🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Family and Settlement Visas

Child Visa

For a child under 18 to live in the UK with a parent. A child can be added to a parent's application as a dependant, or apply separately.

Book a consultation How the application works

Screening A few questions about your work, your family and your plans.
Documents A checklist built around your route and who is coming with you.
Expert review A qualified adviser reads every document before anything is filed.
Application Every answer is checked against the published rules for your route.
Submission Filed, with everything that went with it kept in one place.
Arrival We stay with you through the crossing and the first steps after.

Updated 22 July 2026

At a glance

Home Office fee

£2,064

Outside the UK; £1,407 inside the UK

Healthcare surcharge

£3,880

Child under 18, staying 5 years

Decision time

12 weeks

Usually, applying outside the UK

What is the UK child family visa?

The child family route lets a child under 18 join a parent living in the UK, as a dependant of that parent's family visa or of a settled or British parent. The child must live with their parent, not be married, and not lead an independent life, and the parent's income and the relationship must be evidenced.

Who the child route is for

It is for a child who is usually under 18 and who will live with their parent (or parents) in the UK. A child can be added to a parent's application as a dependant, or apply separately. A child who was born in the UK generally gets the same permission as their parent.

Requirements

AgeThe child is usually under 18 on the date of application. A child aged 18 or over can apply only if they were last granted permission as their parent's dependent child and that permission is still valid or recently expired.
Not living independentlyThe child must not be leading an independent life.
Not marriedThe child must not be married or in a civil partnership.
Relationship to a parentThe child must be joining a parent who has, or is applying at the same time for, permission on the same route, or a parent who is settled or a British citizen in defined circumstances.
Both parents' statusEach parent is normally in the UK or applying at the same time, unless one parent has sole responsibility, is British or settled, or there are serious and compelling reasons.
Care and accommodationThere must be suitable arrangements for the child's care and accommodation in the UK that comply with UK law.
Financial requirementThe application must show the income of the parent (or parents) being joined meets the financial requirement for that parent's family route.
Parental consent (where required)On some routes a child under 18 provides written consent from both parents, or one parent with sole responsibility, or a legal guardian, covering the application and the child's care arrangements.

Documents typically needed

Current passport or travel documentPlus copies of the photo page and any visa or entry stamps in previous passports.
Proof of relationship to the parentFor a child born in the UK, a full UK birth certificate showing the parents' names.
Proof of the parent's incomeEvidence the parent being joined meets the financial requirement, for example payslips, bank statements or an employer's letter.
Parents' dates of birth and nationalityNeeded when applying from outside the UK.
Tuberculosis test resultsIf applying from a country where the test is required.
Certified translationsFor any document not in English or Welsh.
Written parental consentWhere the route requires it for a child under 18.

How to apply

Check whether you meet the requirements

Confirm which family route the parent is on and the requirements that apply to a dependent child, including the financial requirement for the parent's route.

Prepare information and evidence

Gather the child's passport, proof of relationship, proof of the parent's income and any translations before starting the online form.

Apply online

A child can be added to the parent's application as a dependant or apply separately. Applications from outside the UK joining a partner use the online Appendix FM form; applications inside the UK are made through the family routes service.

Prove identity and give biometrics

Confirm identity using the ID check app or at a visa application centre, and provide fingerprints and a photograph where required.

Wait for a decision

Keep the passport and supporting documents available in case they are requested, and wait for the decision within the published timescale.

Fees & costs

Apply outside the UK (joining a partner, parent or child): £2,064
Apply in the UK: £1,407
Each dependant added to the application: £2,064 outside the UK / £1,407 in the UK
Super priority service (from inside the UK): £1,000
Healthcare surcharge, child under 18 (2 years 6 months): £1,940
Healthcare surcharge, child under 18 (2 years 9 months): £2,328
Healthcare surcharge, child under 18 (5 years): £3,880

Fees are set by the Home Office and can change. A fee waiver may be available in some circumstances. Source: GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa

Processing times

Apply outside the UK: Usually within 12 weeks
Apply inside the UK: Usually within 8 weeks
Parent on the 10-year route to settlement: About 12 months

Standard service times published by the Home Office; a faster decision may be available for an extra fee.

What you can and can't do

Permitted

Live with the parent (or parents) in the UK
Attend school or study, including living away from home in full-time education such as boarding school or university
Travel abroad and return to the UK

Not permitted

Be married or in a civil partnership
Lead an independent life

How long the visa lasts

A child's permission normally matches the parent's permission. A child born in the UK gets the same permission to stay as their parent. Time in the UK on the family route can count towards settlement (indefinite leave to remain) once the qualifying period is complete.

Extending and switching

A family visa can be extended before the current permission expires, and a child's extension usually follows the parent's route. A child already in the UK on another visa may be able to switch onto the family route in some circumstances. Details of the parent's 5-year or 10-year route are set out in the parent's decision letter.

If the application is refused

A refusal decision explains the reasons and any options that follow, which can include a review or appeal depending on the type of application. Our solicitor can review the refusal with you before you reapply.

Common questions

How old can a child be to apply on the child family route?

A child is usually under 18 on the date of application. Someone aged 18 or over can apply only if they were last granted permission as their parent's dependent child and that permission is still valid, or expired no more than 14 days earlier.

Can a child apply at the same time as their parent, or separately?

Either. A child can be added to a parent's application as a dependant, or apply separately. A separate application still needs proof of the parent's income.

How long does a decision usually take?

Applications from outside the UK are usually decided within 12 weeks, and applications inside the UK within 8 weeks. Where the parent is on the 10-year route to settlement it can take about 12 months.

How much does the child family visa cost?

The Home Office fee is £2,064 to apply from outside the UK, or £1,407 to apply inside the UK, when joining a partner, parent or child. A healthcare surcharge and, in some cases, a faster-decision fee may also apply.

Does a child need to show the family's income?

Yes. A child applying separately must include proof that the parent (or parents) being joined meets the financial requirement for that parent's family route.

Can a child live away from their parent during full-time education?

Yes. A child can live away from home while in full-time education, for example at boarding school or university, and still meet the requirement to live with their parent.