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Parent of a child in the UK: how the visa works

The parent route in Appendix FM is for a parent of a child under 18 who lives in the UK and is British, settled or has Appendix EU status. It costs £2,064 from outside the UK (£1,407 inside), needs evidence of an active role in the child's upbringing, and can lead to settlement after 5 years.

A parent whose child is British, or settled in the UK, can ask about the parent route. The route sits in Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules alongside the partner route, and it comes with its own conditions about the child, who holds parental responsibility, what evidence of involvement counts, money, housing and English. This guide sets out those conditions, the costs, the length of the grant and the path to settlement.

It draws on GOV.UK's family visa pages and Appendix FM (the entry clearance sections EC-PT and E-ECPT, the leave to remain sections R-LTRPT and E-LTRPT, and the settlement sections), as read on 9 October 2026. It explains how the route works and does not say whether any parent meets it.

The route in one paragraph

The parent route lets a parent come to or stay in the UK to care for a child. GOV.UK says that if you are eligible to apply as a partner, you must do that instead. The Rules say the same in a different way: for entry clearance, a parent whose child lives with a parent or carer who is the applicant's partner is not within E-ECPT.2.3(b), and the applicant must not be eligible to apply for entry clearance as a partner under the Appendix.

The child: age, residence and status

For entry clearance, E-ECPT.2.2 says the child of the applicant must be:

  • under the age of 18 on the date of application;
  • living in the UK; and
  • a British citizen, settled in the UK, or in the UK with limited leave under Appendix EU.

GOV.UK adds that the child must live with the applicant unless living away from home in full-time education (for example at boarding school or university), and must not be married or in a civil partnership. For an extension, GOV.UK says the child must be under 18 on the date of application or have been under 18 when the applicant was first granted leave, and the Rules in E-LTRPT.2.2 allow an older child who has not formed an independent family unit or is not leading an independent life.

The applicant must be 18 or over (E-ECPT.2.1). Other children can be added as dependants if they were under 18 when the application was made or when they first held leave on a family visa, live with the parent (with the same boarding-school and university exception) and are not married or in a civil partnership.

Parental responsibility and access

Under E-ECPT.2.3 one of two things must be true. Either the applicant has sole parental responsibility for the child, or the parent or carer with whom the child normally lives must be a British citizen in the UK, settled in the UK or in the UK with Appendix EU leave; must not be the applicant's partner; and the applicant must not be eligible to apply for entry clearance as a partner.

GOV.UK describes the same idea this way: you need sole or shared parental responsibility. If you share it, the child's other parent must not be your partner, and must be a British or Irish citizen, settled in the UK, or a person with pre-settled status who began living in the UK before 1 January 2021. If the child lives with the other parent or carer, you must have access to the child in person, as agreed with that person or ordered by a court.

E-ECPT.2.4 turns this into an evidence requirement. The applicant must provide evidence that they either have sole parental responsibility or have direct, in-person access to the child (as agreed with the parent or carer or as ordered by a UK court), and evidence that they are taking, and intend to continue to take, an active role in the child's upbringing.

What counts as evidence of an active role

GOV.UK is specific about the kind of evidence it treats as stronger. It should come from the government, a school, a court or a medical professional; show that you are living with or caring for your child; and be less than 4 years old. The examples it gives are:

  • a letter from the child's school confirming that you take them to school or attend parents' evenings;
  • a letter to your address from the local council confirming the child's school;
  • a letter from the child's doctor, dentist or health visitor confirming that you take them to appointments;
  • court order paperwork confirming that the child lives with you or that you are taking an active role in their upbringing. GOV.UK says you need permission from the court to use court order paperwork and must send written proof of that permission.

If you do not have evidence that meets those criteria, GOV.UK says other evidence can be provided, but it is less likely that you will be given a visa in that case. Examples listed are a parental agreement drafted by a solicitor and signed by both parents, a letter from HMRC confirming that you are claiming Child Tax Credit, and social services paperwork confirming that you spend time with the child or are applying for access. GOV.UK states that greetings cards, photographs and text or social media messages are not considered strong evidence and are unlikely to help.

The Rules say what must be shown (an active role and either sole responsibility or in-person access), and GOV.UK says which documents it regards as strong.

Money, housing and English

Money and housing. E-ECPT.3.1 requires evidence that the applicant will be able to adequately maintain and accommodate themselves and any dependants in the UK without recourse to public funds. E-ECPT.3.2 adds evidence that there will be adequate accommodation without recourse to public funds for the family, including other family members who live in the same household, that the family owns or occupies exclusively; accommodation is not adequate if it is or will be overcrowded or contravenes public health regulations. Unlike the partner route, the text of these paragraphs sets no fixed income figure. GOV.UK says the caseworker uses your income and housing costs to check whether you can support yourself, and that if your child or other dependants live with you, you must prove you can support them as well. GOV.UK points to guidance on maintenance and accommodation for parents and adult dependent relatives for the evidence needed.

English. E-ECPT.4.1 sets the same four options as the partner route: nationality of a country in the GEN.1.6 list; passing a speaking-and-listening test at CEFR level A1 or above with an approved provider; a qualifying degree; or an exemption (aged 65 or over, a physical or mental condition that prevents it, or exceptional circumstances that prevent meeting it before entry). A later extension after 30 months on an A1 pass needs A2 in speaking and listening (E-LTRPT.5.1A), unless an exemption or another option applies. GOV.UK confirms that people who have been in the UK on a family visa for 5 years and are extending as a partner or parent do not need to prove English again.

Fees, timing and how to apply

GOV.UK gives the fee for a partner, parent or child as £2,064 for an application from outside the UK and £1,407 from inside the UK, per person, including each dependant added. The Immigration Health Surcharge is also payable: for an adult, £2,587.50 for 2 years and 6 months or £3,105 for 2 years and 9 months, and for a child, £1,940 or £2,328 for the same periods. There is a fee waiver for people who cannot pay because they have no place to live and cannot afford one, cannot afford essential living costs, or have a very low income where paying would harm the child's wellbeing. Outside the UK the waiver is requested online.

From outside the UK the application is online and also uses Appendix 5. GOV.UK says the decision outside the UK usually takes 12 weeks, and that inside the UK it "currently takes about 12 months". Inside the UK, a super priority service of £1,000 may be available for a faster decision. A TB test applies if the applicant has lived in a listed country, and the certificate must come from an approved clinic.

After applying, the applicant attends a biometrics appointment. If the visa is granted, it is an eVisa, and the notice states whether the endorsement is standard or non-standard.

The grant, extensions and settlement

On the standard route, D-ECPT.1.1 gives entry clearance for an initial period not exceeding 33 months with no recourse to public funds, and eligibility to apply for settlement after a continuous period of at least 60 months. GOV.UK states the stay as 2 years and 9 months for the first visa and 2 years and 6 months if you extend or switch.

If the grant is made because GEN.3.2(3) applies, meaning refusal would breach human rights rather than because every requirement was met, D-ECPT.1.2 allows up to 33 months and a settlement route after 120 months. Extensions are in R-LTRPT and E-LTRPT for up to 30 months at a time (D-LTRPT.1.1), and settlement under R-ILRPT requires 5 years' continuous residence on the route, with Appendix KoLL covering the knowledge of English and life in the UK (E-ILRPT.1.5). GOV.UK adds that only time on a family visa as a parent counts; time on other visas does not.

Applications from inside the UK. Switching to the parent route from inside the UK is possible for some people. Sections R-LTRPT and E-LTRPT say the applicant must not be in the UK as a visitor or with leave of 6 months or less (unless granted pending family court or divorce proceedings). Paragraph EX.1 provides an exception where the applicant has a genuine and subsisting parental relationship with a child under 18 who is in the UK and either is a British citizen or has lived in the UK continuously for at least the 7 years before the application, and it would not be reasonable to expect the child to leave. GOV.UK says that where the English and financial requirements are not met, an extension is still possible if the child in the UK is British or has lived in the UK for 7 years and it would be unreasonable for them to leave.

Worked examples (illustrative)

Example 1: costs. A parent applying from outside the UK for a 33-month grant with one child already in the UK pays £2,064 and a £3,105 surcharge, £5,169 in all, before any TB test, English test or translations. A parent with a second child applying alongside pays £2,064 and £2,328 more for that child.

Example 2: shared responsibility. A child lives with their mother, who is a British citizen. The father, who lives abroad, applies as a parent. E-ECPT.2.3(b) requires that the mother is not his partner and that he is not eligible to apply as a partner, and E-ECPT.2.4 requires evidence of in-person access (agreed with the mother or ordered by a UK court) and of an active role.

Example 3: evidence quality. Two sets of documents go in. One is a letter from the school confirming the parent attends parents' evenings and a letter from a GP about appointments. The other is a folder of photographs and chat messages. GOV.UK describes the first kind as the sort of evidence it expects, and says photographs and messages are unlikely to help.

Finding a regulated adviser

Parent applications often involve family court orders, contact arrangements and questions about which route applies. People often ask a regulated adviser to look at the papers before applying. GOV.UK explains how to find an immigration adviser. Only advisers registered with the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA, formerly the OISC), solicitors and barristers may give immigration advice in England and Wales.

The Migratio directory lists IAA-registered advisers (with their level) and SRA-regulated solicitors, each with their regulator and registration number. Migratio is not regulated by the IAA or the SRA and does not give immigration advice. This page explains how the rules work; it does not tell you what to do in your case.

Questions people ask

Who can apply for a UK parent visa?

Appendix FM says the applicant must be 18 or over and the child must be under 18, living in the UK and a British citizen, settled, or in the UK with Appendix EU leave. The applicant must have sole parental responsibility, or share it with a parent or carer who is not their partner and who has one of those statuses.

How much does the UK parent visa cost?

GOV.UK gives £2,064 for an application from outside the UK and £1,407 from inside the UK, per person. The Immigration Health Surcharge is £3,105 for an adult for 2 years and 9 months and £2,328 for a child.

What evidence shows an active role in a child's upbringing?

GOV.UK says evidence should come from the government, a school, a court or a medical professional, show you live with or care for the child, and be less than 4 years old, for example a school or doctor's letter. Greetings cards, photographs and messages are described as not strong evidence.

Does a parent visa lead to settlement?

On the standard route D-ECPT.1.1 gives eligibility to apply for settlement after a continuous period of at least 60 months with leave as a parent. Where the grant was made on human rights grounds, the period is 120 months. GOV.UK says only time on a family visa as a parent counts.

Can I apply as a parent if I am eligible as a partner?

GOV.UK says that if you are eligible to apply as a partner, you must do that instead of applying as a parent. The Rules for entry clearance also require that the applicant is not eligible to apply as a partner where the child lives with the other parent or carer.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

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