Immigration Rules Appendix Children
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-11)

This Appendix sets out the requirements for applications made by children.

This appendix takes into account the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in the UK, in line with the Secretary of State’s duty under section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009.

It applies to applications on specified routes as set out in this Appendix.

Applicant applying as a dependent child
- • Appendix HM Armed Forces
- • Appendix International Armed Forces and International Civilian Employees
- • Appendix Settlement Protection
- • Appendix Student
- • Appendix Graduate
- • Appendix Skilled Worker
- • Appendix Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker
- • Appendix Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee
- • Appendix Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker
- • Appendix Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier
- • Appendix Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker
- • Appendix T2 Minister of Religion
- • Appendix Representative of an Overseas Business
- • Appendix UK Ancestry
- • Appendix Global Talent
- • Appendix High Potential Individual
- • Appendix Scale-up
- • Appendix Start-up
- • Appendix Innovator Founder
- • Appendix International Sportsperson
- • Appendix Domestic Workers in a Private Household
- • Appendix Temporary Work – Creative Worker
- • Appendix Temporary Work – Religious Worker
- • Appendix Temporary Work – Charity Worker
- • Appendix Temporary Work – International Agreement
- • Appendix Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange
- • Appendix Hong Kong British National (Overseas)
- • Appendix Family Reunion (Sponsors with Protection)
- • Appendix Child Relative (Sponsors with Protection)
- • Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse
- • Appendix Bereaved Partner
- • Appendix Adoption
- • Appendix Private Life
- • Appendix Gurkha and Hong Kong military unit veteran discharged before 1 July 1997
- • Appendix Statelessness
Age Requirement

CHI 1.1. The applicant must be under the age of 18 on the date of application unless CHI 1.2 applies.
- (a) the entry clearance or permission to stay is valid on the date of application or expired no more than 14 days before the date of application, except that where the Exceptions for overstayers section of Part Suitability applies that period of overstaying will be disregarded; or
- (b) the applicant is applying as a dependent child under Appendix Bereaved Partner or Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse.
Independent Life Requirement

CHI 1A.1. The applicant must not be leading an independent life.

Care Requirement

CHI 2.1. If the applicant is under the age of 18 on the date of application, there must be suitable arrangements for the child’s care and accommodation in the UK which must comply with relevant UK law.

Relationship Requirement: Entry Clearance and Permission to Stay
- (a) P has entry clearance or permission to stay on the same route the applicant is applying for; or
- (b) P is, at the same time, applying for (and is granted) entry clearance or permission to stay on the same route the applicant is applying for; or
- (c) P is settled or has become a British citizen, providing P previously had permission to stay on the same route the applicant is applying for and the applicant had permission as P’s child at that time or was born since P’s last grant of permission and before P settled; or
- (d) P is settled or has become a British citizen, providing P had permission on the UK Ancestry route when they settled and the applicant is applying on the UK Ancestry route; or
- (i) a member of HM Armed Forces who is exempt from immigration control; or
- (ii) at the same time applying for (and is being granted) settlement as a HM Armed Forces service leaver; or
- (iii) settled or is a British citizen and P had permission (or exemption) as a member of HM Armed Forces before they were granted citizenship; or
- (f) the applicant is applying under Appendix International Armed Forces and P is a member of an International Armed Forces exempt from immigration control.
- (a) the parent applying for or with entry clearance or permission to stay is the sole surviving parent or has sole responsibility for the child’s upbringing; or
- (i) is a British citizen or a person who has a right to enter or stay in the UK without restriction; and
- (ii) lives, or intends to live, in the UK; or
- (c) the decision maker is satisfied that there are serious and compelling reasons to grant the applicant entry clearance or permission to stay with the parent who is applying for or has entry clearance or permission to stay or who is covered by CHI 3.2.(b).
CHI 3.3. If the applicant was born in the UK and is the child of a person with permission or their partner, the applicant must provide a full UK birth certificate showing the names of their parent(s).

Relationship Requirement: Settlement
- (a) P is, at the same time, being granted settlement on the same route the applicant is applying for; or
- (b) P is settled or has become a British citizen, providing P previously had permission on the same route the applicant is applying for or;
- (i) is a member of HM Armed Forces exempt from immigration control with at least 5 years’ reckonable service; or
- (ii) has been granted or, is at the same time applying for (and is being granted) settlement as a HM Armed Forces service leaver; or
- (iii) has leave to enter or remain under this Appendix or Part 7 paragraphs 276E-QA of these Rules or under the concession which existed outside these Rules whereby the Secretary of State exercised their discretion to grant leave to enter or remain to a member of HM Forces who has been medically discharged; or
- (iv) is settled or is a British citizen and P had permission (or exemption) as a member of HM Armed Forces before they were granted citizenship.
- (a) have last been granted permission as a dependent child of P in CHI 4.1; or
- (b) have been born in the UK and be applying as a child of P in CHI 4.1; or
- (c) where the application is under Appendix UK Ancestry, the applicant must be applying as a child of P in CHI 4.1; or
- (d) have last been granted permission under Appendix Adoption as the child of P in CHI 4.1; or
- (e) where (a), (b), (c) and (d) do not apply and the application is under Appendix Bereaved Partner or Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse, the applicant must have been born overseas after P’s grant of permission as a partner and be applying as a child of P in CHI 4.1.
- (a) the person (P) in CHI 4.1. is the applicant’s sole surviving parent or has sole responsibility for the applicant’s upbringing; or
- (b) the decision maker is satisfied that there are serious and compelling reasons to grant the applicant settlement; or
- (c) the applicant is applying as a dependent child under Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse.
CHI 4.4. If the applicant was born in the UK and is the child of a person with permission, or their partner, the applicant must provide a full UK birth certificate showing the names of their parent(s).

Applicant not applying as a dependent child
- • Appendix Child Student
- • Appendix International Sportsperson
- • Appendix Returning Resident
- • Appendix Short-term Student (English language)
- • Appendix Student
- • Appendix Temporary Work – Creative Worker
- • Appendix Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange
- • Appendix UK Ancestry
Parental Consent Requirement for applicant not applying as a dependent child
- (a) both parents; or
- (b) one parent, if that parent has sole responsibility for the applicant; or
- (c) the applicant’s legal guardian.
- (a) the application; and
- (b) the applicant’s living and care arrangements in the UK; and
- (c) if the application is for entry clearance, the applicant’s travel to, and reception arrangements in, the UK.