Family visas · IAA-regulated advice
UK Parent Visa Advice in Birmingham & London
Live in the UK to be part of your child’s life, or switch to a parent visa if you’re already here. We check you qualify, build your evidence and prepare your application, for a fixed fee agreed in writing.
Last checked 11 October 2026 · Reviewed by Vishal Gautam, IAA-regulated adviser
Overview
What is a UK parent visa?
A parent visa lets you live in the UK to be part of your child’s life, if your child lives here and is British, Irish, settled or has EU pre-settled status. You can work and study, and after 5 years you can apply to settle (indefinite leave to remain).
It’s part of the family route under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules. You must have sole parental responsibility, or see your child in person and take an active role in their upbringing. It isn’t for parents who need care from an adult son or daughter: that’s a different route.
✓This is your visa if…
- Your child is under 18, lives in the UK, and is British, Irish, settled or has EU pre-settled status (or, in the UK only, has lived here 7 years)
- You have sole parental responsibility, or direct access to your child in person, agreed with the parent or carer they live with or ordered by a UK court
- You take an active role in your child’s upbringing and plan to keep doing so
- You can support yourself and have a home without public funds, and meet the English requirement, or an exception applies
→Look at another route if…
- You need long-term care from your adult child because of age, illness or disabilityAdult dependent relative →
- You’re the partner of your child’s other parentSpouse or partner visa →
- You want to visit your child or grandchildren for 6 months or lessFamily visitor visa →
- Your child has EU Settlement Scheme statusEUSS family permit →
Quick check
Could you qualify? Six questions, one minute
Answer honestly. Nothing is saved or sent: this is a general guide, not advice on your case.
Is your child under 18, living in the UK, and British, Irish, settled or with EU pre-settled status?Applying in the UK? A child who has lived here 7 years can also count, if it wouldn’t be reasonable for them to leave.
Do you have sole parental responsibility, or direct access to your child in person?Access must be agreed with the parent or carer your child lives with, or ordered by a UK court.
Do you take an active role in your child’s upbringing, and can you prove it?Letters from the school, doctor, a court or the council carry the most weight.
If your child lives with their other parent or carer, is that person British, Irish or settled, and not your partner?If you could apply as their partner, you must use the partner route instead.
Can you support yourself and any dependants, and have somewhere to live, without public funds?There’s no set figure: your income is compared with your housing costs.
Do you have an approved English test at A1 or above, or an exemption?For example, if you’re from a majority English-speaking country, have a degree taught in English, or are 65 or over.
Eligibility
UK parent visa requirements
You must meet every requirement on the day you apply, and prove it with the evidence the Rules specify.
You and your child
- Your child lives in the UK and is British, Irish, settled or has EU pre-settled status. In the UK only, a child who has lived here 7 years can count, if it wouldn’t be reasonable for them to leave
- You have sole parental responsibility, or direct access to your child in person, agreed with the parent or carer they live with or ordered by a UK court
- If your child lives with their other parent or carer, that person must be British, Irish, settled or EU pre-settled, and not your partner
- You take, and will keep taking, an active role in your child’s upbringing
- If you can apply as a partner, you must use that route instead
The strongest evidence comes from your child’s school, doctor, a court or the council. Photos, cards and messages carry little weight.
Adequate maintenance
- You must show you can adequately maintain and house yourself and any dependants without claiming public funds
- ‘Adequate’ means that after tax, National Insurance and housing costs, you have at least what a British family of your size would get on Income Support
- Your UK earnings (if you have permission to work here), pensions, other income and savings held for 6 months can count. Promises of support from family or friends don’t
- In the UK, if your child is British or has lived here 7 years and it wouldn’t be reasonable for them to leave, this requirement doesn’t apply, but you’ll be on the 10-year route
Maintenance payments from a former partner can count in some cases. We check which sources apply to you.
English language
- A speaking and listening test with an approved provider (a SELT), or a degree taught in English, or being a national of a majority English-speaking country
- Exempt if you’re 65 or over, have a disability that prevents it, or exceptional circumstances prevent it
- In the UK, the English requirement doesn’t apply if you rely on the exception for your child, but that means the 10-year route
Book only an approved test: other tests, even at a higher level, won’t count.
Accommodation
- Adequate accommodation that you own or live in, used only by your family
- Not overcrowded under housing law, and meets public health rules
- Paid for without claiming public funds
Evidence usually includes a tenancy agreement or mortgage statement and, if you live with others, the owner’s permission.
Immigration status and history
- In the UK: you can’t switch if you’re a visitor or have permission of 6 months or less, unless it was granted pending family court or divorce proceedings
- If you’re in the UK without permission, you can usually only qualify through the exception for your child, on the 10-year route
- Your immigration history and any criminal record are checked for suitability
- A TB test is needed if you’re coming from a listed country
Not sure whether something in your history matters? Tell us at the consultation: it’s confidential.
Documents
Parent visa documents: the easy part
Most people can list the documents. Refusals come from what’s in them, and whether they show the Home Office what it needs to see.
What everyone needs
- Your passport, your child’s birth certificate and proof of your child’s status
- Proof of sole responsibility, or of your access arrangements
- Evidence of your active role in your child’s upbringing
- £Proof of your income, savings and housing costs
- Proof of where you’ll live
- AAn English test certificate, or proof you’re exempt
Plus a TB test if you’re coming from a listed country, the court’s written permission if you use family court papers, and certified translations of anything not in English or Welsh.
Costs & timeline
Parent visa cost and processing time
From outside the UK, the Home Office fee is £2,064, plus the health surcharge of £3,105 for a 33-month visa. Most decisions from outside the UK take up to 12 weeks; in the UK it currently takes about 12 months.
| Home Office application fee | £2,064 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge33 months, charged as 3 years at £1,035 | £3,105 |
| Home Office total, per applicantbefore English test, TB test and translations | £5,169 |
| Home Office application fee | £1,407 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge30 months, charged as 2½ years at £1,035 | £2,587.50 |
| Home Office total, per applicantbefore English test, TB test and translations | £3,994.50 |
Home Office fee (fees table from 8 October 2026) and Immigration Health Surcharge from GOV.UK, checked 11 October 2026. The surcharge is charged per year, with part-years of 6 months or less charged at half. English test, TB test and translation costs vary by provider. Our consultation fees →
Apply
Week 0Online application, with the fee and surcharge paid. You’ll be told how to prove your identity and provide your documents.
Decision
Usually within 12 weeks from outside the UKIn the UK it currently takes about 12 months. You may be able to pay £1,000 for a faster decision if you apply in the UK.
Extend
Another 30 monthsApply before your visa ends. You’ll need English at A2 and to meet the requirements again.
Settle (ILR)
After 5 yearsEnglish at B1 (B2 from 26 March 2027) and the Life in the UK test. The ILR fee is £3,226. On the exception route, it’s 10 years.
British citizenship
Usually 12 months after ILRYou’ll need to meet the residence, good character and other requirements. Once you settle, your child may also be able to register as British.
Avoid a refusal
Common parent visa refusal reasons
Most refusals come down to evidence, not eligibility. These are the issues we check first.
Weak evidence of your role
You must show an active role in your child’s upbringing. Photos, cards and messages are unlikely to help on their own.
We check: your evidence comes from sources the Home Office gives weight to, such as the school or doctor.
You should have applied as a partner
If you’re the partner of your child’s other parent and could apply as a partner, a parent application will fail.
We check: which route fits your family before you apply.
Support that doesn’t count
Promises of help from family or friends can’t be counted. What matters is your own income and savings after housing costs.
We check: your figures against the Home Office’s adequate maintenance formula.
Your child’s status doesn’t qualify
From outside the UK, your child must be British, Irish, settled or EU pre-settled. At settlement, pre-settled status no longer counts.
We check: your child’s status now, and what it needs to be when you settle.
Switching when you can’t
You can’t switch to a parent visa in the UK if you’re here as a visitor, or on permission of 6 months or less (unless it was granted for family court or divorce proceedings).
We check: whether you can apply here or must apply from abroad.
Past immigration problems
Overstaying, previous refusals or not declaring something can lead to a refusal on suitability grounds, or limit you to the 10-year route.
We check: your history, and tell you plainly about any risk.
How we help
Our parent visa services
Choose a one-off consultation, or let us handle your application from start to finish for a fixed fee.
Eligibility consultation
We review your situation and tell you which route fits, what you need and the risks.
Evidence review
We check your evidence of your role, your finances and your accommodation against the Rules.
Full application
We prepare and submit your application, with a cover letter that sets out how you qualify.
Extension and ILR
We help you extend after 33 months (30 in the UK) and apply to settle after 5 years.
Our scope: we’re regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority at Level 1. If you’re refused and need an appeal, we explain your options and refer you to a solicitor or higher-level adviser straight away.
FAQs
Parent visa questions, answered
Can I work on a parent visa?
Yes. The Rules don’t stop you working or studying on a parent visa. You can’t claim most benefits (no recourse to public funds).
Is there a minimum income for a parent visa?
No. Unlike the partner route, there’s no £29,000 figure. You must show that after tax, National Insurance and housing costs, you have at least what a British family of your size would get on Income Support. Promises of support from family or friends don’t count.
What happens when my child turns 18?
Your child must be under 18 when you first apply. If they turn 18 after that, you can still extend and settle on this route, as long as they haven’t formed their own family or started leading an independent life.
Can I apply from abroad if my child has lived in the UK for 7 years?
No. From outside the UK, your child must be British, Irish, settled or have EU pre-settled status. The 7-year option is only for applications made in the UK, where it wouldn’t be reasonable to expect your child to leave.
What is the 10-year route?
In the UK, if you can’t meet the financial, English or immigration status requirements, you may still be granted a parent visa because your child is British or has lived here 7 years and it wouldn’t be reasonable for them to leave. You get 30 months at a time, but you can only settle after 10 years instead of 5.
How long does a parent visa decision take?
From outside the UK, usually within 12 weeks. In the UK, GOV.UK says it currently takes about 12 months. If you apply in the UK, you may be able to pay £1,000 for the super priority service.
Can my other children be included?
Usually yes, as your dependants, if they’re under 18 (or were when first granted family permission), live with you and aren’t married or in a civil partnership. You must show you can support them too. Each child pays the fee, and the health surcharge at the child rate.
Related routes
Other family visas
Ready when you are
Family, sorted.
Book a consultation, or start with the free quick check on this page.