# Dependant partner of a visa holder: questions Indian applicants ask

Answers to the questions Indian applicants ask the desk about the Dependant partner of a visa holder, from bank statements to reapplying after a refusal.

Source: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/dependant-partner-visa/faq · Updated 2026-10-08 · Reviewed by UK Visa Desk counselling team, licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024 · UK Visa Desk, a brand of Pro Lifeset Overseas Private Limited, Patiala, India. WhatsApp +91 91155 80911, Mon to Sat, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM IST.

**What is the dependant visa fee for the spouse of a Skilled Worker from India?**
£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?**
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?**
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?**
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?**
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?**
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?**
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?**
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.

Full guide: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/dependant-partner-visa.md

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UK Visa Desk is a brand of Pro Lifeset Overseas Private Limited, a visa consultancy licensed by the Government of Punjab, India. We are a private company, not affiliated with the UK Government, and we are not regulated by the UK Immigration Advice Authority. We serve applicants who are in India; applicants already in the UK are referred to a regulated UK adviser. We do not handle work visas. Information here is general, not legal advice, and no visa outcome is guaranteed.
We do not handle UK work visas. Applicants already in the UK are referred to a regulated adviser.