UK Parent Visa 2026: Requirements, Documents and Costs

Start with the correct family route

• The Parent route is for a person applying to live in the UK to care for a qualifying child.
• GOV.UK states that a person who is eligible to apply as a partner must use the partner route instead.
• This route is not the same as a parent or grandparent who needs long-term personal care; that is the Adult Dependent Relative route.
• A short visit to see a child normally falls under the Visitor rules rather than a Family visa.

Requirements concerning the child

• The child must normally be under 18 on the application date, or have been under 18 when the applicant was first granted permission as a parent.
• The child must live in the UK.
• The child must normally be British or Irish, settled in the UK, have qualifying pre-settled status, or have lived continuously in the UK for at least 7 years under the published conditions.
• The child must not be married or in a civil partnership.
• The exact status and residence evidence should be checked against GOV.UK.

Parental responsibility and contact

• The applicant may need sole or shared parental responsibility for the child.
• Where the child lives with another parent or carer, the applicant may need direct in-person access agreed with that person or ordered by a UK court.
• The applicant must show an active role in the child's upbringing and an intention to continue that role.
• The form can request evidence of care, contact, education, health or living arrangements.
• Individual family disputes or complex responsibility questions require authorised immigration and, where relevant, family-law advice.

English and financial support

• The applicant must normally meet the published English-language requirement unless an exemption applies.
• The applicant must show they can support and accommodate themselves and any dependants without relying on additional public funds.
• The Parent route does not use the ordinary partner minimum-income calculation in every case; income and housing costs are considered under the applicable rules.
• The evidence required depends on the person's income, housing and family circumstances.

Documents commonly considered

The official form produces the final checklist.

• Current passport and previous relevant immigration documents.
• Evidence of the child's nationality, immigration status and UK residence.
• Birth certificate or other evidence of the parent-child relationship.
• Evidence of parental responsibility, direct access and active involvement in the child's upbringing.
• Financial and accommodation evidence.
• English-language, TB-test and certified-translation evidence where applicable.

Applying from outside the UK

• The application is submitted using the official outside-UK Parent route and Appendix 5 where directed.
• Identity and biometrics are provided as instructed after the form is submitted.
• GOV.UK currently states that an outside-UK decision is usually made within 12 weeks.
• The applicant should not use an inside-UK form simply because the child lives in the UK.

Applying from inside the UK

• An eligible applicant uses the official in-country form before current permission expires.
• A visitor normally cannot switch to this route inside the UK unless a specific exception applies.
• GOV.UK currently states that an inside-UK Parent application takes about 12 months in the circumstances described on the route page.
• A faster decision may be offered only where the official service makes it available.

Published costs and permission period

• The current family fee for joining a partner, parent or child is £2,064 outside the UK or £1,407 inside the UK.
• The Immigration Health Surcharge normally applies in addition to the application fee.
• Outside-UK Parent permission can normally be granted for 2 years and 9 months; an extension or switch can normally be for 2 years and 6 months.
• Commercial appointment, translation and optional faster-service charges can be separate.
• The official application provides the final amount payable.

After approval and settlement

• A successful applicant receives an eVisa and follows the decision instructions to access it.
• The visa normally permits work and study, subject to the stated conditions.
• The earliest settlement point can be after 5 continuous qualifying years on the Parent route where all settlement requirements are met.
• Time on another visa does not normally count towards the five-year Parent route period.