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Visit Visa For A Child

The Visit (Standard) Visa for a Child is designed for non-EEA national children under the age of 18 who want to come to the UK for up to 6 months (or up to 12 months if they are accompanying an academic visitor). This includes children who want to study in the UK for up to 6 months.

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Eligibility:

In order to be granted a UK Visit (Standard) – Child visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that you are a genuine visitor. This means that you:

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  • Will leave the UK at the end of your visit;

  • Will not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your main home;

  • Are genuinely seeking entry for a purpose that is permitted by the visitor routes and will not undertake any prohibited activities;

  • ​Suitable arrangements have been made for your travel to, and your reception and care in, the UK - and, if a foster carer or relative (not a parent or guardian) will be responsible for your care;

  • You have a parent or guardian in your home country who is responsible for your care, and you can provide their address, their landline phone number; and confirmation that they consent to the arrangements for your travel to, and reception and care in, the UK;

  • Have sufficient funds to cover all reasonable costs in relation to your visit without working or accessing public funds.

  • Adequate arrangements must have been made for your travel to, reception and care in the UK;

  • If you are not applying or travelling with a parent or guardian based in your home country or country of ordinary residence who is responsible for your care, that parent or guardian must confirm that they consent to the arrangements for your travel to, and reception and care in the UK;

  • You must either hold a valid visit visa that states you are accompanied and will be travelling with an adult identified on that visit visa or hold a visit visa which states that you are unaccompanied.

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Unaccompanied Child Visitor:

If you will be travelling to the UK without an adult (someone over the age of 18), UKBA will treat you as an 'unaccompanied child visitor'. Your parent or guardian will need to provide:

  • their written consent for you to travel to the UK;

  • their full contact details; and

  • evidence that suitable living arrangements have been made for your stay in the UK.

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Duration of Visa:

Most visitors will need to make an application for a visit visa from their country of residence, before travelling. However, nationals of some countries are exempt from this requirement and can simply apply for leave to enter as a visitor at the UK border.

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A Visit (Standard) – Child visa will allow you to stay in the UK for up to 6 months. Within the period for which your visit visa is valid, you may enter and leave the UK multiple times, unless the visit visa is endorsed as a single or dual-entry visa.

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Persons under the age of 18 cannot qualify for a Marriage Visitor visa or a Permitted Paid Engagements (PPE) Visit visa.

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If you wish to obtain advice or legal assistance in respect of your immigration matter, we offer an affordable and confidential consultation at a fixed fee with and experienced immigration lawyer where we can answer your questions and explain the processes that will apply. Your consultation fees will be set off against your instructions to the firm if you go on to instruct us.

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For more information or to book an initial consultation, please contact us. 

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