A parent of a British child visa comes under the UK family visa category. This visa allows a parent to join their child in the UK who is a British citizen or settled in the UK. In most cases, the person applying for a UK parent visa happens to be the single parent of the child. In cases where the child lives with the other parent or carer, they must not be a partner/spouse of the applicant. If the other parent of the child is the applicant' s partner, they must apply for a UK partner/spouse visa instead.
If your child is a British citizen and you want to join him/her in the UK to take care of their upbringing, you can apply as a parent of a British child under the UK family visa route. This visa allows parents who live abroad to apply for Entry Clearance or parents living in the UK to apply for leave to remain. A parent of a British child visa can also be suitable in situations where the other parent is absent or unable to take care of the child.
You must have either the sole responsibility or shared responsibility of the child’s upbringing where you are responsible for taking major decision of the child’s wellbeing.
The visa allows you to live and work in the UK. Initially, you are granted a leave of 30 months if applying from inside the UK and 33 months if applying from outside the UK. You can apply for an extension to continue living with your child in the UK. There are two lengths of this visa that are 5- or 10-year routes, which is dependent whether the applicant meets the English and Maintenance and Accommodation requirement. After the relevant period (5 or 10 years) of continuous residence in the UK, you may also apply for indefinite leave to remain.
To apply as a parent of a British child, you need to meet the following eligibility conditions.
Your child’s age at the time of your application must be under 18, or he/she was under 18 when you were first granted entry clearance or leave to remain. If your child is over 18 and dependent on you due to health or other conditions, you may still apply for the visa. However, in such a scenario you would be required to demonstrate that the child is still dependent on you.
Your child must not be living outside the UK when you apply as a parent of your British child.
The child must not be living an independent life;
Your child must be a British citizen, settled in the UK, or holding leave under Appendix EU;
You must have either sole responsibility or direct access to the child for a UK parent visa. Sole responsibility means that you have primary or exclusive responsibility for the upbringing and welfare of the child. This means you make major decisions about the child's life, including education, healthcare, and general well-being. With evidence of contact arrangements. If the child lives with the other parent, whom you have separated or divorced from, you must have direct access to the child. To prove you have legal access to the child, there must be either a mutual agreement between you and the other parent or a court order.
You must prove that you can adequately support yourself and your child without recourse to the public fund. You can meet the financial requirement through salary from employment, self-employment income, cash savings, and rental income. You can make any combination of these sources to meet the maintenance and financial requirements.
You must show an adequate accommodation to house you and your child. Adequate accommodation means that the property must not be overcrowded; it must be in good condition and suitable for habitation. The property must be owned or rented, for which you can provide evidence such as rental agreements, utility bills, or property inspection reports.
Unless exempt, you must prove that you have good knowledge of English. You can prove your knowledge of English by passing an approved English language test. If you come from a majority English-speaking country, you don’t need to sit for an English language test to meet the requirement.
Similarly, if you have a degree or academic qualification taught in English, you automatically meet the English language requirement.
You start with the application form and end with receiving the UK parent visa (if your visa application is successful). Here are the steps for parents of a British child visa application
process.
Whether you are applying from outside the UK or applying to switch to a UK parent visa from inside the UK, you need to apply online on GOV.UK. You must select the appropriate visa type (UK Parent Visa) and complete the application form.
If you are applying from inside the UK, you need to pay £1,321, and £1,938 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.
After you submit the application, you need to book an appointment at a VFS or TLS (Visa application centers) VAC in your home country if you are applying from outside the UK. Similarly, if you are applying from inside the UK, you need to book an appointment at the TLS - UKVCAS (UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service) center. At the VAC or UKVCAS, you need to enroll your biometric information (your fingerprint and digital photograph) to prove your identity.
You can upload the necessary documents online or get them scanned at VAC or TLS- UKVCAS depending on where you are applying from. You need to submit documents like proof of relationship such as a birth certificate, financial evidence such as bank statements or payslips, and proof of your child's residency in the UK. If there are documents that are not in the English or Welsh language, you need to get them translated into English or Welsh.
Usually, it takes 6 to 12 months if you apply from inside the UK and 8 to 12 weeks if you apply from outside the UK. To get a quicker decision, you can select the ‘priority’ service or ‘super priority’ service, for which you need to pay £500 from outside the UK and £1,000 from inside the UK respectively. You will be informed of the decision through an email or letter. If your UK parent visa application is successful, you’ll receive a vignette (visa sticker) in your passport for entry to the UK.
If the Home Office is satisfied with your application, evidence documents, and information provided, you may be granted the UK parent visa. After this, you can join your child to live with him/her in the UK.
Applying for a parent of a British child visa can be a tricky process. We can assist you in applying for a UK parent visa. We guide you through the entire application process. We ensure
that all the eligibility requirements are met.
We will assist you in preparing, organizing, and uploading supporting documents. We ensure the application form is filled accurately. We help address any complex legal issues.
We also provide representation and communication with the Home Office. We ensure timely submission of the application form and help with any queries or issues that may arise during the process. For any query or issue, you can call us at +44 (0)20 3411 1261.
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