Graduate Trainee visa (Global Business Mobility)
Your partner and children
Your partner and children can also apply to join you or stay in the UK as your ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible.
If your partner or child’s application is successful, their visa will usually end on the same date as yours. If a child’s parents have visas with different expiry dates, the child’s visa will end on the earlier date.
A dependant partner or child is any of the following:
- your husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner
- your child under 18 - including if they were born in the UK during your stay
- your child over 18 if they currently have permission (‘leave to enter’ or ‘leave to remain’) to be in the UK as your dependant
You’ll need to provide evidence of your relationship to your dependant when you apply.
Your partner
You must be able to prove one of the following:
- you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK
- you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply
- you’ve been in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply but you cannot live together, for example because you’re working or studying in different places, or it’s not accepted in your culture
If you’re not living together, you’ll need to prove that you have an ongoing commitment to each other, for example by providing evidence that you:
- communicate regularly with each other
- support each other financially
- care for any children you have together
- spend time together as a couple, for example on holiday or at events
Your child
They must:
- live with you, unless they’re living away from home in full-time education - for example, at boarding school or university
- not be married or in a civil partnership
You’ll need to provide evidence of their address, such as:
- a bank statement
- credit card bills
- driving licence
- NHS registration document
- an official letter from their university or college
Money they need to support themselves
Your partner or children must have a certain amount of money available to support themselves while they’re in the UK.
You - or your partner or child - will need:
- £285 for your partner
- £315 for one child
- £200 for each additional child
Example
You - or your partner or child - would need to have £600 to bring your partner and one child with you to the UK (£285 for your partner and £315 for your child).
You would also need to have £1,270 to support yourself for your own application.
You - or your partner or child - will need to have had the money available for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must be within 31 days of the date you or they apply for this visa.
You’ll usually need to show proof of this when they apply, unless either:
- you have all been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months
- your employer can cover your family’s costs during your first month in the UK - this must be confirmed on your certificate of sponsorship
If your partner or child is applying at a different time to you, they’ll only need to prove they have enough money to support themselves if they have been in the UK for less than one year.
Apply from outside the UK
Your partner and children must either:
Each family member will need to complete a separate application and pay the visa fee. They must apply before they travel to the UK.
They’ll also need your application number - you’ll get this when you apply. This number is called a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN). You’ll find it on emails and letters from the Home Office about your application.
Proving their identity from outside the UK
As part of an application, your partner and children will need to prove their identity. They’ll either:
- use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan their identity document - they’ll also create or sign into their UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account
- have their fingerprints and photo (biometric information) taken at a visa application centre
They’ll be told what they need to do when they apply.
If they do need an appointment:
- the visa application centre may need to keep their passport and documents while they process their application
- they may have to travel to get to their nearest centre (this could be in another country)
How long it takes to get a decision
Once they’ve applied online, proved their identity and provided their documents, they’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
They may be able to pay to get a faster decision.
Children born in the UK
If you have a child while you’re in the UK, they do not automatically become a British citizen.
You can apply online for their visa as your dependant. You must do this if you want to travel in and out of the UK with your child.
You’ll need to provide a full UK birth certificate for each child, showing the names of both parents.
You must apply to add them to your visa before they turn 18 if they want to stay in the UK.
What your partner or child can and cannot do
Your partner or child can:
- work, except as a sportsperson or coach
- study
- travel abroad and return to the UK
They cannot apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension.
If their application is successful, they’ll get a full list of what they can and cannot do.