You may be eligible to apply for a Parent Visa if your child lives in the UK and meets one of the following requirements:
If you are applying for a Parent Visa for the first time, your child must usually be under 18.
If you were previously granted permission as a parent when your child was under 18 and they have since turned 18, you must demonstrate that they have not formed an independent family unit or be leading an independent life.
Not be leading an independent life or family unit means your child:
For a Parent Visa application, you must be the parent or sole carer of the child. For the purpose of this application, a parent is:
As a parent or sole carer, you must also demonstrate that you either:
In addition, you must also show that you are taking, and intend to continue taking, an active role in your child's upbringing.
Evidence of your relationship with your child and your involvement in their life can therefore be an important part of the application.
The Parent Visa route is not necessarily the appropriate route where you are eligible to apply as a partner.
If you are married to, in a civil partnership with or in a relationship with your child's other parent, Partner Visa may be the more appropriate immigration route depending on the other parent's UK immigration status or nationality.
Before applying, it is important to assess which category best reflects your circumstances, as applying under the wrong route can lead to delays, additional costs, or refusal.
Further information on partner visas can be found here.
Applicants are usually required to demonstrate knowledge of English.
You may satisfy this requirement if you:
You must demonstrate that you can adequately maintain and accommodate yourself and any dependants without relying on public funds.
This generally involves showing that:
In some circumstances, exceptions to the financial and English language requirements may apply. These cases often arise where you can demonstrate that it would not be reasonable to expect your child to leave the UK should the application be refused. Specialist legal advice can help determine whether an exception may be available in your circumstances.
The documents required will vary depending on your circumstances, but commonly include:
Where relying on a court order, you should also consider whether separate permission is required from the court before disclosing the order for immigration purposes.
The evidence submitted with a Parent Visa application should demonstrate not simply that you are the child's parent, but the nature of your parental responsibility, contact and ongoing involvement in their upbringing.
Providing clear, organised documentary evidence is essential to a successful application.
These fees are usually paid in USD or the local currency of the country where the application is submitted. The Home Office also applies a 4% currency conversion fee, meaning the final amount may vary depending on exchange rates at the time of submission.
If you are already in the UK on another type of visa, you can make this application from within the UK.
Applications made from within the UK are paid in GBP.
Priority services are available for applications made both inside and outside of the UK for a faster decision on your application subject to availability.
- Fees are correct as at 22 September 2026.
Parent Visa applications are submitted online.
After submitting your application and paying the relevant fees, you will normally need to:
Uploading documents online ahead of the appointment is generally free. In-person scanning may carry an additional fee, although this varies by location.
If applying from outside of the UK, you will not be able to enter the UK whilst the application is pending nor until a visa is granted.
If you make an application from inside the UK, you must not leave the UK until a decision on the application has been made and you have been granted permission to stay. Travelling outside the Common Travel Area before a decision is made can result in the application being automatically withdrawn and you losing any ongoing permission given as a result of the pending application.
You should therefore take advice before making travel plans while an in-country application is outstanding.
If you apply from outside the UK and meet the requirements, permission is normally granted for 2 years and 9 months.
If you extend your Parent Visa or switch to the Parent Visa route from within the UK, permission is normally granted for 2 years and 6 months.
You will need to apply for further permission before your existing visa expires if you wish to continue living in the UK under this route.
Yes.
Where all of the relevant requirements are met, applicants will normally be placed on a five-year route to settlement. This means that prior to the expiry of any visa granted, you will need to apply to extend your permission to be in the UK as a parent.
A successful extension application will typically result in a further grant of 2 years and 6 months' leave. Once five years of continuous lawful residence have been completed, applicants may become eligible for settlement, subject to meeting the applicable requirements.
Applicants relying on exceptions to requirements such as the English language or financial requirements will often be placed on a ten-year route to settlement. This means as above, you will need to apply to extend your permission to be in the UK as a parent before the expiry of any visa granted.
Individuals on this route must continue extending their leave until they have completed ten years of continuous lawful residence before becoming eligible for settlement, subject to the relevant requirements.