Parent of a British Child (5-Year Route)

You can apply for the parent of British child visa under the 5-year route if you meet all the requirements of Appendix FM to the Immigration rules including adequate maintenance, English and immigration status requirements. Under the 5 years parent visa route, the applicant will become eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after 5 years on a parent visa (5 years route).

Parent of a British child visa route is intended for a parent who has responsibility for or access to their child following the breakdown of their relationship with the child's other parent. The route is also for applicants who:

• have sole parental responsibility for their child; or
• do not live with the child (who lives with a British or settled parent or carer), but they have direct access (in person) to the child, as agreed with the parent or carer with whom the child normally lives, or as ordered by a court in the UK; or
• (for a leave to remain application) are the parent with whom the child normally lives, rather than the child’s other parent who is British or settled.

Parent of a British Child (10-Year Route)

An application for a parent visa under a 10-year route is normally made when the applicant does not meet all the requirements of Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules. In particular, those applicants who cannot meet the adequate maintenance, English language or immigration status requirement would apply for the parent of British child visa under 10 years route. Under 10 Years parent visa route, the applicant will become eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after 10 years on a parent visa (10 years route).