Apply For A Parent Visa

You may apply for a UK Parent Visa if you have a child who is British or settled in the United Kingdom. If granted this visa, this may allow you to join your family to stay in the UK.

Important Considerations Before Applying For The Parent Visa Route

If you are eligible for a Partner Visa such as a Spouse Visa or Civil Partner Visa, you must apply under that route instead. Time spent in the UK under a Parent Visa does count towards continuous residence, so if you are looking to obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain, that is something you should consider.

uk parent visa eligibility

Parent Visa Eligibility & Suitability Requirements

In order to be eligible for a Parent Visa, the following requirements must be met.

Your child must:

  • Be under the age of 18 at the date of application; or over 18 but have not formed an independent family unit or led an independent life (i.e. leaving home, getting married, having children); if they were under 18 when the parent was initially granted entry clearance or leave to remain and now extending the Parent Visa
  • Be a British Citizen, have Indefinite Leave to Remain or Pre-settled Status, or have lived in the UK continuously for at least seven years

You, the parent applicant, must fulfil:

  1. Relationship requirements
  2. Immigration status requirements
  3. Financial requirements
  4. English language requirements
  5. Suitability requirements

Parent Visa relationship requirement

The relationship requirement for the Parent Visa means that as the applicant, you have sole parental responsibility for the child, or the child normally lives with you and not their other parent. You may also be eligible if the child lives with the other parent or carer with whom you are not in a relationship, and they have granted you direct access to the child.

What does “sole parental responsibility” mean?

Sole parental responsibility means that the other parent has abandoned their parental responsibility, and you have sole control in the daily and important decisions for the child’s care. In this case, mere or substantial financial support in the child’s raising may be insufficient.

Provided that you retain the overall responsibility for the child, you are allowed to share some responsibility with others who are not your partner. If you share parental responsibility, the child’s other parent must not be your partner.

Please note that sole parental responsibility is different from legal custody.

Showing sole parental responsibility

To showcase sole parental responsibility, you will need to provide evidence that you have been making all important decisions in the child’s life without the input of the other parent in key areas such as education, health, medical treatment, holidays, recreation etc.

You must also not be eligible to apply for Partner Visa under Appendix FM.

For these reasons, the UK Parent Visa is not for parents with a genuine and subsisting relationship together. Such applicants should consider the Partner route instead, either with a Spouse Visa or an Unmarried Partner Visa.

What does ‘direct access’ mean?

In-person/direct contact between you and the child, showing that you are taking, and will continue to take, an active and continuing role in the child’s upbringing.

You will need to show that you have direct access to the child, as agreed with the parent/carer which the child normally lives with, whereby such parent/carer is:

  1. A British Citizen in the UK or settled in the UK
  2. Not your partner (including a person who has been in a relationship for less than two years with you prior to the application date)

In order to show direct access, you will need to provide evidence of the following:

  • A residence order or contact order granted by a court in the UK
  • A letter or affidavit from the UK-resident parent or carer of the child
  • Evidence from a contact centre showing contact arrangements

Indirect contact, such as letters or telephone calls, is insufficient.

What does ‘taking an active role’ in the child’s upbringing mean?

Showing efforts to make care arrangements for the child in the present and future, such as residential arrangements, etc.

Immigration status requirement

You may apply from abroad or in the UK. If you are applying in the UK, you must not be in the UK as a visitor, with less than six months leave (unless such leave was granted for family court or divorce proceedings), or on immigration bail (unless you arrived in the UK more than six months before the application date). You also cannot breach immigration laws.

Financial requirement

You must show that you will be able to adequately maintain and accommodate yourself and any dependants in the UK without needing public funds.

Adequate accommodation must neither be overcrowded nor contravene public health regulations. Adequate means ‘after income tax, National Insurance contributions and housing costs have been deducted, there must be available to the family the level of income that would be available to them if the family was in receipt of Income Support.’

English language requirement

To prove that you have good knowledge of the English language, you must fulfil at least one of the following criteria:

  1. You are a national of a majority English speaking country
  2. You have passed the relevant English language test
  3. You have a UK academic qualification that is of degree level or above or an equivalent international qualification that is recognised by UK ENIC

There are circumstances where you may be exempt from the English language requirement. This is the case if you are 65 or over, or have a disability preventing you from meeting the requirements, for example.

Exceptional circumstances for a Parent Visa (10 years route)

If you are unable to meet any eligibility or suitability requirements to be granted a Parent Visa under the 5-year route, you may be considered for the 10-year route if paragraph EX.1. of Appendix FM applies in your case.

Exceptions under EX.1. applies when:

  1. You have a genuine and subsisting relationship with the child
  2. It would be unreasonable to expect the child to leave the UK

If you are looking to apply for a Parent Visa, QC Immigration can help. We have successfully argued that Exceptional Circumstances applied in our clients’ cases with complicated issues. We have demonstrated that refusal for leave to enter/remain would breach Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, leading to unjustifiably harsh consequences which are not in the best interest of the child, our client, and their families.

No matter your circumstances, we know what the Home Office is looking for and will help you build a compelling case that clearly showcases why you are eligible for a Parent Visa. If you would like to discuss this further, please get in touch with one of our London-based immigration lawyers.

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How we work

1
consultation.

We start a discussion by understanding your history, and we will clearly outline the best option available and any recommendations to save you time and costs.

2
instruction.

Once you instruct us to be your legal representative, we will start preparing your case. We may require more information about you to help you more effectively.

3
documents.

Documentation is a crucial part of an immigration application. We will customise a document list to guide your preparation. Your dedicated lawyer will check the documents and advise of any improvements needed.

4
application.

We will complete your application to the Home Office and may also write a cover letter with strong legal arguments where relevant. We may discuss this with you to confirm the final details.

5
submission.

We will submit your application to the Home Office, Court authorities securely. We will represent you as the main point of contact with them for any further requests.

6
interview.

You may sometimes be invited to attend a Home Office interview or Court hearing. While this may sound daunting, we will help you prepare and provide guidance on what questions to expect.

7
decision.

As soon as we receive a decision from the Home Office, we will get in touch with you to share the news.

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What clients say

We did multiple assignments with QC and were very happy with the fast response and results we achieved on our applications.

manish rungta
manish rungta
Google five star client rating

Qiyin was very quick to respond to my inquiries. She was very professional, supportive and helpful. Highly recommended!

Ainul Nadhirah Hanafiah
Ainul Nadhirah Hanafiah
Google five star client rating

Qiyin listened very attentively to my concerns and reassured me. Gave me a lot of insight into how I need to plan my application in a very personal way. Would definitely highly recommend.

Sashi Ganes
Sashi Ganes
Google five star client rating

Very professional team, who helped me gain EU Settled status pre-Brexit using a new Android app. It is refreshing to see that QC-immigration team adopts fast the technology and is on top of all changes in legislation. They got my full trust.

Victoria Rusnac
Victoria Rusnac
Google five star client rating

Hafsah made my application look so simple and easy even though i was doubtful about my case before approaching QC. I can’t believe my ILR application got approved by Home office within 24 hrs of biometric appointment. Thank you Hafsah for helping me get this done.

Shubha Shet
Shubha Shet
Google five star client rating

It was a pleasure working with Qiyin and her team. They were very helpful and responsive all the time. They helped me with my Permanent Residence which was succesful and was received in less than a month. I will work with them again in the future, so I strongly recommend this Immigration office to everyone.

Nasos Balasis
Nasos Balasis
Google five star client rating

Definitely the best law firm I've ever dealt with. Hafsah Awan is an amazing lawyer, she is extremely professional, she truly cares, and gives great advise to ensure all goes smoothly. My entire process with Hafsah went really well, and we successfully got our Start-up visas to the UK, many thanks to Hafsah for her great efforts. I also loved that they are very responsive, to emails, calls, etc. Qiyin Chuah, the founder, actually helped me in the last moment during her weekend, I was very thankful for that, as not many people would even get back to you during the weekend. Overall, an amazing law firm, I'm very pleased, and I truly wish Hafsah, Qiyin, and the rest of QC Immigration team all the best, God bless you all :)

Ahmad Agha
Ahmad Agha
Google five star client rating

I had an exploratory conversation with QC Immigration. Qiyin was professional and personable throughout our conversation, explaining clearly the current criteria and regulatory considerations to keep in mind. I would have no reservations in appointing them for representation should there ever be a need, as Qiyin provided from the outset, the calm assurance of having the knowledge, experience and an individual approach that I strongly value.

May Loke
May Loke
Google five star client rating

Very good service and professional company! I contact them trough a friend because I had problem with a Family Visa in Scotland, they helped me and advised in all the process and they solved what I needed to solve so quick. Specially Qiyin and Marianna. I would always come back to them again if I needed and also recommend them. As I said, very good and Professional.

Martin Nicolas Camaño Martin
Martin Nicolas Camaño Martin
Google five star client rating

Both my fiancé and I used QC Immigration this year for our new visa and naturalisation applications, respectively, and were very happy with the service. Our main point of contact was Marianna, who was very prompt and thorough in her preparation of our applications and helpful throughout every step of the process with our concerns, etc. Highly recommend QC Immigration. Thank you again, Marianna!

Sarah Monaco
Sarah Monaco
Google five star client rating

My friend had recommended QC Immigration and I was not disappointed! Marianna was my main point of contact and she was kind, prompt and very efficient. I had a lot of questions and Marianna was very quick in replying to me. I would definitely recommend QC Immigration.

Malulie Tongprasert
Malulie Tongprasert
Google five star client rating

They were extremely professional and thorough throughout the application process. I even shared my travel plans and they worked based on my timelines, which based on experience, most companies don't prioritise. Highly recommend working with them if you want to be stress free and want your application handled with care.

Shruthi Padmanabhan
Shruthi Padmanabhan
Google five star client rating

I have been using QC Immigration to help prepare for my partner's Proposed Civil Partnership Visa application. We have been dealing with Marianna since January, and have found her to be extremely professional, knowledgeable and personable. She has always responded to my queries and concerns, (however neurotic!) and she has paid great attention to detail. It has been an invaluable service, and should our application be successful in this instance, I will not hesitate to appoint QC Immigration again to assist with the next stages. Many thanks again for your hard work and for showing us such an understanding and caring attitude! :)

Bethany Taylor-James
Bethany Taylor-James
Google five star client rating

My partner and I recently used QC Immigration when applying for a UK partner visa. They were very professional throughout and dealt with all questions and queries accordingly. Marianna was our main point of contact and was extremely diligent and reassuring throughout the process. We appreciated their attention to detail and extensive knowledge of UK immigration law and would highly recommend them to any prospective clients.

Eliot Parker
Eliot Parker
Google five star client rating

FAQ

How much does the Parent Visa cost?

The fee will depend on how you apply. If you are a parent looking to join your child, the Parent Visa application fee is £1,048 when applying in the UK and £1,538 when applying outside the UK. You will also have to consider other fees, such as immigration health surcharge, legal support and biometrics enrolment.

What happens after the Parent Visa application is successful?

You would normally be granted leave for at least 30 months. You may qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain after completing 60 months (5 years) or 120 months (10 years) in the UK under this parent route.

Can I switch my leave to remain under the 10-year route into the 5-year route?

Yes, we have done so successfully for our clients. This is provided on the basis that your circumstances have improved, and you can now meet all the eligibility and suitability requirements.

How do I apply for a Parent Visa?

All applications must be made online via the official UK Visas & Immigration government website. If you are applying from outside the UK, you can apply here. If applying from inside the UK, you can apply here.You would pay the application fee and schedule an appointment to submit your biometrics as part of the process.

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