One of the most popular UK visa types is the Student Visa Dependent. However, it might be difficult to determine which sort of student you are and how many dependents you are permitted to bring with you.
There are numerous sorts of students, such as PhD or Masters students, who may be able to bring their family members to the UK to study. However, undergraduate and postgraduate students must adhere to tight guidelines about whether they may bring their spouse/partner or children to the UK while studying.
This article gives an overview of all the visa alternatives accessible to students travelling from outside Europe to study in England under Tier 4 (General) Student Visas.
What exactly is a dependent?
On the visa application, the phrase ‘dependent’ refers to either your partner or your children. Other family members are not eligible to be considered as dependents for the student dependent visa.
- Your spouse, wife, civil partner, married partner, unmarried partner, or same-sex partner can be your partner.
- Children under the age of 18, providing they were born in the United Kingdom during their stay.
Who is qualified to bring a dependent to the United Kingdom?
Not every student is permitted to bring student dependents to the UK. Of course, it depends on what you are studying (or want to study) and how long you intend to stay in the UK. You may only bring dependents if you are:
- Studying a 9-month or longer course offered by a university, or an RFQ level 7 course leading to a master’s degree or higher.
- A government-sponsored student enrolled in a six-month or longer course.
- Applying for the Doctorate Extension Scheme (DES).
Assume you are a student or have just obtained authorization as a student or via the Student pathway. In that situation, you may invite family members if the following requirements are met:
Your immigration permission is current, or it expired no more than three months before the new visa application, and your course is six months long, and your family members have dependent immigration permission, or it expired no more than three months before the new visa application, and the family members apply for the dependent visa at the same time as you do for the new student visa.
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Requirements for UK Student Visa Dependents
Dependents from within and outside the UK can apply for the student dependent visa online.
- If you live outside the UK, each dependent must apply separately online at the UK Government website 6 months before the start date of your study.
- If you are in the United Kingdom, each dependent must apply for a visa renewal before the existing one expires.
If you want to extend your visa or change visas, your dependents must either apply at the same time as you or wait until your new leave is approved.
Relationship between the primary applicant and the dependent
The principal applicant’s spouse, wife, or civil partner, unmarried partner, or kid under the age of 18 must be a dependent partner or child.
When you apply, you must demonstrate that your connection is legal. A marriage or civil partnership certificate for your spouse or a birth certificate for your kid are common examples of proof of relationship.
If you have a dependent kid who is 16 or 17 years old, you may be required to verify where they reside, why they aren’t currently living with you (if relevant), the expenditures you pay for the child, such as monthly rent, school fees, and other documentation that indicate you financially support your child. If you reside with your kid, you may be required to furnish the following:
- Bank statement and credit card bills
- Driving licence
- NHS registration document
- An official letter from their university or college.
Evidence of funding
The cost of living expenditures (for up to 9 months) that your dependents may require:
- Courses in London cost £845 per month.
- Courses outside of London cost £680 per month.
If you apply as a family, you must provide adequate evidence of financial capability to support all members of your family.
Additional student loan or student sponsorship documentation may also be requested.
Dependents seeking employment
Dependents over the age of 16 can work in the UK while you finish your studies.
Dependents will not be eligible for social benefits such as public healthcare or unemployment compensation.
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How Can I Apply for a UK Student Dependent Visa?
There are three sorts of application forms accessible for various situations.
They are as follows:
- If you are applying alongside a dependent,
- If your companion is going to submit the application later,
- If a dependent kid is born in the United Kingdom
If you apply for immigration within the UK, your dependents must have valid PBS visas (point-based system) such as student visas and dependents visas.
If the dependents have a visa that is different from these two, they should contact the International Student Advisory Team.
All papers that are not written in English must be translated. This, too, should be done by a licenced Translator or a translation business. Specific standards must be met by the translations:
- The translations must include the credentials of the company from whom you are having your papers translated.
- The assurance that the original material is being translated correctly.
- The translation company’s full name and contact information
- The translation’s date and
- The official signature of the translation company or the translator
Certificates such as qualification certificates, birth certificates, marriage certificates, bank statements, and correspondence must be translated if they are not in English.
What Documents Are Required for a Dependent Visa?
The main applicant must submit a few paperwork and certificates for the Student Dependent Visa application. These documents must fulfill certain criteria and, if not in English, must be translated by a qualified translator.
All of the following documents must be submitted when applying for a UK student dependent visa:
You must complete the Student PBS dependent form.
You must have a valid passport or travel document, including your previous one if it contains your current UK visa.
- Entry clearance requires your current BRP card, which is your bio metric residency permit.
- You will also need a dependent police registration certificate if you apply while in the UK.
- If you are applying from outside the UK or visiting for more than six months, you may require a Tuberculosis Certificate.
- Only in a few countries is TB screening not required for the UK’s application. If your nation is not on this list, the TB certificate may not be required for entrance clearance.
- If the dependent and the student dependent are applying separately, the front and back copies of the UK student visa or BRP are required.
- A letter from the university verifying that the student seeking for a UK student visa is enrolled.
- If the dependent is a child born in the UK, a birth certificate proving the link between the student visa holder and the kid is required.
- Children born in the United Kingdom who do not have travel documentation for a passport must submit their birth certificate. As soon as feasible, apply for the new baby’s passport/document.
- A marriage certificate is required as proof of marriage for a spouse visa if your dependent is your spouse.
- Assume it is your partner with whom you are not married. In such instance, the emails, phone logs, family photographs, letters, and so on can be used as evidence, as proof of continuing a connection is necessary for immigration approval.
- Unmarried and same-sex couples must present evidence that their relationship is comparable to marriage. They must demonstrate that they have lived together for at least two years.
- For immigration approval, documentation that the dependent can pay 6120 euros per dependent and 680 euros per month for up to 9 months is required.
- Children aged 16 and up must demonstrate that they have not created an independent family or live an independent life. A letter from their educational institution confirming their residence, an NHS registration paperwork, or bank account statements are examples of acceptable papers.
How to apply for a UK Student Dependent Visa?
If you are immigrating to the UK as an international student with a student visa, your family members can accompany you as dependents.
The United Kingdom immigration application center’s immigration authorities follow a strict procedure to invite and accept immigrants as dependents.
Every main applicant must follow the given steps to apply for the dependent visa:
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How to apply for a UK student dependent visa:
Step 1: Complete an online form
As previously stated, you must apply for a student dependent visa. You must apply for a UK student dependent visa online using the official visa application center website. You must follow the form’s instructions and input accurate information.
Step 2: Schedule an appointment.
It is advised that you schedule a meeting with an immigration counsel once you have completed the paperwork stage. Corrections or modifications to the form are not possible after this step. Also, do not pay or complete the application before consulting with immigration lawyers.
Step 3: Get an email
If you haven’t already, an email with a link is sent to you to complete the form. You should make sure you have access to your email and the link. Bring all necessary documents, both original and copies, to the visa application centre.
Step 4: Schedule a visa appointment.
Bring all required papers to the visa application centre. You will not meet the officer if your application is not completed to stage 3 and you do not have all of the essential papers with you at the appointment.
You must then schedule another appointment and deliver the paperwork to the visa application centre on another day.
Step 5: Schedule an appointment with a service provider.
Following your application, you must schedule an appointment to visit your bio metrics service point to obtain your fingerprints and pictures, as well as the supporting documentation.
All of your documentation, including your passport, will be kept once the application is finalized. It would be preferable if you did not leave the UK before a decision on your application was reached. Otherwise, the UK visas and immigration authorities will consider your application rejected.
Step 6: Obtain the visa
After you have completed all of your dependent procedures, such as providing bio metrics and supporting papers to the Service Point, you should receive mail from UK Visas and Immigration regarding the outcome on your student dependents visa application. Their BRP will be delivered individually.
If your visa application is denied, you must contact the International Student Advisory Team and provide them with a copy of the denial notification.
Step 7: Immigrate to the United Kingdom
If you apply for a student dependent visa, you will be awarded a 30-day entry clearance permit on your passport, allowing you to come to the UK.
When you arrive in the nation, you may obtain your real visa in the form of a Bio metric Residence Permit (BRP) valid for 10 days from the Post Office.
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What is the Fee Structure for a Dependent Visa Application?
After completing the application form and submitting the needed certifications and papers, you must complete the application fee payment procedure.
- When applying from outside the UK, the charge for a UK student visa is £348 per dependent.
If you apply from within the UK, the application fee per dependent varies according on the application type.
- If you apply within eight weeks for the basic application type, the application price is £475.
- The application cost is £975 if you apply for the priority application within five working days of the appointment.
- If you opt to fill out the super-priority application, which has a decision time of the next working day immediately after the appointment, the fee per dependent is £1,275.
In addition to the application price, the PBS migrant’s dependents must pay the immigration health surcharge, which is valid for the duration of your stay in the UK. You will no longer be needed to pay for private medical insurance if you utilise the National Health Service in the United Kingdom.
Certain services, such as prescriptions, eye exams, and dental procedures, are not covered by the NHS.
If PBS Dependent visa holders apply outside of the UK, any entry approval for indefinite leave beyond six months will also be subject to the HIS fee.
Dependents of students already in the UK who apply for leave are liable to charges, even if their indefinite leave is less than six months.
- Any duration of less than six months will be charged at the rate of £150.
- You must pay £300 for each student dependent and applicant every year of the granted visa, including the last additional period. The period of 6 to 12 months is charged at the full-year rate.
Other Important Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring my family with me on a UK short-term study visa?
Although a dependent application can be added to a student visa application, each applicant must pay separate costs.
Furthermore, members will not be able to move to a dependent visa while in the UK on a basic visiting visa or a short term study visa.
What exactly is an ATAS certificate?
When you come to the UK as a student, you will require an ATAS certificate. This certificate contains information on the Higher Education Institution for which you have requested for approval. If you have multiple offers from various institutions, you will need to apply for individual ATAS clearance certificates.
Can dependent children study in the UK?
Yes. However, you must be a PBS migrant with a dependent visa. If your partner possesses a UK study visa, you can work or study part-time or full-time in the UK.
Can I bring my parents to the UK on a student visa?
Yes, if you have a UK student visa, you may bring your family members, including your parents, to the UK. Seeing your parents and family members might help you cope with the stress of studying.
Can overseas students on student visas marry in the UK?
Yes. International students with a valid UK student visa can marry in the UK. If they fulfill the eligibility requirements, they can also apply for a spouse visa after marrying or forming civil partnership.
Conclusion
Any candidate seeking a UK student dependent visa must follow all of the immigration regulations, criteria, fees, and application procedure outlined above. All necessary paperwork for the dependent visa, as well as payment, must be provided for evidence.
Following Brexit, the former Tier 4 Study Visa has been replaced by the UK study visa, with a point-based system in place. If you want to migrate to the UK via the PBS Dependent Visa, contact Prominent Overseas Careers now to start the process!
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