Overview
You can apply for a Parent of Tier 4 child visa if:
- your child attends an independent fee-paying day school in the UK
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- 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 when you apply from outside the UK.
Find out about paying for a faster decision.
Fees
A Parent of a Tier 4 child visa costs £516.
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 will not be able to extend that visa if your child is going to:
- have their 12th birthday in the next 12 months
- finish their final year at school in the next 12 months
You must leave the UK when your visa expires in either case, and cannot 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 cannot do
You can:
- extend your visa for 12 months at a time, as long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements
You cannot:
- switch into a different immigration category from a ‘Parent of a Tier 4 child visa’ when it expires
- get public funds
- make your main home in the UK
- take paid work
- study
- bring other family members (‘dependants’) with you on your application – they must apply separately
To be eligible for a Parent of a Tier 4 child visa you must:
- have enough money to support yourself and any dependants while in the UK
- maintain a second home outside the UK
- plan to leave the UK at the end of your visit
- be able to meet the cost of the return or onward journey
Your child must:
-
- be under 12
- be studying at or about to start studying at an independent fee-paying day school in the UK
- 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’
When you apply you’ll need to provide:
- a current passport or other valid travel identification
- 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 provide documents that prove you:
- have a permanent home outside the UK
- have money to support you and your children or have relatives or friends that will support you in the UK
- have booked (or can afford) travel to leave the UK at the end of your stay
- 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 are not in English or Welsh.
Read the guide for a full list of documents you can provide.
You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.
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.
Find out how to get your visa decision faster – this depends on what country you’re in. Check if your visa application centre offers faster decisions and other services.
North Korea
You cannot apply online if you’re living in North Korea.
To apply from North Korea you must:
- download the application form and guidance
- 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.
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 must apply online to extend your visa.
Get help to apply online
You can get help with completing the online form if you:
- do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device
- do not have internet access
You can only use this service if you’re applying to extend your visa in the UK.
You cannot get immigration advice through this service.
Fees
You’ll pay:
- £1,033 for the standard service
- £1,533 for the priority service
- £1,833 for the super priority service
Providing biometric information and supporting documents
When you apply, you’ll be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide your biometric information (your fingerprints and a photo).
You’ll also need to submit your supporting documents. You can:
- upload them into the online service
- have them scanned at your UKVCAS appointment
You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.
How long it takes
A decision will be made:
- within 8 weeks of your application date if you use the standard service
- within 5 working days of your UKVCAS appointment if you use the priority service
If you use the super priority service a decision will be made:
- by the end of the next working day after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is on a weekday
- 2 working days after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is at the weekend
Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.
Once you’ve got your decision letter, your biometric residence permit will take up to 10 working days to arrive.
You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example:
- if your supporting documents need to be verified
- if you need to attend an interview
- because of your personal circumstances, for example 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.
Data Source: https://www.gov.uk/parent-of-a-child-at-school-visa
Countries in the EU and EEA
The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 27 countries. It operates an internal (or single) market which allows free movement of goods, capital, services and people between member states.
EU countries
The EU countries are:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
The European Economic Area (EEA)
The EEA includes EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. It allows them to be part of the EU’s single market.
Switzerland is not an EU or EEA member but is part of the single market. This means Swiss nationals have the same rights to live and work in the UK as other EEA nationals.
Citizens’ rights after the UK leaves the EU
There will be no change to the rights and status of EU citizens currently living in the UK until 30 June 2021.
You can read about the rights and status of UK nationals living in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.