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Alastair Blair

What is a UK Child Visa?



For a child to be eligible for this type of visa he or she needs to have one of their parents already residing in the UK. The requirements for this type of visa depend mostly on whether the child was born inside or outside the UK.


The precise requirements your child will need to satisfy may vary depending on your personal circumstances and those of your child.  Therefore, it is often a good idea to get expert advice from us as it can help you avoid many of the pitfalls that can prevent your application being successful.


Firstly, note that the child may not need a family visa if at least one of their parents has indefinite leave to remain or proof of permanent residence.


If the parent cannot include the child in their form and the child is not in the UK, they may be eligible to apply for Private Life in the UK. Please ask us for details of this scheme.

If the parent has settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme the child may be able to apply to the Free EU Settlement scheme. Again, please ask us for details of this scheme.

For children born in the UK, the Home Office can grant you the same permission to stay as your parent. For applicants from outside the UK the basic requirements are:

  • The child is under the age of 18 at the date of application;

  • The child has not formed an independent family unit (i.e. is married or in a civil partnership);

  • The child is not leading an independent life;

  • Either:


In addition, there are financial and accommodation requirements. The financial requirement has to be fulfilled by the parent who is living in the UK. To bring a non-EU citizen in the UK, they have to prove they have the financial funds to sponsor both themselves and their child. More specifically, the parent must prove that he or she has an income of at least £18,600 per year (they might also use their savings to prove they have sufficient funds.


A further requirement is English language knowledge, although residents of some countries (mainly the USA and British Commonwealth) are exempt from this.  Everyone else has to prove they have sufficient command of the English language, by taking an approved English language test and passing it with at least a CEFR level A1 in speaking and listening.


How to Apply for a Child Visa

You must apply online if you are applying from outside of the UK. If you are in the UK you can apply online or by post or by using the premium service (please ask us for details of this).  If you apply in the UK, you will receive a letter asking for your biometric information (your fingerprints and a photo).  If you require help with this, please ask us and we can advise on filling out the necessary forms. We can also advise on the supporting documents (passports, biometric information, etc.) that you will need to include with your application.


Visa Fee

If you apply from outside the UK to join your parent, the fee is £1,464.

If you apply in the UK online or by post the fee is £993, and £1,583 if you apply in the UK in person with the premium service (please ask us for details of the premium service).

Even if you are applying as a dependant added to the application of your other parent, you will still have to pay the fee of £1,464 if you apply from outside the UK, or £993 if you apply in the UK online or by post and £1,583 if you apply in the UK in person with the premium service.


As specialists in immigration to the UK, we understand that obtaining a visa can be a daunting proposition. Please get in touch and we’ll be delighted to help make it as easy as possible for you.

Silvia Rodriguez Molina

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