UK Child Visa Financial Requirements Explained
While we have recently seen significant increases to minimum income and salary requirements in several immigration routes (see our recent blog posts here and here), there is one small exception to the general trend: the Government has scrapped the requirement for Partner visa applicants to show additional funds for their child dependants, with effect from 11 April 2024.
In light of this change, this post examines the financial requirements in place for various UK visas available to children – whether the child is applying as a dependant on a parent’s visa, or applying for a standalone child visa.
Given that there are many potential immigration routes open to children, please note that this post is intended as a starting point, rather than as an exhaustive review of all immigration routes potentially open to children.
Partner Visa Route Dependent Child Financial Requirement
As noted above, those applying for permission as a Partner no longer need to show additional funds in relation to dependent children.
Prior to 11 April 2024, applicants who were meeting the financial requirement through employment or other annual income needed to show:
(a) a specified gross annual income of at least-
(i) £18,600;
(ii) an additional £3,800 for the first child; and
(iii) an additional £2,400 for each additional child; alone or in combination with
(b) specified savings of: […]
The same per-child requirements also applied to applicants relying on cash savings to meet the financial requirement.
However, as explained at paragraph 5.19 of the Explanatory Memorandum to the Government’s Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules HC590 (published on 14 March 2024):
“There will no longer be a separate child element to the minimum income requirement. This is to ensure that British nationals are not treated less favourably than migrants who are required to meet the General Skilled Worker threshold as a flat rate, regardless of any children being sponsored.”
Since 11 April 2024, the new version of the paragraph set out above reads:
(a) a specified gross annual income of at least £29,000
(b) specified savings of: […]
Thus, while the overall income requirement has increased from £18,600 to £29,000 per annum, there are no longer any additional per-child financial requirements. In other words, all migrants applying for permission as a Partner will simply be subject to the same flat-rate requirement of £29,000, regardless of whether they are applying with multiple dependent children or none.
Skilled Worker Visa Route Dependent Child Financial Requirement
For children seeking entry clearance as the dependent child of a Skilled Worker, the required funds are £315 if the child is the Skilled Worker’s first dependent child, and £200 for each further dependent child. For example, if an applicant wants to bring two children with them to the UK, the total funds required for the two dependent children would be £515.
If the child is seeking permission to stay in the UK, the applicable financial requirement depends on how long the child has been in the UK:
- If the child has been in the UK for less than 12 months at the date of application, the financial requirement is the same as for entry clearance applications: £315 for the first dependent child, and £200 for each further dependent child.
- If the child has already been in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer, they meet the financial requirement automatically, and do not need to show any particular level of funds.
Please note that, as of 11 March 2024, care workers and senior care workers are no longer able to bring dependants to the UK. There is an exception if the Skilled Worker was granted permission as a care worker or senior care worker before that date, and the Skilled Worker continues to hold such permission at the date of the dependant’s application for permission.
Global Talent Route Dependent Child Financial Requirement
Appendix Global Talent does not specify any financial requirements for either the main applicant or their dependants. The only rule in Appendix Global Talent that relates to finances is that grants of permission in the Global Talent route – for main applicants and for their dependants – are subject to a condition of no access to public funds.
Student/Graduate Route Dependent Child Financial Requirement
As discussed in this blog post, most international students are no longer able to bring dependants, including child dependants, to the UK.
However, Appendix Student still includes financial requirements for child dependants, which apply to: (i) existing child dependants of Students who are seeking extension of their permission, (ii) new child dependants of Students with government sponsorship or a government scholarship, (iii) new child dependants of full-time PhD, doctorate or research-based higher degree Students, and (iv) new child dependants who were born during their parent’s current period of Student permission (or, in some circumstances, children who were born between two periods of their parent’s Student permission).
The applicable financial requirement depends on two factors – namely, how long the child has been in the UK, and where the Student is studying:
- If the child has been in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer, they meet the financial requirement automatically, and do not need to show any particular level of funds.
- If the child has been in the UK for less than 12 months at the date of application, and the Student is studying in London, the level of funds required for a dependent child is £845 per month.
- If the child has been in the UK for less than 12 months at the date of application, and the Student is studying outside London, the level of funds required for a dependent child is £680 per month.
As explained elsewhere on our website, it is only possible to become a dependant in the Graduate route if you were previously a dependant of the main applicant while they were in the Student route. There is one exception for children who were born in the UK during the course of their parent’s Student or Graduate permission.
Appendix Graduate does not specify any financial requirements for either the main applicant or their dependants. The only rule in Appendix Graduate that relates to finances is that grants of permission in the Graduate route – for main applicants and for their dependants – are subject to a condition of no access to public funds.
Part 8 of the Immigration Rules
Much of Part 8 of the Immigration Rules – containing the rules for “family members” – has been replaced by Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules. However, Part 8 is still relevant to children who seek permission as, for example, the child of parents/relatives who are present and settled in the UK, the child of a parent who has limited leave with a view to settlement, or the child of a parent who has permission as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner.
For children applying for permission under Part 8, the applicable financial requirement is that the child will be “adequately” maintained without recourse to public funds. Maintenance is “adequate” if the family’s weekly net income (“A”) minus their weekly accommodation costs (“B”) is equal to or greater than the amount of income support that a family of that size would be entitled to (“C”). In short, the formula is as follows:
A – B ≥ C
If applying on the basis of cash savings instead of/in addition to income, the calculation differs depending on whether the child is seeking limited leave to enter/remain or indefinite leave to enter/remain:
- For limited leave, the total amount of cash savings is divided by the number of weeks of leave that would be granted if the application was successful.
- For indefinite leave, the relevant guidance provides that the total amount of cash savings is divided by 52. In other words, cash savings constitute “adequate” maintenance in indefinite leave cases if the amount of cash savings available each week can satisfy the above formula for a period of one year.
Child Student Visa
If the child is applying for a Child Student visa, the applicable financial requirements depend on where the child will be living.
“Boarding Student”
If the child will be boarding at a residential independent school, they must show that they have sufficient funds to pay for both their course fees and boarding/lodging fees for one academic year.
“Non-boarding Student”: Child Not Living Independently
If the child will be living during term-time with either an approved private foster carer who is a British citizen or settled in the UK, or with a close relative who is a British citizen or settled in the UK, the funds required are as follows:
- Sufficient funds to pay the course fees for one academic year or, if the course is less than one year long, sufficient funds to pay for the entire course; and
- The private foster carer or close relative must have funds of at least £570 per month, for each month of the course (up to a maximum of 9 months).
If the child will be living with their parent/legal guardian who has valid permission as a Parent of a Child Student, the funds required are as follows:
- Sufficient funds to pay the course fees for one academic year or, if the course is less than one year long, sufficient funds to pay for the entire course; and
- £1,560 per month, for each month of the course (up to a maximum of 9 months) – this amount is to cover both the parent/legal guardian and the child.
If the parent/guardian is also caring for children other than the Child Student, an additional £625 per month, for each month of the course (up to a maximum of 9 months), is required for each additional child.
For example, if the parent/guardian is caring for the Child Student and one additional child, the financial requirement will be £1,560 per month + £625 per month = £2,185 per month, for each month of the course (up to a maximum of 9 months).
“Non-boarding Student”: Child Living Independently
If the child is aged 16 or 17, will be living in the UK independently, and will be studying more than half of their course in London, the funds required are as follows:
- Sufficient funds to pay the course fees for one academic year or, if the course is less than one year long, sufficient funds to pay for the entire course; and
- £1,334 per month, for each month of the course (up to a maximum of 9 months).
If the child is aged 16 or 17, will be living in the UK independently, and will be studying more than half of their course outside London, the funds required are as follows:
- Sufficient funds to pay the course fees for one academic year or, if the course is less than one year long, sufficient funds to pay for the entire course; and
- £1,023 per month, for each month of the course (up to a maximum of 9 months).
Contact our Immigration Barristers
For expert advice regarding financial requirements for adult and child visa applications, and for expert advice regarding the changes to the Immigration Rules, contact our immigration barristers on 0203 617 9173 or complete our enquiry form below.
