Representative of an Overseas Business visa
Your partner and children
Your family members (‘dependants’) can come with you when you come to the UK on this visa.
A ‘dependant’ is any of the following:
- your husband, wife or partner
- your child under 18
If your partner or child’s application is successful, their visa will usually end on the same date as yours. If a child’s parents have visas with different expiry dates, the child’s visa will end on the earlier date.
If you’re a sole representative, your husband, wife or partner cannot be in the UK as your dependant if they own or control a majority of the overseas business you will be representing.
Apply from outside the UK
Your family members must apply online.
They’ll need to have their fingerprints and photograph (known as ‘biometric information’) taken at a visa application centre as part of their application.
They may be able to pay to get a faster decision.
Apply from inside the UK (extend or switch their visa)
If you extend or switch your visa, your partner or child’s current visa will still be valid until its original end date. Your partner or child need to apply to extend or switch their visa, either:
- at the same time as you
- at any time before their current visa expires
This includes children who have turned 18 during your stay.
Members of your family cannot apply in the UK as your dependant if they hold a visitor visa.
If your partner or child is currently in the UK on a Student visa, they can only switch if they have either:
- completed the course they were sponsored to study
- studied for a PhD for at least 24 months
Get help to apply online
Your family can get help with completing the online form if they:
- do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device
- do not have internet access
Your family can only use this service if they’re applying to extend or switch to your visa in the UK.
You cannot get immigration advice through this service.
Children born while you’re in the UK
If you have children while you’re in the UK, you can apply online to add them to your visa as your dependant.
You must do this 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.
What your partner or child can and cannot do
Your partner or child can:
- work, except as a sportsperson or coach
- study
- travel abroad and return to the UK
- apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) if they’ve lived in the UK for 5 years and meet the other eligibility requirements
They cannot apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension.
If their application is successful, they’ll get a full list of what they can and cannot do.