A daughter under 18 cannot ordinarily renew her BNO visa independently while her father applies for Indefinite Leave to Remain, even if the mother is not on the BNO route. Both panel members agree on this core principle: under-18 dependents are expected to apply together with a parent holding or extending leave in the BNO route.

The key constraint is the Home Office requirement that a minor dependent remain tied to a parent's application. If the father is the only BNO visa holder and is moving to settlement (ILR), the daughter would normally need to be included in his ILR application if she is eligible as a dependent, rather than applying for a separate extension. The absence of the mother from the BNO route does not create an exception that allows the daughter to renew alone.

There are limited exceptions: if the father can demonstrate sole parental responsibility for the daughter, or if there are serious and compelling circumstances, the Home Office may grant the daughter leave independently. However, these are narrow and require strong documentary evidence.

Once the daughter reaches 18, the situation changes materially. At that point she is no longer bound by the requirement to apply with both parents and can apply as an adult dependent child or seek her own extension or settlement, provided she was originally granted leave as a dependent on the BNO route.

The safest approach is to include the daughter in the father's ILR application if she is eligible, or to seek specialist immigration advice to assess whether sole parental responsibility or exceptional circumstances apply. Timing matters: if the daughter will turn 18 before the father's settlement decision, her status may be bridged separately, but this requires careful planning and should be discussed with a qualified immigration solicitor before filing.