Short answer: Before applying for a child to join a parent in the UK, check whether the child needs immigration permission at all, which route applies to the parent and what the child’s circumstances require. A family visa and a work-route dependant visa are different applications. Each child needs their own eligibility, evidence and cost assessment.
Parents naturally focus on bringing the family together quickly. The safest preparation starts with the child’s actual position, rather than assuming the parent’s visa automatically covers them or that being born in the UK settles the nationality question.
Check nationality before choosing a visa
A child may already be British, may need a nationality assessment or may require immigration permission. Birthplace alone does not answer every British citizenship question. Use the official citizenship checker with the relevant birth and parental information.
Do not assume a visa is the correct purchase simply because a parent is preparing an immigration application. Establish the child’s position first, then plan the correct evidence and travel document.
The parent’s route points to the child’s route
If a parent is applying through the ordinary family partner route, the family child guidance is relevant. If the parent has temporary sponsored-work permission, examine the work route’s dependant rules instead. Student permission has its own restrictions too.
The Skilled Worker family page shows why dependant eligibility should not be assumed across all occupations and dates. A parent’s successful grant does not automatically resolve the child’s application.
Age and existing permission
The child’s age at application and any earlier dependant grants can matter. The ordinary guidance includes conditions concerning under-18 applicants and certain continuing applicants who were under 18 when first granted permission.
For older children, whether they lead an independent life can be relevant. Do not treat turning 18 as either an automatic entitlement to continue or an automatic loss of every option. Check the precise history and route.
Parental arrangements need an honest account
Where both parents are involved, record their immigration positions and the intended living arrangements. If a child will move without one parent, the relevant parental responsibility, care and consent questions need proper assessment.
A consent letter should not be treated as if it automatically proves sole responsibility. Custody, responsibility and the applicable immigration requirements are distinct. Complex parental arrangements can require specialist advice beyond a routine application; resolve the scope before relying on a checklist.
Documents to organise
- The child’s passport or travel-document information.
- Birth or adoption records and required translations.
- Relevant parent identity and immigration-status evidence.
- Accurate details of who cares for the child and where they will live.
- Relevant parental consent or legal documents where applicable.
- Evidence of finances and accommodation required by the chosen route.
- Earlier grants and current permission if extending.
The family evidence instructions explain the starting information. Keep each child’s records separate enough to check, even where the family uses one shared folder.
Plan each child’s costs separately
Application fees and IHS normally depend on the route and person. An under-18 IHS rate can differ from an adult rate; the grant length also matters. The family application may involve multiple payments rather than one fee for everyone.
Our partner-family cost example illustrates an adult and child budget. It should not be copied to a child’s application on a different route or to a child who does not need a visa.
Think beyond the submission date
Arrange a realistic sequence for permission, travel, housing and school enquiries. A school place or planned flight does not establish visa eligibility. Avoid committing to non-refundable arrangements on the assumption that all family decisions will arrive together.
Where a child has an eVisa, check their account and linked passport separately before travel. The parent’s correct digital status is not evidence that the child’s record is also ready.
Frequently asked questions
Is my child included automatically in my visa?
No. Check the relevant route’s application instructions and each child’s eligibility. Some forms coordinate family applications, but that is not automatic permission.
Does a UK birth certificate prove British citizenship?
Not on its own in every situation. The nationality rules and relevant parental status at the applicable time need checking.
Does consent from the other parent answer every requirement?
No. Consent may be relevant, but it is not a universal substitute for the route’s parental and care requirements.
Start with a clear family plan
London Immigration Assistance can help identify a routine family application within our scope and explain when specialist input is needed. Discuss the family’s circumstances with us. Our standard professional fee is £500 per application, per person for an agreed individual application; government and third-party charges are separate.
Official sources
Sources checked: 6 October 2026. Check the current official requirements for your application date.
- GOV.UK: child
- GOV.UK: partner spouse
- GOV.UK: provide information
- GOV.UK: check british citizenship
- GOV.UK: your partner and children
This guide provides general information and is not a decision about your individual eligibility. Rules and charges can change. The agreed service and care letter set out our professional scope; no outcome is guaranteed.