partner got work-permit dependent visa, but my passport says 0 dependents

hello everyone,

In September 2008 I received a five-year work permit, and I applied (in Canada) for entry clearance for my partner and me. I got a WP visa/EC in my passport, and she got a WP-dependent visa/EC in her passport. I arrived in September 2008 and she arrived in December 2008. She just got a job here in the UK, and her company asked for photocopies of her passport and mine. They also asked for something that 'links the passports together'. I don't recall receiving anything from UKBA in this regard....we just submitted our applications and passports, and got the passports back by courier with the visas in them.

When I just took a closer look at the visa/entry clearance in my passport, I notice that it says '0' beside 'number of dependents', and that no names are listed beside any of the three lines that read 'name of dependents'. My guess is that the passports should be 'linked together' by having the proper information here -- 1 dependent, and then her name. However, this isn't what is there.

Can anyone provide some help here? She definitely has a work permit dependent visa/EC -- it's right there in her passport. And we applied at the same time (together, in the same envelope), and I have print outs of the online application.

I guess what I am wondering is:

1. Should the visa/EC in my passport list her name, or is that part for children (or non-spousal dependents)?

2. If her name should be listed, does anyone have advice on how to fix this? (It would obviously be a screw-up on the part of the UKBA or the embassy in Ottawa, etc., since they granted her the visa/EC).

3. If the 'number of dependents' part on my visa/EC is for non-spousal dependents, does anyone have suggestions on what I can do to 'link together' the passports for the purposes of my partner's UK employer?

thanks!

Nick (in a bit of a panic)

There has been no error and there is nothing you need to do. Your vignettes are fine.

There will be no dependants on your actual vignette (visa sticker) because she has her own passport and her own vignette.

At one time children were allowed to be added onto their parents passport, that is where on the actual visa vignette it will list dependents. Because this is no longer done and children have their own passports, you make separate application for them, pay a separate fee for them and they get their own vignette.

Edited to correct my poor grammar.

Does her visa say she has entry clearance as dependent of [your name]?

The employer doesn't need to know whose dependent she is. She has a valid visa, that is all they need for their records.

There has been no error and there is nothing you need to do. Your vignettes are fine.

There will be no dependants on your actual vignette (visa sticker) because she has her own passport and her own vignette.

At one time children were allowed to be added onto their parents passport, that is where on the actual visa vignette it will list dependents. Because this is no longer done and children have their own passports, you make separate application for them, pay a separate fee for them and they get their own vignette.

Edited to correct my poor grammar.

Thank you -- this is very helpful. It's strange that the vignette in the passport still has the (now obsolete) listing about dependents. I'm a bit unsure of what to tell her employer (the University of Edinburgh!), since they say they need something that 'links the passports together'. And this sort of makes sense -- I mean, she does have a valid visa, but it is dependent on mine, in the sense that if I get booted out of the UK, get fired, etc., her work permit is in jeopardy.

This is probably pushing my luck, but is there anything authoritative online, e.g., from the UKBA, that addresses this (e.g., says basically what WebyJ and Shahbanou are saying?)? I've searched and haven't had much luck. What I'm looking for is something to which I can direct the authorities at the U of Edinburgh.

thanks again!

Nick

Her visa should say something like:

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/resources/en/docs/ecgdocs/LTEendorsementsandcodes (see page 3 2nd one down under work permit)

Spouses/ CP/ Child of work permit holder, D, WORK PERMIT DEPENDANT, initial and surname of work permit holder

As it lists your name right at the end with the initial & surname of the permit holder, then all you would to do is just need a copy of your visa to show that you are the same person referred to in her visa.

Her visa should say something like:

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/resources/en/docs/ecgdocs/LTEendorsementsandcodes (see page 3 2nd one down under work permit)
As it lists your name right at the end with the initial & surname of the permit holder, then all you would to do is just need a copy of your visa to show that you are the same person referred to in her visa.

Wow, thanks again for this. However, the problem is that her vignette doesn't have my name on it. It just says 'work permit dependent', without my name. I have no idea why, since as I said we applied together (with both applications, and our passports, in the same envelope).

Are you married? or in some sort of Civil partnership? As these documents can be used to link the two of you. Or did you keep a copy of her visa application you should also be able to use that too.

We are neither married nor in a civil partnership (as defined in the UK). However, we have been together for 7 years and co-habitating for 6, and her entry clearance was issued under the 'spousal' category. (When we applied for my work permit and her work permit dependent status, we had to demonstrate that we were a long-term couple, etc. This was of course easy to do. However, we don't have a marriage certificate or something that we could show her employer.)

I do have copies of my online application and her online application (to the UKBA). However, this is just an application, not an approval.

Do you (or anyone) have suggestions on how I could possibly contact anyone at the UKBA to fix her vignette, if indeed it is in error? In my experience (14 months ago) it was close to impossible to get in touch with a real person there.

This has been a few years, so it may be outdated, but my work permit dependent did not have my name on his vignette.  He did have my name hand written in the margins of one of the pages, with my visa number.  We didn't even notice it for ages as it wasn't even on the same page as the vignette, from memory.  Maybe worth a look.

Neither did my husband's. It made no reference to my name at all. Maybe this has changed but I wouldn't think it would really cause your wife a problem.  I'm sorry the University of Edinburgh is making a big deal about it.

I'm a work permit dependent, also, and mine doesn't have his (husband/work permit holder) name listed anywhere, either.  Received in Oct 2008.

I just received my T2 last week and my husband and child's vignettes have my name and sponsorship number on them.

I just received my T2 last week and my husband and child's vignettes have my name and sponsorship number on them.

Do not compare T2's to WP's they are two completely seperate things that cannot be compared. Be very careful of this.

Do not compare T2's to WP's they are two completely seperate things that cannot be compared. Be very careful of this.

Sorry. I didn't know. I won't respond to anything else.