UK child dependant visa for parents: What is it, and how could you apply for it?
The UK offers numerous exciting benefits to families, including professional opportunities, various areas of natural beauty, and excellent schools. As such, many young families choose to relocate to the UK.
If you have a UK Work visa and wish to bring your children with you to the UK, they may be eligible for the UK Child Dependant visa. In order to qualify, they will need to satisfy a number of eligibility criteria. This article explains the main criteria for a successful application, as well as outlining the application process.
What is the UK Child Dependant Visa?
For parents in the UK on a Work visa, being joined by their children is often a main priority. In the UK, certain Work visas allow the children of the visa holder to enter the UK on a Child Dependant visa. Eligible Work visas include the Skilled Worker visa, the Senior or Specialist Worker visa, and the Innovator Founder visa.
Note that if you are in the UK on a temporary Work visa, it is unlikely that your children will be able to join you unless they are eligible via their other parent.
Eligibility Requirements
In order to bring your child to the UK on a Child Dependant visa, you will need to be on an eligible Work visa, such as the Skilled Worker visa or the Senior or Specialist Worker visa. Note that short-term Work visas, such as the Seasonal Worker visa, are not eligible for Dependant visas.
Your child will generally be granted a visa for the same duration as your own visa.
In order to be eligible, your child will need to satisfy a range of criteria, such as:
- Live with you (unless living away from home due to full-time education such as university or boarding school)
- Be neither married nor in a civil partnership
As part of the application process, you will need to provide evidence of your child’s address. This could take a number of forms, including a bank statement, driving license, or official letter from their school or university.
You will also need to prove that you have sufficient funds to support each child who joins you in the UK via this visa route.
How parents can apply for a UK Child Dependant Visa
When applying for UK Child Dependant visas, you will need to submit a separate application for each child. The process looks slightly different depending on whether you are applying from within or outside of the UK.
For applications from both inside and outside of the UK, you should submit the applications online. You will need to provide your own application number as part of your child’s application, which you will have been given when you applied for your own visa. You will also need to provide the other necessary documentation at this stage.
As part of the application process, your child will also need to prove their identity. This can either be done using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app or in person. If you are applying from outside of the UK, you can attend an appointment at a UK visa application centre, available in numerous global locations. If you are applying from within the UK, you can instead attend an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point.
Once you have completed the necessary steps, the application will then be processed.
Key document you need for the application
When applying for a Child Dependant visa on behalf of your child, there are a number of documents which you will be expected to include, such as:
- Your child’s passport
- Proof of your relationship with your child (e.g. their birth certificate or other family records)
- Proof that you live with your child
You will also need to include your own visa application number in order to prove that your child is eligible for a Child Dependant visa.
How long does it take to process a Visa?
If you are applying from outside of the UK, you should receive a response to your application within 3 weeks. If you are applying from within the UK, the response time can increase to 8 weeks.
You can make sure to minimize delays by ensuring that you submit the application correctly, including all of the necessary documentation. If you are asked to provide additional evidence, you should make sure to do so promptly.
Benefits of the UK Child Dependant Visa for families
There are numerous benefits associated with the Child Dependant visa. For one, the visa allows your family to live together in the UK, where your child will have access to an excellent education system and to a country that offers numerous areas of natural beauty and a rich culture. When in the UK on a Child Dependant visa, your child will also be entitled to work, study, and to leave and re-enter the UK.
This visa also provides your child with a route to UK permanent settlement, known in the UK as ‘indefinite leave to remain’. Once they have been in the UK on a Child Dependant visa for at least 5 years, they can apply for permanent settlement. They will also eventually be able to apply for UK citizenship if they satisfy the eligibility criteria.
Final Thoughts
The UK Child Dependant visa is an exciting route forfamilies looking to live together in the UK. This visa type also offers a route to UK permanent settlement, which is often an appealing benefit. For many families, the Child Dependant visa is one step on the journey to settling in the UK long-term, bringing access to all the exciting opportunities that the UK has to offer.
If you are in the UK on an eligible Work visa and are hoping to be joined by your children, the UK Child Dependant visa could be the right path for you.
