Entry Clearance Visa

Wherever possible UK law aims to keep families together, however, the complexities of modern families mean this is not always straightforward. Our experienced team of solicitors can advise and help you navigate the complex area of immigration law.

Apply for Entry Clearance Visa!

Any child under 18 of settled parents travelling to the UK for settlement, or one who is British, may apply for entry clearance in the child dependant category. The same entry clearance visa can also be used by any spouse or partner under the relevant category.
You will have to consider sole responsibility for the child's upbringing or whether their exclusion from the UK would be undesirable, and suitable arrangements have been made for their care.
The process will be more complex if natural parents are separated, and it is vital to seek expert legal advice as early as possible.

What Is an Entry Clearance Visa?

Any child under 18 of settled parents, travelling to the UK for the Entry Clearance refers to the process where Entry Clearance Officers outside the UK will check applications to come into the UK.

This is to ensure that applicants qualify and meet the set criteria for entry into the UK for the visa category they are applying for. Entry clearance applications can only be made by individuals from outside of the UK.

This will usually be from the applicant’s country of origin or a country where they have a legal right to reside in. The following are a list of most of the applications an individual can submit for entry clearance applications relating to a spouse, child or dependant parent.

Broadly speaking, a dependant in the UK is any of the following purpose of settlement, or one of whom is British, may apply for entry clearance in the child dependant category.

Entry Clearance As A Spouse
Entry Clearance As A Civil Partner
Entry Clearance As Same-Sex Partner
Entry Clearance As A child joining his/her family living and settled in the UK
Entry Clearance – Tier 4 General Student
Entry Clearance – Tier 4 Child Student
Entry Clearance – Family Reunion
Entry Clearance As An adult joining their dependant child in the UK

The same entry clearance visa can also be applied for by any spouse or partner under the relevant category. You will have to consider issues such as sole responsibility for the child’s upbringing, or whether their exclusion from the UK would be undesirable, and suitable arrangements have been made for their care.

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Vital to seek expert legal advice as early as possible

The process will be more complex if natural parents are separated, and it is, therefore, vital to seek expert legal advice as early as possible.

Child under 18 years of age
Husband/wife/civil partner
Unmarried/same-sex partner

Our expert team of solicitors can represent you and help draft your application for UK visa entry clearance. We can carry out all the work on your application until a decision is made by the Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) on the entry clearance application.

Our Expertise

As your appointed legal representatives, our expert team immigration solicitors can carry out the following work on your behalf:

Advising you about supporting documentary evidence for your entry clearance application.
Advising you about the relevant criteria.
Assessing all your documents to make sure that the requirements of the Immigration rules are being fully satisfied.
Booking your appointment with the application centre for the enrolment of your biometrics and submission of your passport.
Completing the online application form and submitting online on your behalf
Liaising with the Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) and doing all the follow-up work until a decision is made.
Pay the relevant UKVI charges for the UK visa application including the application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)
Representation for any appeals
Uploading all the supporting documents.
Writing a detailed cover letter in support of the UK visa entry clearance application.

What are the Visa requirements?

It would help if you satisfied certain specific rules to secure an entry clearance visa depending on your family circumstances. If both parents are travelling to the UK for settlement, your case will likely be straightforward.

You will have to provide evidence that your children will be financially supported without the use of public funds, and dependant children must not be married or living an independent life.

We have comprehensive experience of complex family cases and can work out the best possible route for you and your children. It is also important to note that there is no automatic right of appeal if your application is refused, so you only get one chance to get it right.

If the application is rejected, then depending on this, it might affect future applications. It is vital, therefore, that you seek early legal advice.

Why Choose Us?

Our solicitors have many years of experience in dealing with all types of visa applications. They will expertly guide you in all aspects of your immigration requirements and are ideally positioned to explain any complexities and can represent your position robustly in order to achieve your desired outcome.