Family visas: apply, extend or switch
Apply as a parent
You can apply to live in the UK to care for your child.
If you’re eligible to apply as a partner, you must do that instead of applying as a parent.
Your child must either:
- be under 18 on the date you apply
- have been under 18 when you were first granted leave
Your child must:
- live with you, unless they’re living away from home in full-time education - for example, at boarding school or university
- not be married or in a civil partnership
Your child must be living in the UK. One of the following must also be true:
- they’re a British or Irish citizen
- they’ve settled in the UK - for example, they have indefinite leave to remain, settled status or proof of permanent residence
- they’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and have pre-settled status - they must have started living in the UK before 1 January 2021
- if you’re applying in the UK, they must have lived in the UK for 7 years continuously and it would not be reasonable for them to leave
If your child has settled or pre-settled status you may be able to apply to the free EU Settlement Scheme or for an EU Settlement Scheme family permit.
Parental responsibility
You need to have sole or shared parental responsibility for your child.
If you share parental responsibility, the child’s other parent must not be your partner. They must also either:
- be a British or Irish citizen
- have settled in the UK - for example, they have indefinite leave to remain, settled status or proof of permanent residence
- be from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and have pre-settled status - they must have started living in the UK before 1 January 2021
If the child lives with their other parent or carer, you must have access to the child in person, as agreed with the other parent or carer or by a court order.
What you’ll need to prove
You must be able to prove that you’re taking an active role in your child’s upbringing and you plan to continue after you apply.
Send evidence that:
- comes from the government, school, court or a medical professional
- shows you’re living with or caring for your child
- is less than 4 years old
You can use things like:
- a letter from your child’s school confirming you take them to school or go to parent evenings
- a letter to your address from the local authority confirming your child’s school
- a letter from your child’s doctor, dentist, or health visitor confirming that you take them to appointments
- court order paperwork confirming that your child lives with you or that you’re taking an active role in their upbringing
You need permission from the court to use court order paperwork as evidence in your application. Send written proof that the court has given you permission when you apply - for example, a letter from the court.
If you do not have any evidence that meets this criteria, there is other evidence you can provide instead. However, it’s less likely that you’ll be given a visa in this case.
Other evidence you can provide includes:
- a parental agreement drafted by a solicitor and signed by you and the child’s other parent
- a letter from HMRC confirming that you’re claiming Child Tax Credit
- social services paperwork confirming that you spend time with your child, or that you’re applying for access
Things like greetings cards, photographs and text or social media messages are not considered strong evidence of your role in your child’s upbringing and are unlikely to help your application.
English language and financial requirements
You must also prove you:
- have a good knowledge of English
- can financially support yourself without claiming public funds
The caseworker uses your income and housing costs to check if you can support yourself.
If your child or any other dependants live with you, you must also prove you can financially support them without claiming public funds.
Check the information and evidence you’ll need to prove your income.
If you do not meet the English language and financial requirements you can still extend your permission to stay if:
- your child in the UK is a British or Irish citizen or has lived in the UK for 7 years
- it would be unreasonable for them to leave the UK
How long you can stay
You can stay in the UK for 2 years and 9 months on this visa. After this you’ll need to apply to extend your stay.
If you extend your family visa or switch to this visa you can stay in the UK for 2 years and 6 months.
How to apply
You’ll need to prepare information and evidence to provide with your application.
How you apply depends on whether you’re in the UK or not.
Outside the UK
You must apply online outside the UK. You must also complete Appendix 5.
In the UK
You must apply online in the UK.
Read the guidance for parents before applying.
If you cannot pay the fee
You can apply for a fee waiver if you cannot pay the fee because you:
- do not have a place to live and cannot afford one
- have a place to live but cannot afford essential living costs like food or heating
- have a very low income and paying the fee would harm your child’s wellbeing
Apply for a fee waiver online from outside the UK.
Apply for a fee waiver online from inside the UK.
Get help to apply online
You can get help with completing the online visa application form if you:
- do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device
- do not have internet access
You can only use this service if you’re applying in the UK.
You cannot get immigration advice through this service.
How long it takes
If you apply outside the UK you’ll usually get a decision within 24 weeks.
If you apply inside the UK it currently takes about 12 months to get a decision.
You may be able to pay for a faster decision.
Applying with other children
You can add other children to your application as dependants if one of the following applies:
- they are under 18 on the date you apply
- they were under 18 when they were first granted leave on a family visa
They must also:
- live with you, unless they’re living away from home in full-time education - for example, at boarding school or university
- not be married or in a civil partnership
When you can settle permanently
The earliest you can apply to settle in the UK (called ‘indefinite leave to remain’) is after you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years continuously on a family visa as a parent.
You cannot include time you’ve spent in the UK on any other visa.
The rules are different if you applied before 9 July 2012.