ILR QUESTION FOR MY DEPENDANT CHILD NOW TURN ADULT

[BolaAkin]

My child and I qualify for ILR in February 2029.

My child was initially a dependant child on my student visa from 2022( was 14 yrs old then) to 2024 ( aged 16 years).

Upon getting my skilled worker visa in February 2024, my child got dependent visa ( still aged 16 then).

Now my child is 18 years old still on my skilled worker visa as a dependant child and going to university September 2026. My child has been assessed as an international fees paying student

We qualify for ILR February 2029, ( when my child will be 20 years and 10 months old). My child will still be in university and will be finished in June 2029.

I dont want to pay international fees for the 3 years, so I am of the opinion my child takes 1 gap year and resumes September 2027 ( when aged 19 years). This will mean my child will finish university in June 2030. Also, we only get to pay 2 years of international fees and pay home student fees for the last year after we get our ILR in February 2029.

My child will be fully dependent on me - financially, accommodation , and not married nor have children before we qualify for ILR

My question is,
1.do you think this is advisable considering my child is now an adult and will be almost 21 years old when we qualify for ILR in 2029.

2. Will taking 1 gap year to work affect my child's chances of qualifying for ILR by February 2029?


3. Alternatively, if we are looking at the 7 year living in the UK route for a child to qualify for ILR, will my child qualify by February 2029, or by June 2029 as my child joined me in the UK June 2022 on my student visa( I came in February 2022). My child has been in full-time education since July 2022. If my child takes 1 gap year from September 2026- September 2027, what is the implication on this 7 years a child staying in the uk route? Will my child wven qualify now an adult who came in then as less than 18.
Kindly advise. Thanks.

[secret.simon]

(a) What is the status of the other parent? The child will qualify for ILR with the second/less-privileged parent.

Keep in mind that immigration rules, including on qualifying for ILR, are always in flux and, especially given the febrile political climate, can change quickly and generally only with 28 days of warning. It may be futile to plan for now for ILR in 2029. Just make sure to keep the immigration status for your dependents and yourself legal throughout the journey.

On a separate note, now that they are an adult, your child will need to meet all the requirements for naturalisation as a British citizen, including an English language test, unless they have completed (not currently in) a degree level course in the UK.

(b) Re student fee status, assuming that the child is resident in England, the fee status for the entire period of the course is based on their status on the first day of the first year of the course and does not reset if the child acquires ILR or meets other requirements in the middle of the course.

See this page on the UKCISA website and choose the option "Settled" on the left hand side.

I feel your pain. I did a part-time course while working full-time in the UK on my work visa and was still assessed and charged as an overseas student. Keep in mind that this is part of the funding for UK universities and they are unlikely to recategorise your child to save you some money. Your fees are their income.