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Original poster

Enrolling an American 15 year old into state school. What are the legalities?

32 replies

tomwardthomas · 04/07/2024 14:04

Want to ask some advice on putting a foreign 15 year old into the UK state school system. It sounds complicated but it's actually for a writing project.

If a teenager has come over from America, with one parent dead, and the other parent is a UK citizen and living here, but has not been involved in their life until now, and is not on their birth certificate, are their issues? Can that parent get the child enrolled in state school fairly quickly or is it a very long and complicate process? Are visas needed? Prove of paternity etc?

Any knowledge on this much appreciated

OP posts:
Meadowtrees · 04/07/2024 15:55

Misthios - I think they are fictional, op said it’s for a writing project.

BruFord · 04/07/2024 15:52

If they have a British parent, they’re eligible for British citizenship.

If the parent isn’t on the birth certificate though, I’m not sure how you’re going to prove this. You need legal advice, OP.

Also, it’s going to a tough transition education-wise as their class will be in the middle of their GCSE syllabus. It’s a completely different system-as a PP said, isn’t there anyone in the US who could care for them while they finish high school?

Misthios · 04/07/2024 15:51

Could they have come to UK just as a tourist and then apply for the visa once here?

from my extensive knowledge gleaned from Border Force and similar on telly, that’s a big no no.

poor kid though, is there nobody in the US who could take care of him/her until at least they’ve finished school??

Original poster
tomwardthomas · 04/07/2024 15:48

EthanofAthos · 04/07/2024 14:24

Child would need a visa in order to come into the UK and live here: https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/child

Once they have the visa you go through the normal state school application process. The details vary by area but generally you can apply to join straight away but it will be wherever has a place empty. That’s likely to be the less popular schools.

Thanks for your response. Could they have come to UK just as a tourist and then apply for the visa once here?

OP posts:
mitogoshi · 04/07/2024 14:41

To move to the U.K. they would need to have their British passport which would require the parent to be on the birth certificate, you can't enroll in school on a tourist entry.

EthanofAthos · 04/07/2024 14:24

Child would need a visa in order to come into the UK and live here: https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/child

Once they have the visa you go through the normal state school application process. The details vary by area but generally you can apply to join straight away but it will be wherever has a place empty. That’s likely to be the less popular schools.

Family visas: apply, extend or switch

Get a family visa for the UK, live with your spouse or relative - eligibility, proof, renewing, financial and English language requirements.

https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/child

YourSnugHazelTraybake · 04/07/2024 14:09

For the child to have been able to come to the uk parent then at the very least there would be guardianship/ parental responsibility in place, otherwise the child wouldn't have been able to get the visa. Once that's in place then the parent would just have to follow the usual school application process for a child of that age.