Skilled Worker Dependent Visa

Why you need a Skilled Worker Dependent Visa?

The Skilled Worker Dependent visa allows certain dependent family members of Skilled Worker visa holders to travel to the UK and join them. Each dependent must apply separately for a dependent visa either as a ‘partner’ or a ‘child’ of the sponsor. 

This visa route is also available to those who hold settled status through Indefinite Leave to Remain or British citizenship and previously held a Skilled Worker Visa.

Key Facts – Skilled Worker Dependent Visa

Which Dependent Family Members are Eligible?

An eligible Skilled Worker Visa holder may bring the following family members to the UK to join them:

• Spouse or civil partner
• Unmarried partners (must have been together for at least two years)
• Children aged under 18 at the time of application (including those born in the UK during the period of visa validity)
• Children over 18 (only if currently in the UK as the primary visa holder’s dependent)

Skilled Worker Visa holders must prove that the relationship with their family members is genuine as part of their application.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

In order to be eligible for a Skilled Worker Dependent Visa, you and your family members must fulfil the following eligibility criteria:

• Your spouse, partner or parent must be in the UK on a valid, eligible Skilled Worker visa, or have indefinite leave to remain or British citizenship and previously have held a Skilled Worker visa.
• You must be one of the eligible family members as listed in the Skilled Worker Dependent Visa application requirements
• You must pass the general UK grounds for admission, including having a clear immigration history with no immigration violations or transgressions.
• You must not intend to stay in the UK when and if your own UK visa expires

If you are applying to join your partner or spouse in the UK:

• You both must be over 18 at the time of application
• You must be in a marriage or civil partnership legally recognised in the UK
• If not in a marriage or civil partnership, you must have been living for at least two years together before the date of application
• You must be in a genuine and subsisting relationship and intend to live together for the duration of your visa stays
• Children over 16 must be financially dependent on you or your spouse or partner
• You must meet the minimum financial requirements
• You must not have held any of the previous visas:
  • UK Visitor Visa
  • Short-term Study Visa on or after April 2015
  • Parent of a Child Student Visa on or after April 2015

Eligible Dependent Family Members & Key Conditions

What Can I Do With a Skilled Worker Dependent Visa?

You will be able to do the following with a Skilled Worker Dependent visa:

• Stay in the UK for the same period of time as your family member’s own Skilled Worker  (or equivalent) visa
• Work, with some specific exceptions
• Study or take a postgraduate course, with some exceptions
• Extend your visa along with your family member’s Skilled Worker (or equivalent) visa, as long as they also continue to meet eligibility requirements
• Apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain if you’ve been in the UK for at least 5 years and your family member also qualifies, or has previously successfully applied for settlement

You will not be able to do the following:

• Claim benefits or access public funds
• Work as any of the following:
  • A doctor or dentist in training
  • A professional sportsperson
  • A professional sports coach

What Are the Financial Requirements for the Skilled Worker Dependent Visa?

Skilled Worker or Dependent Visa holders have no recourse to public funds in the UK, meaning they cannot claim any benefits. As a result, you must provide adequate proof that your family member in the UK can 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:

• £285 for a partner
• £315 for one child
• £200 for each additional child

You or your family member will need to demonstrate that you have had these funds available to you for 28 of the 31 days before the visa application date. You can provide 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:

• You (the dependent family member) and your family member have been in the UK on a valid visa for 12 months already, or
• Your family member’s employer can cover your costs for your first month in the UK
  • This must be stated on the certificate of sponsorship you received from your family member’s employer when they first applied for their initial visa

Contact our immigration experts for assistance with your Skilled Worker Dependent Visa application today.

New Skill & Occupation Thresholds (Effective 22 July 2025)

The government has introduced new minimum skill levels for Skilled Worker sponsorship. As of 22 July 2025, only roles at RQF Level 6 or higher qualify to bring dependents under the Skilled Worker route.

This means that medium-skilled roles, including care workers and similar positions, no longer provide a valid basis to sponsor dependents.

However, there are important transitional protections. If you were sponsored in a medium-skilled or care role before the cut-off date, you may still be able to extend your visa and sponsor dependents under the previous rules. The exemption only applies if you have maintained continuous lawful status in the same role and with an eligible sponsor.

Higher Income Thresholds and Financial Requirements

The income requirement for family visas has already increased, and many experts expect similar financial thresholds to apply to Skilled Worker dependents in the future.

For now, main applicants must meet a salary requirement of £41,700 or the ‘going rate’ for their job, whichever is higher. Dependants should prepare for the possibility of rising financial demands in future applications, especially if applying for further leave to remain or settlement.

Families considering applying should plan early, review financial evidence, and ensure they apply ahead of or are prepared for additional cost increases.

How Can I Satisfy the Genuine Relationship Requirement?

To come to the UK as a skilled worker dependent, you must provide proof of your relationship to satisfy the Home Office that your relationship is genuine.

For example, if you wish to bring your partner or spouse to the UK, this may take the form of a valid marriage or civil partnership certificate. 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 two years. This may be in the form of documents such as tenancy agreements or shared utility bills.

If the Skilled Worker Dependent visa is for a child under 18, proof must be provided that the child depends on 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 lives (or will live) with you full-time, unless they live away from home as part of their education.

What Are the Requirements For Dependent Children?

There are different rules and guidelines for dependent children, most of which depend on individual circumstances and family setups.

To qualify as a dependent child for a Skilled Worker Dependent visa, one of the following must apply:

• The entire family is applying to the Home Office for visas, such as one parent for a Skilled Worker visa (or equivalent) and the rest as dependents.
• Both parents are in the UK, with one or both of them under an eligible Tier 2 (or equivalent) visa, and the child is applying to join them as a dependent from abroad
• One parent is in the UK under an eligible Tier 2 (or equivalent) visa, while the other is applying together with the child from abroad to join as a dependent

However, note that exemptions may apply to the above if any of the following apply:

• Only one parent is alive
• Only one parent holds sole responsibility for the child
• There are serious, compassionate or compelling considerations that need to be considered

If any of these circumstances apply, you must supply additional documentation or proof with your application to prove that these apply to you.

Note that if the child applying lives with the Skilled Worker (or equivalent) visa holder, they must provide evidence of the child’s address through documents such as a bank statement, driving licence, NHS registration document or an official letter from their university or college.

Dependent Visa – Eligibility Requirements

Cost of a UK Skilled Worker Dependent Visa

The cost of a UK Skilled Worker Dependent Visa is the same as the cost of the Skilled Worker Visa, including associated costs.

Skilled Worker Dependent Visa fee: The standard fee ranges from £819 to £1,618 depending on circumstances. That means, the amount that your sponsor, the original Skilled Worker Visa applicant, paid to secure their visa for the duration of their time in the UK, is the amount you are expected to pay per dependent for a UK Skilled Worker Dependent visa. Your visa will run for the same length as they have remaining on theirs. 

In addition to paying the full visa fee, dependents are required to pay the mandatory IHS fee or UK Health Surcharge allowing access to the National Health Service (NHS). 

UK Health Surcharge: £1035 per year for adults, and £776 for children.

Further financial conditions also apply relating to the funds available during your time in the UK as a dependent. 

Priority & Super Priority Processing

Applicants now have the option to speed up their visa decisions using Priority and Super Priority services.

• Priority Service – an additional fee of £500. Processing is normally completed within 5 working days.
• Super Priority Service – an additional fee of £1,000. A decision is typically made by the end of the next working day if the applicant attends their biometric appointment on time.

These services are not always available in every country or for every type of application, so families should check availability when booking.

How Do I Apply for a Skilled Worker Dependent Visa?

How to Apply From Outside the UK

You must apply for a Skilled Worker Dependent visa online through the Gov.uk website.

To apply for this visa, you will need your family member’s Skilled Worker (or equivalent) visa application number. This number will be provided as either a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN).

You must ensure that you fill in the online application for the visa as accurately as possible. You will also need to upload a range of supporting documents to support your application, such as those that prove that the relationship between you and your family member is genuine.

You may also be required to attend a local UK visa application centre to provide your biometrics information.

Note that the local visa application centre may retain your identity documents, such as your passport while processing your application. You should receive a decision on your application within around three weeks, though this may vary depending on the volume of applications the centre has received at the time and how busy they are.

How to Apply From Inside the UK

You must apply for a Skilled Worker Dependent Visa online through the Gov.uk website.

If you’re already in the UK, you can switch to a Skilled Worker Dependent Visa from your current visa as long as you successfully apply and switch before your current visa expires.

However, note that you will not be able to switch to this visa if you’re currently in the UK under any of the following:

• A Visitor visa
• A Short-term Study visa
• A Parent of a Child Student visa
• A Seasonal Worker visa
• An Overseas Domestic Worker visa
• On immigration bail
• Permission to stay outside the immigration rules, such as on special compelling or compassionate grounds

To apply for this visa, you will need your family member’s application number for their Skilled Worker (or equivalent) visa. This will be in the form of either a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN).

You will need to ensure that you fill in the online application for the visa as accurately as possible. You will also need to upload a range of supporting documents in order to support your application, such as those that prove that the relationship between you and your family member is genuine.

You may also be required to attend a local UK visa application centre in order to give your biometrics information.

Note that you will not be able to leave the UK while your application is being processed. If you do leave before receiving a decision, your application will be withdrawn.

You should receive a decision on your application within around 8 weeks, though this may vary depending on how busy the UK Visas and Immigration service is.

Visa Application: Where to Apply, Process & Typical Timings

Linking Applications & Family Group Codes

When a Skilled Worker and their dependents apply together, it is important to link the applications to avoid delays. This is done by providing the GWF number or UAN number from the main applicant’s visa application.

Family members can also be grouped using a family linking code, which should be submitted to the Home Office at the time of application. This ensures that decisions are made consistently across the family unit.

Exceptional Circumstances & Exemptions

While the new rules are stricter, the Home Office may still grant permission in exceptional or compassionate cases, sometimes referred to as “leave outside the rules.”

Applicants who were sponsored in care worker or medium-skilled roles before 22 July 2025 may also qualify for specific exemptions, provided they have not broken their period of leave and remain in lawful continuous residence.

These exemptions are not automatic and must be supported with clear evidence, including proof of employment and visa history.

ILR Pathway for Dependants

Dependants of Skilled Workers can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) once they have lived lawfully in the UK for five continuous years, or for the same qualifying period as the main applicant if different. Key requirements include:

• Demonstrating continuous residence in the UK with limited absences.
• Meeting the English language and Life in the UK Test requirements (for adult dependants).
• Showing that the main applicant has achieved or retained settlement.
• ILR grants permanent status, allowing dependents to remain in the UK without time restrictions and to work and study freely.

ILR for Dependants – Summary of Key Requirements

Which Other Visas Could Dependents be Eligible for?

UK Tier 2 visas are closed to new applicants and replaced by Skilled Worker Visas. However, people still in the UK on the following Tier 2 visas may be eligible to bring their dependents to the UK:

• Minister of religion
• Sportsperson
• Intracompany Transfer
• Health & Care Worker visa (depending on the exact role of the visa holder as not all occupations permit dependents)

How Can IAS Help?

Travelling to the UK to join your spouse, partner or parent in the UK under a Skilled Worker Dependent visa is a popular choice for many visa applicants.

If you have a family member who is currently in the UK on an eligible work visa and you would like to travel to join them, IAS can help.

We are expert, professional and experienced immigration lawyers with a long and prestigious record of helping visa applicants like yourself successfully apply for UK visas. We offer a full and comprehensive service that can help maximise your success in obtaining a visa to join your family in the UK.

We can assist you in filling out the application form and ensuring that all entries are completed as accurately and fully as possible. We can also help assemble your supporting documents to put forward the most compelling and persuasive case for visa approval as possible, as well as helping you throughout the relocation process after your visa is approved.

For more skilled worker dependant guidance or information about the services we offer, and what we can do for you, reach out to us today to learn more. Call us on +44 (0)333 414 9244 or contact us online.