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Parent of a British Child Visa (Appendix FM)

Parent route under Appendix FM: sole or shared parental responsibility of a British or settled child, no minimum income and 5 or 10-year path to settlement.

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Reviewed by Wesbridge Associates' IAA-regulated immigration advisers. Last updated: July 2026.

The Parent route under Appendix FM is for a parent living outside the UK, or already in the UK, who has sole or shared parental responsibility for a child who is British, settled in the UK, or has lived here continuously for at least 7 years. It grants 2.5 years' initial leave, with extensions and a 5-year or 10-year route to Indefinite Leave to Remain depending on which requirements are met. Unlike the Spouse route, there is no minimum income threshold — but the applicant must demonstrate direct, active involvement in the child's upbringing.

How it works

Step one: confirm the child's status — British passport, settled status (ILR or EUSS settled), or 7 years' continuous UK residence where it would be unreasonable to expect the child to leave. Step two: establish the parental relationship — birth certificate showing the applicant as parent, or a UK court order granting parental responsibility. Step three: prove that the applicant is not the partner of the child's primary carer (i.e. the parents are separated or the other parent is deceased/absent) and that the applicant has direct access — evidenced by contact schedules, a Child Arrangements Order, school records showing parental involvement, medical appointments attended, photographs, messages and third-party letters from teachers or health professionals. Step four: satisfy the English language requirement at CEFR A1 for initial entry, A2 at the 2.5-year extension, and B1 at ILR. Step five: meet the adequate maintenance test (no recourse to public funds unless a specific exception applies) — this is a needs-based test, not a fixed income threshold.

5-year vs 10-year route

Applicants who meet all Immigration Rules requirements at the point of application — English, maintenance, suitability and a genuine, subsisting parental relationship — enter the 5-year route to ILR. Applicants who cannot meet all the requirements but who can show that refusal would breach Article 8 ECHR (right to family life), typically because it would be unreasonable to expect the British or settled child to relocate, enter the 10-year route. Both routes grant 2.5 years' leave at a time and both are extendable. The 10-year route is materially more expensive over its life due to repeated application fees and IHS payments.

Fees and IHS

The current application fee is £1,938 for entry clearance from overseas and £1,258 for in-country switching or extension. The Immigration Health Surcharge is £1,035 per year of leave granted (so £2,587.50 for a 2.5-year grant). Fee waivers are available on the 10-year route where the applicant can evidence destitution, imminent destitution, or that fees would prejudice the child's welfare — this is a formal written application to the Home Office with detailed financial disclosure and is granted in genuine hardship cases.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply if my child lives with the other parent?

Yes, provided the child is British, settled or qualifying, and you have direct access that you exercise regularly. The Home Office looks for genuine, ongoing involvement — overnight contact, school pickups, attendance at parents' evenings, medical appointments, holidays together, regular messaging and video calls. A formal Child Arrangements Order specifying contact is highly persuasive but not strictly essential where other evidence is strong.

Do I need to earn a minimum income like on the Spouse route?

No. There is no fixed £29,000 threshold on the Parent route. Instead, you must show that you can adequately maintain and accommodate yourself and any dependants without recourse to public funds. The Home Office applies a needs-based test comparable to income support levels after housing costs, with third-party support permitted where credible and enforceable.

Does my child have to be British?

No. The child can be British, settled (ILR or EUSS settled status), or a non-British child who has lived in the UK continuously for at least 7 years where it would be unreasonable to expect the child to leave. The 7-year rule is a critical route for parents of long-resident non-British children and requires careful evidence of the child's ties, schooling, friendships and integration.

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