This page explains how you can bring your child or children, including adopted children, to the United Kingdom if you are already living here (either as a British citizen or otherwise) or are coming here for more than six months. By ‘child’ The Home Office means someone who is under 18 years old.

To come to the United Kingdom as a child visitor you must be able to show that you:

1. Meet the general visitor requirements other than those that refer to age and study;
2. Are under 18 years at the time of your application;
3. Can show that suitable arrangements are in place for your travel, reception and care and can provide full details of these arrangements;
4. Have a parent or guardian in your home country who is responsible for your care and can provide their address and landline telephone number; and
5. If accepted on a course of study, is studying at an establishment which is: 1) the holder of a sponsor licence for Tier 4 of the Points Based System, or 2) accredited by a UKBA approved accreditation body, or 3) an independent fee paying school registered with the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

If you have limited permission to enter or remain in the United Kingdom as a worker or a student, you may be able to bring your children to live with you while you are here. Refer to the section on children of temporary residents on our website which contains more information.

Unless you have sole responsibility for your children or there are serious reasons why they must be allowed to come to the United Kingdom, they will not be allowed to come and live here unless both parents are already living in or coming to the United Kingdom.