Child Visitor Visa UK

The child visitor visa has been replaced with the standard visitor visa. The child visitor category is for children aged under 18 years old who want to come to the UK for up to 6 months (or up to 12 months if they are accompanying an academic visitor). This includes children who want to study in the UK for up to 6 months.

One of the key factors in the visitor visa entry clearance applications is to satisfy the Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) that the applicant has strong family, financial and social ties to the country of origin and therefore he will return to the country of origin upon visiting the UK.

UK Child Visitor visa requirements

To come to the UK as a child visitor, you must be able to show that:

• you are under 18 years old;
• you intend to visit the UK for no more than 6 months (or 12 months if you will be accompanying an academic visitor);
• you intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit;
• you have enough money to support and accommodate yourself without working or help from public funds, or you will be supported and accommodated by relatives or friends;
• suitable arrangements have been made for your travel to, and your reception and care in, the UK - and, if a foster carer or relative (not a parent or guardian) will be responsible for your care;
• you have a parent or guardian in your home country who is responsible for your care, and you can provide their address, their landline phone number; and
• confirmation that they consent to the arrangements for your travel to, and reception and care in, the UK;
• you can meet the cost of the return or onward journey; and
• you are not in transit to a country outside the 'Common Travel Area' (Ireland, the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands).

There are additional requirements, depending on whether you will be travelling to the UK with an adult ('accompanied') or without an adult ('unaccompanied').

Unaccompanied child visitors

If you will be travelling to the UK without an adult (someone over the age of 18), UKBA will treat you as an 'unaccompanied child visitor'. Your parent or guardian will need to provide:

• their written consent for you to travel to the UK;
• their full contact details; and
• evidence that suitable living arrangements have been made for your stay in the UK.

Accompanied child visitors

If you will be travelling to the UK with an adult (someone over the age of 18), Home Office, UKVI will treat you as an 'accompanied child visitor'. If you apply for a visa, you must identify this adult in your visa application. The adult's name will appear on your visa, and you will be refused entry to the UK if you arrive in the UK without that adult. You can identify up to 2 adults in your visa application, and your visa will only be valid if you travel with at least 1 of those adults.

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