Dependent children of British citizens, people present and settled in the UK or in the UK with limited leave to remain can apply for a child visa to come to join their parent(s) in the UK.
Requirements for leave to enter/ remain in the UK
- The child must be under 18 years old; and
- Must not be leading independent life; and
- Must not be married or in a civil partnership; and
- Must not have formed an independent family unit; and
- Financial requirement must be met; and
- Adequate accommodation must be available for the child upon the arrival in the UK.
Should you want to bring your children or stepchildren in line with your partner, you would need to meet the financial requirement of £18,600 yearly income for your partner and the additional £3800 for the first child you want to bring and £2400 for every other child.
The financial requirement can be a huge obstacle to overcome, especially if you want to bring more than one person, for example your spouse together with two children. We therefore might sometimes advise you to make two separate applications, one for your partner and a separate one for your child to maximise your chances of success under the financial requirement.
You might also be exempted from the financial requirement if you are in receipt of certain benefits.
Why to engage an immigration professional in Children’s applications?
Applications involving children are always complicated and require to be dealt with special care.
There might be serious and compelling family and other considerations that make exclusion of the child from the UK undesirable if suitable arrangements are made for the child’s care in the UK. We are here to advise you if that is the case in your circumstances and what evidence is required to prove the same to the Secretary of State.
The Secretary of State has a duty to ensure that the best interests of children are her primary consideration in every immigration application. We are here to help the Secretary of State to exercise the duty by carefully preparing all the relevant information and documentation of your application. Our duty to you is to maximise the chances of your application being approved.
Can you appeal against the refusal of my Dependent Child Visa?
You should be given right of appeal in case your visa application is refused.
Our clients tell us it is crucial to consult a specialist to be advised on merits of your appeal before pursuing your claim to the Tribunal. Depending on the reasons for refusal we may sometimes advise you to make a fresh application instead of appealing.
We are here to help you to exercise your right to appeal. Our immigration lawyers have experience from years and a great record of success in presenting appeals before the First Tier and Upper Tribunals of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber.