current UK visa status/BRP (if they are already in the UK).
- Tuberculosis (TB) Certificate: A valid clearance certificate from a UKVI-approved clinic if applying from a country on the Home Office TB-testing mandate list.
Proof of Relationship (Evidential Standards)
- For Spouses: Official marriage certificate accompanied by circumstantial proof if requested (e.g., wedding photo albums, shared travel bookings).
- For Unmarried Partners (Minimum 3-4 separate sources): Joint tenancy agreements, joint mortgage statements, official correspondence (utility bills, bank accounts, government letters) addressed to both parties at the same address.
- For Children: Full birth or adoption certificates displaying the names of both parents.
Public Sector & Safety Cleanses
- Criminal Record Certificate: Mandatory if the main applicant is sponsored in sensitive sectors (e.g., healthcare, social work, primary/secondary education). Dependants must provide a clean police clearance certificate from any country they have resided in for an aggregate of 12 months or more over the last 10 years.
- Certified Translations: Every document not written in English or Welsh must include a professional translation detailing the translator's credentials, date, and confirmation of accuracy.
5. Application Process & Associated Costs
- Online Application: Each dependant fills out an individual online form linked to the main applicant’s Global Web Form (GWF) or Unique Application Number (UAN).
- Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): Paid online during the application. The standard rate is ÂŁ1,035 per year for adult dependants and ÂŁ776 per year for dependent children under 18.
- Visa Application Fees: Varies based on the main applicant's occupation code and whether the visa duration is under or over 3 years.
- Identity Verification: Done either digitally via the UK Immigration: ID Check smartphone app (for eligible passports) or in-person by scheduling an appointment at a local Visa Application Centre (VFS Global/TLScontact) to submit biometric data.
Once approved, dependants receive their digital eVisa
