Do children who are permanent residents in the UK have to wait until both parents get it? How to calculate the number of years of a spouse

The most frequently asked questions in the background are all similar: "I can apply for permanent residence after five years next month. Can my wife and children apply together?"

The answer is usually - the main applicant can submit , but the family members may not be able to submit . Moreover, the person who is often stuck is not the main applicant himself, but the spouse who comes half a year late, dragging the children with him.

This article breaks down the steps for accompanying family members to obtain permanent residence and explains them clearly in order. 🧩

1. Accompanying your permanent resident spouse in the UK: When does the 5 years start?

The spouse does not "follow the main applicant's time", but has his own independent 5-year timeline . The starting point is the effective date of approval of his/her first dependent visa, not the day of landing in the UK, nor the day of marriage.

So the most common real-life scenario: the husband gets a work visa to enter the country in March 2021, and the wife only gets the accompanying visa in November 2021. The husband can apply for permanent residence in March 2026, and the wife has to wait until November 2026. The difference between these 8 months is indispensable.

Spouses are also subject to Appendix Continuous Residence: they may not be absent from the country for more than 180 days in any 12-month rolling period. Children do not have this restriction, spouses do. Returning to the country to take care of the elderly and staying with your parents during maternity leave are all included.

In addition, permanent residence can be submitted up to 28 days before expiration. Don't invent on your own "it should be fine within two months", that will be directly rejected. The couple's two timelines are calculated to the exact date, so using 永居计算器 to enter the visa approval dates of the two people is more reliable than calculating by head.

2. Application for UK permanent residence for children: Why do you have to wait for both parents?

This is the most easily overlooked rule with the most expensive consequences: to obtain permanent residence for accompanying children, in principle, both parents of are required to have settled down, or submit a settlement application for at the same time as the child.

This means that in the above example, the child has to stay with his mother until November. Even if the child has lived in the UK for seven years and speaks with a London accent, this is no exception.

There are two important exceptions:

📌 children born in the UK can apply with their parents even if they have never held a dependent visa before (a full British birth certificate is required);
📌 If a single parent, the other parent has passed away, or the applicant has sole responsibility for the child , only one parent can apply with the child, but evidence must be prepared.

There is another one that is easy to ignore: children cannot "lead an independent life" - they cannot have a spouse or partner, and they must live with their parents, because living on campus or in a dormitory while studying full-time does not count as a violation.

3. Can children over 18 years old still obtain permanent residence in the UK?

Yes, but the method has changed. For children who are over 18 years old at the time of submission, cannot be listed as in the main applicant's application form. They must submit an independent copy based on the 5 years he/she has been legally staying as an accompanying child.

The premise is that "the last approval was for accompanying child status." If the child changes to a student visa midway, this chain will be broken, and the five years will no longer be counted as the continuous period of accompanying children - many families inadvertently narrow the path when their children go to college. Families whose children are almost 18 years old and plan to study for a bachelor's degree must do the math before transferring.

4. Fees and examinations for dependents of permanent residents in the UK: one per person

The permanent residence application fee is and is charged per person. There is no family package price. From April 8, 2026, the standard fee will be £3,226 per person (additional fees will be charged if expedited, and the fee schedule published by GOV.UK will prevail). The one-time expenditure for a family of three is close to 10,000 pounds, so please set aside a budget in advance.

In terms of examinations: Spouses aged 18 to 64 must pass Life in the UK Test on their own and meet the English requirements (currently B1; multiple paths to B2 have been confirmed starting from March 2027). Children under 18 do not need to take the exam. Don’t wait until a month before submission to make an appointment.

5. What does the 2026 permanent residence reform mean for accompanying family members?

The public consultation on the Earned Settlement program ended on February 12, 2026, and received more than 200,000 responses. As of today, the specific rules of have not been submitted to parliament, and the effective date of has not been determined. The official caliber is that it may be launched in the autumn of 2026.

One of the current outflow directions is directly related to this article: adult family members may no longer automatically settle in with the main applicant, and must meet the standards individually. This is still a proposal, so don’t panic, but if your spouse’s timeline is close to expiration, don’t delay it until next year if you can submit it early.

This article is for reference only. Please consult a licensed attorney for specific questions.

💬 How long is the difference between your couple’s visa approval dates? Is it a few months, or is it a year or two? Tell us about your time difference in the comment area, and we’ll pick typical situations and break them down in subsequent articles.

Save this article if you find it useful, and read it out again when it is submitted in the year.

[Data source] GOV.UK：Indefinite leave to remain (Skilled Worker) – Family members https://www.gov.uk/indefinite-leave-to-remain-tier-2-t2-skilled-worker-visa/family-members ｜ Continuous residence caseworker guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/continuous-residence-caseworker-guidance

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