# Dependant child of a visa holder: the mistakes that get Indian files refused

The mistakes the desk sees most in Indian Dependant child of a visa holder files, what each one costs and the fix, beside the refusal paragraphs officers cite.

Source: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/dependant-child-visa/mistakes · Updated 2026-10-08 · Reviewed by UK Visa Desk counselling team, licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024 · UK Visa Desk, a brand of Pro Lifeset Overseas Private Limited, Patiala, India. WhatsApp +91 91155 80911, Mon to Sat, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM IST.

## Mistakes we see
| The mistake | What it costs | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Applying for a child while the other parent remains in India | Refusal under Appendix Children because sole responsibility is not proved and the other parent is involved | Apply for the partner and the child together, or build a sole responsibility file with a custody order and years of evidence |
| Paying the fee after the child's 18th birthday | The child is no longer a dependant child and the route is closed | Submit and pay before the birthday; biometrics can follow later |
| Showing one lump sum for the whole family | The officer cannot see £315 and £200 per child in addition to the partner's £285 and refuses | Show the total of all dependant amounts held for 28 days, or get the sponsor to certify maintenance |
| Birth certificate issued years late with no explanation | The relationship is doubted and the file is refused or delayed for verification | Add the late registration affidavit, school records naming the parents and a hospital birth record if one exists |
| Missing the TB test for a child who turned 11 | Refusal or a request for more information that pushes the decision back by weeks | Check the child's age on the day of the application and book the test at an approved clinic |
| A different spelling of the child's name across passport, birth certificate and form | Verification delays and a credibility note on the file | Match the passport spelling everywhere and add a one-name affidavit where documents differ |
| Expecting the child's visa to outlast the parent's | The child's permission ends with the parent's and must be extended with it | Note the parent's expiry and plan the whole family's extension together |

## The grounds officers cite
- Both parents are not in the UK and sole responsibility is not proved: the parent in India still signs school forms and makes day-to-day decisions
- The main applicant's route does not allow child dependants, such as a taught master's student or a care worker sponsored after 11 March 2024
- The child was 18 or over on the date of application, or is married or living independently
- Funds held for less than 28 days or not shown for each child separately
- Birth certificate missing or registered years late without an explanation, so the relationship to the parent is not proved
- TB certificate missing for a child aged 11 or over
- Details on the child's form do not match the parent's file, such as a different date of birth or spelling of a name

## Refusal paragraphs decoded (verified 2026-10-08)
### 9.2.1: Exclusion 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

### 9.3.1: Presence 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

### 9.4.1: Criminality: custodial sentence of 12 months or more, persistent offender, serious harm
A mandatory refusal for a prison sentence of 12 months or more anywhere in the world, or for repeat offending or serious-harm offences. Sentences under 12 months are considered under 9.4.2 to 9.4.5 (discretionary, with time limits for visitors).
What to fix: always declare convictions; non-disclosure leads to a 9.7.1 deception finding on top; for shorter sentences, show the time elapsed and rehabilitation evidence; get the court record and sentence length in English

### 9.7.1: False representations or documents, or failure to disclose (mandatory where deception used)
The Home Office says something in your application was false: a fake bank statement, an edited employer letter, an undisclosed previous refusal, or a document an agent made up without telling you. 'Whether or not to the applicant's knowledge' means you are refused even if the agent did it. Where deception is found, a 10-year ban under 9.8.4 usually follows.
What to fix: get your file: Subject Access Request to UKVI for the verification notes; if a document was genuine, obtain written confirmation from the issuer and a statement from them; if an agent submitted documents without your knowledge, gather the agent's receipts, messages and a police complaint; it does not remove the finding but can matter for later applications; declare every previous refusal anywhere in the world from now on

### 9.7.2: False representations without proven deception (discretionary refusal)
A discretionary version: a previous application contained something false and the officer has chosen to refuse this one because of it, without a formal deception finding. The difference matters: 9.7.2 does not by itself bring the 10-year ban.
What to fix: address the earlier problem head-on in a cover letter with the correct documents; show that the current application is fully consistent with the earlier one where the earlier one was true

### 9.7.3: False documents in a previous application (discretionary)
Earlier deception, even in another route, can be used to refuse you for up to 10 years at the officer's discretion.
What to fix: count the 10 years from the date of the deceptive application; if you dispute the original finding, challenge it with issuer evidence rather than reapplying repeatedly

## FAQ
**How much does a UK dependant child visa cost from India?**
The same as the parent's route fee: £819 or £1,618 for Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker, £558 for a student's child and £937 for a Graduate's child. The health surcharge for under-18s is £776 a year. Use our fee calculator for the rupee total.

**Only I am in the UK. My wife stays in India with our son. Can he join me?**
Only if you have sole responsibility for him, or there are serious and compelling reasons. If your wife is involved in his life, the normal answer is no. The family route is for both parents to apply, or for your wife to come as your dependant partner with the child.

**Can my child go to school in the UK?**
Yes. A dependant child can attend state school. In England, you apply for a place through the local council after arrival, and a child under 5 can use funded nursery hours in most areas.

Full guide: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/dependant-child-visa.md

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UK Visa Desk is a brand of Pro Lifeset Overseas Private Limited, a visa consultancy licensed by the Government of Punjab, India. We are a private company, not affiliated with the UK Government, and we are not regulated by the UK Immigration Advice Authority. We serve applicants who are in India; applicants already in the UK are referred to a regulated UK adviser. We do not handle work visas. Information here is general, not legal advice, and no visa outcome is guaranteed.
We do not handle UK work visas. Applicants already in the UK are referred to a regulated adviser.