Parent of a Child Student

Eligibility

Parent of a Child Student aged 4–11 at an independent fee-paying school; you must be the only parent in the UK on this visa, keep a home outside the UK. You cannot work.

Key facts (checked 31 Oct 2026)

Full eligibility criteria (official)

Who can apply

You can only apply for a Parent of a Child Student visa if your child has or is applying for a Child Student visa. Or if they currently have a Tier 4 (Child) visa.

Your child must be aged between 4 and 11 when you apply, and be attending an independent school in the UK.

You must also:

• be the only parent accompanying your child in the UK
• have enough money to support yourself and your child in the UK
• maintain your main home outside the UK
• plan to leave the UK when your visa expires

Bringing family members with you

To be eligible for a Parent of a Child Student visa you must be the only parent accompanying your child in the UK. The child’s other parent must live abroad, and cannot apply to join you in the UK.

You can bring your other children with you if they also have or are applying for a Child Student visa.

You cannot bring other family members with you on this visa. They may be able to apply to come to the UK on a short-term visit visa.

How long you can stay

You can stay in the UK until your child’s visa expires or they turn 12, whichever happens first.

You can extend your visa while in the UK as long as you meet the eligibility requirements.

If you leave the UK

If your child is staying in education in the UK without you, you must make arrangements for their ongoing care. For example, if your child turns 12 and their visa is still valid, they may be able to start boarding at their current school, or live with other family members in the UK.

What you cannot do

While you’re in the UK on a Parent of a Child Student visa, you cannot:

• do paid work
• study
• start a business
• make the UK your main home
• apply for benefits (public funds), or the State Pension
• bring other family members with you
• switch to a different type of visa

Source: GOV.UK – Who can apply (checked 31 Oct 2026)

Money you need

When you apply for a Parent of a Child Student visa, you must:

• pay the application fee
• pay the healthcare surcharge for each year of your stay
• prove that you have enough money to support yourself and your child while you’re in the UK

Visa application fee

A Parent of a Child Student visa costs £726.

Healthcare surcharge

You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your online application. It usually costs £1,035 per year.

This is so you can use the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK.

You pay the surcharge as part of your online visa application.

Money to support yourself and your child

You’ll need to show that you have enough money to support yourself and your child in the UK.

You’ll need £1,560 for each month of your stay up to a maximum of 9 months. This amount is to support both you and your child.

For example, if you’re staying for 9 months or longer you’ll need to prove you have £14,040 (9 months × £1,560).

If you want to bring your other children

You’ll need an extra £625 per month, up to a maximum of 9 months, for each additional child that accompanies you to the UK. They must be a sibling of your other child and also have a Child Student visa.

If you’re extending your visa

If you’ve been in the UK for at least 12 months on a valid visa, you do not need to prove you have money to support yourself and your child for your visa application.

Source: GOV.UK – Money you need (checked 31 Oct 2026)

Documents checklist (official)

Documents you'll need to apply

When you apply you’ll need to provide:

• a current passport or other valid travel document
• proof that you have enough money to support yourself and your child - unless you’ve been in the UK for at least 12 months on a valid visa
• evidence that you have a permanent home outside the UK

Depending on your circumstances, you might also need to provide:

• your tuberculosis (TB) test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the TB test
• a certified translation of any documents that are not in English or Welsh

Source: GOV.UK – Documents you'll need to apply (checked 31 Oct 2026)

How to apply, step by step (official)

Apply from outside the UK

You must apply online for a Parent of a Child Student visa before you travel to the UK.

The earliest you can apply is 6 months before you travel to the UK.

Check what documents you’ll need to apply.

Apply online

As part of your online application, you will need to book an appointment at a visa application centre to prove your identity. You’ll have your fingerprints and photograph (known as ‘biometric information’) taken at your appointment.

You’ll need to take your passport with you to the visa application centre (you’ll be able to collect it on the day).

You’ll be told what you need to do when you apply.

Once you’ve started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.

Apply online

Continue your application

You can sign back into your application if you’ve saved it.

Find out how to sign in to your account.

How long it takes to get a decision

Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.

After you apply

You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example because:

• your supporting documents need to be verified
• of your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)

If you need to change or cancel your application

If you need to change something in your application after you’ve sent it, contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

You can ask to cancel your application by contacting UKVI. Your fee will only be refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.

After you get a decision

You’ll get an email containing the decision on your application. This will explain what you need to do next.

Source: GOV.UK – Apply from outside the UK (checked 31 Oct 2026)

Extending, switching and changing job (official)

Extend your visa

You can apply to extend your visa while in the UK as long as you and your child meet the eligibility requirements. This includes if your child currently has a Tier 4 (Child) student visa.

How long you can stay

When you extend your visa you can stay in the UK until the date your child’s student visa expires or they turn 12, whichever happens first.

When to apply to extend your visa

You must apply before your current visa expires.

You can stay in the UK until you get a decision on your visa application.

Fees

You’ll need to pay:

• £1,407 to extend this visa
• the healthcare surcharge

Apply to extend your visa

You must apply online.

When you apply, you’ll be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point.

At the appointment you must provide your biometric information (your fingerprints and a photo) - there’s no fee for this.

You’ll also need to submit your supporting documents. You can:

• upload them into the online service
• have them scanned at your UKVCAS appointment

Once you’ve started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.

Apply to extend

Continue your application

You can sign back into your application if you’ve saved it.

Find out how to sign in to your account.

Get help to apply online

You can get help with completing the online 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 to extend your visa in the UK.

You cannot get immigration advice through this service.

How long it takes to get a decision

Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks.

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.

You can stay in the UK until you’ve been given a decision, as long as you applied before your last visa expired.

You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.

After you apply

You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example because:

• your supporting documents need to be verified
• of your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)

If you need to change or cancel your application

If you need to change something in your application after you’ve sent it, contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

You can ask to withdraw your application by contacting UKVI. Your fee will only be refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.

After you get a decision

You’ll get a letter or an email containing the decision on your application. This will explain what you need to do next.

Find out what happens after you get your decision.

If you applied for an administrative review because your application was refused, you can stay in the UK until you get your review decision.

Source: GOV.UK – Extend your visa (checked 31 Oct 2026)

Processing times and faster decisions (official)

Standard: Usually 3 weeks (GOV.UK visa processing times).

• Priority service: +£500, usually a decision within 5 working days (settlement, citizenship and family-from-outside-UK: usually 30 working days).
• Super priority service: +£1,000, usually a decision by the end of the next working day after you prove your identity. Not available for citizenship.
• Availability depends on the route, the country and whether you use a UKVCAS centre or the ID Check app; there is a daily limit. You are told at the point of applying whether it is offered.

Source: GOV.UK – Get a faster decision on your visa or settlement application (checked 31 Oct 2026)

How the application works (official)

1. Check eligibility and gather documents (sections above). Sponsored routes: get your CoS/CAS reference first; endorsed routes: get your endorsement first.
2. Apply online on GOV.UK and pay the fee and Immigration Health Surcharge (if it applies) – IHS.
3. Prove your identity: either the UK Immigration: ID Check app (if offered) or an appointment at a visa application centre (outside the UK) or UKVCAS service point (inside the UK) for fingerprints and photo.
4. Upload documents and wait for the decision. Do not travel or leave the UK before a decision if applying from inside the UK – it can withdraw your application.
5. Your permission is issued as an eVisa in your UKVI account; physical BRPs are no longer issued. Link your passport to it and use share codes to prove your rights – GOV.UK eVisas.

Path to settlement (ILR) and citizenship

Does not lead to settlement.

Citizenship normally needs ILR (or settled status) held for 12 months – or immediately if married to a British citizen – plus the residence, absences, good character, Life in the UK test (£50) and English B1 requirements. See GOV.UK – Settle in the UK and GOV.UK – Citizenship if you have ILR.