Typically, if you wish to bring a dependant to live with you in the UK, they will need to be either your partner, or your child (under the age of 18). However, there is a visa route available for adult family members called the ‘Adult Dependent Relative’ visa. Applicants are required to meet a high threshold for this route and a number of quite specific requirements.
The Adult Dependent Relative visa route was introduced for individuals who require care and support from their family members who are either settled in the UK or British citizens. Among other things, your adult family member must:
- Be over the age of 18;
- Be a close relative to you (i.e. parent, grandparent, sibling or child over the age of 18);
- Require long-term care and assistance to carry out personal and daily tasks either because of their age, illness, disability, or condition;
- Not have access to care due to affordability or availability in their home country; and
- Be supported, accommodated and cared for by you in the UK without having to rely on public funds.
You as the ‘sponsor’ must also meet one of the following requirements:
- Be a British or Irish citizen or
- Settled in the UK or
- Have Pre-Settled status as a national of an EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein or
- Have refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK.
Your adult family member must apply from their ordinary country of residence as they will not usually be permitted to switch into this category from within the UK. If you are a British citizen or settled permanently in the UK, your adult family member will be granted indefinite leave to enter the UK upon successful application. However, if you have a limited leave to remain in the UK, your adult family member will be granted leave to enter the UK in line with your visa expiry and can apply to extend their visa at the time you apply for your own visa extension.
How Gherson can assist
Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on UK visa matters. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.
The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.
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