Tier 2 dependant visa or Tier 4 visa?

[msjiao]

Dear all,

I am apply for a Tier 2 (General) visa, and I am hesitating about what type of visa I should apply for my daughter, and I wish to hear your suggestions:

Normally, she should apply for a Tier 2 dependant visa. But my husband won't be able to find a job in the UK as good as he has in China. But without my husband applying for a Tier 2 dependant visa, my daughter's application will be refused according to 319H (f), which I just learned it yesterday. In order to get my daughter's dependant visa, my husband will have to apply at the same time but waste it (he will have too much absence in the UK, so it won't lead to an ILR for himself, or for our daughter).

And if I have to leave the UK for any reason and my Tier 2 visa is invalid, so my daughter's dependant visa will be invalid too. And a Tier 2 dependant can't switch to a Tier 4 in the UK. In this case, my daughter's will not be able to continue her study.

It sounds very risky for my daughter to be on a Tier 2 dependant visa. Should we apply for the Tier 4 visa directly? Or can she switch to Tier 4 when she is in a holiday so she has enough time to apply the Tier 4 visa back in China without breaking her study?

Is there any benefit to be on a Tier 2 dependant visa? I see limitations only here.

Please help to enlighten me, thanks in advance!
Jiao

[cyclina1]

I don't know where your girl study so difficult to comment.

But she needs to get sponsor from the school if she come to study as Tier 4, which obviously not all schools provide sponsor.

Tier 2 dependent is very flexible as she can study wherever she wanted, of course you have to keep working as Tier2 in the UK in this case. And depends on if you want to apply ILR when eligible, your girl can get ILR in the UK with you if she is under 18 when applies. If she is in Tier 4, she cannot apply ILR in the UK (except 10 year route).

[msjiao]

I don't know where your girl study so difficult to comment.

But she needs to get sponsor from the school if she come to study as Tier 4, which obviously not all schools provide sponsor.

Tier 2 dependent is very flexible as she can study wherever she wanted, of course you have to keep working as Tier2 in the UK in this case. And depends on if you want to apply ILR when eligible, your girl can get ILR in the UK with you if she is under 18 when applies. If she is in Tier 4, she cannot apply ILR in the UK (except 10 year route).

Thanks cyclina1 for commenting.

My daughter is 16 years old, and she is going to study in Bromsgrove School. In 5 years, she will be studying in a university/college, at age of 21. Bromsgrove School is able to sponsor the Tier 4 visa, but they only do this for full boarders, while my daughter is given a day student place. We can apply for a full boarder place next year though, but have to plan in advance.

If my husband applies for a Tier 2 dependant at the same time with us, and he will mainly live and work in China during the next 5 years. When I am eligible to ILR, and our daughter needs to extend her dependant visa, so I assume she has to apply with father at the same time. So what will happen by then? Will they be given some years extension of their dependant visa? Could they refuse my husband's application because of his excessive absence in the UK? Could they refuse my daughter's application as well because of father's absence?

Thank you in advance,
Jiao