# Parent of a British or settled child visa: questions Indian applicants ask

Answers to the questions Indian applicants ask the desk about the Parent of a British or settled child visa, from bank statements to reapplying after a refusal.

Source: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/parent-of-a-child-visa/faq · 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.

**How much does the Parent visa cost from India in 2026?**
£2,064 plus the health surcharge of £1,035 a year, charged for the 33-month grant, so about £4,900 before the A1 test, the TB test and VFS add-ons. Our fee calculator converts the total to rupees at today's rate.

**Do I need to earn £29,000?**
No. That rule applies to the Partner route. The Parent route uses adequate maintenance: your household income after housing costs must be at least what a British family of the same size would get on income support. Savings and the carer's income can count.

**I am divorced from my British wife and our daughter lives with her in London. Can I apply?**
Yes, if you have direct in-person access, usually shown by a court order or a written agreement with her, and you are taking an active role. Evidence of regular calls, visits and money sent for your daughter is the heart of the file.

**My child lives with me in India and is British through her father. Does this route apply?**
No. The child must be living in the UK at the date of application. If the child moves to the UK first with the other parent or a carer, you can then apply from India.

**Can I work on the Parent visa?**
Yes, any job, and you can study. You cannot claim public funds. The 33-month visa is extended for 30 months and settlement follows after 5 years, with B1 English and the Life in the UK test at that stage.

**Which English test do I need?**
A1 Speaking and Listening from an approved SELT provider: IELTS Life Skills A1, LanguageCert, PTE Home A1 or Skills for English. Centres run in Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Amritsar. Our English lookup lists them.

**How long does the decision take from India?**
The Home Office target is 12 weeks after biometrics for family applications. Priority, when offered at Indian centres, costs £500 and aims for 30 working days. Super priority is not available for settlement entry clearance.

**Can I appeal if refused?**
Yes. Parent route refusals carry a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal on human rights grounds, but appeals from India take a year or more. Our refusal decoder shows which paragraphs were cited and whether a fresh application is faster.

Full guide: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/parent-of-a-child-visa.md

---
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.