Children whose sole parent is a serving member of HM Armed Forces exempt from immigration control can be granted permission under Appendix HM Armed Forces, according to caseworker guidance version 6.0.
Key facts
- Who: Children whose sole parent is a serving member of HM Armed Forces who is exempt from immigration control
- From: Not stated in the guidance. Version 6.0 was published for Home Office staff on 3 August 2026.
- Source: Appendix HM Armed Forces: caseworker guidance
Version 6.0 of the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) caseworker guidance on Appendix HM Armed Forces was published for Home Office staff on 3 August 2026. Its list of changes says the update includes allowing children of single serving personnel, whose parent is exempt from immigration control, to be granted permission under the appendix. The guidance gives no separate in-force date.
The guidance says regular members of HM Armed Forces subject to service law are exempt from immigration control. Reservists, and their family members, cannot apply under the appendix.
Permission to stay. Where the child's sole parent is a member of HM Armed Forces who is exempt from immigration control and does not hold permission under these rules, the child will be granted permission to stay for 5 years. The guidance states this in both the family-member section and the section on permission to stay where settlement requirements are not met.
Where a parent does hold permission, a dependent child's permission ends on the same date as whichever parent's permission ends first. The exception is where one parent is a British citizen, or has a right to enter or stay in the UK without restriction, and is or will be ordinarily resident in the UK. In that case the child's permission ends on the same date as that of the parent granted as the partner of the service member.
Settlement. The guidance sets a qualifying period of 60 months for settlement. For a child, that requirement does not apply in two cases:
- The child's parent meets AF 27.1 and is being granted settlement under the appendix at the same time.
- The child's sole parent is a member of HM Armed Forces who is currently exempt from immigration control but is applying for settlement under AF 5.1.
Requirements that still apply. A child must meet the age, independent life, care and relationship requirements for a dependent child in Appendix Children. Validity requirements are in paragraphs AF 9.1 to AF 9.5, and eligibility requirements in paragraphs AF 11.1 to AF 19.2. An applicant from outside the UK must obtain entry clearance before arriving. A tuberculosis certificate is required if Appendix Tuberculosis applies. The financial requirement is assessed under Appendix FM-SE, with reference to paragraphs AF 16.1 to AF 17.7.
The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) does not apply. A grant carries no access to public funds. Work is permitted, and study is permitted subject to the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) condition in Appendix ATAS. If an application is refused, the applicant has the right to appeal to the Immigration Tribunal.
What this means for applicants
A child whose only parent is a serving, regular member of HM Armed Forces exempt from immigration control can be granted permission under Appendix HM Armed Forces. The parent does not need to hold permission under the Immigration Rules. The child must still meet the dependent child requirements in Appendix Children, and the validity, suitability and eligibility requirements above.
A child granted permission to stay in that situation receives 5 years. A child applying from outside the UK must obtain entry clearance before travelling. A child applying for settlement does not need to have completed the 60-month period if the sole parent is currently exempt and applying for settlement under AF 5.1.
Related guide: UK dependent visa
Sources
- Appendix HM Armed Forces: caseworker guidance, UK Visas and Immigration, version 6.0, 3 August 2026