Are there any options for dependent visas currently available in the UK or other countries in Ireland/France for a Postgraduate?

Whether you can bring your spouse, partner or children with you as a postgraduate depends heavily on which country and which type of program you choose. The UK is the most open of the three, Ireland restricts the option almost entirely to PhD researchers, and France has no standard dependent visa for taught Master's students at all. Here is how the rules compare.

Dependent Visa Rules By Country

Costs And Requirements To Know

In the UK, each dependent must pay a £490 application fee plus the Immigration Health Surcharge, and you must show maintenance funds of £845 per month if you are in London or £680 per month outside London. In Ireland, only PhD students are recognised as eligible sponsors, and dependents typically arrive on a Stamp 3 permission, which does not automatically include the right to work until they secure a job offer and upgrade to Stamp 1. In France, taught Master's dependents must apply independently under the Visitor route, proving roughly €1,477.93 in net monthly income, while PhD researchers under a formal hosting agreement can bring family through the Passeport Talent pathway, which does permit the spouse to work.

My Advice

If bringing your family is a priority, weigh it as heavily as academics when choosing your program type and country. A taught one-year Master's works well in the UK but shuts out dependents in Ireland and limits them to a non-working visa in France, so a PhD route may serve you better if family reunification matters most.