Your family members can accompany you to the UK on a Dependant visa if: 

• You are in receipt of an award from a Government and are on a full time course of study lasting 6 months or longer; or
• You are studying a full- time, postgraduate course at a Higher Education Provider with a ‘track record of compliance’ lasting 9 months or longer.  Queen's University Belfast is a Higher Education Provider with a 'track record of compliance'. 

The following family members can join you in the UK on a Dependant visa: 

• Your husband or wife 
• Your civil partner 
• Your unmarried partner who you have been living with in a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least 2 years.   
• Your child or children under the age of 18 

You will need to provide evidence of your relationship to your dependant, for example, marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate or birth certificate.  

If you are applying as an unmarried partner, you will need to provide evidence you have been living together in a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least 2 years before you submit your visa application.   

Your dependants must intend to live with you throughout your stay in the UK and must not intend to stay in the UK longer than you.  

Children applying for a Dependant visa must be under 18 at the time of their visa application.   

Your child must not have formed an independent family unit or be leading an independent life.  This means your child must: 

• Not have a spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner 
• Live with you unless they live away from home to attend boarding school or University 
• Not be employed full-time  
• Be wholly or mainly dependant on their parents for emotional and financial support 

Child dependants aged 16 and 17 will need to provide evidence with their visa application that they are not living an independent life.  

You can only bring dependant children to the UK if both the child’s parents will be applying for immigration permission at the same time as the child, or already have immigration permission to be in the UK.  If the child’s other parent will not be present in the UK, your child can only join you in the UK if one of the following exceptions applies:  

• You have sole responsibility for your child’s upbringing 
• The child’s other parent is deceased 
• There are serious or compelling circumstances which require your child to be with you in the UK and you have made suitable arrangements for the child’s care 

You will need to provide evidence of the above circumstances with your child’s visa application.  

Your dependants will need to have enough money available to support themselves during their time in the UK.  This is in addition to any money you need to meet the requirements of your Student visa application. You can find further information about the amount of money your dependants will need on UKVI’s website. 

If your dependant is applying from outside the UK they may need to take a TB test before applying for their visa if they are coming to the UK for more than six months and are resident in a country where TB testing is required. You can find more information about if your dependant will need a TB test on UKVI's website.  Applicants applying to extend or switch their visa in the UK do not require a TB Test.

Your dependant can apply for their visa at the same time as you are applying for your visa or after your visa has been granted.   

Partners applying outside the UK can complete the visa application form for partners on UKVI's website.  Children applying outside the UK can apply online using the application for child dependants on UKVI's website.  Each dependant will need to submit a separate application.  Your dependants will need your Global Web Form (GWF) or Unique Application Number (UAN) to complete their application form.   

Applicants will normally be required to attend an appointment at a Visa Application Centre to enrol their biometric details (fingerprints and photograph).  EEA and Swiss passport holders may be able to enrol their biometric information using the UK Immigration: ID Check App.    You will be instructed on the steps you need to take at the time of your application. 

Your family members can submit their visa applications at the same time as you if you are applying to extend your visa.   

If your family member is applying to extend their visa at a different time than you, partners can apply online using the partner visa application form on UKVI's website.   Children applying inside the UK can apply online using the child dependant visa application form on UKVI's website.  Your dependants will need your Global Web Form (GWF) or Unique Application Number (UAN) to complete their application form.    Your dependants may need to attend an appointment at the UKVCAS Centre to enrol their biometric details (fingerprints and photograph). 

Partners applying inside the UK can apply online and may be eligible to use the UK Immigration: ID Check app.  If your partner applies for their visa using the app, they will not be required to attend a UKVCAS Centre.  If your dependants are unable to use the UK Immigration: ID Check app they will need to attend an appointment at the UKVCAS Centre to enrol their biometric details.  Children are unable to use the UK Immigration: ID Check app.  

Please note it is not possible to switch from a visit visa to a Dependant visa inside the UK. 

Visa application fee 

If your family members are applying outside the UK, the fee for the standard visa processing service is currently £363 (or the equivalent in your local currency) for each applicant.  Priority visa services may be available in your local Visa Application Centre for an additional fee.   

If your family members are applying inside the UK, the fee for the standard visa processing service is £490.   

Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) 

Your dependants will also have to pay the IHS fee, which is currently £470 for each year of the Dependant visa. Your dependants will need to pay the IHS in full for the entire duration of their visa at the time of their application.  You can find more information about the IHS fee on UKVI's website.  

If your family member applied outside the UK and enrolled their biometrics at a Visa Application Centre, they will be issued with a visa vignette in their passport and will need to collect their Biometric Residence Permit with 10 days of arriving in the UK.  Applicants who have applied using the ID Check App will not be issued with a BRP Card and instead will receive a digital status.  

If your family member applied inside the UK their BRP will be delivered to the address they provided in their application form.  If they have applied using the UK Immigration: ID Check app, they will receive a digital status.   

Your dependant’s visa end date should be the same as your Student visa expiry date.   

Dependant visa holders are permitted to work in the UK except as a professional sportsperson.  

Dependant visa holders are permitted to study in the UK.  If your dependant intends to study a course which requires an ATAS Certificate they will need to have this in place before beginning their studies.  You can find more information about the ATAS Requirement on the ATAS Section of our website.