Child Visitor Visa UK

The UK child visitor visa (part of the UK Standard Visitor visa route) is for overseas nationals under the age of 18 who wish to visit the UK for up to 6 months. This visa enables holders to spend time in the UK on holiday, visit friends and/or family, attend a recreational course, receive private medical care, or do a short course of study.

Not everyone needs a visitor visa to come to the UK. Therefore, it is important to check if you (or your child) require a visitor visa before applying¹. UK child visitor visa holders can travel with or without an accompanying adult. However, the child visitor visa eligibility requirements do vary slightly, depending on whether the child is travelling with an adult or alone, as will explain in this article.

It may be possible to stay for longer than 6 months, but only if receiving medical treatment. See our UK medical visa article for more information. For stays of longer than 6 months, other visa options are available, including the UK student visa, UK child (family) visa, and child dependent visa.

UK Visitor Visa requirements for a child

To qualify for a child visitor visa as a person under the age of 18, applicants must:

• Intend to come to the UK for up to 6 months and leave at the end of their stay
• Have suitable arrangements in place for their travel and stay while in the UK
• Have sufficient funds to pay for their return or onward journey
• Have sufficient funds to support themselves while in the UK without the need to work, seek help from public funds, or have family and friends that can provide this support

Child visitor visa applicants will also need to meet additional requirements depending on whether they are coming to the UK with an adult or alone, as follows:

Child travelling alone to the UK

Children travelling alone to the UK without an adult (i.e. a person over the age of 18) must have written consent from their parent or guardian to travel to the UK unaccompanied. The applicant’s parent or guardian must also provide:

• Their full contact details
• Proof that the applicant has a suitable place to stay while in the UK – including:
  • The address where the applicant will be staying
  • The name, contact details, and date of birth of the person the applicant will be staying with in the UK
  • Details of the relationship between the applicant and the person they will be staying with in the UK, and
  • Written consent for the applicant to stay with that individual in the UK

The rules also state that if the person the child will be staying with in the UK is not a close relative, the parent, guardian or school of the applicant must inform the relevant UK local authority about the visit if the applicant:

• Is under 16 or under 18 and they have a disability, and
• Is going to be looked after for more than 28 days by someone who is not a close relative (i.e. private foster carer)

To prove that the relevant local authority has been informed, the application should include a letter of response from the local authority.

Please note the same rules that apply to children travelling alone also apply to those coming to the UK for an educational exchange visit of more than 28 days. This does not apply, however, if the child is part of a group that will be travelling and staying together whilst in the UK (e.g. in the case of a school group travelling to the UK) or if they will be accompanied in the UK by an adult (e.g. a teacher).

It is also important to note that the rules for unaccompanied children coming to the UK on a visitor visa are different for those travelling to Scotland and Northern Ireland².

Child travelling with an adult to the UK

If the child is travelling with an adult to the UK, the child’s visitor visa application will still need to include a letter of consent confirming that their parent or guardian is happy with their travel and accommodation arrangements. It is important to note that even if the child does not require a child visitor visa to come to the UK, evidence of this consent will still be needed on arrival in the UK.

If the child is travelling to the UK with an adult who is not their parent, details of that individual must be provided in the child visitor visa application. It is possible to provide the name of up to 2 adults whose names will then appear on the child visitor visa. The child visitor visa UK guidance notes state that the accompanying adult/s can apply for their visa at the same time as the child, but this must be a separate application. In addition, where the child visitor visa holder arrives at the UK border without a person named on their visa, they must show a letter of consent from their parent or guardian agreeing to their travel and accommodation arrangements.

UK Child Visitor Visa Application Process

The process of applying for a UK child visitor visa can be completed online as follows:

1. Check if a child visitor visa is needed before applying using the Home Office online visa checking service³
2. Complete and submit the online UK child visitor visa application form⁴ - you can apply up to 3 months before you travel to the UK
3. Pay the child visitor visa UK fee of £100
4. Book and attend an appointment at your nearest UK visa application centre (to have your photo taken and fingerprints scanned, i.e. your biometrics)
5. Upload any UK child visitor visa documents required to support the application

The information and documents you need to provide with the child visitor visa application may include:

• Date of arrival in the UK
• Accommodation address in the UK
• Letter of consent from parents agreeing to travel and accommodation arrangements
• Estimated costs while in the UK
• Current home address and duration of residence there
• Name and date of birth of parent/s
• Details of any criminal, civil or immigration offences
• Name, address and passport number of family members in the UK

In most cases, you can expect a decision on a child visitor visa within 3 weeks. If you need a faster decision, you may be able to pay an extra fee to use the priority processing service, depending on which country you are coming from.

How can Reiss Edwards help?

Reiss Edwards specialises in all aspects of UK visitor visa applications, including child visitor visas. Our immigration solicitors can:

• Prepare and submit your child’s visitor visa application on your behalf
• Advise on a range of questions (e.g. can a child go to school on a visitor visa?)
• Explain the long-term visa options available for stays of longer than 6 months
• Handle the extension of your visitor visa if you are in the UK receiving medical treatment
• Handle any queries raised by UKVI on your behalf, and a refusal of a child visitor visa application

For assistance with any aspect of applying for a child visitor visa, please speak to our immigration lawyers for a free telephone consultation on 020 3744 2797 or complete our enquiry form.

References

¹ GOV.UK: Home Office visa online checking services

² GOV.UK: Visit guidance

³ GOV.UK: Home Office visa online checking services

⁴ GOV.UK: Online child visitor visa application form