• VAT24.1 When can a person seeking entry as a child minder qualify as a visitor?
• VAT24.2 Do child minders qualify for entry under any other scheme?
• VAT24.3 What are the appeal rights for visitors coming to act as temporary child minders for relatives?

See other guidance information VAT1 Visitors: General VAT10 Special Visitor: Prospective student VAT11 Business Visitors VAT12 Business Visitor: Academic Visitor VAT13 Business Visitor: Visiting Professors VAT14 Business Visitors: Religious Workers VAT15 Business Visitor: Doctors coming for PLAB test VAT16 Business Visitor: Doctors undertaking clinical attachments VAT17 Sports Visitor VAT18 Entertainer Visitor VAT19 Visitors under the Approved Destinations Status MoU with China VAT2 Visitors: Visiting family; friends; as a tourist VAT20 Foreign armed forces (not NATO/Commonwealth) VAT21 Archaeological excavations VAT22 Appellants seeking admission VAT23 Parents with access rights to children in the UK VAT25 Visitors seeking visas or settlement visas for other countries VAT26 Persons coming for job interviews VAT27 Court reporters VAT28 Witnesses attending trials in the UK VAT3 Special Visitor: Child visitors VAT3A Special Visitor: Student exchanges VAT4 Special Visitor: Child visitors sponsored by charities VAT5 Special Visitor: Parents with children under 12 at school in UK VAT6 Special Visitor: Marriage/Civil partnership visit (not settlement) VAT7 Special Visitor: Private medical treatment VAT8 Special Visitor: Visitor in transit VAT9 Special Visitor: Student visitor  

VAT24.1 When can a person seeking entry as a child minder qualify as a visitor?

It is acceptable for visitors to act as  a temporary child minder for relatives where:

• the applicant  is a close relative of one of the child’s parents e.g. parent, brother, sister, in-law. (More distant relatives are acceptable only if they have formed part of the family unit overseas or are the closest surviving relatives of the parent);
• neither parent is able to supervise the daytime care of the child;
• it is not simply an arrangement to enable both parents to take gainful employment (i.e. the arrangement should be to help in a temporary situation only);
• neither parent is in a category leading to settlement;
• the applicant will not receive a salary  (except provision of board, accommodation and pocket money);
• the applicant intends to remain in the UK for not more than 6 months.

But if it is suspected that the arrangement amounts to employment, paid or unpaid, the application should be refused on those grounds.

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VAT24.2 Do child minders qualify for entry under any other scheme?

Child minders may qualify for entry clearance as overseas domestic workers. (See Chapter 18.5).

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VAT24.3 What are the appeal rights for visitors coming to act as temporary child minders for relatives?

 Visitors coming to act as temporary child minders for relatives would be treated as family visitors.  For more information see the Appeals section.

 

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