Child Dependant Visa

Key Overviews

• A child dependant visa allows your child to join you in the UK on the family route. The child is included in your Spouse Visa, Civil Partner Visa, Unmarried Partner Visa or Fiance Visa application under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules.
• The child must be under 18, unmarried and genuinely dependent on you. 
• Both parents must consent to the child coming to the UK. Where only one parent is applying, the other must provide written consent, or the applying parent must demonstrate sole parental responsibility.
• There is no separate financial threshold for children on the family route. The £29,000 minimum income requirement covers both the parent and any dependent children. No per-child uplift applies under the current rules.
• The child follows the same route to settlement as the parent. After five years on the family route, the child can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) alongside the parent.

If you are applying for a Spouse Visa, Civil Partner Visa, Unmarried Partner Visa or Fiance Visa and you have a child who needs to join you in the UK, a child dependant visa under Appendix FM is the route that allows this. The child’s visa is tied to yours: it lasts for the same period, it follows the same extension pathway, and it leads to settlement on the same timeline.

This guide covers everything you need to know about applying for a child dependant visa on the family route in 2026, including the eligibility requirements, parental consent rules, costs, the application process and the route to ILR and British citizenship. We advise on child dependant applications regularly and can assess your child’s eligibility before you apply. If you have questions specific to your situation, contact us for a free initial enquiry.

What Is a Child Dependant Visa Under Appendix FM?

A child dependant visa under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules allows a child to enter or remain in the UK as a dependant of a parent who holds, or is applying for, a family route visa. The relevant provisions are set out in Section EC-C (entry clearance for children) and Section R-LTRPT/R-LTRP (leave to remain for children) of Appendix FM.

The family route visas that a child can be linked to are the Spouse Visa, Civil Partner Visa, Unmarried Partner Visa, Fiance Visa and Proposed Civil Partner Visa. The child’s visa mirrors the parent’s: it is granted for the same duration, renewed at the same time and leads to settlement on the same five-year pathway.

The child does not need to meet the financial or English language requirements independently. These are assessed through the parent’s application. The requirements specific to the child concern age, dependency, parental consent and accommodation.

This page covers children applying on the family route under Appendix FM. If your child is applying as a dependant of a Skilled Worker Visa or Student Visa holder, different rules and fees apply.

Who Can Apply?

The eligibility criteria for a child dependant visa under Appendix FM require both the child and the parent to meet specific conditions at the date of application.

The child must:

• Be under 18 years old
• Be the biological child, adopted child or stepchild of the parent who holds or is 
• applying for a family route visa
• Not be married or in a civil partnership
• Not be leading an independent life
• Not have formed an independent family unit, meaning they do not have their own children

The parent (sponsor) must:

• Hold a current Spouse Visa, Civil Partner Visa, Unmarried Partner Visa or Fiance/Proposed Civil Partner Visa under Appendix FM, or be applying for one at the same time as the child
• Be able to accommodate and maintain the child without recourse to additional public funds
• Have both parents’ consent for the child to enter or remain in the UK, or demonstrate sole parental responsibility

These requirements are set out in paragraphs EC-C.1.1 to EC-C.1.6 of Appendix FM for entry clearance applications, and equivalent provisions apply to leave to remain applications.

Child Dependant Visa Requirements

A child dependant visa application under Appendix FM is assessed against the following requirements:

	Requirement	Standard
1	Age	Under 18 at the date of application
2	Relationship	Biological child, adopted child, or stepchild of the parent
3	Dependency	Not married, not in a civil partnership, not leading an independent life
4	Parental consent	Both parents consent, or the applying parent has sole responsibility
5	Accommodation	Adequate, exclusive accommodation available for the child
6	Maintenance	The parent can maintain the child without recourse to additional public funds
7	Character and suitability	No disqualifying concerns (rare for children, but assessed)

The child does not need to meet the English language requirement or the £29,000 financial threshold independently. These are assessed as part of the parent’s application.

Parental Consent and Sole Responsibility

Under Appendix FM, the Home Office requires evidence that both parents agree to the child entering or remaining in the UK, or that the applying parent has sole parental responsibility. This is one of the most frequently underestimated parts of a child dependant application, and a common reason for refusal is that the consent evidence is missing, incomplete or insufficiently detailed.

Where both parents are alive and have parental responsibility, the non-accompanying parent must provide written consent. The Home Office is looking for clear, unambiguous evidence that the other parent is aware of and agrees to the child relocating to the UK. In practice, this means:

• A signed and dated letter from the non-accompanying parent, explicitly stating they consent to the child living in the UK with the applying parent
• The letter should be witnessed or notarised, particularly where the non-accompanying parent is overseas, as this adds weight to the evidence
• The letter should include the non-accompanying parent’s full name, date of birth, relationship to the child and contact details

A common reason for refusal at this stage is a consent letter that is vague, undated, unsigned or does not specifically name the child and the country they will be moving to. We review consent letters as part of every child dependant application we handle and can advise on what the Home Office expects to see.

If the applying parent has sole parental responsibility, consent from the other parent is not required. The Home Office must be satisfied that you alone have been responsible for the child’s upbringing. Evidence of sole responsibility includes:

• A court order granting sole custody, residence or parental responsibility to the applying parent
• A birth certificate naming only the applying parent (where the other parent is not registered)
• A death certificate of the other parent
• Evidence that the other parent has abandoned the child, including no contact, no financial support and no involvement over an extended period, supported by a statutory declaration or detailed statement

If the other parent withholds consent and the applying parent does not have sole responsibility, the application cannot proceed on the family route until consent is obtained or a court order is granted.

If you are unsure whether your consent evidence meets the Home Office standard, call us on 0208 757 5751 for a free initial assessment. We can review your parental consent documentation and advise on whether it is sufficient before you apply.

The Dependency Requirement

A child must be genuinely dependent on the parent and must not be leading an independent life. Under Appendix FM, this means the child must not be married, must not be in a civil partnership and must not be financially self-sufficient and living separately from the parent.

For most children under 16, dependency is straightforward to demonstrate. The Home Office scrutinises this requirement more closely for older children, particularly those aged 16 or 17, where there may be indicators of independence.

Evidence that supports a finding of dependency includes:

• Birth certificate establishing the parental relationship
• School or college enrolment records showing the child is in full-time education
• Evidence that the parent provides financial support, such as bank transfers or maintenance payments
• Evidence that the child lives with the parent, or has been living with relatives while the parent establishes themselves in the UK

A common reason for refusal for older dependants is insufficient evidence of financial dependency. Where the child is 16 or 17 and has any employment income, the Home Office may question whether the child is genuinely dependent.

The Financial Requirement

Under the current rules as amended from 11 April 2024, the £29,000 minimum income threshold covers both the main applicant (the parent) and any dependent children included in the application. There is no per-child income uplift on the family route under the current rules.

This is a significant change from the previous system, where each additional child added to the income requirement (£3,800 for the first child, £2,400 for each subsequent child). Under the current rules, a parent applying for a Spouse Visa Extension (FLR(M)) with one dependent child must demonstrate £29,000, the same threshold as without the child.

The child does not need to demonstrate independent financial means. The assessment is based entirely on the parent’s (and sponsor’s) financial circumstances.

If the parent’s application relies on savings, the savings formula remains the same: (Savings − £16,000) ÷ 2.5 = equivalent annual income. The child’s inclusion does not change the savings threshold.

For advice on whether your financial evidence meets the requirement, contact our team or call us on 0208 757 5751. We assess financial evidence for family route applications daily and can identify gaps before you submit.

The Accommodation Requirement

The parent must demonstrate that adequate accommodation is available for the child. Under Appendix FM, the accommodation must not be overcrowded, assessed against the Housing Act 1985 standard, and must provide the child with appropriate living space.

The Home Office is looking for evidence that the property has sufficient bedrooms for the number, age and gender of all occupants, that it is safe and habitable, and that the family has a legal right to occupy it. Evidence typically includes:

• Tenancy agreement or mortgage statement showing the family home
• Council tax bill or utility bills at the address
• Where the property is rented, a letter from the landlord confirming the child will be permitted to reside there
• If additional bedrooms are needed for the child, evidence of the property layout such as a floor plan or property listing showing room count

A common reason for refusal is missing landlord confirmation. If you rent your property and the tenancy agreement does not specifically mention the child, a separate letter from the landlord confirming the child may reside there can prevent a refusal on this ground.

Include in the Parent’s Application or Apply Separately?

When the parent applies for their own visa (entry clearance from abroad, or FLR(M) from within the UK), the child can be included as a dependant in the same application. This is the simpler route. The child’s application is assessed alongside the parent’s, both receive a decision at the same time, and the child’s leave matches the parent’s.

If the child was not included in the parent’s original application, for example because the child was born after the parent arrived or because the child was initially remaining abroad, the child can apply separately. Applying separately requires a standalone application, a separate fee and its own processing time. The child’s leave will be aligned with the parent’s remaining leave period.

Where possible, including the child in the parent’s application is more straightforward and avoids a second application

What Happens After Your Child’s Visa Is Granted?

Once the child’s visa is approved, the child has the right to live in the UK for the same duration as the parent’s visa. For entry clearance applications, the child will receive a vignette in their passport valid for 90 days, which they must use to enter the UK. Once in the UK, the child’s immigration status is recorded as an eVisa.

During the visa period, the child is entitled to attend state-funded schools with no separate school visa required. The child is covered by the NHS through the Immigration Health Surcharge paid with the application. When the parent applies for an FLR(M) extension, the child’s visa is extended at the same time. When the parent applies for ILR after five years on the family route, the child applies alongside the parent.

A child who turns 18 during the family route does not automatically lose their visa. If the child’s current leave has not expired, they can remain in the UK until it does. At the next extension or ILR stage, if the child is 18 or over, they can no longer apply as a child dependant and must apply in their own right on another visa route or apply for ILR if they have completed the qualifying period.

The Route to Settlement and Citizenship

A child on the family route follows the same five-year pathway to settlement as their parent:

1. Initial visa (33 months), either entry clearance or leave to remain
2. First extension, FLR(M) (30 months), applied for before the initial visa expires
3. Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), applied for after completing approximately five years of continuous residence

At the ILR stage, the child must meet the continuous residence requirement: no more than 180 days outside the UK in any rolling 12-month period. Children under 18 at the date of ILR application are exempt from the Life in the UK test and the English language requirement.

Once the child holds ILR, they can apply for British citizenship. A child under 18 with ILR may be eligible for registration as a British citizen. An adult (18 or over) with ILR may apply for naturalisation after 12 months of holding ILR, subject to meeting the residence, good character and other requirements.

A child born in the UK to a parent on a family route visa does not automatically acquire British citizenship. If the sponsor (the British citizen or ILR holder) is the child’s parent, the child is a British citizen from birth. If neither parent held ILR or British citizenship at the time of birth, the child may need to be added to the parent’s family route visa as a dependant. Once the parent obtains ILR, the child may become eligible for British citizenship by registration, which is a separate process with a current fee of £1,214 (April 2026).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can a child on a dependant visa work in the UK?

Children on dependant visas can attend school. Once they reach the legal working age of 16, they can work part-time subject to the restrictions that apply to all young workers in the UK. There is no separate work visa requirement.

Q: What happens if the parent’s visa application is refused but the child’s is not?

The child’s visa is linked to the parent’s. If the parent’s application is refused, the child’s application will also be refused because the child’s leave depends on the parent holding valid leave.

Q: Can a child apply for ILR at the same time as the parent?

Yes. A child who has been on the family route for the same qualifying period as the parent (approximately five years) can apply for ILR at the same time. Children under 18 at the date of ILR application are exempt from the Life in the UK test and the English language requirement.

Q: My child was born in the UK but neither parent had ILR at the time. Do I need a visa for the child?

If neither parent held ILR or British citizenship when the child was born, the child is not a British citizen from birth. The child may need to be added to the parent’s family route visa as a dependant. Once a parent obtains ILR or British citizenship, the child may become eligible for registration as a British citizen under Section 1(3) of the British Nationality Act 1981.

Q: Does my stepchild qualify for a child dependant visa?

Yes, provided you have parental responsibility for the stepchild. Evidence such as a court order, residence order naming you, or evidence of long-term day-to-day care is required. A stepchild for whom you have no formal parental responsibility cannot be included under Appendix FM.

How Whytecroft Ford Can Help

We advise on child dependant visa applications on the family route regularly, from straightforward cases where a child is included in a parent’s Spouse Visa application through to situations involving sole parental responsibility. As an IAA-regulated firm and member of ILPA, we apply the same standard of preparation to every case.

Contact our experienced and friendly UK immigration team for professional advice. You can reach us on 0208 757 5751 or use our contact form at whytecroftford.com/contact-us.