UK Child Visa From Pakistan to Join a Parent: £2,064 Fee, 12 Week Decision and the 3 Routes That Qualify
UK child visa from Pakistan: £2,064 fee, 12 week decision, child surcharge from £1,940. The 3 routes that qualify, sole responsibility, forms and 7 steps.
A child in Pakistan who wants to join a parent living in the UK applies for a UK family visa as a child. Applying from outside the UK costs £2,064, and a decision usually comes within 12 weeks. The child must be under 18, unmarried and going to live with the parent. One of three conditions must also be met: both parents will be in the UK as partners, the parent in the UK has sole responsibility for the child, or the parent has refugee or humanitarian protection status.
If at least one parent already has indefinite leave to remain or permanent residence, the child may not need a family visa at all. GOV.UK says to check first whether the child can apply to settle in the UK.
UK child family visa at a glance
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Fee from outside the UK | £2,064 |
| Usual decision from outside the UK | 12 weeks |
| Decision if the parent is on the 10 year route | About 12 months |
| Age | Under 18 for a first application from outside the UK |
| Marital status | Not married or in a civil partnership |
| English test | Not needed for a child |
The health surcharge for a child is extra. GOV.UK lists £1,940 for a stay of 2 years and 6 months, £2,328 for 2 years and 9 months and £3,880 for 5 years. Our health surcharge guide explains when it applies. A fee waiver is possible in narrow cases, such as when paying would harm the child's wellbeing, and only through the Appendix FM online form.
Who can bring a child from Pakistan
For a child under 18 born outside the UK, one parent must be applying for, or already have, permission to stay in one of these ways:
- As a partner, and the partner they are joining is the child's other parent. This is the usual case: father settled in the UK, mother and children joining him.
- As a parent with sole parental responsibility for the child.
- With protection status, as a refugee or with humanitarian protection.
If none of these fits, the child might still be able to apply if there are serious reasons to let them come to the UK and there are plans for their care.
The child must live with the parent, unless living away for full-time education such as boarding school or university.
The sole responsibility test
"Sole parental responsibility" matters when one parent is in the UK and the other is still in Pakistan, for example after a divorce. The UK parent must show that they alone hold parental responsibility for the child, not shared with the parent in Pakistan. For a child living with grandparents in Pakistan while one parent works in the UK, this is a hard point to show. Keep school, medical and money transfer records that show the UK parent's role, and any court custody order. Our guide to a child's passport when parents are separated covers the custody papers that also help here.
Which form to fill
| Parent's situation | Form |
|---|---|
| Parent applies as partner of a British, Irish, settled or protected person, or of a pre-2021 EU-type national with pre-settled status | Appendix FM online form |
| Any other situation | The online application form plus the Appendix 1 paper form |
The child can apply at the same time as the parent, or separately. When applying separately, include proof of the parent's income. If the parent has a partner visa, the income must meet the partner financial rule; see our UK partner visa guide for the £29,000 rule.
How to apply from Pakistan, step by step
- Check whether the child can apply to settle instead, if a parent has indefinite leave to remain.
- Choose the right form: Appendix FM online, or the online form plus Appendix 1.
- Pay £2,064 and the health surcharge.
- Book a visa application centre appointment in Pakistan and attend with the child's passport for fingerprints and a photo.
- Submit the evidence: birth certificate, the parent's status, income and housing, and any sole responsibility papers.
- Wait for the decision, usually within 12 weeks.
- When approved, set up a UKVI account to view the child's eVisa.
Children applying for stays over 6 months from Pakistan need a TB test certificate. Our guide to booking the UK TB test in Pakistan lists the clinics. Pakistani papers in Urdu need certified English translations.
After the visa is granted
The child gets an eVisa, a digital record of their status, and you will need a UKVI account to access it. See our guide to UK eVisa share codes. A child on a family visa can study in the UK. Family visa holders usually cannot claim benefits or other public funds.
The decision letter states the route, 5 year or 10 year, to settlement. That decides when the child can later apply to settle.
Common questions
How much is the UK child visa fee from Pakistan?
£2,064 for a child applying from outside the UK to join a parent, plus the health surcharge.
How long does a UK child visa take from Pakistan?
Usually 12 weeks. If the parent is on the 10 year route, it takes about 12 months.
Can my child join me if my wife stays in Pakistan?
Only if you have sole parental responsibility, or there are serious reasons and plans for the child's care. Otherwise both parents need to be in the UK.
Does my child need an English test?
No. Children applying on the family route are exempt from the English requirement.
Can a child over 18 apply from Pakistan to join a parent?
No. A child aged 18 or over can apply only if they already hold UK family permission that started when they were under 18.
My father has indefinite leave to remain. Does my child need a family visa?
Perhaps not. GOV.UK says to check first whether the child can apply to settle in the UK.
How we verified this
What we checked and where we read it.
Last checked 14 November 2026. Fees, the health surcharge for children, eligibility, forms, decision times, the fee waiver and the eVisa are from GOV.UK's Family visas: apply as a child, with the overview, Knowledge of English and After you apply sections of the same guide, read through the GOV.UK content service.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
