Switching Into Sole Representative Dependant Visa

• Page Contents
• Overview
• Which Family Members Can Qualify?
• Eligibility Requirements
• Immigration Status Requirement
• Relationship Requirement For Dependent Partner
• Relationship Requirement For Dependent Child
• Age and Care Requirement For A Child
• Financial Requirement
• Period and Conditions of Grant
• Fast Track Visa Service
• How Can We Help?
• Our One-Off Service
• Our Fixed Fees

You can apply to switch into sole representative dependant visa from inside the UK if you are already in the UK and meet the relevant requirements for switching into sole representative dependant visa as set out in Appendix Representative of an Overseas Business. An application for switching into sole representative dependant visa is made online from the Home Office UKVI website. If the applicant is applying as a dependent partner they must be aged 18 or over on the date of application. An application for switching into sole representative dependant visa is made in accordance with requirements as set out in Appendix Representative of an Overseas Business of the Immigration Rules. You can apply for switching into sole representative dependant visa through Priority or Super Priority Service for faster decision on your application.

Our specialist team of dependant visa solicitors can provide expert immigration advice and legal representations on fixed fee basis concerning your application for switching into sole representative dependant visa. Ask a question to our dependant visa solicitors for free immigration advice online or book an appointment with one of our specialist dependant visa solicitors for a detailed immigration advice and consultation session concerning your application for switching into sole representative dependant visa from inside the UK.

Which Family Members Can Qualify For Dependant Visa?

The following family members of the sole representative of an overseas business can qualify for switching into dependant visa:

• husband, wife or civil partner of sole representative of an overseas business; or
• unmarried or same-sex partner of sole representative of an overseas business; or
• child aged under 18 years old of sole representative of an overseas business.

Your dependant children can be over 18 years old if they entered the UK on dependant visa whilst they were under 18 but have since turned over 18.

Eligibility Requirements For Switching Into Sole Representative Dependant Visa

As a dependant of a sole representative of an overseas business, you should satisfy the following requirements to be eligible for switching into sole reprsentative dependant visa:

• Valid application: The applicant must submit a valid application for switching into sole reprsentative dependant visa;
• Switching requirement: The applicant must meet the immigration status requirement to be eligible for switching into sole representative dependant visa;
• Relationship requirement: The applicant must meet the relationship requirement as per appendix representative of an overseas business of the Immigration Rules;
• Age requirement for partner: If the applicant is applying as a dependent partner they must be aged 18 or over on the date of application;
• Age and care requirement for child: If the applicant is applying as a dependent child they must be aged under 18 on the date of application unless they were last granted permission as the dependent child of their parent or parents. If the applicant is a child aged under 18 on the date of application, there must be suitable arrangements for the child’s care and accommodation in the UK, which must comply with relevant UK legislation and regulations;
• Suitability requirement: The applicant must not fall for refusal under Part 9: grounds for refusal;
• Financial requirement: The applicant must meet the requirement of adequate funds for maintenance and accommodation to be maintained and accommodated in the UK without any recourse to public funds. 
• Not be in breach of immigration laws: The applicant must not be:
  • in breach of immigration laws, except that where paragraph 39E applies, that period of overstaying will be disregarded; or
  • on immigration bail.

Immigration Status Requirement For Switching Application?

An applicant who is applying for permission to stay must be in the UK on the date of application and must NOT have, or have last been granted, permission:

• as a Visitor; or
• as a Short-term student; or
• as a Parent of a Child Student; or
• as a Seasonal Worker; or
• as a Domestic Worker in a Private Household; or
• outside the Immigration Rules.

Relationship Requirement For Dependent Partner Of Sole Representative

The applicant must be the partner of the sponsoring sole representative where one of the following applies:

• The sponsoring sole representative must have sole representative visa; or
• The sponsoring sole representative is, at the same time, applying for (and is granted) further leave to remain on the sole representative visa route; or
• The sponsoring sole representative is settled or has become a British citizen, providing the sponsoring sole representative had permission on the sole representative route when they settled and the applicant had permission as sponsoring sole representative’s partner at that time.

If the applicant and their sole representative partner are not married or in a civil partnership, all of the following requirements must also be met:

• they must have been living together in a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least the two years before the date of application; and
• any previous relationship of the applicant or their sole representative partner with another person must have permanently broken down; and
• the applicant and their sole representative partner must not be so closely related that they would not be allowed to marry or form a civil partnership in the UK.

The relationship between the applicant and their sole representative partner must be genuine and subsisting and the applicant and their sole representative partner must intend to live together throughout the applicant’s stay in the UK.

Relationship Requirement For A Dependent Child Of Sole Representative

The applicant must be the child of the sponsoring sole representative visa holder where one of the following applies:

• The sponsoring sole representative has permission on the sole representative visa route; or
• The sponsoring sole representative is, at the same time, applying for (and is granted) further leave to remain on the sole representative visa route.

The child’s parents must each be either applying at the same time as the applicant or already have permission to be in the UK (other than as a Visitor) unless:

• the parent applying for or with entry clearance or permission to stay as a sole representative is the sole surviving parent; or
• the parent applying for or with entry clearance or permission to stay as a sole representative has sole responsibility for the child’s upbringing; or
• the parent who does not have permission as a sole representative –
  • is a British citizen or a person who has a right to enter or stay in the UK without restriction; and
  • is or will be ordinarily resident in the UK; or
• the decision maker is satisfied that there are serious and compelling reasons to grant the child entry clearance or permission to stay with the parent who is applying for or has entry clearance or permission as a sole representative.

If the applicant is a child born in the UK to a sole representative or their partner, the applicant must provide a full UK birth certificate showing the names of both parents.

Age and Care Requirement For A Child

The child must be under the age of 18 on the date of application, unless they were last granted permission as the dependent child of their parent or parents. If the child is aged 16 or over at the date of application, they must not be leading an independent life.

If the applicant is aged under 18 on the date of application, there must be suitable arrangements for the child’s care and accommodation in the UK, which must comply with relevant UK legislation and regulations.

Financial Requirement 

The decision maker must be satisfied that the applicant or the Representative of an Overseas Business can and will adequately maintain and accommodate the applicant, and any other dependants in the UK, or applying for entry clearance, without access to public funds. Funds must be shown as specified in Appendix Finance.

 Period and Conditions Of Grant

A partner will be granted:

• permission which ends on the same date as the permission as the Representative of an Overseas Business; or
• 2 years’ permission if the Representative of an Overseas Business was (or is being) granted settlement as a Representative of an Overseas Business.

A dependent child will be granted permission which ends on the same date as whichever of their parents’ permission ends first, unless both parents have (or are being granted) settlement or British Citizenship, in which case the child will be granted permission for 30 months.

The grant will be subject to all the following conditions:

• no access to public funds; and
• work (including self-employment and voluntary work) permitted; except for employment as a professional sportsperson (including as a sports coach); and
• study is permitted, subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS.

Fast Track Service For Switching Into Sole Representative Dependant Visa

Our specialist team of immigration solicitors can provide fast track visa service to get you decision on your application faster under the Priority Service or Super Priority service. This way you will get decision on your application faster and will not to wait for a decision on your application for months (some time years).

Our fast track immigration solicitors can prepare your application faster and submit your application under the Priority Service or Super Priority Service to get you faster decision on your application.

As specialist immigration solicitors in London, we are registered with the Home Office, UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) and its commercial partners UKVCAS Sopra Steria to provide Priority Service or Super Priority Service for your application whereby decision on your application will be made by the Home Office UKVI faster. An application submitted through Priority Service is normally decided within 5 working days and an application submitted through Super Priority Service is normally decided within 24 hours (usually by end of next working day).

One-Off Service For Submission Of Your Application Through Super Priority Service

How Can We Help?

Our specialist team of family visa solicitors can provide expert immigration advice and legal representations for your application for switching into dependant visa on fixed fee basis. Our family visa solicitors can legally represent you in your application for switching into dependant visa and carry out all the work on your application until decision by the Home Office UKVI on your dependant visa application. The immigration casework to be carried out by our immigration solicitors in relation to your application for switching into dependant visa will entail the following:

• Advice on requirements: Our family visa solicitors will advise you on the relevant requirements you have to meet for your application for switching into dependant visa to be successful;
• Documentary advice: Our family visa lawyers will prepare and email you a comprehensive list of supporting documents to be submitted in support of your application for switching into dependant visa;
• Assessing documents: Our immigration lawyers will assess your documents to make sure that all the documents you provide in support of your application for switching into dependant visa are in accordance with the requirement of the immigration rules;
• Completing the application form: Our immigration lawyers will complete the relevant application form your application for switching into dependant visa;
• Submitting application through Priority or Super Priority Service: If required, our immigration lawyers will submit your application for switching into dependant visa online through priority or super priority service to get decision on your application for switching into dependant visa within 24 hours;
• Booking an appointment with the application centre: After the online submission of your application for switching into dependant visa, our immigration lawyers will book your appointment with the application centre for you to enrol your biometrics;
• Detailed cover letter: Our specialist immigration solicitors will prepare a detailed cover letter in support of your application for switching into dependant visa to explain all the relevant legal requirements for your application to be approved by the Home Office UKVI;
• Uploading documents online: Before the biometrics enrolment date, our immigration lawyers will upload online all the supporting documents to be considered in support of your application for switching into dependant visa;
• Follow up work: Our immigration lawyers will carry out all the follow up work until decision by the Home Office UKVI on your application for switching into dependant visa.

Our One-Off Services For Application For Switching Into Dependant visa

If you do not want to use our full service to cover all the work on your application for switching into dependant visa, our dependant visa solicitors will be happy to provide a wide range of one-off legal services for your application for switching into dependant visa. Various one-off services for your application for switching into dependant visa are as listed below:

• Immigration Advice and Consultation Service
• Immigration Documents Checking Service
• Application Form Completion Services
• Submitting Application Through Priority and Super Priority Service
• Preparing Cover Letter For Immigration Application
• Uploading Supporting Documents Online

Our Fixed Fees For Dependant Visa Applications