Graduate visa
Your partner and children
If your partner and children joined you in the UK as ‘dependants’ on your current Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa, they can apply to stay as dependants on your Graduate visa.
If your child was born in the UK during your current Student or Tier 4 (General) student visa, they can also apply.
If their application is successful, their visa will end on the same date as yours.
A dependant partner or child is any of the following:
- your husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner
- your child under 18 - including if they were born in the UK during your stay
- your child over 18 if they’re currently in the UK as your dependant
Your partner
Your partner needs to have been a dependant on your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa to apply. You’ll also need to show that they’re still your partner.
You must be able to prove one of the following:
- you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK
- you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply
- you’ve been in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply but you cannot live together, for example because you’re working or studying in different places, or it’s not accepted in your culture
If you’re not living together, you’ll need to prove that you have an ongoing commitment to each other, for example by providing evidence that you:
- communicate regularly with each other
- support each other financially
- care for any children you have together
- spend time together as a couple, for example on holiday or at events
Your child
Your child must:
- live with you, unless they’re living away from home in full-time education - for example, at boarding school or university
- not be married or in a civil partnership
You’ll need to provide evidence of their address such as:
- a bank statement
- credit card bills
- driving licence
- NHS registration document
- an official letter from their university or college
If your child is under 18
Your child usually needs to have been a dependant on your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa to apply.
They do not need to have been a dependant if both of the following apply:
- they were born while you were in the UK on your current Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa
- they were born in the UK
You’ll need to provide proof that they’re your child - for example, a UK birth certificate or a special guardianship order from a court.
New dependants may be able to join you from outside the UK if you switch to a different visa, for example a Skilled Worker visa.
If your child is 18 or over
They must have been a dependant on your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa.
Apply
Your partner and children must either:
Each family member will need to complete a separate application and pay the visa fee.
They’ll need:
- a valid passport or other document that shows their identity and nationality
- their biometric residence permit (BRP), if they were given one when they applied to be a dependant on your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa
They’ll also need your application number - you’ll get this when you apply. This number is called a Unique Application Number (UAN). You’ll find it on emails and letters from the Home Office about your application.
If your scholarship or sponsorship provider paid your partner or child’s living costs in the last 12 months, your partner or child will need a letter from the provider approving their Graduate visa application.
Proving their identity
As part of their application, your partner and children will need to prove their identity.
If they’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, they would usually do this by scanning their passport with the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app.
If they’re not from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, they would usually do this by scanning their biometric residence permit (BRP).
They’ll need to sign into an existing UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account, or create a new one.
If they cannot scan their passport or BRP with the app, they’ll be asked to get their fingerprints and photograph taken at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point.
They’ll be told what they need to do when they apply.
If they do need an appointment, the centre may need to keep their passport and documents while they process their application.
They must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until they get a decision. Their application will be withdrawn if they do.
How long it takes to get a decision
Once they’ve applied online, proved their identity and provided their documents, they’ll usually get a decision within 8 weeks.
Children born in the UK
If you have a child while you’re in the UK, they do not automatically become a British citizen.
You must apply for your child’s dependant visa if you want to travel in and out of the UK with them.
You’ll need to provide a full UK birth certificate for each child, showing the names of both parents.