Work permit holders (except Bulgarian and Romanian nationals)
Are the dependants of work permit holders allowed to stay in the United Kingdom?
This page explains whether a work permit holder's dependants are allowed to enter and stay in the UK under their work permit arrangements.
Dependants
A dependant is a wife, husband, civil partner, same-sex partner, unmarried partner or child under the age of 18 years. A work permit holder's dependants may be admitted to the UK. They will be given conditions of stay which do not place any restrictions, other than those that would apply to a resident worker, on employment or engaging in business. This normally applies when a dependant is granted more than 6 months' leave. If they are granted less than 6 months' leave, they will not normally be allowed to take up employment. Any dependant children over 18 years old should apply on a separate form and pay the appropriate fee. If you are overseas, you should see the visa services website for further information on how to do this.
The exceptions to this are the dependants of multiple entry work permit holders who, if they wish to accompany a work permit holder to the UK, must qualify for entry in their own right under another category of the Immigration Rules.
Making an application
If you need to apply for further leave to remain for yourself and your dependants, you should see the section on Extending your stay.