ILR and dependent child

[cornwallcolin]

I am a UK citizen. My spouse and step-daughter arrived in the UK in late 2016 and have now gained further leave to remain here in the UK.

My wife is considering a return to her own country to follow her career in international development which will mean she would not be granted ILR. My step-daughter was 17 when she arrived and has FLR until late summer 2021, after which she will need to apply for ILR (she will have been here 5 years at that stage as a dependent child).

Am I correct in assuming that because my step-daughter is here as the dependent child of my wife, unless my wife gets ILR, there is no way that my step-daughter can get ILR, even though she has been here 5 years by that time and will be 22 years old?

[seagul]

since there is no absence threshold then if she can then maintain her residence even with absences in UK until ILR.