Family
Child visa (child of a settled person or partner) for Indian applicants
Direct answer
Reviewed by UK Visa Desk counselling team, Visa counsellors, Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, Patiala. Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024. Last verified .
Home Office fee
£2,064
about ₹2,73,129 at 132.33 INR/GBP, effective 8 April 2026
Verified 8 October 2026 · source
Health surcharge
£2,328
Immigration Health Surcharge, 3 years at £776 a year; about ₹3,08,064
Verified 8 October 2026 · source
Processing time from India
12 weeks
Priority 30 working days
Verified 8 October 2026
Our filing price
₹19,999
All-in, GST included
Verified 8 October 2026
Summary
In short
A child under 18 joining a parent in the UK applies under Appendix FM for £2,064 from India, about ₹2,73,129 at the Home Office rate, under the fee table effective 8 April 2026, plus the child-rate Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 a year, £2,328 for a 33-month grant. Where only one parent is in the UK, the test under E-ECC.1.6 is sole responsibility or serious and compelling reasons, and the sponsor's income must reach £29,000 plus £3,800 for the first child. Decisions take about 12 weeks after biometrics. The common Punjab mistake is claiming sole responsibility while the other parent in India still signs the school forms.
In practice
Worked example
Example: a Patiala boy joining his mother and stepfather in Slough. A file like the ones the desk prepares; the figures are from the datasets and dated.
The situation
Arshdeep, 9, is a fictional child who has lived with his nani in Patiala since his mother Manpreet moved to Slough in 2025 on a Partner visa after marrying Jas, a British citizen. Arshdeep's father left in 2019 and has had no contact since a Patiala family court gave Manpreet custody in 2021. Manpreet pays the school fees by bank transfer each month, is the named parent on the school records, speaks to him on video every evening and visited twice in 2025. Jas earns £33,000 as a bus depot supervisor and Manpreet earns £5,000 a year part-time, so their combined income is £38,000. They rent a 2-bedroom flat with a property inspection report showing a room for Arshdeep.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Visa fee | £2,064, about ₹2,73,129 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge, child rate, 33 months | £2,328, about ₹3,08,064 |
| Total paid to the Home Office | £4,392, about ₹5,81,193 |
| Income required: £29,000 plus £3,800 for the first child | £32,800, about ₹43,40,424 |
| Combined income shown in the Appendix FM-SE format | £38,000, about ₹50,28,540 |
| School fee transfers from the UK | ₹8,500 a month for 18 months, ₹1,53,000 on bank records |
| Custody order | Patiala family court, 2021, with certified translation |
| TB test | Not required under age 11; screening assessment only |
| Decision time (priority at £500, about ₹66,165, not chosen) | 12 weeks after biometrics |
Outcome
The visa is granted for 33 months in line with his mother's leave. Sole responsibility is shown by 18 months of fee receipts, school records naming Manpreet, the custody order and the father's absence, and the combined income clears £32,800 with the child supplement. The same file would have been refused under E-ECC.1.6 if the father had signed the school admission form last year, because the officer would find shared responsibility. It would have failed the financial requirement if the household income were £31,000 with no savings, since the £3,800 supplement is often forgotten.
The officer’s view
What the officer checks
What the officer checks on a child file from Punjab
| What they check | Why it matters | Evidence that answers it |
|---|---|---|
| Is the child under 18, unmarried and not living independently? | Appendix FM E-ECC.1.2 to 1.5 require the child to be under 18 at the date of application, not married or in a civil partnership, and not leading an independent life. | Passport and birth certificate, school enrolment or bonafide certificate, and a guardian's affidavit describing the child's daily care. |
| Is the UK parent really the parent? | E-ECC.1.6 requires that one of the child's parents is in the UK with the required status, so parentage is tested before anything else. | Birth certificate from the municipal corporation or gram panchayat naming both parents, with a hospital record or school leaving certificate where the registration was late. |
| Does the UK parent have sole responsibility, or are there serious and compelling reasons? | E-ECC.1.6(b) and (c) apply where the other parent is not in the UK. The officer looks for control of decisions, not just money. | School letters naming the UK parent as contact, fee receipts paid from the UK, money transfers, the custody order, the other parent's notarised consent or death certificate, and call logs. |
| Does the sponsor meet the income requirement with the child supplement? | E-ECC.2.1 applies the £29,000 requirement plus £3,800 for the first child and £2,400 for each further child, with evidence in the Appendix FM-SE format. | Sponsor's 6 payslips with matching bank statements and employer letter, or 6 months of savings statements, with the supplement calculated in a cover note. |
| Is the accommodation adequate for the whole family? | E-ECC.2.4 requires accommodation without overcrowding and without public funds, and a child needs a room counted under the UK space standard. | Tenancy or mortgage statement, a landlord's consent letter and a property inspection report showing the number of rooms and occupants. |
| Has the child had a TB test if aged 11 or over? | Applicants from India aged 11 and over need a TB certificate from an approved clinic for a visa longer than 6 months. | TB certificate within its 6-month validity, or the clinic's screening record for a younger child. |
| Is there anything under Part 9 or Appendix FM suitability? | S-EC and Part 9 cover false documents and undeclared refusals, and a late-registered birth certificate attracts extra scrutiny under 9.7. | Declare every previous refusal for the child or the sponsor, and support any late registration with contemporaneous records. |
From the desk
Mistakes we see
From files Indian applicants have brought to the desk after a refusal, most frequent first.
| The mistake | What it costs | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| The other parent in India still signs the school admission or exam forms | Sole responsibility under E-ECC.1.6 fails because decisions are shared, and the application is refused. | Change the school's records to the UK parent 6 to 12 months before applying and keep every letter, receipt and transfer. |
| A late-registered birth certificate with nothing else to prove parentage | The officer doubts the relationship and may raise Part 9, paragraph 9.7, on the document. | Add the hospital discharge record, the school leaving certificate, the ration card and family photographs across the years, and consider a DNA test from an accredited laboratory. |
| Forgetting the £3,800 child supplement in the income calculation | The sponsor shows £29,000 and is refused because the requirement for one child is £32,800. | Run the spouse income checker with the child added before deciding whether savings are needed. |
| Applying a few weeks after the child's 18th birthday | The child is outside Appendix FM and must look at a different and harder route. | Submit and pay before the birthday; the age is fixed at the date of application. |
| The other parent's consent drafted in Punjabi, unsigned or not notarised | The consent is not accepted, and the officer treats the other parent's position as unknown. | Use a notarised letter of no objection with the parent's identity proof and a certified English translation. |
| Relying on the grandmother's affidavit alone to explain the arrangement | The affidavit explains care in India but does not show the UK parent's control, so E-ECC.1.6 is not met. | Pair the affidavit with evidence of the UK parent's decisions: school, medical, religious and travel choices, with dates. |
| No property inspection report for a shared or small home | Accommodation is found inadequate under E-ECC.2.4, which refuses the child even when income is fine. | Commission an inspection report from the local council or an approved surveyor and include the tenancy. |
Step by step
Timeline
From the first document to the decision, in the order Indian applicants actually do it.
Step 1: Decide and check the sole responsibility position
Week 1Ask whether both parents, or only the UK parent, make decisions for the child. If the answer is both, the evidence must change before any application.
Step 2: Build the evidence of responsibility
6 to 12 months before applyingPut the school, doctor and bank records in the UK parent's name and pay fees by transfer. Keep call logs and plan a visit to India.
Step 3: Sponsor assembles the income and accommodation pack
Month 1 of the application6 payslips with matching statements and the employer letter, with the child supplement calculated. Book the property inspection.
Step 4: Collect the child's documents
Weeks 2 to 4Birth certificate, passport, custody order, the other parent's consent or death certificate, school letters and certified translations. Add the CARA papers for an adopted child.
Step 5: TB test for a child aged 11 or over
Week 4Attend an approved clinic in India; the certificate is valid for 6 months. Younger children are assessed without an X-ray.
Step 6: Complete the form, pay the fee and the surcharge
Week 5, with the parent's application if applying togetherPay £2,064 plus £2,328 in rupees at the Home Office rate. Link the applications so both are decided together.
Step 7: Biometrics day
1 to 2 weeks after bookingA parent or guardian attends with the child; children under 5 give a photo only. Bring the original birth certificate and consent letter.
Step 8: Decision
12 weeks after biometrics, usually 30 working days on prioritySole responsibility files can take the full period while records are checked. Keep the school informed of the likely travel date.
Step 9: Passport return and travel
2 to 3 days after the decisionTravel within the vignette window with the guardian's consent letter for the airline. Register the child at a UK school on arrival.
Home Office data
How Indian applicants fare
Most Indian child applications are made together with a parent's Partner visa, or for a child left in India with grandparents while a parent settled in the UK. The hard cases are the second kind: when only one parent is in the UK, the rules require that parent to have sole responsibility for the child, or that there are serious and compelling reasons for the child to come. Punjab files often fail on sole responsibility because the other parent in India still signs school forms and makes decisions. Decisions from India take about 12 weeks and the child's financial requirement adds £3,800 for the first child and £2,400 for each further child on top of the sponsor's £29,000, unless the child is British.
The rules
Eligibility
- The child is under 18 at the date of application, not married or in a civil partnership, and not living an independent life
- One parent is British, settled, or applying as a Partner at the same time, and the child will live with that parent
- Where only one parent is in the UK: that parent has sole responsibility for the child, or there are serious and compelling family or other considerations (E-ECC.1.6)
- Financial requirement: the sponsor meets £29,000 plus £3,800 for the first child and £2,400 for each additional non-British child, or the savings equivalent
- Adequate accommodation for the whole family without overcrowding
- The child's maintenance and accommodation will not depend on public funds
- TB certificate if the child is 11 or over, from an approved clinic in India
Checklist
Documents, named the Indian way
- Child's passport and birth certificate naming both parents (municipal or gram panchayat certificate, with a late registration affidavit if needed)
- Sponsor's passport, settlement evidence or the parent's Partner visa application reference
- Sole responsibility evidence: school letters naming the UK parent as the contact, fee receipts paid by them, money transfers, custody order or the other parent's notarised consent
- Evidence of the other parent's position: death certificate, divorce decree with custody, or a signed and notarised letter of no objection
- Contact between child and UK parent: call logs, visits to India, photographs, school reports sent abroad
- Sponsor's income evidence in Appendix FM-SE format, with the child supplement calculated
- Accommodation: tenancy or mortgage and a property inspection report showing a room for the child
- Adoption order and Indian CARA documentation where the child is adopted
- TB certificate for children 11 and over
- Guardian's affidavit if the child has been living with grandparents in India
In rupees
Cost from India, in rupees
| Charge | GBP | INR |
|---|---|---|
| Child of a settled parent, entry clearance (Appendix FM) application fee | £2,064 | ₹2,73,129 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge, 3 years at £776 a yearCharged for the full grant length up front; refunded only if the visa is refused. | £2,328 | ₹3,08,064 |
| UK Visa Desk all-in filing price, GST includedPaid to Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd. Home Office fees are paid by you on gov.uk. | ₹19,999 | |
| Required Home Office charges plus our filing price | £4,392 | ₹6,01,192 |
Fees from the Home Office table effective 8 April 2026, verified 8 October 2026; converted at 132.33 INR per GBP (8 October 2026). Pass-through charges paid on gov.uk; card and bank margins extra. Optional lines are not in the total.
Risk
Why Indian applications are refused
- E-ECC.1.6: sole responsibility not shown because the parent in India still makes day-to-day decisions, or no serious and compelling circumstances
- Financial requirement not met once the child supplement is added to £29,000
- Birth certificate late registered without supporting hospital or school evidence, so parentage is doubted
- Child over 18 by the application date, or married, so outside the rule
- Accommodation inadequate for the family size, or no evidence the child will live with the sponsor
- Missing consent from the other parent where both have responsibility
Child of a settled parent: sole responsibility or serious and compelling reasons
One parent is in the UK and the other remains in India; the officer found the UK parent does not have 'sole responsibility' (the Indian parent or grandparents make the day-to-day decisions) and nothing compelling requires the child to move.
What to fix: evidence of the UK parent's control: school correspondence, fee payments, medical consent, remittances, regular contact; custody order from an Indian family court or a notarised consent and statement from the other parent; if the other parent is absent, evidence of that (death certificate, divorce, abandonment).
Decode Paragraph 297 / Appendix Children: sole responsibilityExclusion or deportation order in force
A mandatory refusal: you were deported from the UK or formally excluded, and that order is still in force. No visa can be granted until the order is revoked.
What to fix: apply for revocation of the deportation order (normally after 10 years, earlier only in exceptional cases) with a UK regulated adviser; do not submit new visa applications while the order stands; each refusal adds to the record.
Decode 9.2.1Presence not conducive to the public good
The officer considers your behaviour, character or associations make you unsuitable, for example extremism, serious dishonesty not covered by other paragraphs, or a pattern of conduct abroad. Used rarely but it is mandatory.
What to fix: obtain the full reasons (ask for the decision notice and consider a Subject Access Request); character evidence and clearance certificates; this ground usually needs legal representation.
Decode 9.3.1Free tools
Tools for this route
Fee calculator in rupees
Every Home Office fee and the health surcharge, totalled in rupees at a dated rate.
Spouse income checker
Salary, savings or a mix: which financial route clears the threshold.
Processing times tracker
Standard, priority and super priority times for Indian applicants, updated monthly.
Refusal reason decoder
Paste the paragraph from your refusal letter and read what it means.
Questions
Questions Indian applicants ask
Can my child apply with me on my spouse visa?ShowHide
Yes. Apply at the same time as the Partner visa. The child pays £2,064 plus £2,328 surcharge and is granted in line with you for 33 months. The sponsor's income must then meet £29,000 plus £3,800 for the first child.
My child is British. Do we still need the child supplement?ShowHide
No. A British child does not count for the financial requirement and does not need a visa, only a British passport. Register the birth or apply for citizenship first if eligible.
I am in the UK and my child lives with my mother in Punjab. Can my child join me?ShowHide
Only if you have sole responsibility or there are serious and compelling reasons. Grandparents caring day to day is not fatal, but the other parent must be absent from decisions. Build the evidence over months before applying.
What is the health surcharge for a child?ShowHide
£776 a year at the child rate: £2,328 for 33 months, or £1,940 for 30 months. It is paid in the application before biometrics.
Does my child need a TB test?ShowHide
Only if aged 11 or over. Younger children attend the approved clinic for a screening assessment but are not usually X-rayed.
How long does the child visa take from India?ShowHide
About 12 weeks, the same as other family visas. Apply together with the parent so both decisions come at the same time.
Can the child go to a state school in the UK?ShowHide
Yes. A child on this visa attends school like any resident child. School fees apply only for private schools.
Is there an appeal if refused?ShowHide
Yes. Child refusals under Appendix FM carry a human rights appeal. Where the refusal is about evidence rather than the rule itself, a fresh application is often faster.
- Punjab licence: 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024valid to 22 July 2029
- CIN: U52291PB2024PTC060508Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd
Dataset dates: fees 8 October 2026. No outcome is guaranteed.
Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024. Applicants outside the UK only; applicants in the UK are referred to a regulated adviser.