Skilled Worker (Tier 2) Dependent Visa UK

The Skilled Worker Dependent visa lets family members of people who are already in the UK on a valid work visa (formerly the Tier 2 Dependent visa) join them.

Call 02033844389 or email us to talk to one of our immigration experts about skilled worker dependent visas and find out how you can become eligible for them. They can also help you with your application.

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What is Tier 2 Dependent Visa UK?

With the UK Tier 2 Dependant Visa, people who are dependent on people in the UK with a Tier 2 Visa can come to live with them. The first Tier 2 Visa changed into the Skilled Worker Visa and the Health & Care Worker Visa. The new names for these visas are the

Skilled Worker Dependent Visa
the Health & Care Worker Dependant Visa.

This type of visa is for the partners and children of people who had a Tier 2 visa, which has been replaced. It also includes people who are in the new Skilled Worker and Health & Care Worker groups. The Skilled Worker (Tier 2) Dependant Visa shows that the UK is committed to helping the personal lives of international workers who help the economy. Its goal is to keep families together.

Overview: British Citizenship

What are the UK Tier 2 Dependent Visa Requirements?

You and your family members must meet the following requirements in order to be qualified for a Tier 2 Dependent Visa:

Your parent, spouse, or partner must have a valid, eligible Skilled Worker visa, indefinite leave to stay, or be a British citizen and have held a Skilled Worker (or Tier 2) visa before.
Additionally, you must be a family member who meets the requirements for a Skilled Worker (Tier 2) Dependent visa.
You need to meet the general requirements to get into the UK. For example, you must have a clean record when it comes to immigration, with no violations or crimes.
You must not plan to stay in the UK after your visa expires.
If you want to come to the UK to join your partner or spouse:
- Both of you must be over 18 to apply.
- You have to be officially married or in a civil partnership in the UK.
- If you are not married or in a civil partnership, you must have lived together for at least two years before you ask for the visa.
- You have to be in a real relationship and plan to stay together during the time of your visa stays.
It’s necessary for children over 16 to be financially depending on you or your partner.
You must have at least the minimum amount of money.
You are not allowed to have any of the following visas:
- UK Visitor visa
- Short-term study visa from April 2015 onwards
- Parent of a child with a Tier 4 student visa after April 2015

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

Which visa categories are eligible for Skilled Worker Dependent Visa UK?

As previously stated, new applications for UK Tier 2 visas are no longer being accepted. A new set of visas has been created in their place.

Still in the UK? People with the following Tier 2 visas may still be able to bring their family with them:

Tier 2 (General)
Tier 2 Sportsperson
Tier 2 Minister of religion
Tier 2 Intracompany Transfer

People from other countries who came to the UK on one of the later replacement visas may also be able to bring family members who depend on them. Some of these are:

Skilled Worker visa
Health and Care Worker visa (based on the person’s job)

Which dependents are eligible for a Skilled Worker (Tier 2) Dependent Visa?

The following family members can come to the UK with a person who has a Tier 2 or Skilled Worker visa:

Spouse or legal partner
Partners who are not married and have been together for at least two years
Children under 18 upon application (including UK-born children throughout visa validity)
Children over 18 (only if they are currently in the UK as a dependent of the main visa holder)
As part of their application, people with a Tier 2 or Skilled Worker visa must show proof that their bond with their family members is real.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

How Do I Meet the Need for a Genuine Relationship?

You must show proof of your relationship with the Home Office in order to get a Dependent visa UK Tier 2. This is to show that your connection is real.

In the event that you want to bring your partner or spouse to the UK, this could look like a legal marriage or civil partnership certificate. In order to be qualified for this visa, your marriage or civil partnership must be legal in the UK.

People who are not married must show strong proof that they have been dating their partner for at least two years. Documents like utility bills or tenancy agreements could serve this purpose.

Tier 2 Dependent visas are for children under 18 years old. You must show proof that the child depends on you or your partner or husband. This is to follow the rule that this visa can only be given to people who are depending on them.

You must also show proof that the child is not married or in a civil partnership, does not have their own children, and lives (or will live) with you full-time unless they have to live away from home for school.

Financial Requirements for Tier 2 Visa Dependent Visa UK

In the UK, people with a Tier 2 Dependent visa can’t use public funds, so they can’t claim any benefits.

So, when you come to the UK, you will have to show proof that your family member will be able to financially support you during your stay, or that you have access to such funds.

£315 for a child
£200 for every extra child

that the following are the basic financial requirements:

£285 for partner

Either you or a family member will need to show proof you had these funds for 28 of the 31 days before the visa application date. To do this, you can show a recent, correct copy of your bank account balance.

Take note that you won’t have to show proof that you can afford it if either of these situations is true:

You (the dependent family member) and your family member have had a legal visa to enter the UK for 12 months, or
This must be written on the sponsorship certificate you got from the company of your family member when they applied for their first Tier 2 (or equivalent) visa.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

What Are the Tier 2 Visa Dependent Requirements for Children?

Depending on your unique situation and family structure, there is a distinct set of regulations and standards for dependent children.

To get a Tier 2 Dependent visa as a dependent kid, one of the following must be true:

The whole family is applying for visas at the Home Office. One parent is asking for a Skilled Worker visa (or something similar), and the rest of us are applying as dependents.
The parent(s) and child are both in the UK, with one or both of them on a valid Tier 2 (or similar) visa. Moreover, the child is applying to come with them from another country as a dependent.
One parent is in the UK with a valid Tier 2 (or similar) visa, and the other is applying from outside the UK with the child to come as a dependent.

But keep in mind that the above may not apply if any of the following are true:

There is only one parent left.
The child is only under the care of one parent.
Consider serious, empathetic, or convincing factors.

In any of these cases, you will need to include extra paperwork or proof with your application to show that these things are true for you.

Keep in mind that if the child applying lives with the Tier 2 (or similar) visa holder, the visa holder will need to show proof of the child’s address. This could be a bank statement, a driver’s licence, an NHS registration document, or an official letter from the child’s school or university.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

How to Apply For a Skilled Worker (Tier 2) Dependent Visa?

Apply Outside the UK

You have to use the Gov.uk website to apply for a Skilled Worker (Tier 2) Dependent visa.

To get this visa, you will need the application number for the Tier 2 (or similar) visa of a family member. Either a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN) will be used for this.

When you apply for a visa online, you need to be very careful to get all the information right. In order to support your application, you will also need to upload a number of documents. For example, documents that show that the link between you and your family member is real.

Also, you might have to go to a local UK visa application office to give your biometric information.

Keep in mind that the local visa application office may keep your ID, like your passport, while they process your application.

You should hear back about your application in about three weeks, but this could change based on how busy the centre is and how many applications they have at the time.

Steps to Follow If You Apply Inside the UK

You have to use the Gov.uk website to apply for a Tier 2 Dependent visa.

Your current visa may not let you switch to a Tier 2 Dependent visa if you’re already in the UK. You must apply for and switch visas before your current visa ends.

However, keep in mind that you won’t be able to switch to this visa if you’re already in the UK on any of the following:

A Visitor visa
A Parent of a Child’s Student Visa
A Short-term Study visa
A Seasonal Worker visa
An Overseas Domestic Worker visa
On immigration bail
Getting permission to stay outside of immigration rules, like for humane or special reasons

To apply for this visa, you will need the application number for the Tier 2 (or similar) visa of a family member. For example, a Unique Application Number (UAN) or a Global Web Form (GWF) will be used.

You must make sure that the information you give on the online visa application is correct. To back up your application, you will also need to upload a number of documents, such as proof that the link between you and your family member is real.

To give your biometric information, you may also have to go to a local UK visa application office.

Please keep in mind that you can’t leave the UK while your application is being looked over. You will lose your application if you leave before getting an answer.

It should take about 8 weeks for the UK Visas and Immigration service to decide on your application, but this can change based on how busy they are.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

Tier 2 Dependent Visa: What Can I Do?

With a Tier 2 Dependent visa, you can do the following:

Your family member’s Tier 2 (or comparable) visa will allow you to remain in the UK for the same duration.
Work, but with a few exceptions
Most of the time, study or take an advanced course.
Keep your visa and your family member’s Tier 2 (or equivalent) visa valid for longer, as long as they continue to meet the standards.
You can apply for indefinite leave to stay if you and a family member have lived in the UK for at least five years and met the requirements, or if you have already been granted settlement.

Some things you can’t do are listed below.

Get benefits or use public funds
You can work as any of the following:

A dentist or doctor who is still learning
A person who works in sports
A paid coach for sports

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

Important News About the Care Worker Visa

From March 11, 2025, care workers and senior care workers cannot bring their dependents to the UK.

A partner or children cannot come to the UK to live with you if you are a care worker or senior care worker and have a Skilled Worker visa unless any of the following are true:

You have a Skilled Worker visa right now.
The company where you work is letting you extend your Skilled Worker visa.
Although you still have a Skilled Worker visa, you are looking for a new job in the same type of work.

What is the Cost of a Skilled Worker Dependant Visa?

Several factors affect document fees. The first is the place where the application is made. Applications from people in the UK cost £719 each, while applications from people outside of the UK cost £630 each. If you want to stay longer than three years, the fees go up to £1,423 for applications from inside the UK and £1,235 for applications from outside the UK.

The healthcare surcharge costs £624 per year for people and £470 per year for children. It is part of the other fees. This fee is paid ahead of time for the whole stay. You will also have to pay for the biometric data collection process, which costs about £19 per person. There may also be different fees for the meetings for collecting biometric data.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

How long does it take to get a visa for a skilled worker dependent visa?

The time it takes to get a UK Skilled Worker (Tier 2) Dependent visa also varies. Applications from people in the UK are usually looked at within eight weeks. People who send their papers from outside of the United States will have to wait up to three weeks. On the other hand, you can pay extra to get an answer faster. You can choose between a priority service and a super-priority service to get results in five days or less.

How Can UK Immigration Solicitors Help?

Many people who apply for visas choose to come to the UK on a Tier 2 Dependent visa to join their spouse, partner, or parent who already lives there.

We can help you get to the UK to be with a family member who is already there on a valid work visa.

Professional, skilled, and experienced immigration lawyers have helped many people like you successfully apply for UK visas over a long period of time. Our full service can help you get a visa to join your family in the UK as quickly and easily as possible.

We can help you fill out the application form and make sure that all of the information is entered correctly and completely. For the best possible case for visa approval, we can also help you put together the supporting documents you need. Once your visa is granted, we can also help you with the moving process.

Reach out to us today to find out more about the services we offer and what we can do for you or to get more skilled worker dependent advice. You can call us at 02033844389 or email us.

Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Most of the time, a child needs a visa in order to live in the UK. For instance, if their parent is a foreign national working or studying in the country, the child may need a Child Dependant Visa.

What are the steps to apply for an indefinite stay of absence?

People who have a Tier 2 Dependent visa will be able to apply for indefinite leave to stay (ILR) after 5 years.

Keep in mind that for your family member to be qualified, they must also:

are able to apply for ILR after living in the UK on a visa for 5 years
Have successfully applied for ILR after living in the UK on a visa for 5 years

In addition, you must meet all the other conditions for ILR.

Check out our page on indefinite leave to remain for more details.

With a Tier 2 Dependent visa, how long can I stay in the UK?

You can stay in the UK as long as the visa for your family member is still good.

Let’s say that when you apply, the family member’s visa still has 3 years and 6 months of leave left. This means that your Tier 2 Dependent visa will also be good for 3 years and 6 months.

Your family member and their own visa can stay with you longer on your Tier 2 Dependent visa as long as you continue to meet the standards for each visa.

Is there a faster way to get my visa?

They have a priority service and a super-priority service for people applying for visas in the UK. You might be able to use one of these services while you are applying.

Keep in mind that these will cost extra, either £500 or £800, based on which one you pick.

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