Parent visa: Indian citizen in United States → United Kingdom
Indian citizens living in the United States need a UK Parent visa — apply online on gov.uk and give biometrics at a UK visa application centre in the United States.
A UK family visa to live in the UK to care for your child, where the child is under 18 and is a British or Irish citizen or settled in the UK. Granted for 2 years and 9 months.
- Validity
- 2 years and 9 months on this visa (an extension grants a further 2 years and 6 months).
- Entries
- Multiple entry while the visa is valid.
- Max stay per visit
- 2 years and 9 months, after which you can apply to extend.
When to start
Start 30 days–3 months before your travel date.
Getting an appointment in United States
- 38 centre locations nationwide plus premium centres (VFS directory, captured 2026-06-11). Ten are full-service Mon–Fri: New York, Washington DC, Chicago, LA, San Francisco, Houston, Atlanta, Boston, Miami, Seattle; the rest (Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, Portland, Philadelphia and more) run limited schedules.
- With this density, comparing two or three cities usually finds a near-term slot.
- No recent public wait-time reports found for the US — the band below is general guidance.
You can apply to live in the UK to care for your child.
If you apply outside the UK you'll usually get a decision within 12 weeks.
Your child must be under 18 on the date you apply (or have been under 18 when you were first granted leave) and be a British or Irish citizen or settled in the UK.
Unless you are exempt, you must pass at least level A1 on the CEFR scale or hold a degree taught in English.
Complete the online family visa application as a parent and pay the fee.
Book and attend an appointment at a UK visa application centre to provide your fingerprints and a photo. Take your passport — you'll usually get it back the same day.
What you'll need
- Passport — Your passport, taken to your biometrics appointment; you'll usually get it back the same day. ✓ verified
- Proof of your child's age and status — Evidence your child is under 18 (or was under 18 when you were first granted leave) and is a British or Irish citizen or settled in the UK. ✓ verified
- Evidence of your knowledge of English — A pass at level A1 CEFR or above from an approved provider, or a degree taught in English. ✓ verified· you are not exempt from the English language requirement
Where you'll apply
Because you live in the USA, you apply at a UK Visa Application Centre in the US — not in your home country. There are UK visa application centres in 30+ US cities (including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia and Seattle). Use the official VFS US centre directory (linked below) to find and book the one nearest you.
- UK Visa Application Centres — United States — serves 30+ locations across the US — find and book your nearest
Fees
| Family visa (parent) applied for outside the UK | GBP 2064 |
Gotchas to watch
- Your child must be under 18 on the date you apply, or have been under 18 when you were first granted leave.
- Applying inside the UK is much slower — it currently takes about 12 months to get a decision, versus about 12 weeks from outside the UK.