How to prepare a UK visitor visa for a child travelling alone

Katerina Galkina · EN · 07/10/2026

Check immigration and airline requirements

A child needs their own valid travel document and appropriate entry permission. Check visa or ETA requirements for their nationality. A parent’s visa does not automatically cover the child.

Separately ask the airline about the minimum age for travelling alone, mandatory unaccompanied-minor services, permitted connections and handover documents. Immigration permission and the carrier’s acceptance are different checks. Do not buy a connecting itinerary until both are confirmed.

Prepare consent and accommodation evidence

GOV.UK requires ↗ written parental or guardian consent and full contact details for a child travelling without an adult. Evidence must also show suitable accommodation, the receiving person’s details, address, relationship and consent to the arrangement.

Give the actual dates, itinerary and people responsible for travel and collection. Include relationship or guardianship evidence and explain any arrangement where one parent makes the decisions. Divorce alone does not establish sole authority. Check departure and transit countries’ consent rules separately: UK guidance does not replace them.

Check funding and safeguarding arrangements

Show how travel and living costs will be met without the child working or relying on inappropriate public-funds support. A sponsor should explain exactly what is funded and demonstrate the ability to provide it. Match costs, duration and accommodation to the form.

Some longer stays with people who are not close relatives can trigger private-fostering and local-authority notification rules. GOV.UK flags ↗ age and duration conditions, with different rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Check these before applying, particularly for educational exchanges.

Submit the child’s own application

Accurately state that the child is travelling without an adult. An accompanied trip follows different arrangements, with adult details needing to match the application and permission. Do not copy a template naming an incorrect accompanying person.

For Standard Visitor applications ↗, each person needs a separate form and fee. The current standard six-month fee is £135. Check the chosen centre’s requirements for a responsible adult attending the biometric appointment.

Keep the application, consents, contacts and collection arrangements accessible to the child. Explain what to do after a delay, missed connection or questions from an officer. A valid visa does not remove the need to establish safe, agreed travel arrangements.