Parent of a British Child: Navigating the Family Visa Route

Table Of Contents:

1. What is the parent of a British child visa
2. Navigating the Family Visa Route as a Parent of a British Child
3. Documents Required
4. How to Apply as a Parent of a British Child
5. Final Thoughts

A parent of a British child with sole or shared responsibility can apply for a Family Visa to join their child in the UK. To navigate the family visa route as a parent of a British child, you need to prove your relationship with the child, your financial capacity to take care of the child’s upbringing, and your knowledge of the English language.

What is the parent of a British child visa?

There is no separate ‘parent visa.’ Parents of a British child can apply to join him/her using the UK f

amily visa route. If you live abroad and you have a British child in the UK, you can apply to join them in the UK. You can also apply to join your child if you are in the UK on another visa.

You must either have ‘sole responsibility’ for the child or shared responsibility but with direct access to the child. You may have the ‘sole responsibility’ of the child if the other parent is absent or unable to take care of the child.
In other cases where the child lives with the other parent in the UK, you must have direct legal access to the child to be able to apply as a parent of a British child.

A UK parent visa lasts for 30 months (if applied from inside the UK) and 33 months (if applied from outside the UK). After that, you can apply for an extension, and after having lived in the UK for 5 years continuously, you may apply for settlement, i.e., indefinite leave to remain.

You must note that if the other parent living with the child in the UK is your spouse/partner, you must apply for a UK spouse visa or partner visa instead.

Navigating the Family Visa Route as a Parent of a British Child

Navigating as a parent of a British child starts with meeting the eligibility criteria. So, you will have to meet the following eligibility criteria for a UK parent visa.

Relationship with the Child –

You must be a biological, adoptive, or step-parent of the child. You may be the single parent of the child, or if the other parent is there, he/she must not be your partner/spouse.

Parental Responsibility –

If you want to claim the sole responsibility for the child, you must demonstrate that you are the only person who will take care of the child’s upbringing. You must also demonstrate that you will be making the major decisions for the child, such as their education, health, and overall well-being. Your child must live with you unless they’re living away from home in full-time education—for example, at boarding school or university—and they must not be married or in a civil partnership.

In the case where the child lives with the other parent or carer, you must have direct legal access to the child. You can demonstrate direct access rights through a mutual agreement with the other parent or carer or through a court order.

The age of the child –

The British child must be aged under 18 at the time of application, or they must have been under 18 when you were first granted entry clearance or leave to remain in the UK. They must also not be living an independent life.

The Immigration Status of the Child –

You can apply as a parent even though your child is not a British citizen but one of the following:

• An Irish Citizen
• With indefinite leave to remain or settled status under the EUSS
• A Commonwealth citizen whose grandparent was born in the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man
• Has lived in the UK for at least 7 years continuously, and in case you are applying to switch to a UK parent visa from inside the UK, you must demonstrate that it would not be reasonable for your child to leave the UK.

Financial Requirement –

You must show that you can financially maintain you and your child without recourse to public funds. There is no fixed income threshold for applying as a parent of a British child, but sufficient funds must be available. You can also meet the financial requirements through adequate cash savings.

Accommodation Requirement –

There must be adequate accommodation for you and your child. The accommodation must be in good condition and suitable for living.

English Language –

If applicable, you must prove English proficiency (A1 level or higher) through a recognized test or an academic qualification taught in English.

Documents Required

You must submit the necessary documents when applying as a parent of a British child, listed below.

• Documents such as birth certificates, adoption papers, and court orders to prove your relationship with the child
• Passport of the child to prove he/she is a British citizen.
• Payslips, bank statements, or tax returns to show your financial capacity.
• Rental agreement and utility bills to prove there is an adequate accommodation for you and the child.
• IELTS certificate or proof of degree taught in English to show your proficiency in the English language
• Your biometric information (fingerprints and digital photograph)

You may have to submit additional documents depending on your circumstances.

How to Apply as a Parent of a British Child?

Navigating a UK parent visa ends with applying for it once you have met the eligibility criteria and gathered the necessary documents.

1. Apply Online –

You need to complete the online form on GOV.UK. Upload the supporting documents.

2. Pay the Application Fee and HIS –

You need to pay £1,048 if you are applying from inside the UK and £1,846 if you are applying from outside the UK.

You also need to pay the immigration health surcharge of £1,035 per year.

You can apply for a fee waiver if you cannot pay the fee.

3. Enroll your biometric information –

If you are applying from inside the UK, you can enroll your biometric information (your fingerprints and digital photograph) at a UKVCAS (UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service) center.

If you are applying from outside the UK, you can enroll your biometric information at a VAS (Visa Application Center).

Please note that you can also get your supporting documents scanned at UKVCAS or VAC depending on where you are applying from.

4. Wait for the Decision –

After you have submitted the documents and enrolled your biometric information, you need to wait for a decision. You should usually get a decision within 8 weeks if applying from inside the UK and 12 weeks if applying from outside the UK.

5. Receive the Decision –

If the Home Office is satisfied with your application and evidence and it does not require further evidence or information, you should receive a UK parent visa. Once your UK family visa as a parent of a British child is approved, you can join your child in the UK.

Final Thoughts

UK Family Visa allows close relatives of a British Citizen or one with settled status in the UK to unite with them. UK parent visa is also a visa route under the UK family visa category. On this route, a parent, living abroad or in the UK, of a British child can apply to join them. The parent applying for this visa must be either the sole parent of the child or have direct access to the child.

The parent in question must not be a partner/spouse of the other parent/carer of the child. The UK parent visa allows parent of a British Child to take care of their upbringing and well- being. They make the major decisions of the child’s life such as education and health.

The UK Parent Visa is a complex process and hence you should take an expert immigration lawyer’s support for a smooth application.

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