My daughter, Paula, recently arrived in the UK on a Tier 4 visa, along with her husband Calvin, who came as a dependent on Paula's Tier 4 visa.
The Tier 4 visa is basically a study visa. All the details relating to this visa can be found here. To qualify for a Tier 4 visa you need to be over 16 years of age, be offered an unconditional place on a course at an educational institution that is on the licensed Tier 4 sponsor list, have the funds to support yourself (see below) and prove your competency in English by doing the relevant IELTS test. (To see the various IELTS tests, see here)
The type of course that qualifies for a Tier 4 is explained here.
The various documents that the applicant is required to submit are listed here
The applicant will need to prove they have the funds to cover the costs of their course and to maintain themselves for at least 9 months (or the full length of the course if it's shorter than 9 months). To do this they will need to provide bank statements that show that the relative sum of money has been in the bank account for at least 28 days. The "maintenance" funds required are: If you are studying in Greater London - £1,265 per month, or if you are studying outside of London - £1,015 per month. With regard to the course fees, the applicant will need to show proof of funds for at least the first year of tuition fees.
In addition to the visa fee, the applicant will also have to pay the NHS surcharge - the applicable fees can be found here and go for a TB test at an approved TB testing centre
In order to bring a dependent, the applicant needs to be studying for a course that is Level 7 or above (basically that means post-graduate) and the course has to be at least 9 months long. The guidance for bringing a dependent can be found here. The dependent will also need to pay the NHS surcharge, have a TB test and prove maintenance funds, for the first 9 months,of at least £845 per month if the main applicant's course is in Greater London, or at least £680 per month outside of London. Proof will need to be provided of the relationship between the applicant and the dependent - for example a marriage certificate for a spouse as well as proof that the relationship is genuine (eg letters from friends confirming the relationship and photographs over the course of the relationship) or if the dependent is a child, an unabridged birth certificate.
