Immigration Corner | When to apply for a Parent of a Child Student visa

Dear Mr Bassie,

I have applied for a Child Student visa for my son, and I would like to accompany him to the United Kingdom. Please advise if there is a particular visa that I should be applying for.

SF

Dear SF,

Persons can apply for a Parent of a Child Student visa if the child has or is applying for a Child Student visa or if they currently have a Tier 4 (Child) visa. When applying, the applicant’s child must be between four and 11 years of age and be attending an independent school in the United Kingdom (UK).

The applicant parent must also be the only parent accompanying the child in the UK and have enough money to support themself and their child in the UK. The parent should also maintain their main home outside the UK and plan to leave the UK when their visa expires.

TAKING OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS

To be eligible for a Parent of a Child Student visa persons must be the only parent accompanying their child in the UK. The child’s other parent must live abroad and cannot apply to join the other parent in the UK.

However, persons can bring their other children with them if they also have or are applying for a Child Student visa. Please note that they cannot bring other family members with them on this visa. However, they may be able to apply to go to the UK on a short-term visit visa.

LENGTH OF STAY

It should be noted that with this visa, the parent can stay in the UK until their child’s visa expires or the child turns 12 years old, whichever happens first, and the parent can extend their visa while in the UK as long as they meet the eligibility requirements.

If the parent leaves the UK and the child is staying in education in the UK, arrangements must be made for their ongoing care. For example, if the child turns 12 years old and their visa is still valid, the child may be able to start boarding at their current school or live with other family members in the UK.

WHAT IS NOT PERMISSIBLE WITH THIS VISA

While in the UK on a Parent of a Child Student visa, persons cannot do paid work, study, or start a business. The parent is not permitted to make the UK their main home, apply for benefits (public funds), or the state pension; take other family members; or switch to a different type of visa.

FUNDS

When applying for a Parent of a Child Student visa, persons must be prepared to pay the application fee, pay the healthcare surcharge for each year he/she stays in the UK; and prove that they have enough money to support themself and their child while over there in the UK.

HEALTHCARE SURCHARGE AND VISA APPLICATION FEE

Persons will have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of their online application, and this usually costs £1,035 per year. This is needed so the successful applicant can use the National Health Service in the UK. It is advisable that the applicant check how much he/she will need to pay before applying. Persons will pay the surcharge as part of their online visa application.

Please note that the visa application fee for a Parent of a Child Student visa costs £637.

MONEY TO SUPPORT PARENT AND CHILD

Applicants will need to show that they have enough money to support himself or herself and their child in the UK. They will need £1,560 for each month of their stay up to a maximum of nine months. This amount is to support both parent and child. That is to say, if a parent is staying for nine months or longer he/she will need to prove that they have £14,040 (nine months × £1,560).

A parent will need an additional £625 per month, up to a maximum of nine months for each additional child that accompanies him/her to the UK. That child must be a sibling of the other child and also have a Child Student visa.

I hope this helps.

John S. Bassie is a barrister/attorney-at-law who practises law in Jamaica. He is a justice of the peace, a Supreme Court-appointed mediator, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a chartered arbitrator, the past global president of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (UK). Email: lawbassie@yahoo.com