Short answer: probably not at exactly the same time, and assuming they can is one of the most expensive mistakes families make.
Your partner and children are not attached to your ILR application. They have their own qualifying periods based on their own visa history.
Your partner qualifies for ILR after 5 continuous years on a qualifying dependant visa. Your child qualifies based on their own entry date and visa history.
If your partner arrived in the UK 6 months after you, their ILR date is 6 months after yours. If your child arrived 2 years after you, their date is 2 years after yours.
Families often plan around one date: the main applicant's ILR date. Then they discover their partner qualifies 8 months later and their child qualifies 14 months later.
Faisal and Zaid can apply together in January 2025. Nadia cannot apply until September 2025. She joined 8 months later. During those 8 months, Nadia needs to extend her visa. That means another application, another fee, another wait.
This has real consequences:
Planning early gives you time to understand the gaps. Discovering them at the last minute does not.
Cohabiting couples: If you are not married, you need evidence of living together for at least 2 years: joint bills, a joint tenancy, joint bank statements. Start gathering this evidence now, not when you apply.
UK-born children of settled parents may have a different route to status entirely. This is separate from the dependant visa ILR route. If your child was born in the UK, check whether they are already British or eligible to register as British based on your status at the time of their birth.
Once a child turns 18, they move out of the dependant visa route. If they are in full-time education in the UK, they may be able to extend as a Student. Check this well before their 18th birthday to avoid any gap in their leave.
The best approach is to check every family member's ILR date separately, as early as possible. Settle Easy UK's family dashboard tracks every person's visa history and qualifying period individually, and shows you the full picture: who qualifies when, how large the gaps are, and what each person still needs to do.
Add your partner and children, enter their visa history, and see if any dates are misaligned. No surprises on the day you apply.
Check our family dates →This article is for general information only. Immigration rules change frequently. Always check the current rules on GOV.UK and speak to a qualified immigration solicitor before making any application. Settle Easy UK is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.