Visas and immigration: what Families Relocating to Europe and the US Need To Know
Every country has its own immigration requirements, and our International Admissions Teams can point you in the right direction and connect you with relevant resources for your destination country.
United Kingdom
Families relocating to the UK with school-age children may wish to consider the following immigration routes:
- Child Student visa (for children aged 4–17 attending an independent school,). Children may stay with their parent if that parent applies for the Parent of a Child Student visa. Children may also live in the following care arrangements: Living with a Close Relative or a Private Foster carer who is British/Irish or settled in the UK.
- Parent of a Child Student visa (allowing a parent to accompany a child on a Child Student visa). This visa will be linked to a Child Student aged between 4 and 11 years. If there is another child aged 12+ from the same family enrolling at the school, that child can also live with their parent so long as that parent’s visa is linked to the younger sibling’s Child Student visa.
- We welcome international students on various immigration routes. The most common routes for children enrolling at our UK schools and their accompanying parents are British National Overseas (BNO), EU Settled Status (EUSS), Global Business Mobility, Global Talent, Innovator Founder, and Skilled Worker, among other types of ‘dependent’ visas.
Cognita Schools Ltd holds a sponsorship licence in the UK, can sponsor children on Child Student or Student visas, and can offer immigration advice within the student visa route. Should you require advice on another immigration route, we can introduce you to a qualified immigration advisor who will assist you further.
If you’re unsure whether you and your child require a visa, confirmation can be sought using the UK Visas & Immigration ‘check if I need a visa’ webpage.
United States
Families with children enrolling in private schools in the United States will typically need to consider:
- F-1 student visas, for students attending a SEVP-certified school
- Dependent visas for the children of parents who have been granted work or residency visas (e.g. L-2, H-4, O-3)
York Prep is a SEVP School that can issue Form I-20 documents for F-1 student visas.
Further information on US student visas can be found on the US State Department website.
Please contact admissions@yorkprep.org to enquire about applying for an F-1 student visa following the offer of a place at the school.
Spain and Switzerland
Families relocating to Spain or Switzerland will generally be moving under an existing national or EU/EEA/EFTA immigration framework. Our school admissions teams in Spain and Switzerland are experienced in supporting international families through the enrolment process.
- The most common immigration routes for non-EU families living in Spain are Family Reunification, Non-Lucrative Visa, Highly Skilled/Work Permit, Digital Nomad Visa, Investor Visa and Arraigo
- The most common immigration routes for international families living in Switzerland are EU/EFTA Employment, Family Reunification, Skilled Worker permits, UK Nationals (Post-Brexit Agreement), and Lump-Sum Taxation (Golden Visa).
- For further information on immigrating to Spain, please see the official Spanish government website or visit the Spanish consulate in your current country of residence.
- For further information on immigrating to Switzerland, please see the official Swiss government website https://www.eda.admin.ch/en/visa-requirements-for-entry-into-switzerland or visit the Swiss consulate in your home country.
