My Thai wife and I both have British passports. We would like to take our granddaughter to live with us and go to school in the UK for a year to learn English properly. Is there any way she could qualify for a British passport?

If not, what is the best way to apply for a UK visa for her?

As an added complication we are currently living in France! We could go back to the UK, or if our grandaughter qualified for a UK passport would she be allowed to join us in France?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Where was the child born?

Where were her parents born?

What are the nationalities of her parents?

Where is the child now?

Who does she live with now?

Where are her parents now?

7by7

Sorry for the delayed reply, I hadn't seen your post.

The answer to all your questions is Thailand. The child is the daughter of my wife's daughter by my wife's previous marriage to a Thai and she currently lives with her Thai parents (in our house) in Thailand.

So, both her parents are Thai and she is not British and not entitled to a British passport. Even if you were her mother's father she would not be British, although her mother would. Unless she or her mother had been born in the UK. British nationality can only descend one generation to children born overseas.

Therefore she will need the appropriate visa for both the UK and for France.

I don't know about France, but for the UK if she is coming for a short course of study, up to 6 months or 11 if on an English language course, then she applies as a Student Visitor. These are normally for adults, though children can be issued with them. (VAT9.5 What are the requirements for student visitors under the age of 18?)

For a longer course then she will apply under the points based system Tier 4 (Child).

There is, of course, no reason why she cannot apply for a standard visit visa to the UK, but she could not study.

There is also no reason why she cannot apply for a Schengen visa to visit you in France; but again, I think, she would be barred from studying.

She would not be eligible for state schooling so you would have to arrange with a local private school. Not sure about her age but am assuming she is of school age!

She could also apply for a child visit visa and this will allow study for up to six months. Again private school!

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/child/requirements/