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Dependent child visas
Applications for children joining or staying with a parent in the UK - added to a parent's application or made in their own right. We handle the evidence, including sole responsibility where only one parent is here. Fixed-fee packages from £1,296 + VAT.
Written by Dipendra Fakira, Supervising Immigration Caseworker · Reviewed by Georgette Thomas, Principal Solicitor · Last reviewed 12 July 2026
At a glance
Home Office fee
Fee applies per child
Decision time
Matches the parent's route
Income test
Depends on the sponsoring parent's route
Length of grant
After 5 years, or immediate
Home Office fees and thresholds change - check gov.uk for the current figures. We confirm them in writing when we quote you.
How children apply
A child can be added to a parent's application as a dependant, or apply separately in their own right. Which rules apply depends on the child's age, where they are applying from and the immigration status of each parent.
Children can also apply from inside the UK - for example to extend alongside a parent, or to regularise their position after circumstances change. We confirm the correct application before any form is started, because putting a child on the wrong route costs time and fees.
What you need to show
- The child's identity, age and relationship to the parent in the UK.
- An ongoing parent-child relationship, evidenced rather than asserted.
- That the child can be maintained and accommodated without recourse to public funds.
- That both parents are in the UK or coming here, or that one parent has sole responsibility, or that there are serious reasons the child should live here.
Sole responsibility
Where only one parent is in the UK, the application usually stands or falls on sole responsibility - showing that the UK parent makes the important decisions in the child's life, such as schooling, health and religion, even from a distance.
The evidence is practical: school and medical records naming the parent, records of contact and financial support, and statements from the people who care for the child day to day. We build that file with you before the application goes in.
What it costs
| Service | Our fixed fee |
|---|---|
Full application package Merits assessment, evidence including sole responsibility, forms, submission and updates until the Home Office decision | £1,998 + VAT |
Initial consultation The quickest way to find out where the child stands | from £50 + VAT |
Dependent children questions
Children under 18 of a parent who is settled or in the UK on a route that allows dependants. Both parents must usually hold or be applying for the same status, unless one parent has sole responsibility or serious welfare reasons apply.
It depends on the parents' status when the child was born. A child born in the UK to a settled parent, or to a parent later granted ILR, may already be British or entitled to register. We check the child's position before recommending a visa route.
You need to show sole responsibility, or that the other parent has agreed to the child leaving with you, or that there are serious and compelling reasons why the child must live with you in the UK. Written consent, court orders and evidence of care are essential.
The main partner or work route financial requirement increases when children are included, unless they are British or settled. Once one child is added, further British and settled children do not push the threshold up. We work out the actual figure for your family before you apply.
No, once the child is 18 the dependent child route closes. Options for adult children are limited - Skilled Worker if they can be sponsored, Student route, or in rare cases the Adult Dependent Relative route.
Full birth certificate naming both parents, passport, evidence of the relationship if either parent's name has changed, and evidence of any custody arrangements. Photographs and school evidence help show the parent-child relationship where documentation is limited.
Children under 18 do not sit the Life in the UK test and are not required to meet the English language requirement. Both apply when they later apply as adults for ILR or naturalisation.
Bringing your child to the UK?
Book an initial consultation, from £50 + VAT. We will confirm which application the child needs and what evidence it turns on.