Important Travel Document Information – Please Read
The UK parent visa is intended for situations in which a parent wishes to join their child who is a British citizen or permanent resident. Remember that you can only apply for this form of Visa if your child is a dependent resident of the United Kingdom under 18.
Please note that if you are eligible for a Partner Visa, such as a Spouse Visa or Civil Partner Visa, you must submit your application through that channel instead. Time spent in the United Kingdom on a Parent Visa does count towards the continuous residence, so if you seek Indefinite Leave to Remain, you should consider this.
Can I Apply for a UK Parent VIsa
- You can apply for the parent and child visas at the same time.
- You can apply for a child visa when you already have a parent visa.
Parent Visa Eligibility
To qualify for a Parent visa, the following prerequisites must be completed. Your youngster must:
- Be under the age of 18 at the time of application; or over the age of 18 but have not formed an independent family unit or led an independent life (i.e., leaving home, getting married, having children); if they were under the age of 18 when the parent was granted entry clearance or leave to remain and are now extending the Parent Visa.
- Be a British citizen, possess Indefinite Leave to Remain or Pre-settled Status, or have resided in the UK for at least seven years.
Parent Visa Criteria Explained
What is the meaning of “sole parental responsibility”?
Sole parental responsibility signifies that the other parent has abdicated their parental responsibilities and that you have sole control over daily and significant decisions about the child’s care. In this instance, mere or substantial financial support may not be sufficient for the child’s upbringing.
As long as you retain overall responsibility for the child, you are permitted to share some responsibilities with individuals other than your spouse. If you share parental responsibilities, your partner cannot be the child’s other parent.
Please remember that sole parental responsibility and legal custody are distinct concepts.
Demonstrating exclusive parental duty
To demonstrate sole parental responsibility, you must demonstrate that you have made all significant choices on the child’s education, health, medical treatment, holidays, recreation, etc., without the other parent’s involvement.
You must also not be ineligible to submit a Partner Visa application under Appendix FM.
Appendix FM is the section of the UK Immigration Rules that outlines visa entry requirements for family members of British citizens, settled persons in the UK, and those with refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK. For spouse/partner visas, the categories of family members that apply are spouses, civil partners, and unmarried partners of 2 years or more.
Due to these factors, the UK Parent Visa is unavailable to parents with a genuine and ongoing relationship. These applicants should consider the Partner path with a Spouse or Unmarried Partner visa.
What is the meaning of direct access?
Personal contact with the child, demonstrating that you play and will continue to play an active and ongoing role in the child’s upbringing.
You must demonstrate that you have direct access to the child, as agreed with the parent/caregiver with whom the child typically resides, who is:
- British Citizen in the United Kingdom or settled in the United Kingdom
- Not your partner (including a person who has been in a relationship for less than two years with you before the application date)
To demonstrate direct access, you must present evidence of the following:
- A residence or contact order issued by a court in the United Kingdom
- A letter or affidavit from the child’s UK-resident parent or guardian
- Evidence from a contact center demonstrating communication plans.
Indirect communication, such as letters or telephone calls, is insufficient to prove ‘direct access.’
You, as the applicant parent, must satisfy:
The relationship criteria for the Parent Visa are that you have sole parental responsibility for the child or that the child resides with you and not the other parent. You may also be eligible if the child resides with a parent or caretaker with whom you do not share a relationship and they have provided direct access to the child.
Relationship prerequisites
Immigration status requirements
Financial requirements
Suitability requirements
Language requirements in English
UK Parent Visa Requirements
Immigration status requirement
You may apply from abroad or in the United Kingdom. If you are applying in the United Kingdom. In that case, you cannot be a guest, have less than six months of leave (unless allowed for family court or divorce proceedings), or be on immigration bail (unless you arrived in the UK more than six months before the application date). Additionally, you cannot violate immigration laws.
Financial requirement
You must demonstrate that you can maintain yourself and any dependents in the United Kingdom without relying on public funds.
Accommodations must not be overcrowded or in violation of public health rules. Adequate means ‘after income tax, National Insurance contributions, and housing costs have been subtracted. The family must have the same income as if they were receiving Income Support.’
Language requirements in English
To demonstrate proficiency in the English language, you must meet at least one of the following requirements:
- You are a citizen of an English-speaking majority nation
- You passed the necessary English language examination.
- You have a degree-level or higher academic qualification from the United Kingdom or an equivalent international qualification recognized by UK ENIC.
In certain situations, you may be excluded from the English proficiency requirement. This is the case, for instance, if you are 65 or older or have a condition that prevents you from meeting the standards.
Information Required for a UK Parent Visa
When applying, you will need to provide:
- Your full name
- The date of your birth
- Your valid passport or another acceptable travel document
- Copies of your prior passport’s photo page and visas or entry stamps
- If you have one, a copy of your biometric residency permit
- Information about any previous immigration petitions you have submitted
- Details of any convicted felonies
- Your social security number, if you own one
- The date of birth and nationality of your parents if you are applying from outside the United Kingdom;
- Your tuberculosis test results, if you are from a nation that requires the test;
- A certified translation of all non-English or Welsh documents.
If you are applying for a visa outside the UK, you will need a blank page in your passport to insert it.
A valid email address is required to submit an online application. Moreover, you’ll need to:
- provide evidence of your finances
- demonstrate your proficiency in English
Depending on your circumstances, you may be required to submit additional documentation, such as a sponsorship form from a family member in the United Kingdom.
Your partner’s details
If you have a significant other, you will be questioned about their:
- Name
- Date of Birth
- Nationality
- Passport
- The right to be in the United Kingdom, such as being a British citizen
You must also provide details about:
- Any individuals with whom your partner was previously married, in a civil partnership, or had children
- Evidence of dissolved marriages, such as a divorce certificate
- Anyone your partner financially supports, such as their parents
Evidence of association When applying as a spouse or partner, you will be asked about the following:
- Your connection with your spouse, including how you met and how frequently you see one another
- The length of time you’ve lived together; you’ll need to produce evidence such as council tax bills.
- Items you pay for together
- If you are your partner’s caregiver
Your prior partners
You must provide information about anyone you have been married to or had children with.
Include documentation of dissolved marriages, such as a divorce certificate.
UK Visa Types
A Visa is required for any foreign national wishing to enter the United Kingdom. You can choose from the following:
| UK Family Visa | UK Refugee Visa | UK Transit Visa |
| UK Standard Visitor Visa | UK Study Visa | UK Business Visa |
| UK Work Permits | UK Spousal Visa | UK Settlement Visa |
| UK Parent Visa | UK Child Visa |
You must also apply for the Standard Visitor Visa if you plan to study in the United Kingdom for a brief amount of time or if you need to transit through the nation.
Children
You must provide information on your children (and, if applicable, your partner’s children). You will be questioned about all of your children and whether or not they are applying.
You must provide specifics on:
- Full Name
- Citizenship
- Birth Date
- Passport information
- With whom the child generally resides
- Any other individuals with parental responsibilities for your child, such as your stepchildren’s biological parents
- How you participate in their daily life
- Arrangements you have to see the child, such as court-granted visitation rights
- The extended family of the child
- Any countries in which your child has traveled or lived Your life outside of Britain
You must provide specifics on:
- Countries outside of the UK where you’ve lived or travelled
- Family and friends in the nations in which you were born or have citizenship
People Also Asked
If you have a kid who is either a British citizen or resident in the UK, you may seek to enter, stay in, or become permanently settled in the United Kingdom. You may also be eligible for the visa if you and your kid are in the United Kingdom and your child has been here for seven years.
Under some immigration regulations, if you have a kid with British citizenship, you may be eligible to petition for the right to stay in the United Kingdom. These regulations are referred to as Appendix FM. FM is an abbreviation meaning “Family Members.”
You are demonstrating attempts to create present and future care arrangements for the child, such as residential arrangements.
To apply to bring your parents to the UK permanently, you must have Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK or be a British citizen. You can read more here.