Bring your child to the UK: Dependent Child Visa UK

The UK Child Dependent Visa is also known as the UK Child Visa or Child Settlement Visa, it is part of the Family Visa category that allows families to join each other in the United Kingdom with a variety of UK visas. British citizens or people who have settled status in the UK can bring their non-British child to join them in the UK using the Child Visa. You can also bring your child to the UK with you on this visa if you are applying for limited leave as the partner of a UK national.

A person granted this visa as the child of a UK national will be granted Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) once in the country. If applying as the child of someone who is applying to join their British partner, they will be given limited leave to remain for the same amount of time that their parent is given.

Page Contents

• What is the UK Child Visa?
• What are the eligibility requirements?
• How to apply and the required documents
• Fees and processing times
• How can IAS help?
• Frequently asked questions

The main eligibility requirement for the UK Child Visa is to have at least one parent who is currently living in the United Kingdom. However, the requirements vary depending on what type of leave the child is applying for.

Eligibility requirements for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK

A child of a UK citizen or settled person can apply for this visa and if successful will be granted indefinite leave to remain, to apply for this type of leave the child must:

• Be under the age of 18
• Not be leading an independent life
• Not be currently married or in a civil partnership
• Have not formed a separate independent family unit
• Be able to be financially supported without the use of public funds in the UK and that suitable arrangements have been made for their care
• Prove that they are related to the parent in question

Requirements for Limited Leave to Enter or Remain in the UK as a Child

A child can also be eligible for the visa if their parent is applying for entry clearance or leave to remain as the partner of a British national or settled person in the UK.

To be eligible for this visa as the child of a parent with limited leave, the child will need to prove that they meet the following eligibility requirements:

• The partner the parent is joining must also be the child’s parent unless the parent has sole responsibility for them.
• They child must be under 18 at the time of the application
• The child must not be married or living an independent life
• There must be sufficient funds to support the child whilst they are in the UK

It’s worth noting that if the parent does not have sole responsibility of the child applying, they may still be able to bring them to the UK if there are serious family considerations.

Children over the age of 18 years may apply for this visa if they have previously been granted leave to enter or remain on a family visa, they are not living an independent life and are applying from inside the UK.

There are two ways to apply for the Child Visa, your child can either be added to your next application as a dependent or they can apply separately.

If applying from inside of the UK, the application can be completed online or by post. If applying from the US you will need to apply online.

The online application form is available on the gov.uk website.

As well as filling in the application form you will need to submit a portfolio of supporting documents to prove that you can meet the requirements, this is one of the most important parts of the application.

After completing the application, the child will need to have their biometric information taken, this is your fingerprints and photo. This will be used for your biometric residence permit.

Required Documents 

In order to prove your identity and that you meet the relevant requirements, there are a number of supporting documents that applicants must submit for this visa.

Your portfolio of documents should include:

• A valid passport with at least one empty page for the visa
• Any previous passports
• Two passport sized photos
• Proof that the applicant can be supported financially
• Proof of the applicants relationship with the parent living or applying to live in the UK, this can include items such as photo’s together.

Other information the applicant will need to submit includes their:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Details of any previous immigration applications
• Details of any criminal convictions, if any
• Their national insurance number if they have one
• Their parents’ date of birth and nationality, if applying from the US

The visa application fees vary depending on where and how you apply, the current fees are as follows:

• Applications from outside of the UK – £1464
• Applications from within the UK using the online or postal form – £993
• Applications from within the UK using the premium service- £1583

It will usually take around 12 weeks for your application to be processed if you are applying from the US, or 8 weeks if you’re applying from inside the UK. However, the processing time can be delayed if the application form is filled out incorrectly or if there is an insufficient amount of supporting evidence.

We understand that being close to a family member is important. Our lawyers are ready to help you with every step of applying for your visa to unite you with your loved ones.

At the IAS you will be assigned a caseworker who will help you throughout the entire application process. Your assigned caseworker will discuss with you your family’s eligibility for the Dependent Child Visa UK and will talk you through the visa requirements. We will also perform a full document check for both you and your child before completing your application forms in full. Your lawyer will write a personal Letter of Representation. This is submitted alongside your application and references your case and cites relevant UK case law.

Use our online contact form to make an inquiry or call us now on +1844 290 6312 to speak to one of our immigration experts about your child visa application. Our lawyers are trained in all areas of immigration law and are available to give immigration advice immediately.