You can enter or remain in the United Kingdom with a Skilled Worker visa if you have a job offer from an approved employer. But what about your family? When can they apply?

Your partner and children

If they meet the requirements, your dependents, such as a spouse or minor children, can apply to join you in the UK or remain there. The applicants must submit individual forms.

In that case, their visa expiration date will coincide with yours. It means that if their application is successful, their visa will end on the same date as yours.

It is possible to apply at the same time when you, the Main Applicant, submits your application or after your visa is granted.

Your relationship

Any of the following counts as a dependent partner or child:

• Whether it’s your spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner,
• child over the age of 18 if they are currently in the UK as a dependant; child under the age of 18 if they were born in the UK during your stay
• You’ll need to provide evidence of your relationship when you apply.

Your partner

You must be able to prove that either:

• you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK
• you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply

If your child is over 16 years old

They must:

• live with you (unless they’re in full-time education at boarding school, college or university)
• not be married, in a civil partnership or have any children
• be financially supported by you

• be a part of your household (unless they are away at boarding school, college, or university).
• not be living in a married or civil-partnership relationship or supporting any children

In order to prove that your child resides with you, you must submit proof of residence, such as

• bills from the bank, credit cards, and the car’s registration
• Proof of enrollment in a university or college is required for NHS registration.
• Need-based living expenses funding is what they require
• During their time in the UK, your partner and children will need access to a certain amount of funds.

Money they need to support themselves

During their time in the UK, your partner and children will need access to a certain amount of funds.

You (or your kid) are going to require:

• Your spouse will only cost you £285.
• Single-child costs of £315
• The cost of each additional child is £200.
• You’ll need £600 to bring your partner and one child over to the UK ($870): £285 for your partner and £315 for your child.

Apply from outside the UK

If you want to apply on your own behalf, you’ll also need to have £1,270 in liquid assets.

You, your spouse, or your dependent must have had access to the funds for a minimum of 28 consecutive days. You or they must apply for this visa no more than 31 days before Day 28.

When applying, you’ll typically need to provide evidence of this unless:

• After you and your family have been in the UK for 12 months on a valid visa, or
• your employer may pay for some of your living expenses for the first month you are there. This must be stated on your certificate of sponsorship.

However, if your spouse or child is applying at a later date, they only need to show they have enough money to support themselves for the duration of their stay in the UK (less than a year).

Family members must apply for visas individually and pay the visa fee.

In addition, they’ll need the application number you receive after submitting your application. A GWF is a Global Web Form or UAN, which stands for “Unique Application Number” (UAN). Emails and letters regarding your application from the Home Office will contain this information.

Establishing their identity

Your spouse/dependent(s), as well as yourself, will be required to submit identity documentation as part of the application process.

They’ll either…

Obtain a biometric residence permit by having one’s fingerprints and photo taken at a visa application centre Scan one’s identity document using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app Register for or log into one’s UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account
When they apply, they will be given further instructions.

Schedule an appointment if they insist on it:

It’s possible they’ll need to send their passport and supporting documents to the visa application centre, and then make a special trip to pick them up after the application has been processed (this could be in another country)

How long does it take to receive the decision

Once they’ve applied online, proved their identity and provided their documents, they’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.

They may be able to pay to get a faster decision but the Home Office will confirm this if they can when they apply.

Contact us:

If you want to instruct me, please email donm@queensparksolicitors.co.uk or call us on 0203 643 7508.