Parent of a British Child Visa UK
Stay in the UK and keep an active role in your British or settled child’s life, on the 5-year or 10-year parent route.
A parent of a British child visa lets a non-British parent live in the UK to stay involved in the life of a child who is British, settled, or (when applying from inside the UK) has lived here for at least 7 years. It sits under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules. You can apply from outside the UK (entry clearance, granted for 33 months) or switch or extend from inside the UK on form FLR(FP) (granted for 30 months). It can lead to indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after 5 or 10 years.
At Adam Bernard Solicitors, our SRA-regulated immigration solicitors in High Holborn and Upton Park prepare parent route applications every week. These include cases where the parents have separated, cases relying on contact orders, and 10-year route cases built on the child’s best interests. Call 0207 100 2525 (24/7) or book a free consultation.
What is the parent route?
The parent route is the Appendix FM family route for a parent who is not in a relationship with the child’s other parent, but has a genuine, active role in the child’s life. It’s often called the “parent visa” or “FLR(FP) parent route”. Who it’s for:
- separated or divorced parents whose child lives in the UK with the other parent
- parents who have sole parental responsibility for a British or settled child
- parents of a non-British child who has lived in the UK for 7 years (in-country applications only)
It is not for couples. Home Office guidance says the parent route “is not for couples who are in a genuine and subsisting partner relationship.” If you live with, or are in a relationship with, your child’s British or settled other parent, you should apply on the spouse or partner visa instead. If you’re in the UK and can’t meet the partner requirements, look at the 10-year partner route under FLR(FP).
Who qualifies as a "qualifying child"?
Your child must be under 18 at the date of application, living in the UK, and either British, settled (ILR), or an EEA/Swiss national with leave under the EU Settlement Scheme. For in-country applications, a child of any nationality who has lived in the UK continuously for 7 years also qualifies, as long as it would not be reasonable to expect them to leave.
| Child’s status | Apply from outside the UK? | Apply from inside the UK? |
|---|---|---|
| British citizen | ✔ | ✔ |
| Settled (ILR / settled status) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EEA/Swiss child) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Lived in the UK 7+ years (any nationality) | ✘ | ✔ (EX.1 applies, 10-year route) |
If your child was born in the UK, check first whether they are already British or can register. See British citizenship by birth. A child who becomes British can make your application much stronger. If the application is really about the child’s own right to stay under the 7-year rule, our 7-year rule for children page explains that route in full.
Parent of a British child visa requirements
To qualify, you must show a genuine parental relationship, an active role in your child’s upbringing, and (on the 5-year route) adequate maintenance, accommodation and English. Unlike the partner route, there is no £29,000 minimum income requirement. The test is “adequate maintenance”, meaning you can support yourself and your child without public funds.
1. Your relationship with the child
You must meet one of these:
| Option | What you need to show | Typical evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Sole parental responsibility | You alone have responsibility for the child’s upbringing (rare, and assessed strictly) | Court orders, evidence the other parent is absent or uninvolved |
| The child normally lives with you | The child lives with you, not with their British/settled other parent | Shared address, school and GP records, council tax |
| Direct access in person | The child lives with a British/settled parent or carer who is not your partner, and you have face-to-face contact either agreed with that carer or ordered by a UK court | Child arrangements order, letter from the other parent, contact logs, photos |
2. An active role in your child’s upbringing
You must be taking, and intend to keep taking, an active role. Decision-makers look for contact that is regular and meaningful: school runs, parents’ evenings, medical appointments, holidays, and financial contributions. Occasional visits on their own are rarely enough.
3. Financial and accommodation requirements (5-year route)
- You must adequately maintain and accommodate yourself and any dependants without recourse to public funds.
- Accommodation must not be overcrowded or breach public health rules, and you must own or occupy it exclusively.
4. English language (5-year route)
| Stage | Level (speaking and listening) |
|---|---|
| First application | A1 |
| Extension after 30 months | A2 |
| ILR | B1 at present. The March 2026 Statement of Changes raises settlement English to B2 on many routes from 26 March 2027, so check whether it will apply at your ILR stage |
Exemptions apply if you are 65 or over, have a disability that prevents you from meeting the requirement, or are a national of a majority English-speaking country. See the GOV.UK English language guidance.
5. Immigration status (in-country switching)
You cannot switch onto the 5-year route from inside the UK if you are here as a visitor, on leave of 6 months or less, or on immigration bail. Applicants in that position may still qualify on the 10-year route if EX.1 applies (see below). This is why getting the route right before you apply matters.
5-year route vs 10-year route to settlement
If you meet every requirement, you’re on the 5-year route to ILR. If you rely on the EX.1 exception or exceptional circumstances, you’re on the 10-year route.
| 5-year route | 10-year route | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Meets all requirements (relationship, maintenance, accommodation, English, status) | Meets the relationship requirements, but EX.1(a) applies (it would not be reasonable for the child to leave the UK) or GEN.3.2 exceptional circumstances apply |
| Leave granted | 33 months (entry clearance), then 30 months | 30 months at a time |
| ILR after | 60 months | 120 months |
| Fee waiver available? | No | Yes |
| Recourse to public funds | No | Can be lifted where the applicant is destitute or the child’s welfare is at risk |
You may be able to move from the 10-year route onto the 5-year route once you meet the full requirements. See switching from the 10-year to the 5-year route.
Fees, IHS and processing times in 2026
From 8 April 2026, the parent visa costs £2,064 from outside the UK or £1,407 from inside the UK, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). Home Office fees are non-refundable if the application is refused.
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Entry clearance from outside the UK (per person) | £2,064 |
| Leave to remain FLR(FP) inside the UK (per person) | £1,407 |
| IHS, adult, 30-month grant | £2,587.50 (£1,035 a year) |
| IHS, adult, 33-month grant | £3,105 |
| IHS, under-18 dependant | £776 a year |
| Priority / super priority (in UK, optional) | £500 / £1,000 |
| ILR at the end of the route | £3,226 |
Source: Home Office immigration and nationality fees and GOV.UK IHS calculator. The 8 October 2026 Statement of Changes does not change family route fees.
Processing times: GOV.UK currently quotes around 12 weeks from outside the UK and around 12 months for parent applications made inside the UK. Priority or super priority can shorten in-country decisions where available. As long as you applied before your leave expired, you can keep living and working in the UK while you wait. If you can’t afford the fee, you can apply for a fee waiver before submitting an in-country 10-year route application.
Documents checklist
- Your passport, plus eVisa/share code or other immigration status evidence (physical BRPs have been replaced by eVisas)
- Child’s British passport, birth or registration certificate, or proof of ILR/EUSS status
- Child’s full birth certificate naming you as parent
- Evidence for your relationship option: court orders, a residence or contact agreement, or a letter from the other parent with their ID
- Active-role evidence: school letters and reports, GP or NHS letters, Red Book, photos, messages, receipts for clothes, school fees or activities
- Proof of address (joint where the child lives with you)
- 5-year route: payslips, bank statements and accommodation evidence; an English test certificate or exemption evidence
- 10-year route: evidence about the child’s best interests (schooling, friendships, health), which is central to EX.1
How to extend your parent visa
You extend the parent route from inside the UK on form FLR(FP) before your current 30 or 33 months of leave expires. On the 5-year route you must meet the same requirements again, now with A2 English. On the 10-year route you must show EX.1 still applies. Apply before your leave expires so that section 3C protects your status while the application is decided. Our FLR solicitors handle every family extension route.
Applying for ILR as a parent
After 60 months (5-year route) or 120 months (10-year route) on the parent route, you can apply for indefinite leave to remain. You’ll need English at the required level, the Life in the UK test, and no relevant suitability issues. The government’s earned settlement proposals would change qualifying periods for many routes, but as of October 2026 no implementing rules have been published. The proposals suggest a 5-year path would stay available for close family of British citizens. See our settlement and ILR solicitors.
Including your other children
Your children who are not British or settled can usually be included as dependants on your parent route application, or can apply separately. They are normally granted leave in line with yours. See child visa to join parents for children applying from abroad.
Common reasons for refusal
- Wrong route. The parent is still in a relationship with the other parent (the partner route applies), or applies on the 5-year route while on visit leave.
- Weak “active role” evidence. Contact is claimed but not documented.
- No direct-access evidence. There’s no court order and no supportive letter from the other parent.
- Maintenance or English gaps on the 5-year route.
- A poorly argued EX.1 or best-interests case on the 10-year route.
A parent route refusal is a refusal of a human rights claim, so it normally carries a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (14 days in-country, 28 days from abroad), not administrative review. See immigration appeals and, where there is no appeal right, judicial review.
Why choose Adam Bernard Solicitors?
- Over 15 years and 15,000+ clients. SRA-regulated solicitors.
- Immigration and family law under one roof. If you need a child arrangements order to prove direct access, our family team can get it while we prepare the visa.
- Experienced with 10-year route and EX.1 cases. We build best-interests evidence that holds up on appeal.
- Two London offices, in High Holborn (WC1) and Upton Park (E6), plus free video consultations by Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp or Skype.
Call 0207 100 2525 (24/7) or book your free consultation.
This page is for general information and is not legal advice. Fees and rules correct as of 1 October 2026. Sources: Immigration Rules Appendix FM and GOV.UK: Family visas, parent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a visa if my child is British but I'm not?
Yes. The parent of a British child visa lets a non-British parent live in the UK if they have sole responsibility for the child, the child lives with them, or they have direct in-person access to the child, and they play an active role in the child's upbringing.
Do I need to earn £29,000 for a parent visa?
No. The £29,000 minimum income applies to the partner route. The parent route only requires that you can adequately maintain and accommodate yourself and your dependants without public funds, and on the 10-year route even this can be waived.
Can I apply for a parent visa if I'm in a relationship with my child's mother or father?
No. The parent route is not for couples in a genuine and subsisting relationship. You should apply as a spouse or partner instead.
How long is the parent visa granted for?
33 months if you apply from outside the UK and 30 months if you apply from inside the UK. You then extend for another 30 months.
How much does a parent visa cost in 2026?
£2,064 from outside the UK or £1,407 from inside the UK per person (from 8 April 2026), plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 per adult per year.
Can I switch to the parent route from a visit visa?
Not on the 5-year route. You may still qualify on the 10-year route if it would not be reasonable for your child to leave the UK (EX.1).
When can I get ILR on the parent route?
After 5 years (60 months) if you meet all requirements throughout, or after 10 years (120 months) if you rely on EX.1 or exceptional circumstances.
What happens if my parent visa is refused?
Most refusals carry a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal because they are human rights decisions. You usually have 14 days to appeal from inside the UK.
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