Regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority · Ref No. F201700062
Family and Partners
This route is for adult relatives who need long-term personal care that cannot be obtained where they live.
It is a demanding route, and the evidence about care needs and the availability of care overseas does most of the work.
The adult dependent relative route allows a parent, grandparent, sibling or adult child of a British or settled person to come to the UK where they need long-term personal care to perform everyday tasks.
The rules are strict by design. It is not enough that the relative is elderly, alone, or would prefer to live in the UK.
Two things must be shown: that the applicant requires long-term personal care as a result of age, illness or disability, and that the required care is either unavailable in their home country or unaffordable there.
Independent medical evidence is central, and so is specific evidence about the care available locally and its cost. General assertions about standards of care are rarely sufficient.
The sponsor must undertake to maintain, accommodate and care for the applicant without recourse to public funds for a defined period, and must show they can do so.
If the application succeeds, indefinite leave is normally granted at the outset where the sponsor is settled.
What is actually needed depends on your circumstances. We confirm the list with you before anything is prepared.
We start with your history, your relationships, your work and your time in the UK. The right route follows from the facts.
We explain which route fits, what it requires and what the realistic alternatives are if it does not.
We work out what the Home Office will expect, what you already have and what needs to be obtained.
We prepare the application, explain anything that needs explaining and advise on what happens after submission.
This page is general information about UK immigration and is not advice on your individual circumstances. Requirements, guidance and procedures change. Please obtain advice before relying on anything published here.
We will tell you how UKU can assist, and what the realistic options are.
