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The UK Child Dependent Visa – also referred to as the Child Visa or Child Settlement Visa – is a family immigration route that allows a child who is not a British citizen to join or remain with their parent who is living in the UK. It is part of the wider UK family visa framework and covers a broad range of situations, from children joining a settled parent permanently, to children accompanying or joining a parent who holds limited leave under a work, student, or family visa route.
The type of leave granted to a child depends on the immigration status of the parent sponsoring the application. Where the sponsoring parent is a British citizen or a person settled in the UK, a successful application may result in the child being granted indefinite leave to enter or remain, allowing them to live in the UK permanently.
Where the parent holds limited leave to remain, for example under a Skilled Worker, Student, or family visa route, the child will normally be granted leave in line with the parent as a dependant. In such cases, the childβs permission will usually expire on the same date as the parentβs visa and will need to be extended together with the parentβs leave.
The UK Child Dependent Visa is not automatic. A formal application must be made for each child, and each application is assessed individually against the relevant eligibility requirements. Simply being the child of a British citizen or a person with permission to be in the UK does not give a child an automatic right to live here.
A child aged 18 or over may still qualify if they were previously granted permission to stay in the UK as a dependent when they were under 18, and they continue to form part of the family unit and are not living independently. Applications for over-18 dependants are assessed more stringently and typically require additional evidence of ongoing dependency.
Not every visa route permits dependent children. There are important restrictions introduced in recent years that limit the ability to bring dependent children for certain categories of worker – most notably care workers and, in some cases, medium-skilled workers. These restrictions are explained in detail below.
One of the most important requirements in a child dependent application – and one of the most commonly misunderstood – is the question of parental responsibility.
Where both parents are coming to the UK together, or where both parents are already in the UK, this requirement is relatively straightforward to satisfy. The application must simply show that the parent holds legal responsibility for the child.
Where only one parent is in the UK or applying, the situation is more complex. The UK-based parent must demonstrate one of the following:
The Home Office scrutinises sole responsibility claims carefully. Evidence such as custody agreements, court orders, school records, financial support records, and correspondence demonstrating the nature and history of the parent-child relationship will all be relevant. Simply stating that one parent has been absent is unlikely to be sufficient on its own.
Where the child’s other parent is outside the UK and is alive and involved in the child’s life, written consent from that parent is normally required to confirm they have no objection to the child relocating to the UK.
The child must be under 18 at the time the application is made. Applications for children who turn 18 during the processing period may be affected if their 18th birthday falls before a decision is issued. Where a child is approaching 18, early submission is strongly advisable to reduce this risk.
For children aged 16 or 17, the Home Office applies additional scrutiny to assess whether the child is genuinely dependent on their parent or whether they are, in practice, living an independent life. Evidence of where the child lives, their financial dependence on the parent, and the absence of a spouse, civil partner, or independent household is typically required.
The financial requirement depends on which visa route the sponsoring parent holds.
The financial requirement depends on the immigration route held by the sponsoring parent.
For children joining a parent who is settled in the UK (for example a British citizen or a person with Indefinite Leave to Remain), the parent must demonstrate that the child can be adequately maintained and accommodated in the UK without recourse to public funds. There is no fixed income threshold, but evidence of the parent’s financial circumstances and housing arrangements will be required.
1-For children joining a parent on the family visa route (such as a Spouse or Unmarried Partner visa), the financial requirement depends on when the partner route was first granted. For applications made under the current rules, the sponsoring partner must normally meet the minimum income threshold of Β£29,000 per year. In transitional cases under earlier rules, an additional annual income of Β£3,800 for the first child and Β£2,400 for each additional child may apply.
2-For children joining a parent on a work visa (for example a Skilled Worker visa), maintenance funds of Β£315 for the first child and Β£200 for each additional child must normally be shown. These funds must be held in a bank account for a consecutive 28-day period before the application is submitted. The closing balance must not fall below the required amount during this period. Where the sponsoring employer certifies maintenance on the Certificate of Sponsorship, the bank evidence requirement is waived.
3-For children joining a parent on a Student visa, maintenance funds of Β£845 per month for study in London or Β£680 per month outside London must normally be shown for each dependent child for up to 9 months. These funds must also be held for a consecutive 28-day period prior to the application
In all cases, the required funds may be held in the parentβs name, the childβs name, or in a joint account.
The sponsoring parent must demonstrate that they have adequate accommodation available in the UK that will not become overcrowded or breach public health or housing standards as a result of the child joining the household. A tenancy agreement, mortgage statement, or landlord letter is typically required. The accommodation must be for the exclusive use of the family – shared temporary or communal arrangements are unlikely to satisfy the requirement.
Important restrictions apply in 2026 that limit the ability of certain workers to bring dependent children to the UK.
Care workers and senior care workers: Workers sponsored under the Health and Care Worker visa in care worker or senior care worker roles are generally not permitted to bring dependent children to the UK, unless the main visa holder was continuously employed in the UK and held a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa before 11 March 2024. There are limited exceptions for UK-born children and sole parents, but these are narrow and must be carefully assessed.
Medium-skilled workers: Workers in roles classified as medium-skilled are only permitted to bring dependent children if they have been continuously employed in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa in a medium-skilled role since before 22 July 2025.
These restrictions do not apply to workers in higher-skilled roles where dependants are still fully permitted.
Children applying for a dependent visa are not required to demonstrate English language ability. There is no English language test requirement at any stage of the child dependent route, including for extensions and ILR applications.
The standard Home Office suitability criteria apply to child dependent applications in the same way as other immigration routes. Any relevant immigration history, including previous refusals or overstays, will be considered.
The leave granted to a child dependent is determined by the sponsoring parent’s immigration status.
Child of a settled person (British citizen or ILR holder): The child is normally granted indefinite leave to enter, allowing them to live permanently in the UK from the date of arrival. There is no time-limited leave and no requirement to apply for extensions.
Child of a parent with limited leave (work, student, or family route): The child is granted leave in line with the parent, ending on the same date as the parent’s permission. If both parents hold leave with different expiry dates, the child’s visa will end on the earlier of the two dates. Extensions must be applied for each time the parent’s leave is extended, before the child’s current leave expires.
Route to ILR: After completing five years in the UK on a dependent visa, a child may apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain, subject to meeting the relevant requirements, including:
British citizenship: Following ILR, a child may become eligible to apply for British citizenship, subject to the relevant residence and good character requirements.
All fees are correct as of 2026.
Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): Children under 18 at the date of application are charged at the reduced IHS rate of Β£776 per year, rather than the standard adult rate of Β£1,035 per year. The IHS is paid upfront for the full duration of the leave applied for and is calculated in blocks.
For example, a child granted leave of 30 months (2.5 years) would pay Β£1,940 in IHS. A child granted 33 months (rounded up to 3 years for IHS purposes) would pay Β£2,328.
Children whose sponsoring parent holds a Health and Care Worker visa are exempt from the IHS entirely
Processing times in 2026 are typically:
Priority services may be available for some routes and locations, allowing faster decisions for an additional fee. Availability varies by visa type and application centre and should be confirmed at the time of application.
The strength of the supporting documentation is the most important factor in the outcome of a child dependent application. A well-prepared application typically includes:
Child dependent visa applications are refused on a range of grounds. The most frequent include:
If the Home Office refuses a child dependent visa application, the refusal letter will explain the reasons and confirm whether a right of appeal exists.
Where the refusal engages human rights grounds – particularly under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right to respect for family and private life) – there will typically be a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber).
Location of applicant | Time limit |
Inside the UK | 14 days |
Outside the UK | 28 days |
These deadlines are strictly enforced. Missing them can result in the permanent loss of the right to challenge the refusal. Seeking legal advice immediately after a refusal is therefore essential.
Where there is no right of appeal, or where a fresh application with stronger evidence is more appropriate, an immigration adviser can help assess the best strategy.
Depending on the specific circumstances, other options or complementary routes may be relevant:
Child dependent visa applications require careful attention to the parental responsibility requirements, maintenance evidence, and the specific rules applicable to the parent’s visa route. Errors in linking the application, providing the wrong maintenance figures, or failing to address sole responsibility can result in a refusal that disrupts the entire family’s plans.
At LawSentis, our IAA-regulated advisers assist families with every aspect of the child dependent visa process.
Our goal is to ensure that every child dependent application is carefully prepared, legally accurate, and gives the family the best possible prospect of a successful outcome.
If you are applying for a child dependent visa, or a previous application has been refused, our immigration advisers can assess your case, advise on the correct route, and help you prepare the strongest possible application for your family.
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