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Parent of a Child at School Child at School Visa (UK)
The Parent of a Child at School Visa allows a parent to live in the UK temporarily to care for a child aged under 12 who is studying at an independent fee-paying school. This visa is designed solely for parental care and does not lead to settlement. The visa is usually granted for 6 or 12 months at a time and can be extended until the child turns 12, provided all eligibility requirements continue to be met. Parents must maintain a main residence outside the UK and cannot work or study while holding this visa.
This route is commonly used by non-UK parents whose child already holds, or is applying for, a Child Student Visa, and who need to be physically present in the UK to support their child’s education and wellbeing.
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No more confusion or wasted time. Tell us about your case, and we’ll provide an expert-backed, realistic plan to secure your UK visa.
You can apply for a Parent of Tier 4 child visa if:
- your child attends an independent fee-paying day school in the UK
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- you meet the other eligibility requirements
You can’t put a price on peace of mind.
Parent of a Child at School Visa – Quick Facts
What is the Parent of a Child at School Visa?
It is a short-term UK visa that allows a parent to live in the UK to care for a child under 12 who is studying at an independent fee-paying school.
Who can apply for this visa?
A parent who is not a British or Irish citizen and whose child holds, or is applying for, a UK Child Student Visa.
How long does the visa last?
The visa is usually granted for six or 12 months and can be extended until the child turns 12, provided eligibility continues.
Does this visa lead to settlement or ILR?
No. This visa does not lead to settlement, Indefinite Leave to Remain, or British citizenship.
The Immigration Health Surcharge is a mandatory fee for your Civil Partnership Visa UK, granting full access to the NHS. It costs £1,035 per year, with the total paid upfront. For a 2.5-year visa, this is £2,587.50. The fee is fully refunded if your application is refused.
No. Paid work, business activity, and study are not permitted on this visa.
When applying for a Spouse Visa, you must pay the Immigration Health Surcharge to cover your healthcare costs while in the UK. Since February 2024, the surcharge has been £1,035 per year, following a 86% increase. For in-country application, it will be for 30 months and out-country application, it will be for 33 months.
No. Other dependants are not allowed under this visa route.
The Marriage Visitor Visa allows for a single stay of up to 6 months. This visa cannot be extended, and you must leave the UK at the end of this period.
Yes. You must show that your main residence remains outside the UK and that you intend to leave when the visa expires.
This visa allows you to get married or register a civil partnership, but you cannot work, study, or live in the UK. You must use this visa solely to visit and get married.
Most applications are decided within three weeks, with priority services available in some locations.
Expert Guidance
You don’t need to go through the stress alone. Our immigration lawyers are here to simplify the process and give you the best chance of success.
Benefits
Why Choose Us for a Parent of a Child at School Visa
Applying under the Parent of a Child at School Visa requires strict compliance with Home Office rules. A single mistake can result in refusal, delays, or loss of lawful stay. Our immigration solicitors ensure your application meets all current UKVI requirements before submission. We assess eligibility carefully, including your child’s visa status, school eligibility, financial evidence, and proof of residence outside the UK. This prevents refusals based on overlooked technical requirements. Our team stays fully aligned with latest gov.uk guidance, ensuring your application reflects current policy rather than outdated information found online. We offer a fully remote, solicitor-led service, meaning you receive expert legal oversight without unnecessary appointments or form-only assistance. With transparent fixed fees and regulated legal representation, you receive clarity, compliance, and peace of mind throughout the process.
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Success Rate
37,573
Applications Approved
93.7%
Immigration Appeal Win Rate
4.9/5
Average Rating
From Consultation to Visa Approval
Our immigration specialists streamline your application process by clearly identifying which evidence and strategies will strengthen your case.
By aligning your unique circumstances with Home Office requirements, we help you focus on high-impact preparations while addressing any potential weaknesses in your application.
From Consultation to Visa Approval
Our immigration specialists streamline your application process by clearly identifying which evidence and strategies will strengthen your case.
By aligning your unique circumstances with Home Office requirements, we help you focus on high-impact preparations while addressing any potential weaknesses in your application.
Maximising Your Approval Chances
Our goal is to maximise the chances of your visa being approved the first time. By carefully reviewing your circumstances, identifying potential weaknesses, and preparing strong supporting evidence, we significantly reduce the risk of refusals. Every application is checked by senior immigration solicitors who apply their expertise to make your case as clear, accurate, and persuasive as possible. This attention to detail is what improves success rates and helps our clients move forward with confidence.
Success Rate Optimisation
We carefully analyse every detail of your application to maximise the chances of approval. By addressing weaknesses, strengthening supporting evidence, and ensuring full compliance with Home Office rules, we optimise your case for success. This thorough approach significantly improves approval rates and gives you confidence throughout the process.
Risk Mitigation Strategies
We identify potential risks in your application early and put safeguards in place to address them. By preparing strong evidence, clarifying complex points, and anticipating Home Office concerns, we minimise the chance of delays or refusals.
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Evidence-based case preparation
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Home Office compliance checks
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Success rate optimisation
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Risk mitigation strategies
From Consultation to Visa Approval
Our immigration specialists streamline your application process by clearly identifying which evidence and strategies will strengthen your case.
By aligning your unique circumstances with Home Office requirements, we help you focus on high-impact preparations while addressing any potential weaknesses in your application.
Maximising Your Approval Chances
Our goal is to maximise the chances of your visa being approved the first time. By carefully reviewing your circumstances, identifying potential weaknesses, and preparing strong supporting evidence, we significantly reduce the risk of refusals. Every application is checked by senior immigration solicitors who apply their expertise to make your case as clear, accurate, and persuasive as possible. This attention to detail is what improves success rates and helps our clients move forward with confidence.
Success Rate Optimisation
We carefully analyse every detail of your application to maximise the chances of approval. By addressing weaknesses, strengthening supporting evidence, and ensuring full compliance with Home Office rules, we optimise your case for success. This thorough approach significantly improves approval rates and gives you confidence throughout the process.
Risk Mitigation Strategies
We identify potential risks in your application early and put safeguards in place to address them. By preparing strong evidence, clarifying complex points, and anticipating Home Office concerns, we minimise the chance of delays or refusals.
Work With Trusted, SRA-Regulated UK Immigration Experts
Your immigration journey is too important to risk on unqualified or unregulated help. Every case we handle is prepared by SRA-regulated solicitors who apply structured legal reasoning, precise documentation checks and full compliance with Home Office and UKVI rules.
Our accreditations are your assurance that you are working with a reputable, experienced and highly trained legal team. We combine decades of immigration expertise with strict professional standards to give you clarity, confidence and complete peace of mind — no matter which visa or application route you are pursuing.
How long you can stay
This visa usually lasts for either six or 12 months. After that, you can get extensions for 12 months at a time until your child reaches 12 years of age.
You’ll be given a shorter visa and won’t be able to extend that visa if your child is going to:
- Have their 12th birthday in the next 12 months
- Finish their final year at school in the next 12 months
You must leave the UK when your visa expires in either case, and you can’t switch to a different visa category. If your child is staying in education in the UK without you, you must make arrangements for their ongoing care.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a Parent of a Tier 4 child visa, you must:
- Have enough money to support yourself and any dependants while in the UK
- Maintain a second home outside the UK
- Plan to leave the UK at the end of your visit
- Be able to meet the cost of the return or onward journey
Your child must:
- Be under 12
- Be studying at or about to start studying at an independent fee-paying day school in the UK
- Have a Tier 4 (Child) visa or be in the category ‘students in the UK under the immigration rules in place before 31 March 2009.
How long will it take
You can apply for a visa up to three months before your date of travel to the UK. You should get a decision on your visa within three weeks.
The processing time for a Parent of a Child Student Visa application in the UK typically takes around three weeks from the date of the appointment at the visa application center. However, for an additional fee, there are options to expedite the process. You can pay extra for a decision within five working days or even within 24 hours (excluding weekends and bank holidays). It’s important to note that these expedited services might not be available at all visa application centers, and the availability can vary based on your location.
Is it Possible to extend a Child’s parents’ student Visa?
As long as you and the child student continue to meet the requirements, you are able to extend the visa. You have to request an extension before your visa expires, and you may remain in the UK until a decision is made.
If your visa is extended, you are allowed to remain in the UK until either your child’s 12th birthday or the expiration of their current visa.
What is allowed and not allowed on a UK school visa for parents?
Holding a Parent of a Child student visa allows you to accompany and look after your child in the UK, as well as engage in voluntary work if you so decide. But you won’t be allowed to do paid work, study, start a business, live and work in the UK, apply for public funds (like state pensions or benefits), bring additional family members (apart from the child student visa holder’s siblings), or change your visa status while you’re there.
Documents you must provide
When you apply you’ll need to provide:
- A current passport or other valid travel identification
- Your tuberculosis (TB) test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the test
You’ll need to have a blank page in your passport on which to put the visa.
You’ll also have to show documents that prove you:
- Have a permanent home outside the UK
- Have money to support you and your children, or have relatives or friends who will support you in the UK
- Have booked (or can afford) travel to leave the UK at the end of your stay
- Were not last admitted to the UK under the Approved Destination Status Agreement with China
You’ll need to provide a certified translation of any documents that aren’t in English or Welsh.
Extend your visa
You can apply to extend your stay for as long as you and your child continue to meet the eligibility requirements.
You must apply while you’re still in the UK and at least 4 weeks before your original visa expires.
How long can you stay
You can apply to extend your stay for 12 months at a time.
How long does it take
A decision will be made:
- Within eight weeks for online applications
- Usually, on the same day, if you use the premium service
You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, eg:
- If your supporting documents need to be verified
- If you need to attend an interview
- because of your personal circumstances, e.g, you have a criminal conviction
Once you’ve applied, you can stay in the UK until you’ve been given a decision, as long as you applied before your last visa expired.
What is the benefit of using UK Immigration Solicitors?
Immigration rules are complex and subject to regular changes and revisions. This itself presents problems as it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of and have complied with any changes to the routes, processes, and evidence requirements.
Failure to meet strict rules is likely to result in the application being refused, which, in turn, is likely to have an emotional and financial strain on you and your family.
It is our job to ensure we are fully aware of the latest immigration rules, policies, and procedures. We don’t leave matters to chance. Once you become a client of ours, we explain our strategy and tell you exactly how we propose to get you the right result. We will pinpoint the positives and negatives of your circumstances and explain where issues may arise and what would need to be done to fix them. We provide step-by-step guidance and advice throughout the entire process professionally. Our vast experience allows us to foresee problems before they arise and proactively adopt a strategic action plan.
Our legal fees are always agreed and fixed with you right at the beginning of your case, so you have complete peace of mind and control over the costs to ensure there are no restrictions or unpleasant surprises.
Many online agencies, advisors, and marketing companies claim to be immigration experts but provide very little expertise.
Let us be very clear here: if you are paying for someone just to fill in the forms for you, you should think about how you can put that money to better use and avoid gambling with your future by using inexperienced and ineffective companies.
We are a fully regulated, nationwide, multi-award-winning law firm that specialises in immigration. Having more than 60 years of combined expertise and having handled more than 8,000 cases, we have unrivalled experience and expertise to ensure you get the right result first time around. Don’t take our word for it, though; check out our reviews to see why our clients trust us with their futures. We are rated five stars across the board, and 98% of our clients have confirmed that they would recommend us to others.
What is a Free Needs Assessment?
If you have an immigration related problem or question, you can have a free assessment with a member of our assessment team.
The assessor will establish why you are calling and what you are looking for assistance with. The assessor will ask you a series of questions to determine your circumstances in relation to your objectives.
The assessment is 100% private and confidential. As we are a private law firm, we work with our clients to overturn Government decisions daily. We do not share any information with any third party.
Although the assessor will be a trained immigration specialist, they are not solicitors and therefore will not give you detailed legal advice or guidance.
If you want to establish what your options are and the best way forward for you, your assessor will collate the necessary information and then speak with one of the resident senior solicitors at the firm to determine what your options are, if and how we could assist, and confirm whether we would be prepared to take your case. If we can assist, you will be provided with an Agreed Fixed Fee quotation, which is a single legal fee to cover the firm’s cost of representation agreed from the outset and binding for all parties.
The free assessment is no obligation, and you are merely given clarity on your position and options to move forward.
If you have a complex matter or require legal advice regarding a specific issue, you will most likely require a legal consultation.
This is a separate service and is chargeable at the prevailing rates.
Parent of a Child at School Visa FAQs
No. Paid work, business activity, and self-employment are not permitted on this visa.
No. Study is not allowed under this visa route.
No. This visa does not lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain or British citizenship.
Yes. You may extend the visa in 12-month periods until your child turns 12, provided all requirements continue to be met.
No. You cannot switch to another visa category from within the UK on this visa.
Yes. You must show that your main residence remains outside the UK and that you intend to leave the UK when the visa expires.
No. Other family members cannot be included as dependants on this visa.
You must leave the UK when your visa expires. This visa cannot be extended beyond the child’s 12th birthday.
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