The UK government has introduced several significant changes to the Child Student Visa route, effective from April and May 2025. These updates aim to enhance the safeguarding of child students and streamline the visa application process. Here’s a detailed overview of the key changes:
April 2025 updates
Fee adjustments: From April 9, 2025, the fees for various visa categories, including the Child Student Visa, have been revised. The application fee for a Child Student Visa has increased from £490 to £524.
May 2025 updates
Safeguarding enhancements: Effective from May 29, 2025, new safeguarding measures will be introduced to ensure the welfare of child students in the UK. These measures include:
- Nominated guardian definition: Carers of international students for periods lasting less than 28 days (referred to as nominated guardians) must meet the same requirements as those for close relatives and private foster carers. This includes a requirement to provide a letter of undertaking.
- Permitted living arrangements: A new list of permitted living arrangement categories has been created. Applicants must specify which arrangement they will be entering into in the parental consent letter.
- Application refusals: The Home Office will have the authority to refuse visa applications if the proposed carer in the UK is considered unsuitable – for example, if they have a criminal record. This change is designed to enhance the safety and security of child students.
- Additional record keeping duties for sponsors: Sponsors of Child Student Visa holders will be required to make reasonable efforts to collect information on travel and living arrangements for students with a nominated guardian. Sponsors must keep records of:
- When the child is arriving
- Details of the person collecting the child
- Where the child will be staying if they are not going directly to school
- Reports to the relevant authority if the child does not enrol at school.
If not possible to obtain this information, sponsors must document their reasonable efforts to do so.
Child Student sponsors will therefore need to review all arrangements carefully before issuing a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) and ensure that appropriate processes are in place to adhere to these record-keeping requirements.
