Bridge Partners

Menu
Related Pages
X

Parent of a Child Visa

You can apply for a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK in an eligible job with an employer licenced as a sponsor by the UK government.

Learn more

Can I apply for the UK Skilled Worker visa?

We can help you. It’s what we do.

Overview

You can apply for a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK in an eligible job with an employer licenced as a sponsor by the UK government. This UK work visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa. This category is for all foreign nationals who have been offered a skilled job to fill a gap in the workforce which cannot be filled by an already settled worker in the UK. There are a number of complex scenarios which should be discussed and explored in detail before you can apply.

You can apply for a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK in an eligible job with an employer licenced as a sponsor by the UK government. This UK work visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa. This category is for all foreign nationals who have been offered a skilled job to fill a gap in the workforce which cannot be filled by an already settled worker in the UK. There are a number of complex scenarios which should be discussed and explored in detail before you can apply.

International Sportspersons visa

This category is for highly skilled sportspersons who must be recognised by a governing body as an elite sports person or a sports coach. The applicant must demonstrate that their employment in the UK will encourage the sport to become more elite and prominent in the UK.

To apply for ILR you must have spent continuous period of 5 years in the UK and must have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months. You must also meet the English language requirement, pass the Life in the UK test and meet the salary threshold requirement of at least £35,800.

Indefinite leave to remain

The skilled worker visa lasts for up to five years. If you want to stay longer, you can apply to extend your, as long as you still meet the eligibility requirements. After five years, you may also be entitled to apply for indefinite leave to remain, which gives you the right to live, work and study in the UK for as long as you like. You must apply to extend or update your skilled work visa UK if you change jobs or employer.

To apply for ILR you must have spent continuous period of five years in the UK and must have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months. You must also meet the English language requirement, pass the Life in the UK test and meet the salary threshold requirement of at least £25,600 per year.

What is a Parent of a Child Visa?

This route is ideal for a parent of a child that lives in the UK, but you are outside of the UK and wish to move to the UK. The current immigration rules permit parents living overseas, to come to the UK and reside with their children, which is suitable for applicants who wish to settle.  

Who can apply for a Parent of a Child Visa?

To qualify for the Parent of a Child Visa, there are several requirements that need to be met to establish your suitability for this immigration route, which are detailed further down. As a basis, parents who are looking to make a successful application should be able to prove their relationship with their child, the child should be under the age of 18 and is living in the UK as a British or Irish citizen, or even settled in the UK with indefinite leave to remain status.  

Additionally, it’s crucial that your child is physically present in the UK at the time the application is made – this visa route is not suitable if your child is overseas. If your child also turns 18 after your Parent of a Child Visa application is submitted, then it is likely that your application will be refused by the Home Office, as your child is viewed as no longer being ‘dependent’ on you. 

This visa route is not available to parents who share responsibility for the child, are partners, and therefore still viewed as a couple. If you and your partner are both parents to the child, share responsibility for the child, and are in a genuine and subsisting relationship, then this route is not suitable for you. Rather, you should consider other viable options like a Spouse, Civil Partner, Unmarried Partner, Fiancé, or Proposed Civil Partner Visas.  

What are the requirements?

As part of this Parent of a Child visa route, there are several requirements that need to be met to ensure a successful application is made on behalf of you as a parent. You will need to firstly, establish that you are the parent of a child who is: 

  • Currently under the age of 18. 
  • Living in the UK. 
  • Is a British or Irish citizen, or settled in the UK (i.e., has indefinite leave to remain, settled status or proof of permanent residence), or is from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein and has pre-settled status under Appendix EU.  

 

Additionally, you must meet other requirements that will help establish your parental relationship with your child – these requirements include: 

  • As the parent you must be outside the UK. 
  • You must be over 18 years of age. 
  • Able to maintain accommodation for yourself as well as any dependents upon arrival. 
  • Can prove your understanding of the English language to an acceptable standard (CEFR A1). 

 

(The Relationship Requirement) 

As part of the application, you will also need to demonstrate the relationship requirement. This is quite a tricky element of this application, but with our team of advisors we can confidently navigate you through such challenges. By relationship requirement, this refers to the connection between the applicant parent and the child, but also the relationship between the parent applying for the visa and the child’s other parent if they remain involved in the care of the child. We have broken down the details that qualify you as a ‘parent’ below: 

  • You must have evidence to prove your parent and child relationship – e.g., your child’s birth certificate or another form of evidence to prove your parentage. 
  • You must have either sole responsibility of the child or you have direct in-person access to your child – e.g., who has the authority and controls the decision-making about the child’s upbringing. You may prove this responsibility via evidence of financial support for the child.  

 

(The Financial Requirement) 

In support of your application, you will be required to provide evidence to show that you are adequate in maintaining yourself financially, as well as any dependents you have responsibility over, alongside appropriate accommodation. This will mean providing details about your living arrangements, to ensure that you will not seek to rely on public funds.  

 

(The English Language Requirement) 

If you wish to apply under this route, you will need to meet the minimum English language requirement at CEFR Level A1. If you are a national of a majority English speaking country, or taking an approved English language test, or have academic qualifications, then you can meet the language requirements.  

What is the Parent of a Child Visa processing time?

The Parent of a Child Visa processing time can vary case by case depending on the circumstances of the application, but typically it takes about 3 weeks to receive a decision. You may be able to pay to get a faster decision, which is a service that we can confidently guide you with.  

How to apply for a Parent of a Child Visa?

As part of the application process, you must provide certain documents to ensure a successful outcome. The application form is completed online, via the Home Office website and will ask you to demonstrate any supporting documents. When you apply, you’ll need to provide the following: 

  • A current passport or other valid travel document. 
  • Evidence that you have enough money to be financially independent for 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. 

 

Please note, depending on your circumstances you may also need to provide: 

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

How long does a Parent of a Child Visa last?

If your application for this visa is successful, you will be permitted to remain in the UK for 2 years and 9 months, following which, you will need to make an application to extend your stay. Once you have spent 5 years in the UK on this route, you may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK.  

However, please note that to qualify for indefinite leave to remain as a parent you will need to demonstrate, alongside the requirements mentioned, that: 

  • You meet the higher CEFR Level B1 English Language requirement that applies to settlement applications. 
  • You have passed the ‘Life in the UK’ test.  

How much does it cost to get a Parent of a Child Visa?

A Parent of a Child Visa costs £1,538 to obtain if you decide to apply from outside the UK. If you’re applying from inside the UK, it costs £1,048 to obtain. Please note, that if you decide to add other children as your dependents to your application, the same fees will apply per child you bring – if you’re applying from outside the UK or inside the UK.  

Can my dependants be included as part of a Parent of a Child Visa?

Yes, according to the guidelines for this visa, you may add other children to your application as dependents if one of the following applies: 

  • They are under the age of 18 on the date you decide to apply. 
  • They were under 18 when they were first granted leave on a family visa. 

It’s crucial that they must also live with you, unless they’re residing from home in full-time education – for example, at a boarding school or university. Also, they must not be married or in a civil partnership.  

How can I apply to include my dependents as part of my Parent of a Child Visa?

To include dependents as part of your application, you must ensure that your dependent’s application is submitted at the same time as your application.  

How can Bridge Partners Immigration help?

To discuss your Parent of a Child Visa application, simply contact an advisor from our team and we can offer you professional and friendly advice. We are confident that with our legal knowledge in family matters, we can guide you through the process to ensure a successful outcome.  

Frequently Asked Skilled Worker visa​ Application Questions

Someone can be eligible for a Skilled Worker visa if they have a job offer from a sponsoring company in the UK for a job that is on the list of skilled worker occupations. In addition, the skilled worker must have the required skills and experience to undergo the role in the company and have the required level of English language ability.   

The minimum salary for the Skilled Worker visa is either £25,600 per year, £10.10 per hour or the “going rate” for the particular occupation code, whichever is highest. For each job on the Home Office occupation list, there is a “going rate” which details the recommended annual and hourly salary that an individual must earn for the role. The rates are based on a 39-hour week of work. Those applying for the Skilled Worker visa need 50 points to do so. These are gained from sponsorship, skill level and English language requirements. However, 20 further tradable points can be given to those that meet the minimum salary requirement. 

You cannot move to the UK without a job offer from a company that has a UK sponsor licence, unless you apply for the Global Talent visa where this is not a requirement. When you are applying for a Skilled Worker visa you must provide a certificate of sponsorship reference number which proves that you have a job offer and therefore permission to work in the UK with a registered sponsor.  

The general Skilled Worker visa requirements are that you must have a job offer from a company that is a UK-registered sponsor and have a certificate of sponsorship that confirms that you have permission to work in the UK within a specific job role. You must be paid the required minimum salary for the occupation, have the required skill level and English language ability to do the job and have enough funds to support yourself in the UK.   

Once all the correct documentation has been submitted, it takes around 3 weeks for an application for a Skilled Worker visa to be processed by the Home Office when applying outside of the UK. For applications within the UK, the standard processing time is 8 weeks, although this can take around 9 weeks on average.  

For the Skilled Worker visa, you will need to provide a valid passport and proof that you have a job in the UK with details about your job role, salary, and employer information. You will also need the reference number for your certificate of sponsorship which proves that you have an approved job offer with a registered UK sponsor. In addition, you will need to provide bank statements that show you are able to support yourself in the UK and proof of the required qualifications needed for the role such as an English language test and degree certificate.

Yes, you can study whilst on a Skilled Worker visa. There is no restriction on the number of hours you can study as long as it does not interfere with your work. Another requirement is that workers who study must first get an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate for their studies and present it to the education provider.  

Skilled Workers are not allowed to run their own businesses.