Parent of a Tier 4 Child Visa Applications

What is a Parent of a Tier 4 Child Visa?

A parent of a tier 4 child visa is a visa for overseas parents with children attending an independent fee-paying school in the UK. The visa is granted for either 6 or 12 months.

After this time period, you can get extensions for 12 months at a time, as long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements. You can keep applying for an extension until your child reaches 12 years of age. You’ll be given a shorter visa and won’t be able to extend that visa if your child is going to:

• Have their 12th birthday in the next 12 months

• Finish their final year at school in the next 12 months

You can apply for a visa up to 3 months prior to travelling to the UK, and - in general - you should expect to know the outcome of your visa application within 3 weeks.

Parent of a Tier 4 Child Visa Requirements & Eligibility

The eligibility requirements for a Parent of a Tier 4 Child visa are relatively straightforward. For an application to be successful, you would need to meet the following requirements:

• Have the necessary funds to support yourself and any dependants while you’re in the UK

• Have and maintain a second home outside the UK

• Intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit

• Have the required funds to pay for your return journey when you leave the UK

In addition, there are certain eligibility requirements that your child must fulfill - specifically, they:

• Must be aged under 12

• Must have a Tier 4 (Child) visa in order to study at an independent, fee-paying school in the UK

Parent of a Tier 4 Child Visa Restrictions

There are a large number of restrictions attached to a Parent of a Tier 4 Child visa. Under this visa category, you cannot:

• Switch to a different immigration category after its expiration

• Receive public funds

• Have your main home in the UK

• Undertake paid work

• Study

• Have dependants on your application - they must apply separately

Assuming that these restrictions are not violated, you are then able to extend your visa. However, you must leave the UK when your visa expires in either case. If your child is staying in education in the UK without you, you must make arrangements for their ongoing care.