1. Overview
You can apply for a Parent of Tier 4 child visa if:
1.your child attends an independent fee-paying day school in the UK
2.you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
3.you meet the other eligibility requirements
How long it will take
You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to the UK. You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
Check the guide processing times to find out how long getting a visa might take in your country.
Fees
A Parent of a Tier 4 child visa costs £405.
How long you can stay
This visa usually lasts for either 6 or 12 months. After that, you can get extensions for 12 months at a time until your child reaches 12 years of age.
You’ll be given a shorter visa and won’t be able to extend that visa if your child is going to:
1.have their 12th birthday in the next 12 months
2.finish their final year at school in the next 12 months
You must leave the UK when your visa expires in either case, and can’t switch to a different visa category. If your child is staying in education in the UK without you, you must make arrangements for their ongoing care.
What you can and can’t do
You can:
1.extend your visa for 12 months at a time, as long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements
You can’t:
1.switch into a different immigration category from a ‘Parent of a Tier 4 child visa’ when it expires
2.get public funds
3.make your main home in the UK
4.take paid work
5.study
6.bring other family members (‘dependants’) with you on your application - they must apply separately
2. Eligibility
To be eligible for a Parent of a Tier 4 child visa you must:
1.have enough money to support yourself and any dependants while in the UK
2.maintain a second home outside the UK
3.plan to leave the UK at the end of your visit
4.be able to meet the cost of the return or onward journey
Your child must:
1.be under 12
2.be studying at or about to start studying at an independent fee-paying day school in the UK
3.have a Tier 4 (Child) visa or be in the category ‘students in the UK under the immigration rules in place before 31 March 2009’.
3. Documents you must provide
When you apply you’ll need to provide:
1.a current passport or other valid travel identification
2.your tuberculosis (TB) test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the test
You’ll need to have a blank page in your passport on which to put the visa.
You’ll also have to show documents that prove you:
1.have a permanent home outside the UK
2.have money to support you and your children or have relatives or friends that will support you in the UK
3.have booked (or can afford) travel to leave the UK at the end of your stay
4.were not last admitted to the UK under the Approved Destination Status Agreement with China
You’ll need to provide a certified translation of any documents that aren’t in English or Welsh.
You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.
4. Apply
Apply outside the UK
You must apply online for a Parent of a Tier 4 child visa.
You’ll need to have your fingerprints and photograph (known as ‘biometric information’) taken at a visa application centre as part of your application.
You may be able to get your visa faster or other services depending on what country you’re in - check with your visa application centre.
North Korea
You can’t apply online if you’re living in North Korea.
To apply from North Korea you must:
1.download the application form and guidance
2.read the instructions for North Korea on how to apply
Apply in the UK
You can only extend your visa if you’re already in the UK.
5. Extend your visa
You can apply to extend your stay for as long as you and your child continue to meet the eligibility requirements.
You must apply while you’re still in the UK and at least 4 weeks before your original visa expires.
How long you can stay
You can apply to extend your stay for 12 months at a time.
How to extend your visa
You can:
1.download the form and guidance and apply by post - the address is on the form
2.download the form and apply in person at a premium service centre
Fees
You’ll pay:
£811 if you apply to extend your visa by post
£1,311 if you apply in person
How long it takes
A decision will be made:
1.within 8 weeks for online applications
2.usually on the same day if you use the premium service
You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, eg:
1.if your supporting documents need to be verified
2.if you need to attend an interview
3.because of your personal circumstances, eg you have a criminal conviction
Once you’ve applied you can stay in the UK until you’ve been given a decision, as long as you applied before your last visa expired.
