The Tier 4 visa for child student in UK is for children between 4 and 17 years old originating from countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland who wish to study at an independent school in the United Kingdom. If you are older than 17 and you want to study within the UK, you could apply for a Tier 4 visa for students. Our team of immigration solicitors in London is at your service if you would like to know all the legal aspects when applying for such a visa or for obtaining a residence permit in UK
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The application for Tier 4 visa for child student
The candidate for the Tier 4 visa for child student in UK must have a place on a course, an agreement of his or her parent or guardian, own enough funds to support himself/herself and the price of the course (our London immigration lawyer can further advise you on the funds that are needed) and fulfill the other requirements imposed by the authorities.
Duration of stay in the UK
The length of time you are allowed to live in the UK depends on your age and the type of course you applied for. Hence:
- if you are under 16 years of age, you can live in the UK for maximum six years plus four months after the date the course is completed;
- if you are 16 or 17 years old, you can live in the UK for a maximum of three years, plus four months after the date when the course is completed.
You can come to the UK:
- maximum one week before your course begins, if it lasts six months or less;
- maximum one month before your course begins if it takes more than six months.
Other requirements of the Tier 4 visa for child student in UK
In order to be eligible for the Tier 4 visa for child student in UK, you also must:
- have an unconditional offer of a place on a course held by a licensed Tier 4 sponsor;
- own enough funds to cover the cost of living and that of the course. This requirement varies depending on each individual situation. Our UK immigration lawyer can give you more information on this matter and about UK residence card.
What you are allowed to do and what you cannot in UK
With the Tier 4 visa for child student in UK, you are allowed to:
- learn at an independent school;
- apply from overseas;
- apply to prolong your stay.
If you are at least 16 years of age, you can also work:
- part-time during the term for maximum 10 hours a week;
- full-time while on holiday;
- on a job as part of your course;
- as a student union sabbatical officer for a maximum of two years.
However, with this type of visa you cannot:
- study at an academy or a local authority-funded school or additional education college;
- have access to public funds;
- get hired for a full-time job or perform work as self-employed;
- work as a professional sportsperson or entertainer;
- settle in the UK;
- take your family members with you.
What are the needed documents for a child student visa in UK?
It is advisable to observe and respect the requirements involving the necessary documents when applying for a Tier 4 visa for child student. The immigration authorities solicit a valid passport or any other identification document, the consent of a parent or of a legal tutor or guardian, and some financial information proving that you have enough funds to support living in the UK during college. Most of the time, the parents or the legal tutors will offer such kind of information, at the same time providing details about the relationship with the tutor or the parent (whether she is the mother, an aunt, an uncle, etc.). There are certain cases where a tuberculosis test is solicited to citizens from specific countries, mostly from the African continent. Besides the passport, all the documents need to be translated in the English language before they are submitted to Home Office. Please bear in mind that the authorities can reject any application with missing documents or information or the ones in an incorrect format. Interested in residence permit in UK or British citizenship? Feel free to discuss this with our UK immigration lawyer.
Undertaking an interview
The Tier 4 visa for child student in UK might involve taking an interview with the immigration authorities in the country. If your visa application is made in UK, then the interview will take place at a local UKVI office, but if you apply from a foreign country, this can be made by telephone. The scope of the interview is to see if you are a genuine student who wants to study in UK. One should know that the authorities can refuse a student application if there is no satisfactory English level and if the application is incorrect. Also, if an interview is established and you do not attend, the visa application will be refused.
An interview with the Home Office will allow the authorities to determine if the student is eligible for UK schools and colleges. If you would like to find out more about the legal aspects of Tier 4 visa for child student in UK, we invite you to get in touch with our London immigration lawyer. They can also offer details about UK residence card.
What is CAS?
The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies or CAS is a virtual document that contains a unique reference number and details about the sponsor, the student, and the courses he/she will attend in UK. The CAS is assigned by the sponsor and it is valid as soon as the Tier 4 visa for child student is issued. The parents of children who want to study in UK should seek legal advice in order to understand the visa rules for this country.
Protecting the child students in UK
The UKVI (UK Visa and Immigration) and especially the Home office is in charge of the safety of the minor foreign students in UK. This means that the authorities will have to verify the living arrangements, the travel, and the arrival in the UK. It is important to know that minor students can travel to UK with legal consent provided by the parents or the legal tutors or guardians. Such consent is part of the eligibility criteria when applying for a Tier 4 child student visa for UK. The accommodation need to respect the rules and regulations regarding the immigration of foreign students under 18 years of age.
Courses fees and funds for living in the UK
Future students who want to apply for a UK visa need to demonstrate that the courses will be paid for. Normally, sponsorship is needed at the time the visa application is made. This means that all the years of college will have to be supported by a sponsor. The Tier 4 sponsor needs to confirm that the courses are covered, even if you apply for an extension to continue the studies in UK. The immigration authorities will also have to verify if the costs of living in the UK are covered. These will depend on the length of the courses in UK, whether the child student will stay for one year or more. For example, GBP 1,265 per month is necessary for child students living and attending courses in London. Approximately GBP 1,015 are necessary for students taking courses outside London. In case you started a course and you apply for new permission to continue with the courses, you should prove that you have sufficient funds to sustain the living during your stay in the UK. The legal tutor or the parent are the ones who need to prove the existence of a bank account with the needed money for the child student living in UK. A loan letter is also accepted if it is provided by a government-sponsored student loan company from abroad or by educational loan schemes accepted in the UK. One should know that pension funds, bonds, credit cards or shares are not accepted.
If you need to know more about the Tier 4 child student visa for UK, please feel free to contact our immigration solicitors in London. We can also offer support for obtaining British citizenship.
