Citizenship for UK-born Child to parents before settled status - Skilled Worker Visa
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2025 9:06 pm
Background:
I am on a Skilled Worker visa with a vignette start date of 26 February 2021 and entered the UK on 10 March 2021. My current visa expires on 10 April 2026. I will applying for ILR on 29/Jan/2026 and I am hoping to get my ILR by 05/Feb/2026.
Query:
My daughter is born in the UK on 29 June 2023 and currently holds a visa valid until 10 April 2026. After I obtain ILR, can I immediately apply for her UK citizenship (naturalisation)?
If her visa expires while the citizenship application is being processed, will she be considered an overstayer? A solicitor advised that the child must maintain valid immigration status until the citizenship decision is made, otherwise she would become an overstayer.
If this advice is correct, I would need to apply for ILR for my daughter or extend her visa based on my ILR, which would cost approximately £3,500. Is this requirement accurate?
I am asking because I know of families who applied for citizenship for their UK-born child after obtaining ILR, even though the child’s visa had expired before the citizenship decision was made.
Question:
Does a UK-born child need valid immigration status until the citizenship application is approved, or is it sufficient to apply after the parent obtains ILR?
Any guidance or experiences would be really helpful!
I am on a Skilled Worker visa with a vignette start date of 26 February 2021 and entered the UK on 10 March 2021. My current visa expires on 10 April 2026. I will applying for ILR on 29/Jan/2026 and I am hoping to get my ILR by 05/Feb/2026.
Query:
My daughter is born in the UK on 29 June 2023 and currently holds a visa valid until 10 April 2026. After I obtain ILR, can I immediately apply for her UK citizenship (naturalisation)?
If her visa expires while the citizenship application is being processed, will she be considered an overstayer? A solicitor advised that the child must maintain valid immigration status until the citizenship decision is made, otherwise she would become an overstayer.
If this advice is correct, I would need to apply for ILR for my daughter or extend her visa based on my ILR, which would cost approximately £3,500. Is this requirement accurate?
I am asking because I know of families who applied for citizenship for their UK-born child after obtaining ILR, even though the child’s visa had expired before the citizenship decision was made.
Question:
Does a UK-born child need valid immigration status until the citizenship application is approved, or is it sufficient to apply after the parent obtains ILR?
Any guidance or experiences would be really helpful!