New 2024 Dependant Visa Requirements | A Complete Legal Guide

dependant visa

Key Points to Takeaways


Understanding which visa categories allow the main applicant to bring their dependents into the UK with them is the first step in planning your family’s move to the UK.


Who Is Allowed To Apply for Dependent Visa In The UK?

Correctly Identifying if you qualify as a dependent is a fundamental point of the application process for a UK Dependent Visa. The UK’s immigration rules are designed to help keep families together, allowing certain members of the visa holder’s family to join or accompany them in the UK.

Partners

Married or Civil Partners: To qualify as a valid dependant via the ‘partner route’, you must be legally married to or in a civil partnership with the main visa holder.
Unmarried Partners: Required to have been living together in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partnership for at least two years.

Child Dependants

Any dependant applicants that are applying as a minor must be under 18 years old to qualify. However, there are additional considerations for children aged 16 and over, who must demonstrate their dependency on the main visa holder.

Adult Dependant Relatives

In certain circumstances, other immediate family members may qualify under the Adult Dependant Relative visa route. This visa is designed and catered for those who need long-term care that can only be provided by a family member in the UK.

Eligibility Criteria for Dependant Visas

Partners Route

  • Married/Civil Partnership or Unmarried Partners living together for at least two years

Child/Minor Route

  • Under 18, with specific requirements for those aged 16 and over

Adult Dependent Relative Visa

  • In specific situations, based on the need for long-term care provided by a family member in the UK
dependant visa rules 2024

What Requirements Do I Need to Meet for a UK Dependant Visa?