What is a Health and Care Worker Dependant Visa?

To qualify for a Health and Care Worker Dependant visa, you must meet the following requirements:

• Relationship to the main applicant: You must be the spouse, civil partner, unmarried partner, or dependent child (under 18) of the main applicant with a valid Health and Care Worker visa.
• Financial requirement: There must be sufficient funds to support the main applicant and dependants without relying on public funds. The required amount must have been in your bank account for at least 28 consecutive days.
• Tuberculosis (TB) test: Depending on your country of residence, a tuberculosis test may be required as part of the visa application process.
• Occupation Code requirement: The main applicant's job is allocated an occupation code, and some occupation codes do not allow dependants to join the main applicant. This specifically applies to care and senior care workers. See below for further details.

Note that there is no English language requirement for dependants at this stage. However, future applications for residency and citizenship will require proof of English language proficiency.

In December 2023 the then Home Secretary, James Cleverly announced a series of changes designed to cut immigration. This included a change to Health & Care Worker visa that restricted care workers and senior care workers from bringing their dependants to the UK. This change has unfairly penalised care workers and means they are treated to other health care workers. The only way your partner and children can only apply to join you or remain in the UK as your dependants is if you were employed as a care worker or senior care worker in the UK under a Health and Care Worker visa before 11 March 2024, and one of the following applies:

• You are still on a Health and Care Worker visa.
• You are renewing your Health and Care Worker visa with your current employer.
• You are switching to a new job under the same occupation code while holding a Health and Care Worker visa.

While we remain hopeful that this policy may be changed in the future under a new government, no changes are currently planned.

The following documents are required when applying for a Health and Care Worker visa: 

• Valid passport: A valid passport must be provided for each dependant family member applying for the visa, with at least six months of remaining validity.
• Proof of relationship: You must submit documentation proving the relationship between the main applicant and each dependant. This could include marriage or civil partnership certificates or evidence of at least two years of cohabitation for unmarried partners, with documents from various sources covering that period. For dependent children, birth or adoption certificates are needed. For children aged 16 or older, proof of address must also be provided to confirm they live with the main applicant.
• TB test results: If dependants are from a country that requires a tuberculosis (TB) clearance test certificate, you must submit test results from an approved clinic.
• Financial documentation: You need to show proof that you meet the financial requirements for maintenance funds, such as bank statements or other financial documents demonstrating sufficient funds to support yourself and your dependants.

It's important to note that the specific requirements may vary depending on your situation.

To be eligible for a Health and Care Worker Dependant visa, you must meet specific relationship criteria. The following individuals can apply as dependants:

• Spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner: You can apply as a dependant if you are married to, or in a civil partnership with, the main Skilled Worker Visa holder. Alternatively, if you have lived together in a relationship akin to marriage or a civil partnership for at least two years, you can apply as an unmarried partner.
• Children: The main visa holder’s children, including biological, adopted, and stepchildren under 18, can apply as dependants. Children over 18 may also qualify if they are already in the UK as dependants.

The UKVI requires evidence to confirm these relationships, which is covered in the Document List section above.

Under the Maintenance Requirement, it’s essential to show sufficient funds to support the main applicant and any dependants upon their arrival into the UK. Under this maintenance requirement, the main applicant is required to show savings of at least £1,270. In addition to their funds, they will also need to show the following additional funds for any dependants:

• £285 for the partner
• £315 for the first child
• £200 for each additional child

The required amount must have been available for at least 28 consecutive days, with day 28 falling within 31 days of the application date.

Proof of maintenance funds are required for all applications unless:

• The applicant and their family have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months.
• The employer can cover the family’s costs during the first month in the UK, and this is confirmed on the Certificate of Sponsorship.

Note that if the partner or child applies at a time different from the main applicant's, they will only need to prove they have enough funds to support themselves.

The Skilled Worker Dependant Visa provides several benefits, offering the holder various rights related to work, study, and general freedoms.

Visa holders can:

• Work full-time or part-time for any employer without needing sponsorship.
  Study full-time or part-time at recognized schools, colleges, or universities in the UK.
• Freely enter and exit the UK as they wish.
• Apply for visa extensions to extend their stay in the UK.
• Become eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after five years of continuous residence in the UK.

However, it's important to be aware of certain restrictions, especially concerning access to public funds:

• Generally, Health and Care Worker Dependant Visa holders are not entitled to most UK public funds, including welfare benefits and social housing.
• There are exceptions, such as access to healthcare services through the National Health Service (NHS).

When a visa is granted, it is accompanied by a comprehensive list of things you can and cannot do under the terms of the visa. 

The standard application fee for a Health and Care Worker Dependant visa varies based on the proposed length of stay in the UK. The fees are as follows:

• Up to 3 years: £284 per person
• More than 3 years: £551 per person

The fee is the same whether the application is made from inside or outside the UK.

One major benefit is that the main applicant and any dependants are exempt from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge. This is a significant saving as most other visa types currently pay £1,035 per year for adults and £776 for children.

The processing time for a visa starts after you complete the online application and submit biometric information during your scheduled appointment. From that moment, most applications are processed within 3 weeks, which is much quicker than for many other visa types.

When submitting your application, you may have the option to expedite it for an additional fee. If you are eligible and priority appointments are available, they will be displayed when scheduling your biometric appointment online.