Parent of a Child Student visa

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1. Who can apply

You can only apply for a Parent of a Child Student visa if your child has or is applying for a Child Student visa. Or if they currently have a Tier 4 (Child) visa.

Your child must be aged between 4 and 11 when you apply, and be attending an independent school in the UK.

You must also:

Bringing family members with you

To be eligible for a Parent of a Child Student visa you must be the only parent accompanying your child in the UK. The child鈥檚 other parent must live abroad, and cannot apply to join you in the UK.

You can bring your other children with you if they also have or are applying for a Child Student visa.

You cannot bring other family members with you on this visa. They may be able to apply to come to the UK on a short-term visit visa.

How long you can stay

You can stay in the UK until your child鈥檚 visa expires or they turn 12, whichever happens first.

You can extend your visa while in the UK as long as you meet the eligibility requirements.

If you leave the UK

If your child is staying in education in the UK without you, you must make arrangements for their ongoing care. For example, if your child turns 12 and their visa is still valid, they may be able to start boarding at their current school, or live with other family members in the UK.

What you cannot do

While you鈥檙e in the UK on a Parent of a Child Student visa, you cannot:

  • do paid work
  • study
  • start a business
  • make the UK your main home
  • apply for benefits (public funds), or the State Pension
  • bring other family members with you
  • switch to a different type of visa

2. Money you need

When you apply for a Parent of a Child Student visa, you must:

  • pay the application fee
  • pay the healthcare surcharge for each year of your stay
  • prove that you have enough money to support yourself and your child while you鈥檙e in the UK

Visa application fee

A Parent of a Child Student visa costs 拢637.

Healthcare surcharge

You鈥檒l also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your online application. It usually costs 拢1,035 per year.

This is so you can use the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK.

You pay the surcharge as part of your online visa application.

Money to support yourself and your child

You鈥檒l need to show that you have enough money to support yourself and your child in the UK.

You鈥檒l need 拢1,560 for each month of your stay up to a maximum of 9 months. This amount is to support both you and your child.

For example, if you鈥檙e staying for 9 months or longer you鈥檒l need to prove you have 拢14,040 (9 months 脳 拢1,560).

If you want to bring your other children

You鈥檒l need an extra 拢625 per month, up to a maximum of 9 months, for each additional child that accompanies you to the UK. They must be a sibling of your other child and also have a Child Student visa.

If you鈥檙e extending your visa

If you鈥檝e been in the UK for at least 12 months on a valid visa, you do not need to prove you have money to support yourself and your child for your visa application.

3. Documents you'll need to apply

When you apply you鈥檒l need to provide:

  • a current passport or other valid travel document
  • proof that you have enough money to support yourself and your child - unless you鈥檝e been in the UK for at least 12 months on a valid visa
  • evidence that you have a permanent home outside the UK

Depending on your circumstances, you might also need to provide:

4. Apply from outside the UK

You must apply online for a Parent of a Child Student visa before you travel to the UK.

The earliest you can apply is 6 months before you travel to the UK.

Check what documents you鈥檒l need to apply.

Apply online

As part of your online application, you will need to book an appointment at a visa application centre to prove your identity. You鈥檒l have your fingerprints and photograph (known as 鈥榖iometric information鈥�) taken at your appointment.

The visa application centre may keep your passport and documents while processing your application.

You鈥檒l be told what you need to do when you apply.

Once you鈥檝e started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.

Continue your application

You can sign back into your application if you鈥檝e saved it.聽

Find out how to sign in to your account.

How long it takes to get a decision

Once you鈥檝e applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you鈥檒l usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.

After you apply

You鈥檒l be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example because:

  • your supporting documents need to be verified
  • of your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)

If you need to change or cancel your application

If you need to change something in your application after you鈥檝e sent it, contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

You can ask to cancel your application by contacting UKVI. Your fee will only be refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.

After you get a decision

You鈥檒l get a letter or an email containing the decision on your application. This will explain what you need to do next.

Find out what happens after you get your decision.

5. Extend your visa

You can apply to extend your visa while in the UK as long as you and your child meet the eligibility requirements. This includes if your child currently has a Tier 4 (Child) student visa.

How long you can stay

When you extend your visa you can stay in the UK until the date your child鈥檚 student visa expires or they turn 12, whichever happens first.

When to apply to extend your visa

You must apply before your current visa expires.

You can stay in the UK until you get a decision on your visa application.

Fees

You鈥檒l need to pay:

Apply to extend your visa

You must apply online.

When you apply, you鈥檒l be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point.

At the appointment you must provide your biometric information (your fingerprints and a photo) - there鈥檚 no fee for this.

You鈥檒l also need to submit your supporting documents. You can:

  • upload them into the online service
  • have them scanned at your UKVCAS appointment

Once you鈥檝e started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.

Continue your application

You can sign back into your application if you鈥檝e saved it.聽

Find out how to sign in to your account.

Get help to apply online

You can get help with completing the online form if you:

  • do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device
  • do not have internet access

You can only use this service if you鈥檙e applying to extend your visa in the UK.

You cannot get immigration advice through this service.

How long it takes to get a decision

Once you鈥檝e applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you鈥檒l usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks.

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.

You can stay in the UK until you鈥檝e been given a decision, as long as you applied before your last visa expired.

You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.

After you apply

You鈥檒l be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example because:

  • your supporting documents need to be verified
  • of your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)

If you need to change or cancel your application

If you need to change something in your application after you鈥檝e sent it, contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

You can ask to withdraw your application by contacting UKVI. Your fee will only be refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.

After you get a decision

You鈥檒l get a letter or an email containing the decision on your application. This will explain what you need to do next.

Find out what happens after you get your decision.

If you applied for an administrative review because your application was refused, you can stay in the UK until you get your review decision.