Can I bring dependants on the Graduate route?

The rules on Graduate route dependants have been tightened. Only dependants who were already dependants on your student visa can remain. New dependants cannot generally be added on the Graduate route.

Can Graduate route dependants work?

Yes. Dependants who are eligible to remain on the Graduate route have full, unrestricted work rights. They can work for any employer in any role.

What happens to my dependants when my Graduate route ends?

When the Graduate route expires, both you and your dependants must switch to another visa or leave the UK. See the Skilled Worker route as a common next step.

Graduate Route Dependants UK 2026

Dependant access on the Graduate route has been restricted. Only those who were already dependants on your student visa can continue. New dependants generally cannot be added. This guide explains the current rules and your options.

Current Dependant Rules

The UK government restricted dependant access on the Graduate route as part of broader immigration reforms. Under the current rules:

If your spouse, partner, or children were already your dependants on your student visa, they can remain as dependants on the Graduate route
You cannot add new dependants once you switch to the Graduate route
The student visa itself also restricted dependant access for most courses — only research postgraduates and government-sponsored students can generally bring dependants

These changes were announced in the Graduate route review context. For official guidance, see GOV.UK.

Work Rights for Existing Dependants

Dependants who are eligible to remain on the Graduate route have full work rights. They can:

Work for any employer in any role
Be self-employed
Study

See our Graduate route work rights guide for the main applicant's work rights.

Costs

Each dependant pays:

Visa fee: £822
IHS: £1,035 per year (£2,070 for a 2-year Graduate route, £3,105 for 3 years for PhD holders)

See the UK visa fees guide.

When the Graduate Route Ends

The Graduate route lasts 2 years (3 years for PhD graduates) and cannot be extended. Before it expires, both you and your dependants need to either:

Switch to a Skilled Worker visa
Switch to another eligible visa route
Leave the UK

The Graduate route does not lead directly to ILR — you must switch to another qualifying route first.

Options for Families

If you are on the Graduate route and want to bring a new family member to the UK, your options include:

Wait until you switch to a Skilled Worker visa, which allows new dependants
Your family member applies for their own visa independently
Consider the spouse visa if you are the dependant's British or settled sponsor

Impact of the Graduate Route Review

The 2026 Graduate route review examined whether to maintain, restrict, or abolish the route. The dependant restrictions were among the changes made to reduce net migration. For broader context, see the 2026 immigration changes.

Next Steps

If you have dependants, plan your next visa step early. The Graduate to Skilled Worker transition is the most common path. For official guidance, visit GOV.UK.

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