Family
Dependant partner of a visa holder for Indian applicants
Direct answer
Reviewed by UK Visa Desk counselling team, Visa counsellors, Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, Patiala. Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024. Last verified .
Home Office fee
£819
about ₹1,08,378 at 132.33 INR/GBP, effective 8 April 2026
Verified 8 October 2026 · source
Health surcharge
Not payable
This route is exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge
Verified 8 October 2026
Processing time from India
3 weeks
Priority 5 working days, super priority 1
Verified 8 October 2026
Our filing price
₹14,999
All-in, GST included
Verified 8 October 2026
Summary
In short
A dependant partner of a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker pays £819 for a visa of up to 3 years or £1,618 for longer, a partner of a PhD or government-sponsored student pays £558, and a partner of a Graduate pays £937 (Home Office fee table effective 8 April 2026), plus the health surcharge of £1,035 a year or £776 for student dependants. The officer tests that the main applicant's route allows dependants, that the relationship is genuine, and that funds of £285 were held for 28 days unless the sponsor certified maintenance. Standard decisions from India take about 3 weeks. The common Indian mistake is applying as the partner of a taught master's student, who has not been allowed dependants since 1 January 2024.
In practice
Worked example
Example: Harpreet joins her husband, a Skilled Worker in Birmingham. A file like the ones the desk prepares; the figures are from the datasets and dated.
The situation
Harpreet, 29, from Moga, married Gurjit in February 2026 after a family introduction in 2025. Gurjit holds a Skilled Worker visa as a civil engineer with a certificate of sponsorship for 3 years, and his employer did not certify maintenance. Harpreet applies from Chandigarh in October 2026 to join him for the rest of his visa. She has an MBA and plans to work in the UK once she arrives. Her file includes the registrar marriage certificate, the wedding album, 8 months of WhatsApp and call history and Gurjit's eVisa share code.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Visa fee, dependant of a Skilled Worker, 3 years or less | £819 (₹1,08,378) |
| Health surcharge, £1,035 a year for the 2 years 8 months remaining, charged as 3 years | £3,105 (₹4,10,885) |
| Maintenance funds for a partner, held for 28 days | £285 (₹37,714) |
| TB test at an approved clinic in Chandigarh | about ₹3,500 |
| Priority service, optional, 5 working days | £500 (₹66,165) |
| Our dependant partner filing | quoted per file |
| Home Office charges before add-ons | £3,924 (₹5,19,263) |
| Standard decision time from biometrics | 3 weeks |
Outcome
The visa was granted in 15 working days with an expiry matching Gurjit's. Harpreet's funds were shown in her own SBI account, held since March, so the 28-day rule was met without touching Gurjit's UK account. She started work in a Birmingham accountancy firm 6 weeks after landing. Had Gurjit's employer certified maintenance on the certificate of sponsorship, the £285 would not have been needed.
The officer’s view
What the officer checks
What the entry clearance officer checks on a dependant partner file
| What they check | Why it matters | Evidence that answers it |
|---|---|---|
| The main applicant's route allows a partner | Appendix Student ST 31 and Appendix Skilled Worker SW 31: dependants are allowed only on routes and course levels that permit them, and since 1 January 2024 taught students cannot sponsor a partner | CAS showing a PhD or research degree, or certificate of sponsorship reference and the main applicant's visa decision letter |
| The main applicant has, or is applying for, valid permission | Appendix Skilled Worker SW 32.1 and the equivalent paragraph on each route: the partner's permission depends on the lead applicant's | eVisa share code or BRP, or the linked application reference if applying together |
| The relationship is a marriage, civil partnership or 2 years of cohabitation | Appendix Relationship with Partner RWP 3.1 and 3.2: a valid marriage, or living together in a relationship like marriage for at least 2 years | Registrar marriage certificate under the Hindu Marriage Act or Special Marriage Act; for unmarried partners, rent agreement, joint bank account and Aadhaar at the same address |
| The relationship is genuine and subsisting | RWP 4.1 and 4.2: the officer must be satisfied the relationship is real and that you intend to live together | Dated photographs across the relationship, call and chat history, money transfers, the sponsor's visit to India and statements from both families |
| Both partners are 18 or over and free to marry | RWP 3.3 and 3.4: age and any previous marriage legally ended | Passports and, where relevant, a divorce decree from the family court or a death certificate |
| Funds of £285 held for 28 days, or sponsor certification | Appendix Skilled Worker SW 34 and Appendix Finance FIN 3.1: the dependant rate held for 28 consecutive days ending within 31 days of the application | Bank statements or a bank letter on letterhead with the balance over the period, or the maintenance certification box on the certificate of sponsorship |
| Tuberculosis screening for a stay over 6 months | Appendix Tuberculosis: applicants resident in India must present a certificate from an approved clinic | TB certificate from an approved clinic such as those in Chandigarh, Jalandhar or New Delhi, issued within 6 months |
| Suitability and consistency | Part 9 of the Immigration Rules, paragraphs 9.2 to 9.8: false representations, undeclared refusals and previous breaches | Full declaration of past refusals on the form, matching dates and addresses between both partners' applications |
From the desk
Mistakes we see
From files Indian applicants have brought to the desk after a refusal, most frequent first.
| The mistake | What it costs | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Applying as the partner of a taught master's student | Refusal under Appendix Student because the course level does not allow dependants, with the fee lost | Check the course level on the CAS first: only PhD, research degrees and government-sponsored courses allow a partner, otherwise consider a Standard Visitor visa for a short stay |
| Showing the £285 in an account only for a week before applying | Refusal under the 28-day funds rule, even though the sum is small | Move the money early, hold it for 28 days, and apply within 31 days of the last statement date, or ask the sponsor to certify maintenance |
| Marriage registered the week before the application with no earlier evidence | The officer doubts the relationship is genuine and refuses under Appendix Relationship with Partner | Include the roka or engagement record, the wedding card, photographs with both families and contact history before and after the wedding |
| Unmarried partner claim with evidence from only one address | The 2-year cohabitation test fails and the application is refused | Collect documents in both names at the same address across 2 years: rent agreement, bank statements, Aadhaar, voter ID and utility bills |
| Skipping the TB test because the partner already lives in the UK | Refusal or a request for more information that delays the file by weeks | Book the TB test at an approved clinic before biometrics; the certificate is valid for 6 months |
| Different marriage date or address on the two partners' forms | The officer treats the inconsistency as a credibility problem and may cite Part 9 | Prepare both applications side by side with the same dates, addresses and employment history |
| Expecting us or any adviser in India to arrange the main applicant's work visa | Time and money lost on promises that cannot be kept, and sometimes a fraudulent sponsorship | The sponsoring employer handles the certificate of sponsorship and the main applicant's visa; we file the partner's application only |
Step by step
Timeline
From the first document to the decision, in the order Indian applicants actually do it.
Step 1: Check the main applicant's route and visa length
Week 0Confirm the route allows a partner and read the expiry date on the main applicant's eVisa, because the partner's visa will end on the same date
Step 2: Hold the funds and book the TB test
Weeks 0 to 4Place £285 in an account for 28 days unless the sponsor certified maintenance; book the TB appointment at an approved clinic
Step 3: Collect relationship evidence
Weeks 1 to 4Marriage certificate, photographs, contact history, money transfers and the sponsor's documents, with a short covering statement
Step 4: Submit the online application and pay
Week 4Pay the visa fee and the health surcharge for the full remaining period; link to the main applicant's application if applying together
Step 5: Biometrics at VFS
Week 5Attend the VFS centre in Chandigarh, Jalandhar or New Delhi with the passport and the printed checklist; upload documents beforehand
Step 6: Decision
Weeks 6 to 8About 3 weeks on the standard service; 5 working days on priority; next working day on super priority where offered
Step 7: Passport returned and eVisa set up
Week 8 to 9The passport comes back with a 90-day vignette; create the UKVI account and check the eVisa before travel
Step 8: Travel and first steps
Within 90 daysEnter the UK on the vignette, register with a GP, apply for a National Insurance number and start work without a sponsor
Home Office data
How Indian applicants fare
Indian nationals are the largest group of work and study dependants in the UK, and most of those files come from Punjab, Gujarat, Kerala and Telangana. The rules tightened on 1 January 2024: only PhD, other doctoral and research master's students, and government-sponsored students, can bring a partner. Care workers sponsored after 11 March 2024 cannot bring dependants at all. The partner's application is assessed on the relationship, on funds where the sponsor has not certified maintenance, and on the main applicant's status. Decisions from India take about 3 weeks. We prepare and file the partner's application only. We do not arrange sponsorship, certificates of sponsorship or the main applicant's work visa, and we do not offer advice on those.
The rules
Eligibility
- Your partner holds, or is applying at the same time for, permission as a Student, Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, Graduate, Global Talent, High Potential Individual or Innovator Founder
- Student route: the student is on a PhD or other doctorate, a research-based higher degree, or is government-sponsored on a course longer than 6 months
- Graduate route: you already held permission as that person's Student dependant; new partners cannot join a Graduate
- You are the spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner who has lived with the main applicant for at least 2 years, and you are both 18 or over
- The relationship is genuine and subsisting and you intend to live together in the UK for the whole stay
- Funds: worker and founder routes need £285 for a partner held for 28 days unless the sponsor certifies maintenance; student dependants need £845 a month in London or £680 outside for up to 9 months
- A clear tuberculosis certificate from a Home Office approved clinic in India for any stay over 6 months
- No English requirement at entry, and no Part 9 suitability issues such as a past overstay or false document
Checklist
Documents, named the Indian way
- Your passport and old passports, plus the main applicant's passport, BRP or eVisa share code and their visa decision letter
- Main applicant's certificate of sponsorship reference and job offer letter, or CAS and university offer letter for a student
- Marriage certificate from the Indian registrar under the Hindu Marriage Act, Special Marriage Act or Anand Marriage Act, with the wedding card and ceremony photographs
- Unmarried partners: rental agreement, joint bank account, Aadhaar or voter ID at the same address, and utility bills covering 2 years of living together
- Relationship evidence over time: dated photographs, chat and call history, money transfers, travel together and visits
- Bank statements showing the dependant funds for 28 days, with the 28-day period ending within 31 days of the application date, or the sponsor's maintenance certification on the certificate of sponsorship
- Student dependants: 9 months of funds at the dependant rate, held for 28 days, in your name or the student's name, with fixed deposit receipts if used
- TB test certificate from an approved clinic in India, valid for 6 months
- Divorce decree or death certificate for any previous marriage of either partner
- Police clearance certificate from the Passport Seva Kendra if the main applicant's route asks for one, such as some Skilled Worker health and education jobs
- Your own ITR acknowledgements, Form 16 or business papers if you are adding your income to the funds
In rupees
Cost from India, in rupees
| Charge | GBP | INR |
|---|---|---|
| Dependant partner of a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker, certificate of sponsorship 3 years or less application fee | £819 | ₹1,08,378 |
| UK Visa Desk all-in filing price, GST includedPaid to Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd. Home Office fees are paid by you on gov.uk. | ₹14,999 | |
| Required Home Office charges plus our filing price | £819 | ₹1,23,377 |
Fees from the Home Office table effective 8 April 2026, verified 8 October 2026; converted at 132.33 INR per GBP (8 October 2026). Pass-through charges paid on gov.uk; card and bank margins extra. Optional lines are not in the total.
Risk
Why Indian applications are refused
- The main applicant's route does not allow dependants: a taught master's student, a care worker sponsored after 11 March 2024, or a Graduate without a prior Student-dependant grant
- Relationship not accepted as genuine and subsisting: a marriage registered days before the application with no history, or no evidence of contact after the wedding
- Unmarried partner rule not met: less than 2 years of cohabitation, or evidence that does not show the same address
- Funds held for less than 28 days, or statements older than 31 days at the date of application, or a large unexplained deposit
- TB certificate missing or from a clinic not on the approved list
- Part 9 suitability: an undeclared refusal, a past overstay, or a document the officer could not verify
- Mismatch between the partner's form and the main applicant's file, such as different marriage dates or addresses
Exclusion or deportation order in force
A mandatory refusal: you were deported from the UK or formally excluded, and that order is still in force. No visa can be granted until the order is revoked.
What to fix: apply for revocation of the deportation order (normally after 10 years, earlier only in exceptional cases) with a UK regulated adviser; do not submit new visa applications while the order stands; each refusal adds to the record.
Decode 9.2.1Presence not conducive to the public good
The officer considers your behaviour, character or associations make you unsuitable, for example extremism, serious dishonesty not covered by other paragraphs, or a pattern of conduct abroad. Used rarely but it is mandatory.
What to fix: obtain the full reasons (ask for the decision notice and consider a Subject Access Request); character evidence and clearance certificates; this ground usually needs legal representation.
Decode 9.3.1Criminality: custodial sentence of 12 months or more, persistent offender, serious harm
A mandatory refusal for a prison sentence of 12 months or more anywhere in the world, or for repeat offending or serious-harm offences. Sentences under 12 months are considered under 9.4.2 to 9.4.5 (discretionary, with time limits for visitors).
What to fix: always declare convictions; non-disclosure leads to a 9.7.1 deception finding on top; for shorter sentences, show the time elapsed and rehabilitation evidence; get the court record and sentence length in English.
Decode 9.4.1Free tools
Tools for this route
Fee calculator in rupees
Every Home Office fee and the health surcharge, totalled in rupees at a dated rate.
Student maintenance calculator
The 28-day funds you must hold, now and from 30 November 2026.
Document checklist generator
A checklist for your route and situation, sent on WhatsApp.
Processing times tracker
Standard, priority and super priority times for Indian applicants, updated monthly.
Refusal reason decoder
Paste the paragraph from your refusal letter and read what it means.
Questions
Questions Indian applicants ask
What is the dependant visa fee for the spouse of a Skilled Worker from India?ShowHide
£819 for a visa of 3 years or less, or £1,618 for over 3 years, the same as the main applicant pays. Add the health surcharge at £1,035 a year for the whole visa period. Our fee calculator converts the total to rupees at today's rate.
My husband is doing a master's in the UK. Can I join him?ShowHide
Not as a dependant, unless the course is a research-based master's or he is government-sponsored. Since 1 January 2024 taught master's and bachelor's students cannot bring partners. You could visit on a Standard Visitor visa for up to 6 months.
Can I work on a dependant partner visa?ShowHide
Yes. Partners of workers, students, Graduate, Global Talent, HPI and Innovator Founder holders can take any job, except as a professional sportsperson. No sponsor is needed for your own work.
How much money do I need to show?ShowHide
For worker and founder routes, £285 for a partner held for 28 days, unless the certificate of sponsorship certifies maintenance. For a student partner, £845 a month in London or £680 a month outside, for up to 9 months, held for 28 days. Graduate dependants have no funds rule.
Do I need an English test?ShowHide
No. There is no English requirement for a dependant partner at entry or on extension. English at B1 is needed only when you apply to settle, and the level is expected to rise to B2 from 2027.
Can we apply together, or must my partner apply first?ShowHide
You can apply at the same time as the main applicant by linking the applications, or any time after their visa is granted. Applying together is usual for new Skilled Workers so the family travels on one date.
Do you arrange my husband's Skilled Worker visa or sponsorship?ShowHide
No. We file the dependant partner application only. Sponsorship, certificates of sponsorship and the main applicant's work visa are outside our service, and we do not advise on them. The main applicant's employer or a regulated UK adviser handles that side.
How long does the dependant visa take from India?ShowHide
About 3 weeks after biometrics for a standard decision. Priority at £500 aims for 5 working days and super priority at £1,000 for the next working day, when offered at your VFS centre. Our processing-times tracker shows the current position.
- Punjab licence: 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024valid to 22 July 2029
- CIN: U52291PB2024PTC060508Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd
Dataset dates: fees 8 October 2026. No outcome is guaranteed.
Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024. Applicants outside the UK only; applicants in the UK are referred to a regulated adviser.