Document checklist for dependants of Students

Your passport must contain at least one full page that is blank on both sides.

If you are applying from the UK and you have been issued with a Biometric Residence Permit for your most recent leave, you must submit this with your application.

Each dependant must show that they have £680 for each month that your visa will be valid, up to 9 months (maximum amount £6,120). 

You can use your own funds or the main applicant’s funds. The money must have been in the account for at least 28 consecutive days. 

If the main applicant is receiving official financial sponsorship that also covers costs for dependants, you can use it for your visa application as long as the scholarship letter explicitly states that funds are also intended for dependants and include the names of those covered by it. The letter should be on official letter-headed stationery and bear the stamp of the organisation. 

If you are applying for your dependant visa in the UK and have been living here with valid immigration permission for 12 months or longer on the date of application, you will automatically meet the financial requirement and do not need to show funds.  

Differentiation arrangements

In some circumstances your dependants might qualify for “differentiation arrangements” if the Home Office considers them a “low-risk” applicant. 

Your dependant will be considered a low-risk applicant if:

• You have immigration permission in the Student category
• They are applying for their visa at the same time and in the same location as you
• You and your dependant are both nationals of one of the countries listed at paragraph ST 22.1 of the UK Immigration Rules

Appendix ST of the UK Immigration Rules

They must still meet the same financial requirements, but they do not have to provide any evidence of this with their application.  They will still have to provide all other documents. 

We strongly recommend that they still obtain evidence that they meet the financial requirements, even though they do not need to submit it. This is because the Home Office can ask them for it at any point while they are processing the application and usually only allow a short time (a few days) in which to provide it.

You will need the CAS details that the person you are dependant on used in their Student visa application.  Please note you do not need to print the CAS itself.  

Partners/spouses 

You will need to provide evidence of your relationship: 

• Marriage or civil partnership certificate (unless you have already provided this in a previous dependant application). 

• Unmarried partners should provide proof of having lived together for at least 2 years. Documents should cover the full 2 year period and be from an official source, for example utility bills, medical registration documents, bank statements, or council tax bills.  

 All dependant partners (married and unmarried) should provide evidence that the relationship is genuine and subsisting (ongoing), such as:  

• Evidence of living together 

• Shared responsibility for children   

• Shared responsibility for finances 

We recommend at least two documents, ideally from official sources such as the ones listed above. If you are unsure how to provide evidence that your relationship is genuine and subsisting please contact us. 

Contact us through our enquiry form.

Children

If this is the child's first application as your dependant, you must provide their birth certificate. 

For dependant children over the age of 16, you will need to provide evidence to confirm that they are still living with the Tier 4/Student visa holder. 

Documents must be from two separate sources and dated no more than one month before the application. Acceptable documents include bank statements, NHS registration document, letter from the child's current school/college/university confirming their address. 

If both parents are not in the UK (or applying to come to the UK at the same time as the child), you will need additional evidence to demonstrate one of the following: 

• you are the sole surviving parent 

• you have sole responsibility for the child 

• there are other serious and compelling reasons why the child's dependant application should not be refused, and suitable arrangements have been made in the UK for the child's care 

The Student Immigration Service can offer further advice depending on your individual circumstances. Contact us through our enquiry form.

If you have lived in certain countries for more than six months you may require a medical examination to prove that you do not have tuberculosis.

Information about TB certificates

If you: 

• have completed a course in the UK in the 12 months prior to the date application; and
• You received a scholarship from a Government or international scholarship agency covering both fees and living costs for the course

you will need a letter of consent from your financial sponsor to apply. 

All documents that are not in English should be officially translated and contain the following: 

•  confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the document; 
•  the date of translation; 
• the full name and signature of the translator or an official from the translation company; 
• the translator or translation company’s contact details.