Can I come to the United Kingdom as a child visitor?
This page explains how an overseas national can come to the UK as a child visitor.
To come to the UK in this immigration category, you must be able to show that:
- you are under 18;
- you only want to visit the UK for up to six months, or up to 12 months if you are accompanying an academic visitor and you have entry clearance;
- you intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit;
- you have enough money to support and accommodate yourself without working or help from public funds, or you and any dependants will be supported and accommodated by relatives or friends;
- suitable arrangements have been made for your travel to, and your reception and care in, the UK - and, if a foster carer or relative (not a parent or guardian) will be responsible for your care, the arrangements must meet the requirements set out in the UK Border Agency's guidance;
- you have a parent or guardian in your home country who is responsible for your care, and you can provide their address and landline telephone number; and confirmation that they consent to the arrangements for your travel to, reception and care in the UK;
- you can meet the cost of the return or onward journey; and
- you are not in transit to a country outside the common travel area.
You must also show that, during your visit, you do not intend to:
- take employment, produce goods or provide services, including the selling of goods or services direct to members of the public;
- marry or form a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership; or
- receive private medical treatment.
If you have been accepted on a course of study, you must be able to show that your education provider is:
- a licensed sponsor under Tier 4 of the points-based system; or
- accredited by an accreditation body that is approved by the UK Border Agency; or
- inspected by either the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted), Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education in Scotland, Estyn, Northern Ireland's Education and Training Inspectorate or the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI).
If you want to come here to undertake an exchange or educational visit only, this must be provided by a school in the maintained sector, a non-maintained special school, or an independent fee-paying or non-fee-paying school, on the basis set out in UK Border Agency guidance.
In addition, child visitors who are visa nationals must have a valid entry clearance which states that they are unaccompanied or identifies the adult accompanying them. In the latter case, the entry clearance will not be valid unless the named adult physically accompanies the child.
For more information about your rights and responsibilities as a child visitor, see the Visitors' rights and responsibilities section.
See also
News & updates
Terms explained
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Common travel area
The common travel area is a 'free movement' area comprising the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Bailiwick of Guernsey, the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Isle of Man. The United Kingdom currently makes no routine immigration checks on passenger travel within this area, and passengers do not need to carry a passport or national identity document for immigration purposes.