# Dependant partner of a visa holder: the mistakes that get Indian files refused

The mistakes the desk sees most in Indian Dependant partner of a visa holder files, what each one costs and the fix, beside the refusal paragraphs officers cite.

Source: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/dependant-partner-visa/mistakes · 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.

## Mistakes we see
| 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 |

## The grounds officers cite
- 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

## Refusal paragraphs decoded (verified 2026-10-08)
### 9.2.1: 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

### 9.3.1: Presence 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

### 9.4.1: Criminality: 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

### 9.7.1: False representations or documents, or failure to disclose (mandatory where deception used)
The Home Office says something in your application was false: a fake bank statement, an edited employer letter, an undisclosed previous refusal, or a document an agent made up without telling you. 'Whether or not to the applicant's knowledge' means you are refused even if the agent did it. Where deception is found, a 10-year ban under 9.8.4 usually follows.
What to fix: get your file: Subject Access Request to UKVI for the verification notes; if a document was genuine, obtain written confirmation from the issuer and a statement from them; if an agent submitted documents without your knowledge, gather the agent's receipts, messages and a police complaint; it does not remove the finding but can matter for later applications; declare every previous refusal anywhere in the world from now on

### 9.7.2: False representations without proven deception (discretionary refusal)
A discretionary version: a previous application contained something false and the officer has chosen to refuse this one because of it, without a formal deception finding. The difference matters: 9.7.2 does not by itself bring the 10-year ban.
What to fix: address the earlier problem head-on in a cover letter with the correct documents; show that the current application is fully consistent with the earlier one where the earlier one was true

### 9.7.3: False documents in a previous application (discretionary)
Earlier deception, even in another route, can be used to refuse you for up to 10 years at the officer's discretion.
What to fix: count the 10 years from the date of the deceptive application; if you dispute the original finding, challenge it with issuer evidence rather than reapplying repeatedly

## FAQ
**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.

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.