Documents for Dependents

Dependants

The evidence provided can relate specifically to the dependant or it can also include evidence for the main applicant which has not been used as evidence of funds on the main applicant’s own application or that of other dependants.

Dependants must send one or a combination of the following:

Personal bank or building society statements covering the previous three-month period

The personal bank or building society statements should clearly show:

• the name of the main applicant and/or the family member making the application, or (for children only) the name of their other parent who is also legally present in the United Kingdom;
• the account number;
• the date of the statement;
• the financial institution’s name and logo;
• transactions covering the three-month period;
• that there are enough funds present in the account for the past three months.

If you wish to send electronic bank statements from an online account these must contain all of the details listed above. You must also send a supporting letter from your bank, on company headed paper, confirming the authenticity of the statements provided.

Statements which only show the balance in the account on a particular day are not enough.

Letter from bank confirming funds and that they have been in bank for at least the previous three months

The letter from a bank or building society should state:

• the name of the main applicant and/or the family member making the application, or (for children only) the name of their other parent who is also legally present in the United Kingdom;
• the account number;
• the date of the letter;
• the financial institution’s name and logo;
• the funds held in the your account; and
• that the funds have been in bank for at least three months and are at least the amount needed.

We will not accept letters which simply show the balance in the account on a particular day as these documents do not show that you hold enough funds for the full period required.

Applications by dependants

How dependants can come to the United Kingdom

If your application to the points-based system is successful, you are allowed to bring dependants (children under 18 years of age, or your husband, wife, civil partner, or unmarried or same-sex partner) with you to the United Kingdom, as long as we give them entry clearance or permission to stay (known as ‘leave to remain’).

Completing the dependant application form

If you have dependants who wish to join or remain with you in United Kingdom, you or they should complete the separate dependant application form.

We encourage you to send dependant applications at the same time as the main application.

Dependants should state if they are submitting their application at the same time as your application. This tells us that both applications should be considered together.

If you are the main applicant and you have already received official notification from us that your application has been successful, this should also be indicated in this section.

Dependants should also state the category under which you have submitted an application.

Partners

The conditions partners must meet to get permission to stay

If the application succeeds, the partner will be given entry clearance, or permission to stay, subject to the following conditions:

• he/she must have no recourse to public funds, which means he/she will be unable to claim most benefits paid by the state;
• he/she must register with the police, if paragraph 326 of the immigration rules requires him/her to do so;
  • as the spouse, civil partner, unmarried, or same-sex partner of a migrant given permission to stay under parts 3, 5 or 6 of the immigration rules; or
  • as the partner of a highly skilled worker (provided that permission was not subject to a condition prohibiting employment as a doctor in training).

Employment and switching rules

The work dependants can do

Your dependants are allowed to work, though your partner may not be allowed to work as a doctor in training.

Switching in to the points-based system

Dependants may not switch into any category of the points-based system in their own right. If your dependants later want to be in the United Kingdom under the points-based system in their own right, they will have to leave the United Kingdom and apply for entry clearance (permission to enter the United Kingdom).

Switching in to the dependant route

How you can switch in to the dependant route

You can apply for permission to stay here as the dependant of a highly skilled worker without having to leave the United Kingdom and apply for entry clearance if your last grant of entry clearance or permission to stay here was as the partner or child of:

• an innovator;
• a participant in the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme;
• a participant in the International Graduates Scheme (or the previous Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme);
• a postgraduate doctor or dentist,
• a student;
• a student nurse;
• a student re-sitting an examination;
• a student writing up a thesis; or
• a work permit holder.

Dependants’ maintenance

What maintenance dependants must have

To qualify for leave to remain (permission to stay) as a dependant of a highly skilled worker, your dependant must show that he/she has enough personal funds to support himself/herself for the entire period of stay here.

You and your dependants should have already assessed the potential living costs, based on past living expenses, to ensure that you have enough funds to support yourselves.
You will not be successful in your application if you or your dependants are unable to meet the maintenance requirements.

If the main applicant under the highly skilled worker category is outside the United Kingdom or has been in the United Kingdom for less than 12 months, the family member must show that the main applicant or the dependant has at least £1,600 to support the dependant as well as the funds needed to support the main applicant.

If the main applicant has been present in the United Kingdom for 12 months or more, the main applicant or the family member of the highly skilled worker must have £533 to support himself/herself.

How we assess maintenance evidence for online bank accounts

Accounts held with other banks

If you have a bank account that does not operate exclusively online but you receive your bank statements electronically and you wish to use these statements as evidence of funds for maintenance, you should provide:

• electronic bank statements printed at the bank on their official stationary; or
• electronic statements printed by the applicant and bearing the official stamp of the bank in question. This stamp should appear on every page of the statements; or
• a supporting letter from the bank, on the banks company headed paper, confirming the authenticity of the statements.

All evidence must meet the requirements listed in the policy guidance which you can download from the right side of this page. Mini-statements from cash points are not acceptable as evidence.