Parent Of British Child Visa UK

The Parent of a British Child Visa UK is a family visa route for parents who want to live in the UK to care for their child and take an active role in the child’s upbringing. Under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules, the child must be living in the UK and be under 18 and either a British or Irish citizen, settled in the UK, or in certain circumstances have pre-settled status. If applying in the UK, the child may also qualify if they have lived in the UK continuously for 7 years and it would not be reasonable to expect them to leave. 

The applicant must have parental responsibility or direct access rights and must demonstrate genuine and subsisting involvement in the child’s life. This route is not available where the applicant qualifies to apply as a partner; in such cases, the partner visa route must be used instead. 

This visa can lead to settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) in the UK. Applicants who meet the relevant requirements may qualify for ILR after 5 years on the standard route. Where an applicant does not meet certain requirements but qualifies under the relevant exceptions or exceptional circumstances provisions of Appendix FM, they may instead be granted permission on a 10-year route to settlement. 

Sunrise Solicitors can assess your circumstances, prepare and submit a strong Parent of a British Child Visa UK application, and support you throughout the process. Contact us today for free immigration advice or book an appointment with our experienced immigration solicitors.

What are the requirements of a parent of a British child visa UK? 

To apply as a Parent of a British Child, you must meet the following requirements under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules: 

• The applicant must be aged 18 years or over at the date of application. 

• The child must be under the age of 18 at the date of application or, where the child has turned 18 since the applicant was first granted permission as a parent under Appendix FM, must not have formed an independent family unit or be leading an independent life. 

• The child must be living in the UK at the time of the application. 

• The child must not be married or in a civil partnership. 

• The child must be a British or Irish citizen, settled in the UK, or be from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein with pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme and must have started living in the UK before 1 January 2021 where relying on pre-settled status. 

• If applying from within the UK in certain circumstances, the child must have lived in the UK continuously for at least seven years and it must not be reasonable to expect the child to leave the UK. 

• The applicant must provide evidence that they have sole parental responsibility for the child, that the child normally lives with them where permitted under Appendix FM, or that they have direct access to the child in person as agreed with the parent or carer with whom the child normally lives or as ordered by a UK court. 

• If the child normally lives with their other parent or carer, that person must not be the applicant’s partner and must meet the relevant UK immigration status requirements under Appendix FM. 

• If the child lives with their other parent or carer, the applicant must have direct access to the child in person, as agreed with the other parent/carer or by a UK court order.  

• The applicant must provide evidence that they are taking, and will continue to take, an active role in the child’s upbringing. 

• The applicant must demonstrate that they can adequately maintain and accommodate themselves and any dependants in the UK without recourse to public funds. 

• The applicant must meet the English language requirement unless they qualify for an exemption under the Immigration Rules. 

Parent of Child Visa Accommodation Requirements 

Under the Parent of a British Child Visa UK route, the applicant must provide evidence that there will be adequate accommodation in the UK without recourse to public funds for the family. This includes other family members who are not included in the visa application, but who live in the same household. The accommodation must be owned by the family or occupied by them on an exclusive basis, in accordance with the accommodation requirements under Appendix FM. 

Accommodation will not be regarded as adequate if it is, or will become, overcrowded, or if it contravenes public health regulations. Applicants must therefore ensure that the accommodation provides sufficient space for all occupants and does not breach overcrowding or public health requirements.

English Language Requirements for Parent of Child Visa UK 

When applying for a Parent of a British Child Visa UK, you may be required to prove your knowledge of English as part of the family visa requirements. For a first application, you must demonstrate English language ability at at least CEFR Level A1. This is usually done by passing an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) from a Home Office approved provider.  

Alternatively, you can meet the requirement with a degree-level qualification taught in English and awarded by a UK institution, or with an overseas degree that was taught or researched in English and is confirmed by Ecctis as equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or higher and taught in English. 

You will not need to prove your knowledge of English if you are 65 or over, have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from meeting the requirement, or are a national of a majority English-speaking country. You may also not need to prove it again if you have already proved English in a previous successful visa application, including if you have been in the UK on a family visa for 5 years and are extending as a partner or parent, or if exceptional circumstances apply. 

If you are applying to extend your stay as a parent after 30 months and previously met the requirement at CEFR Level A1, you will normally need to demonstrate English at CEFR Level A2 in speaking and listening. 

Evidence required for Parent of Child Visa

You must be able to prove that you are taking an active role in your child’s upbringing and that you plan to continue after you apply. The evidence you provide must come from the government, a school, a court or a medical professional. It must show that you are living with or caring for your child and it must be less than four years old at the date of application. 

Examples of acceptable evidence include a letter from your child’s school confirming that you take them to school or attend parent evenings, a letter sent to your address from the local council confirming your child’s school, or a letter from your child’s doctor, dentist or health visitor confirming that you take them to appointments. You may also provide court order paperwork confirming that your child lives with you or that you are taking an active role in their upbringing. If you rely on court order paperwork, you must obtain permission from the court to use it and send written proof of that permission, such as a letter from the court, with your application. 

If you do not have evidence that meets these criteria, you can provide alternative evidence, but it is less likely that you will be granted a visa. This may include a parental agreement drafted by a solicitor and signed by you and the child’s other parent, a letter from HMRC confirming that you are claiming Child Tax Credit, or social services paperwork confirming that you spend time with your child or that you are applying for access. Greetings cards, photographs, text messages and social media messages are not considered strong evidence of your role in your child’s upbringing and are unlikely to help your application.

Parent of British Child Application Fee 

If you are applying for a Parent of a British Child Visa UK, the Home Office application fee depends on where you submit your application. According to GOV.UK, the application fee is £2,064 if you apply from outside the UK and £1,407 if you apply from inside the UK.

In addition to the application fee, you will usually need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). For adult applicants, the surcharge depends on the length of leave granted and is as follows: 

• £2,587.50 for 2 years and 6 months

• £3,105 for 2 years and 9 months

• £5,175 for 5 years

If you do not pay the IHS (or do not pay enough), UKVI will contact you and you must pay within the stated deadline, otherwise your application will be refused. Since Home Office fees are subject to change, it is important to check the latest amounts on GOV.UK before applying.

Decision time for the Parent of a British Child Visa UK 

The time it takes to receive a decision on a Parent of a British Child Visa UK depends on where you apply. If you apply from outside the UK, you will usually receive a decision within 12 weeks. If you apply from inside the UK, the processing time is approximately 12 months.

If available, you can choose the Priority Service or Super Priority Service. The Priority Service costs £500; it usually aims to give a decision within 5 working days, but for family visa applications made from outside the UK (including parent), it usually takes up to 30 working days. The Super Priority Service costs £1,000 and aims to give you a decision by the end of the next working day after your appointment. If your appointment is at the weekend or on a bank holiday, you will usually get a decision 2 working days after your appointment. These services are not available for all applications and are subject to availability. 

How long you can stay on parent of child visa UK? 

If your application for a Parent of a British Child Visa UK is approved, you can stay in the UK for 2 years and 9 months. Before your visa expires, you must apply to extend your stay if you wish to continue living in the UK under this route. 

If you extend your existing family visa or switch to a Parent of a British Child Visa UK from within the UK, you will normally be granted permission to stay for 2 years and 6 months. It is important to apply for an extension before your current leave expires to maintain lawful status in the UK.

Parent of a Child Visa UK to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) 

If your application for a Parent Visa UK is successful, you will normally be granted permission to stay for 2 years and 9 months if you apply from outside the UK, or 2 years and 6 months if you apply from inside the UK. You can extend your leave for further periods of 2 years and 6 months. After completing 5 years (60 months) on this route as a parent, you may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), provided you continue to meet the requirements of the route. 

If you are granted leave on the 10-year route, you must extend your permission in 30-month periods until you complete 10 years (120 months) before becoming eligible to apply for ILR. 

To apply for settlement, you must be in the UK with valid leave as a parent, make a valid application, meet the suitability requirements, and satisfy the Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK (KoLL) requirement. For applications made before 26 March 2027, this normally requires English language ability in speaking and listening at CEFR Level B1, together with passing the Life in the UK Test, unless an exemption or another permitted method of meeting the English requirement applies. 

If you do not meet the KoLL requirement but meet the other requirements for settlement, you may be granted a further period of limited leave of up to 30 months instead of ILR. If you do not qualify for settlement but continue to meet the requirements for limited leave as a parent, you may also be granted a further period of limited leave. 

What if my Parent of a Child visa application is refused? 

If your Parent of a British Child Visa application is refused, the Home Office will issue a written decision letter explaining the reasons for the refusal. The letter will set out which requirements under Appendix FM were not met and will confirm whether you have a right of appeal. 

As Parent Visa applications commonly involve a human rights claim based on family life under Article 8, a refusal may carry a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). The refusal notice will confirm whether a right of appeal applies. The refusal notice will clearly state whether you have a right of appeal and the time limit for lodging it. 

If you are given a right of appeal, you must submit your appeal within the deadline specified in the refusal letter. It is important to act promptly, as strict time limits apply.  

In some cases, depending on the reasons for refusal and the applicant’s circumstances, it may be appropriate to submit a fresh application addressing the issues identified in the refusal, particularly where further or corrected evidence can be provided. 

Sunrise Solicitors can carefully review your refusal decision, explain your available options, and assist you in preparing an appeal or a fresh application where appropriate, in accordance with the Immigration Rules. 

Services For Parent Of British Child Visa

FAQ’s 

How can I apply for a parent of a British child visa? 

You must apply online through the GOV.UK family visa route as a parent. You need to complete the application form, pay the required fees, attend a biometric appointment, and submit evidence showing that you meet the Appendix FM requirements.  

How long does it take to get a parent of a British child visa? 

If you apply from outside the UK, you will usually receive a decision within 12 weeks. If you apply from inside the UK, it currently takes about 12 months. Faster decisions may be available through priority services, subject to availability. 

What documents are required for a parent visa in the UK?

You must provide proof of your child’s status in the UK, evidence of parental responsibility or direct access, documents confirming your active role in your child’s upbringing, proof of adequate accommodation without recourse to public funds, financial evidence, and proof of meeting the English language requirement where required. 

Can I apply for ILR after 5 years on the 10-year route? 

No. Five years spent on the 10-year parent settlement route will not normally be enough for ILR. The 10-year settlement route generally requires a continuous qualifying period of 10 years, although the current rules allow certain other qualifying periods of permission to count towards that 10-year period. The separate 5-year parent settlement route requires 5 years’ continuous residence on a family visa as a parent. 

Can I stay in the UK if my child is born here? 

Not automatically. A child being born in the UK does not give you the right to stay. You must meet the eligibility requirements under the Parent of a British Child Visa route to remain lawfully in the UK.