UK Immigration is a great opportunity for you, your children, and your career success. The biggest concern for most Nigerians relocating to the UK with their family is where their children will attend school. While the UK school system may seem a little overwhelming and confusing at first, you’ll be pleased to know that not only is there a wide selection of excellent state-funded schools, it’s free for non-British citizens, too.

Here are some tips that you need to take note of if your child is applying to come to the UK as your dependant for the first time:

For Your Children’s Visa Application to be successful,

. Your children must be younger than 18 years old when they apply
. They must not have formed an independent family unit.
. They must be living with you, except when they are living away from the family home due to academic endeavours e.g. attending boarding school or university
. They are wholly or mainly dependent on you for financial and emotional support
. You and your spouse Both must be in, or coming with the child to, the UK

The following are the different levels of education available for foreign dependants

1. Pre-Schooling:

Childcare for children under 5 is usually provided by either a nursery, a pre-school or a registered child minder. It is normal for parents to pay for childcare for pre-school children, however 3 and 4 years old in England are entitled to 15 hours of free nursery education for 38 weeks of the year.

2. Primary and Secondary Schools:

Provided your children are admitted to the UK as your dependants, they will normally be able to attend state (government funded) schools in the UK free of charge if they are aged between 5 and 16. You will not have to pay for this.

Children Born While Studying in the UK

If your baby is born in the UK but is not a British citizen, it is quite lawful for him or her to remain in the UK without making an immigration application. However, the baby will need immigration permission to re-enter the UK after any visit to Nigeria, and for babies born to international students in the UK, there are limited instances where the baby can apply for immigration permission as your dependant.

Is dependant Passport number needed to be filled in when the main applicant is applying for his tier 4 UK Visa online? Note: The dependant Passport isn't ready yet