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The short answer
For two grandparents coming from Nigeria to help with a newborn, the fixed cost is the Standard Visitor visa at £135 each (GOV.UK, as at October 2026), so £270 before flights. The biggest risk is health: visitors pay 150% of NHS cost for hospital care, so medical insurance belongs in the budget alongside flights, extra food, heating and local travel.
The fixed costs you can price now
Nigerian grandparents visiting family in the UK usually come on the Standard Visitor visa. GOV.UK says the visa costs £135 for a stay of up to six months, the earliest they can apply is three months before travel, and they must show they can be supported during the stay and pay for the journey home. It also says someone else can fund the trip, so you can pay the fees and say so in your supporting letter.
Plan the application around the due date. Babies come early and late, so apply as soon as the three-month window opens and book travel that can be moved. A six-month visa gives enough room for a parent to arrive a few weeks before the birth and stay into the baby's third or fourth month.
What visitors cannot do
GOV.UK says visitors cannot do paid or unpaid work for a UK company, cannot claim public funds and cannot live in the UK through frequent or successive visits. Helping in their own child's home with a new baby is a family visit, not employment; do not describe it as a job or offer a wage in the application.
The health cost risk, and why insurance comes first
GOV.UK's migrant health guide says people on visitor visas pay for NHS care at the point of use unless exempt. GP visits and A&E are free, but hospital admission and outpatient care are charged at 150% of the NHS cost. Non-urgent treatment must be paid for in advance. Many grandparents travel with long-term conditions, and a fall on an icy pavement or a blood pressure scare is the most likely reason a carefully planned budget breaks.
Price a visitor medical policy for each grandparent before you book flights, declaring every existing condition. Our guide to visitor health insurance for parents lists what the policy needs to cover.
A worked budget for a three-month stay
Example only. The visa fees are from GOV.UK; every other line is an assumption to replace with your own quotes. Flight prices from Lagos or Abuja move a lot with season and airline, so check fares on the day.
| Item | Two grandparents, 3 months | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Visitor visas | £270 | £135 × 2, GOV.UK |
| Return flights | £1,600 | Example: £800 each |
| Visitor medical insurance | £600 | Example: £300 each |
| Extra food | £780 | Example: £60 a week × 13 weeks |
| Extra heating and hot water | £150 | Example only |
| Local travel and outings | £240 | Example: £80 a month |
| Phone SIMs and data | £60 | Example: £10 a month each |
| Contingency | £400 | Example: about 10% |
| Total | £4,100 |
The total adds up: £270 + £1,600 + £600 + £780 + £150 + £240 + £60 + £400 = £4,100. In winter the heating line will be higher: Ofgem's cap for October to December 2026 puts a typical dual-fuel household on direct debit at £1,723 a year, and a home with a newborn and two extra adults at home all day runs warmer than typical.
Costs families often forget
- Winter clothing. Parents arriving from Lagos in November need coats, boots and thermal layers.
- Their money at home. Rent, staff wages and bills in Nigeria continue while they are away. Set these up before they travel.
- Time off work. If you planned to rely on grandparents instead of taking unpaid leave, note what changes if their visa is delayed.
- The trip home. Excess baggage for gifts and baby things on the return flight.
- Spending money. Many grandparents prefer to pay their own way. Agree beforehand who pays for what, so nobody is embarrassed at the till.
Who pays: agreeing it early
Money conversations with parents can be awkward, especially when they have come to help. Settle the basics before they book: whether you are paying for flights and insurance, whether they will contribute to food, and who covers outings and gifts. Some families agree that the couple covers everything inside the home and the grandparents pay for their own travel; others split it differently. Any arrangement works if it is agreed in advance.
Steps
- Agree dates around the due date, with a buffer either side.
- Get insurance quotes with conditions declared, and check the age limit.
- Write a supporting letter: who you are, your address, your status in the UK, the purpose (helping after the birth), the dates and who pays.
- Apply for the visas as soon as the three-month window opens.
- Book flexible flights once visas are issued.
Where Pryme fits
Grandparents often fund part of the trip from naira savings. With a Pryme account they can hold NGN and GBP in one place and use Swap when they choose; the app shows the rate and the fee before anyone approves. Their bills at home can be paid through Send while they are away. Outside Nigeria, Pryme works through regulated partners.
Questions people ask
How much is a UK visitor visa for Nigerian parents?
GOV.UK lists the Standard Visitor visa for up to six months at £135 per person, as at October 2026. Two grandparents pay £270 in visa fees.
Can my mother come to the UK to look after my baby?
Yes, as a family visit on a Standard Visitor visa. She cannot be employed or paid to work, and visitors cannot live in the UK through repeated long visits.
Will the NHS treat my visiting parents for free?
GP visits and A&E are free. Hospital admission and outpatient care are charged at 150% of NHS cost, so buy visitor medical insurance.
When should my parents apply for a visa before the baby is due?
GOV.UK says the earliest they can apply is three months before travel. Apply as soon as that window opens and book flights you can change.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: NHS entitlements, migrant health guide · accessed Oct 2026
- Ofgem: Energy price cap will rise 4% in October 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
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