Adult Dependent Relative Visa – Quick Guide
For adults who require long-term personal care because of age, illness or disability and wish to join a qualifying close relative in the UK.
- Length of Permission
- Depends on sponsor
- Route to Settlement
- Yes
Who Can Apply?
An applicant must:
- Be 18 or over.
- Be the sponsor’s parent, grandparent, son, daughter, brother or sister.
- Require long-term personal care to perform everyday tasks because of age, illness or disability.
- Show that the required care is not available or affordable in the country where they live.
- Have a qualifying sponsor in the UK who can provide adequate maintenance, accommodation and care without reliance on public funds.
Application Forms
- Entry clearance — outside the UK
- Join or accompany a family member
- Permission to stay — inside the UK
- Further leave to remain — Human Rights
Applicants can normally apply from inside the UK only where they have, or were last granted, permission as an Adult Dependent Relative.
Fees & Charges
Applicants must pay:
- Visa application fee.
- Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), where applicable.
- Biometric enrolment charges, where applicable.
Supporting Documents
Applicants will normally need:
- 1Valid passport.
- 2Evidence of relationship to the sponsor.
- 3Medical evidence of the need for long-term personal care.
- 4Evidence that suitable care is unavailable or unaffordable in the applicant’s country.
- 5Sponsor’s financial evidence.
- 6Evidence of suitable accommodation and care arrangements.
- 7Sponsor’s maintenance undertaking.
- 8TB certificate, where required.
Conditions on the Visa
Where temporary permission is granted:
- Work is permitted, including self-employment and voluntary work.
- Study is permitted, subject to ATAS requirements where applicable.
Settlement (ILR)
If the sponsor is British or settled, an applicant granted entry clearance under the ADR route is normally granted settlement.
Where the sponsor has qualifying temporary permission, the Adult Dependent Relative is normally granted permission in line with the sponsor and may later qualify for settlement.
- Settlement application form
- SET(O) — Settle in the UK in various immigration categories
Common Reasons for Refusal
- Failure to prove the need for long-term personal care.
- Insufficient evidence that appropriate care is unavailable or unaffordable overseas.
- Failure to establish the qualifying family relationship.
- Inadequate maintenance, accommodation or care arrangements.
- Missing, inconsistent or insufficient supporting evidence.
- Failure to meet the suitability or other immigration requirements.
If the Application Is Refused
The refusal decision should explain why the application was refused and any available appeal or review rights.
Depending on the circumstances, the applicant may be able to challenge the decision or submit a fresh application. Professional immigration advice should be considered before deciding the appropriate next step.
Important
The Adult Dependent Relative route has strict eligibility and evidential requirements.
Being elderly, financially dependent on a UK relative, or simply wishing to live with family in the UK is not by itself sufficient.
More Immigration Guides
UK Ancestry Visa
For Commonwealth citizens with a grandparent born in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man. Five years’ permission, full work rights, and a route to settlement.
Returning Resident Visa
For a person who previously held settlement in the UK, lost it through absence abroad, and now wishes to return to the UK for settlement.
Graduate Visa
For international students who have completed an eligible UK bachelor’s degree-level qualification or above. Stay on to work or look for work with no job offer and no sponsorship required.
Planning Your Move to the UK?
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