A J-2 dependent can study full or part time in the United States. Dependent children with F-2 visas can study in elementary or secondary school (kindergarten through 12th grade) and at the post-secondary level (college or university). The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) provides information on dependent visas. All family members who apply to come to the UK as dependents will need to apply for permission to enter from outside the UK.
You can apply for an immigration permit for your baby, as your dependent, either from the UK or from your home country. If you submit an application to extend or change your student visa in the UK, your dependents must apply at the same time as you or wait until your new license is granted. To add a dependent spouse to your J-1 Scholar status, complete this J-1 Fellow application form to add a dependent. If a dependent person has been in the UK on a valid visa for at least 12 months from the date of their application for a stay permit, there is no need to submit proof of funding to support the application for a newly dependent visa in the UK.
Dependents must also pay the immigration health surcharge, which is charged at £470 per year for the life of the visa. The form you should use will depend on whether you file at the same time as your dependent or not. If your husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner requests to be your dependent, the relationship must be genuine and survive at the time of the application and you must intend to live together during your stay in the UK. Make sure the designated school official (DSO) knows that you would like to take your dependents with you.
As with a student visa, dependents must apply for it in their country of nationality or country of residence (where you have permission to live). This may vary depending on when and where you apply, especially in the peak period between July and September. The University's International Student Office offers a visa advisory service and can assist with inquiries related to dependent visa applications. As long as your children are admitted to the UK as your dependents, they will normally be able to attend state (government-funded) schools in the UK free of charge if they are between 5 and 16 years old.
Many schools also have a separate form that you must complete to obtain a Form I-20, a certificate of eligibility for nonimmigrant status, for your dependents. Dependents can apply at the same time the student applies for their visa or after it has been granted. The additional time granted at the end of the visa from the student's course completion date is included in the calculation of the financial requirement for a dependent if the course duration is less than 9 months.
