Indefinite leave to remain if you have family in the UK
Apply as a child (family visa)
You may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain as a child.
You may be eligible if both:
- you have a family visa as a child - there’s a different way to apply if you’re a dependant on your parent’s work visa
- your parent is a British citizen or settled in the UK
You may also be able to apply if any of the following are true:
- you’re under 18 and were born in the UK before your parent settled here - you can have any immigration status, including if you never had a visa
- you’ve ever been a dependant on a relative’s visa - they must have had refugee status or humanitarian protection before settling in the UK
- you have a parent who is applying for indefinite leave to remain as a partner or parent on the 10 year route
If your parent is not sure which route they’re on, they can check the letter they got from the Home Office when their ‘leave to remain’ was last approved.
If you were born in the UK after your parent settled here, you do not need indefinite leave to remain. Check if you’re a British citizen - you will either be a citizen or eligible to apply for citizenship.
Parents can apply on behalf of children under 18.
If your parent or relative is applying for settlement
They may be able to include you on their application instead.
If they’ve already applied for settlement and they do not have a decision yet, you can apply as a child separately.
If they are applying to settle as a partner or parent on the 10 year route then you must apply separately.
Eligibility
You must be able to prove all of the following:
- you’ve had permission to be in the UK as your parent or relative’s dependant
- you are or will be living with your parent, parents or relative
- you’ll be supported and accommodated adequately without using public funds
- you’re not married, in a civil partnership or living an independent life
If you live with one parent who became a British citizen after settling in the UK, you must have been their dependant when they got settlement.
Your relationship
Your parent can be a biological parent, a legal parent, or an adoptive parent.
If you live with 2 parents in the UK, both must be settled in the UK.
If you live with one parent, they must be settled in the UK and have sole responsibility for looking after you.
If they do not have sole responsibility for you, you may still be eligible if either:
- your other parent is dead
- there are serious or compelling reasons why you should be allowed to stay in the UK
If you live with a relative who’s not your parent, there must be serious or compelling reasons why you should be allowed to stay in the UK.
If you’re 18 or over
You must have been a dependant on your parent or relative’s visa before you turned 18.
They must now be settled and have had either:
- a family visa as a partner or parent
- refugee status or humanitarian protection
You must still be living with your parent or relative and not be married, in a civil partnership or living an independent life.
You may also need to:
- pass the Life in the UK Test
- meet the English language requirements
How to apply
You’ll be told which documents you need to provide when you apply.
Apply online
You must apply online to settle as a child in the UK.
There’s a different way to apply as the child of a parent or partner on the 10 year route.
Once you’ve started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.
Get help to apply online
You can get help with completing the online form if you:
- do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device
- do not have internet access
You can only use this service if you’re applying in the UK.
You cannot get immigration advice through this service.