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Table of Contents
Understanding the UK Points-Based System (PBS)
The PBS is the UK’s way of managing immigration for people coming from outside the European Economic Area (EEA). It’s a framework that decides who can enter or stay in the UK based on a set of points. These points are earned through things like job offers, salaries, skills, or qualifications. Applicants must achieve a required points total to be eligible for specific visas under this system.
PBS Routes That Allow Dependants
Your eligibility for a PBS Dependant Visa is directly linked to the main applicant’s status under a relevant PBS visa UK category. While not all UK visas permit dependants, this is a key feature of many PBS routes, including:
- Skilled Worker visa
- Global Talent visa
- Innovator and Scale-up visas
The main applicant, your partner or family member, must first be granted a visa under one of these categories. Once they have received permission to live and work or study in the UK, you, as their dependant, can obtain your own leave to remain.
What is a PBS Dependant Visa?
When exploring the pbs visa meaning, it refers to a UK visa used primarily for individuals coming to the UK for work, study, or investment based on a points assessment.
Unlike tourist or visit visas, this one gives you long-term residency rights that match the main applicant’s visa. That means if they are allowed to stay for three years, so are you.
You also access to services like the NHS and, depending on your age and visa type, the freedom to take up a job or continue your education.
You can apply for this visa in two ways:
- If you are outside the UK, you will need to apply for entry clearance—permission to enter the country.
- If you are already inside the UK, you can apply to switch or extend your visa by getting leave to remain.
Learn more about UK visa types in our complete guide.
Who Is Eligible? Relationship Requirements
To apply for the PBS dependant visa, you will need to prove a genuine and qualifying relationship with the main visa holder. Here’s who can apply:
- Spouse or civil partner – You must both be 18 or older, and your relationship needs to be legally recognised in the UK.
- Unmarried partner – You will need to show that you have been living together in a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least two years before applying.
- Children under 18 – Older children can also qualify, but only if they were previously granted permission as dependants and still rely on their parents financially and emotionally.
You will be asked to provide documents like marriage certificates, joint tenancy agreements, or photos together to support your application.
Essential Criteria for PBS Dependants
To successfully apply as a PBS dependant, you will need to meet a few key Home Office requirements beyond just your relationship with the main visa holder.
1. Financial Maintenance
You must prove there are enough savings to support you without relying on public funds. If the main applicant’s employer is not covering your costs, you will need to show:
- £285 for a partner
- £315 for one child
- £200 for each additional child
These funds must be held in a bank account for at least 28 consecutive days before you apply.
2. Suitable Accommodation
You will need to show that there is safe, suitable housing available in the UK. It must not be overcrowded and must meet public health standards.
3. Criminal Record Certificate
Adult dependants (over 18) applying under routes like Skilled Worker may need to provide a criminal record certificate from countries where they have lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years.
4. Match the Main Visa Category
Every PBS visa route, like Skilled Worker, Student, or Global Talent, has its own set of rules. As a dependant, your application needs to match those same criteria and timeframes.
The PBS Dependant Visa Application Process
The application process for a PBS Dependant Visa is straightforward once each step is understood. Most applicants apply online. This can be done either from outside the UK (for entry clearance) or from inside the UK (for leave to remain or visa extension).
Step 1: Complete the Online Application
The application must be completed through the official UK government website. It is important to choose the correct form based on the applicant’s location at the time of applying.
Step 2: Prepare and Upload the Required Documents
A number of documents will be needed to support the application. These typically include:
- A valid passport or travel document
- Proof of relationship to the main applicant (such as a marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate, or evidence of two years’ cohabitation for unmarried partners)
- Financial evidence showing the required level of savings
- A birth certificate for children applying as dependants
- Additional documents like a criminal record certificate or TB test results are required for Pakistani applicants.
Step 3: Pay the Fees
Each applicant is required to pay the visa application fee, along with the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). The IHS allows access to the National Health Service (NHS) during the stay in the UK. The surcharge is typically £1,035 per adult per year, and £776 per child per year.
Step 4: Attend a Biometric Appointment
After submitting the online form, the applicant will be asked to attend a biometric appointment. This involves providing fingerprints and a photograph. The appointment takes place at a visa application centre (if applying from abroad) or a UKVCAS centre (if applying from within the UK).
Step 5: Wait for a Decision
Once all the above steps are completed, the application is processed by the UK Home Office. Standard processing times are usually three weeks for applications made outside the UK and up to eight weeks for those made inside the UK. Legend Consults offers a faster service by paying for priority processing.
Step 6: Link the Application to the Main PBS Visa Holder
It is essential to link the dependant’s application to the main applicant’s visa. This confirms that the dependant is joining or staying with a person who holds a valid Points-Based System visa or leave to remain. Details such as the main applicant’s visa reference number will usually be required during the application.
Life in the UK as a PBS Dependant
Holding a PBS Dependant Visa offers several important rights and freedoms while living in the United Kingdom. Dependants are allowed to build a life alongside the main visa holder, with opportunities to work, study, and enjoy the benefits of the UK’s healthcare system.
- Work Rights
PBS dependants have the right to work in the UK. There is no need for employer sponsorship, and most types of employment are permitted. This includes full-time or part-time roles, self-employment, and voluntary work. However, certain jobs such as professional sports coaching may have restrictions. - Study Opportunities
Dependants are also allowed to study in the UK. This includes enrolling in schools, colleges, or universities, depending on their age and personal goals. - Healthcare Access
Since the Immigration Health Surcharge is paid during the visa application, dependants are entitled to use NHS services. This includes visiting GPs, receiving hospital care, and using mental health services. - National Insurance Number
Adults planning to work will need a National Insurance (NI) number. This can usually be applied for after arriving in the UK and is required for paying tax and accessing certain benefits like pensions later in life. - Travel Rights
PBS dependants can travel in and out of the UK freely while their visa is valid. It is important to ensure travel documents are up to date and to keep records of entry and exit, especially for future immigration applications.
Important Restriction
One key restriction is that PBS dependants have no recourse to public funds. This means they cannot claim benefits such as Universal Credit, housing support, or child benefit. Financial independence must be maintained during the stay in the UK.
Extending Your Stay and Path to Settlement
If a dependant wishes to remain in the UK beyond the initial visa period, they can usually extend their leave to remain, provided the main PBS visa holder also extends their visa. The application process for an extension is similar to the initial visa process and must be completed before the current visa expires.
Pathway to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
PBS dependants may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after five continuous years of living in the UK. ILR is the UK’s version of permanent resident status, offering the right to live and work in the country without immigration restrictions.
To apply, the main applicant must usually have already obtained ILR or become a British citizen. The dependant must also meet other requirements, such as passing the Life in the UK Test and showing continued financial independence without access to public funds.
Pathway to British Citizenship
After securing ILR, a dependant may later be eligible to apply for British citizenship through naturalisation. In most cases, this can be done after 12 months of holding ILR, provided all other conditions are met, including residency requirements and good character checks.
Recent Changes Affecting PBS Dependant Visas
The Home Office has recently introduced notable changes impacting PBS Dependant Visa eligibility:
- Care Workers and Senior Care Workers: Effective March 2024, individuals applying on these specific Health and Care Worker visa routes are no longer permitted to bring dependants.
- Student Dependants: From January 2024, most international students on taught courses can no longer bring dependants. Exceptions are primarily for those on postgraduate research degrees or government-sponsored students.
- Increased Costs: The financial burden of applying has also increased. The annual Immigration Health Surcharge, which grants access to the NHS, rose from £624 to £1,035 per year for most adult applicants as of February 6, 2024. Additionally, visa application fees for PBS Dependant Visa categories increased from April 9, 2025.
FAQs
The processing time for a PBS Dependant Visa application depends on where you are applying from. If applying from outside the UK, the standard processing time is around 3 weeks. If applying for leave to remain from inside the UK, it is around 8 weeks. Priority services are available at Legend Consults for an additional fee.
Yes, in many cases, you can apply for leave to remain as a PBS Dependant from inside the UK if you already hold a different valid visa. However, you generally cannot switch to this route if your last grant of leave to remain was in certain categories, such as a Visitor, Short-term Student, or other specific temporary routes.
No, PBS Dependant Visa applicants are not required to demonstrate their English language proficiency by passing a test. The requirement to meet an English language standard applies only to the main applicant under their specific PBS route.
Yes, individuals holding a PBS Dependant Visa have unrestricted rights to work in the UK. This means you can take up any kind of employment, full-time or part-time, without needing a sponsor yourself (exceptions include professional sportsperson or coach).
You must pay yourself a salary that meets the Home Office’s minimum requirements for your specific job role, experience, and location. Check the official GOV.UK website for these requirements.
Stay Together with Your Family in the UK
Having explored what is a PBS dependant visa and its key aspects, you are well on your way to a successful application for this crucial family visa. Legend Consults’ experienced solicitors can guide you through every step, ensuring your application meets the necessary standards for you to stay together with your family in the UK.
Wondering what is PBS Dependant Visa and how it can help you be with your loved ones in the UK? If your partner, parent, or family member is in the UK on a work or study visa under the Points-Based System (PBS), this visa lets you join them. The PBS is how the UK manages immigration for work, study, and other skilled categories. Each visa type has a main applicant, and the dependant visa allows their family to be part of the journey too.
In this easy guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know: who is eligible, what documents you need, how to apply, and what life in the UK looks like once you arrive.
Let’s help you get one step closer to being with the people who matter the most.
