Parent of a Child

You may be eligible for entry clearance, leave to remain or settlement in the UK based on your relationship with your child.

Parent of a Child

You may be eligible for entry clearance, leave to remain or settlement in the UK based on your relationship with your child. This route is suitable for those who are not eligible for a partner-based visa. 

Relationship requirements

To assess your eligibility, the Home Office will assess your relationship to your child.

If your child lives with you, you must either have:

  • Sole parental responsibility; or
  • Shared responsibility if the child’s other parents is a British citizen or settled in the UK.

If your child does not live with you, their other parent:

  • Must be a British citizen or settled in the UK; and
  • You must have access rights and shared responsibility.

If you share parental responsibility, the child’s other parent must not be your partner.

Route to Settlement

There are two routes to settlement under this category. The first is the 5-year route to settlement and the second is the 10-year route to settlement.

Entry clearance is generally granted to those who are eligible under the 5-year route to settlement. This will be because they meet the requirements of Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules which includes (a) being able to maintain and accommodate themselves and any dependents, and (b) the relevant child is British, settled in the UK or has limited leave under Appendix EU.

Generally, applicants are placed on the 10-year route to settlement because they fall under certain exceptions, including where the child is a British or Irish citizen or has spent 7 years in the UK but do not meet other requirements set out in Appendix FM such as the financial requirement. 

Applying for Settlement

Before you can apply for settlement, you must either have spent at least 5 or 10 continuous years in the UK under this category. You cannot include time spent in the UK on any other visa. The earliest you can apply is 28 days before you have lived in the U for 5 or 10 continuous years.

The eligibility criteria are different for both. If you already have a visa under this category, your last visa approval letter will state which route is applicable to you.

A key difference between the two is that the 5-year route to settlement requires that you have enough money to adequately support yourself and dependants without relying on welfare benefits. On the 10-year route to settlement, there is no financial requirement. Under both routes you will need to satisfy the English language and Life in the UK requirement.

Age of your Child

Generally, your child must be under the age of 18 at the time of application (especially for entry clearance applications). If you are applying for leave to remain or settlement under the 5-year route to settlement and your child is 18 or over, you can still apply if:

  • Your child under was the age of 18 when you were first granted a Parent of a Child visa; and
  • Your child does not live an independent life e.g. they are single, not a parent and have not left home.

Your child does not have to be under the age of 18 if you are applying for settlement on the 10-year route to settlement.

How We Can Help

Here at Privity Partners, we are well versed in assessing your circumstances and advising you on your eligibility for a Parent of a Child visa. Get in touch today to speak to an expert.

How we help

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Section 3(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981 is a crucial provision that grants the Home Secretary a broad discretionary power to register a child as a British citizen. Unlike other sections of the Act that set out clear entitlements, Section 3(1) allows for flexibility and consideration of individual circumstances. Here’s a breakdown of its […]

Overview Under UK immigration rules, a parent may be eligible for Leave to Remain if their child has lived in the UK continuously for at least 7 years and it would be unreasonable to expect the child to leave the UK. This is part of the private life route and reflects the UK’s commitment to […]

Areas of focus

Partner & Family Visas

UK Family Visa allows you to bring family members (eligible foreign nationals) to join you in the UK for an extended period of 6 months or more. You can bring your spouse or partner, fiance or proposed civil partner, child, parent, or a relative to who you will provide long-term care.

Global Business Mobility Visas

The Global Business Mobility visa is an umbrella category of five different types of UK work visas. These visas are designed for employees of overseas companies to undertake specific types of work or assignments in the UK.

Short Term Visit Visas

Our lawyers act for schools, colleges and universities across the world. We understand your context and are able to advise on any legal and regulatory matters, as well as international projects.

Short Term Work Visas

The UK Temporary Worker Visa is a work visa that permits you to work in the UK temporarily. The time you can stay in the UK for a Temporary Worker Visa varies depending on the category you apply for and ranges from 6 months to 2 years.

EEA Nationals & Family

EEA nationals are required to obtain leave to enter or remain in order to visit or live in the UK. Unless a person is coming to the UK for a short visit, they will need to apply for a visa in advance of their arrival.

business Visas

Whether you wish to recruit a foreign worker, establish a UK branch of an overseas company or effect an intra-company transfer, our immigration barristers can assist. Our expertise covers immigration routes for individual investors and entrepreneurs, small and medium businesses, as well as multinational companies.

Global Talent Visas

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Settlement in the UK

Often people want to come to the UK to settle in the UK, without a specific idea as to what they want to do when they are here. In fact, our clients regularly ask us, what is the quickest way to settle in the UK?

British Citizenship

With British citizenship you can apply for a British passport and you will be free of immigration control, allowing you to travel into and out of the UK freely without the need for a visa.

Student & Graduate Visas

The UK Graduate visa allows international students to remain in the UK after completing their studies for up to two years, or three for doctoral graduates.

Immigration appeals

If your UK visa or immigration application has been refused, our immigration appeal lawyers can advise you on the merits of appealing to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber), prepare your immigration appeal and represent you at your immigration appeal hearing.

Human Rights

Applications for leave to enter or remain in the UK can be made, in certain circumstances, on the basis that to require the individual to leave the UK or to not allow them entry into the UK would be a breach of the individual’s human rights.

Asylum & Protection

Applications for leave to enter or remain in the UK can be made, in certain circumstances, on the basis that to require the individual to leave the UK or to not allow them entry into the UK would be a breach of the individual’s human rights.

Hong Kong (BNO) Visa

The Hong Kong BN(O) route allows BN(O) status holders and certain family members to live, work and study in the UK. After 5 years, applicants will be able to apply for settlement, and after a further year, British citizenship, providing they meet the requirements.

Get in touch

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