If your child is coming to the UK on a Child Student visa to attend an independent fee-paying day school, one parent can apply to accompany them while the child is aged between 4 and 11. The route exists so that young children are not here alone; it is not a route to work or settle.

Requirements

Your child holds, or is applying for, a Child Student visa for an independent day school, and is aged 4 to 11.
You are the parent who will live with and care for the child; only one parent can hold this visa, and the other parent must remain outside the UK (with exceptions where they hold leave in their own right).
Funds: enough to support yourself and the child without working or public funds, at the amounts the rules set, held for the required period, plus the school fees.
A main home outside the UK that you intend to return to.

Conditions

You cannot work or study, and you cannot bring other dependants. The visa is granted for 12 months at a time and can be extended while the child is under 12 and still at the school.

When the child turns 12

Your leave ends; you must leave the UK or qualify under another route. Planning for that point is part of our advice.

What we do

We prepare the child's and the parent's applications together, with the financial and school evidence organised to the rules, and handle the annual extensions.

Fees

Home Office fees and the immigration health surcharge change each April; we confirm the current figures when we advise you. Our fee is fixed and quoted before you instruct us; see our fees.