ILR on the Skilled Worker Route: Should You and Your Dependants Apply Together or Separately?
You can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) on the Skilled Worker route together with your dependants, but only if each person separately meets the rules. A dependent partner usually needs their own five years of continuous UK residence, so if they joined you a few months or years after you arrived, you will reach ILR first and they will follow once their own qualifying period is complete. There is no single "family ILR" application that lets a partner settle early just because the main applicant has.
- Each dependant qualifies for ILR in their own right, not automatically through you.
- A dependent partner normally needs 5 years' continuous residence on a Dependant visa.
- You can be included in one combined application if everyone qualifies on the same date.
- A partner who joined late waits until their own 5 years are complete.
- Children under 18 have more flexible rules and no fixed 5-year minimum.
Together vs separately: how it actually works
HM Government allows your partner and children to apply at the same time as you, or at a different time. If your partner has lived with you in the UK on a Dependant visa for the full qualifying period (usually five continuous years), they can be included on the same application — each person still completes their own form and pays their own fee, but you can submit and attend the biometrics appointment together.
If there is a gap — say your partner arrived eight months after you, or switched into the dependant route later — then you simply cannot all settle on the same day. You apply when you hit your five years; your partner applies when they hit theirs. This is normal and not a problem. It does not weaken either application. For background on getting your own timing right, see when should you apply for ILR on a Skilled Worker route and our guide to using your BRP issue date to calculate the qualifying period.
What happens to a dependant who isn't ready yet
A common worry is: "My visa is up first — does my partner have to leave?" No. A partner who has not yet completed their own five years can extend their Dependant visa to stay lawfully in the UK while they build up the rest of their qualifying period, and then apply for ILR in their own right when ready. The main applicant settling first does not cut short the dependant's right to remain.
A dependent partner's five years counts continuous residence on the dependant route, with the same 180-days-absence-in-any-rolling-12-months limit that applies to the main applicant. Long trips abroad can reset or break this, so check each person's travel history separately.
Children are treated differently
Children under 18 do not have to complete a fixed five-year residence period. A child can generally be granted ILR at the same time as a settling parent, or once both parents (or the sole surviving/responsible parent) hold ILR or British citizenship. A child must usually not be married or in a civil partnership and must be living with the family. Children aged 16–17 may need to show they are still financially and practically dependent. Once a child turns 18 they can no longer be added to a parent's application and must apply on their own. See when can my dependants apply for ILR on the Skilled Worker route for the child-specific detail.
Costs and timing
The ILR fee is charged per person, whether you apply in one sitting or separately — there is no discount for bundling, and no penalty for applying at different times. Each applicant also needs to pass the Life in the UK test (required for anyone aged 18–64) and meet the English language requirement before applying. Because fees change, always confirm the current amount on GOV.UK before you pay.
Don't delay your own ILR to "wait for" a dependant who isn't eligible yet. Apply when you qualify; let each dependant apply when they qualify. Holding back your settled status to keep the family on the same date can leave you on a visa longer than necessary and is rarely the right move.
A few-months gap: is it a problem?
A short gap between the main applicant and a dependant settling is completely routine and causes no issue, provided each person keeps lawful status throughout (the dependant extending their visa if needed). The practical questions are simply: has each person done their own continuous residence, stayed within the absence limits, and met the test and English requirements? If yes, apply when ready. Settlement rules are under review in 2026, so confirm current requirements before applying.
When your timelines are tangled — different arrival dates, switches between routes, or long absences — get your specific facts checked by a regulated OISC adviser or immigration solicitor before you submit. Meanwhile, you can keep everyone test-ready with free Life in the UK practice.