Parent of a Child Student Visa UK: Complete Guide for Parents

The Parent of a Child Student visa allows one parent to live in the UK while caring for a child who is studying at an eligible independent school under the Child Student visa route.

This visa is designed for international parents whose child is aged between 4 and 11 and is attending an independent fee-paying school in the UK. It is a temporary immigration route and does not provide a direct route to settlement.

This guide explains who can apply, the financial requirements, visa restrictions, extensions and common application issues.

What is a Parent of a Child Student Visa?

A Parent of a Child Student visa enables a parent to come to or remain in the UK to care for their child during the child’s studies.

The child must:

• hold, or be applying for, permission under the Child Student route;
• be aged between 4 and 11 on the date of the parent’s application; and
• attend, or intend to attend, an independent fee-paying school that meets the requirements of the Child Student route.

The parent must intend to live with the Child Student during their stay in the UK. The school must not be a state school or academy.

Who Can Apply?

You may be eligible for a Parent of a Child Student visa if:

• you are aged 18 or over;
• you are the parent of a child who has, or is applying for, a Child Student visa;
• your child is aged between 4 and 11 when you apply;
• your child is attending an eligible independent fee-paying school;
• you intend to live with and care for your child in the UK;
• the child’s other parent is not living in the UK and is not seeking to come to the UK;
• you have sufficient funds to support yourself and any additional children in your care; and
• you do not intend to make the UK your main home.

The application can be made from outside the UK or, where permitted, from inside the UK to extend existing permission. The applicant must obtain entry clearance before travelling to the UK if applying from overseas

Can both parents accompany the child?

No. Only one parent can hold permission under the Parent of a Child Student route.

The child’s other parent must not be in the UK or seeking to come to the UK. Separation, divorce or an assertion that one parent has sole responsibility does not, by itself, remove this requirement under the Parent of a Child Student rules.

The other parent may be able to visit the UK separately, provided they satisfy the requirements of the relevant visitor route. They cannot use a visitor visa to live in the UK or to accompany the child on a long-term basis.

Can other children accompany the parent?

Additional children may be able to accompany the parent if they also hold, or are applying for, permission under the Child Student route.

Other family members cannot be included as dependants under the Parent of a Child Student route. They may need to consider a separate immigration category, such as the visitor route, if they wish to come to the UK temporarily.

Financial Requirements

The parent must demonstrate that they can support themselves and any additional children without relying on public funds.

Where the relevant exemption does not apply, the parent generally needs to show:

• £1,560 for each month of the intended stay, up to a maximum of nine months; and
• £625 for each month, up to a maximum of nine months, for each additional child who will be under the parent’s care in the UK.

The applicant must also have sufficient funds to maintain their main home outside the UK. This is in addition to the funds required for living expenses in the UK.

The financial evidence will usually need to show that the required funds have been held for the prescribed 28-day period, subject to the evidential requirements in Appendix Finance.

Some applicants may not need to provide financial evidence. For example, an applicant applying to extend permission who has been lawfully in the UK for at least 12 months may satisfy the financial requirement without showing funds.

Restrictions Under This Visa

A Parent of a Child Student visa is subject to significant restrictions. The visa holder cannot:

• undertake paid or unpaid work;
• establish or run a business;
• study;
• access public funds; or
• make the UK their main home.

The purpose of the route is to enable the parent to care for the Child Student temporarily. It is not intended to provide a general right to work, study or settle in the UK.

Does This Visa Lead to Settlement?

The Parent of a Child Student route is not itself a settlement route, and time spent on it does not directly qualify the parent for indefinite leave to remain under this category.

However, lawful residence on many immigration routes may contribute towards the 10-year continuous lawful residence period under the long-residence rules. Eligibility depends on the applicant’s complete immigration history, permitted absences, continuity of residence and the rules in force at the time of application.

Applicants should obtain tailored advice before relying on time spent as a Parent of a Child Student when planning a long-residence application.

Common Practical Issues

Applicants should take particular care with:

• proving the parent-child relationship;
• confirming that the child has, or is applying for, Child Student permission;
• demonstrating that the school is an eligible independent fee-paying school;
• explaining the arrangements involving the child’s other parent;
• providing financial evidence in the correct form and covering the required period;
• demonstrating that the parent will live with and care for the child;
• showing that the UK will not become the parent’s main home; and
• ensuring that accommodation and care arrangements are suitable.

An application may be delayed or refused if the evidence is incomplete, inconsistent or does not address the specific requirements of Appendix Parent of a Child Student.

How We Can Help

At Chan Neill Solicitors, our immigration team advises international families on UK education-related immigration routes.

We can assist with:

• assessing eligibility for a Parent of a Child Student visa;
• reviewing the child’s Child Student visa and school arrangements;
• preparing the parent’s application and supporting evidence;
• advising on financial and accommodation documentation;
• addressing issues concerning the child’s other parent;
• advising on extensions and future immigration options; and
• liaising with the Home Office where appropriate.

If you are considering accompanying your child to the UK, our immigration solicitors can advise on the requirements and help you prepare a properly documented application.