Adult Dependant Relative Visa
This visa allows adult foreign nationals to come to the UK if they require long-term personal care from a close relative in the UK, who is a British or Irish citizen, a person with a settled or pre-settled status in the UK, a holder of a Turkish Business Person or Turkish worker visas, or a person with a refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK.
This type of visa is only available to immediate family members, such as parents, children, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren. Other family members, such as nieces, nephews, cousins, uncles and aunts, are not considered to be close family members for immigration purposes.
Adult Dependant Relative visa has several very stringent requirements to be met by both the applicant and their UK sponsor; hence this visa is awarded in very limited circumstances. It must be proven that the required level of care cannot be provided in the applicant’s home country or is not affordable by the applicant. Further, a UK sponsor must have sufficient money to provide support to the applicant in the UK, without relying on public funds for at least 5 years from the date of the applicant’s arrival in the UK. However, it will be very difficult to prove how the UK sponsor’s funds for maintenance and accommodation for an adult dependant for 5 years in the UK are not sufficient to provide a reasonable level of care to the applicant in their home country.
Our solicitors can help with advising on the relevant visa requirements, completing the application form, reviewing necessary documents and other supporting evidence, and accompanying the process until your Adult Dependant Relative visa is issued.
If your visa has been refused, depending on your circumstances, you will have a few options to challenge the refusal with the UK Visas and Immigration Department of the Home Office. Our solicitors can help you with reapplying for a new visa if you choose to pursue this option or challenge the decision further by making an application for Judicial Review or Administrative Review on your behalf.
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What are the requirements for an Adult Dependant Relative visa?
Below are the most general eligibility requirements which may vary depending on the complexity of your situation:
- you and your close relative in the UK must be both aged 18 or over
- your sponsor in the UK must be a British or Irish citizen, a person with a settled or pre-settled status in the UK, a holder of a Turkish Business Person or Turkish worker visa, and a person with a refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK.
- you require long-term personal care due to your age, illness disability, or other related condition and are unable to look after yourself and perform daily tasks, such as washing, dressing and cooking
- your are unable to receive such care in your home country and there are no other persons or institutions available to reasonably provide the required level of care
- your immediate family member in the UK will be able to provide adequate maintenance, care and accommodation without recourse to public funds in the UK
- you have no criminal convictions
What documents and information are required to apply for an Adult Dependant Relative visa?
It is exceptionally important to include all required documentary evidence for an Adult Dependant Relative visa as most applications are refused because of insufficient evidence provided. Every case is different, and depending on your particular circumstances, you may be required to provide additional evidence. Below is a list of the most commonly required documents:
- Application form and an appendix for the Adult Dependant Relative visa, including application fee
- Evidence of a close relationship between the adult dependant and the UK sponsor (e.g. birth or adoption certificate, medical report)
- Evidence related to the inability of the adult dependant to find a required level of care in their home country (e.g., country background report, medical report, a letter from the relevant healthcare authorities/ other relevant institutions such as private healthcare providers, medical doctors, and other recognised providers explaining healthcare situation in the applicant’s country and why it is not considered to be reasonable for the needs of the applicant)
- Evidence of sufficient funds held by the UK sponsor to provide required care, maintenance and accommodation (e.g., evidence of regular earnings or sufficient savings and documents proving that you own or rent accommodation that adequately caters to the needs of your family, complies with the relevant UK health and safety regulations, such as property inspection report).
You will be required to provide a certified translation of any documents that are not in English or Welsh.
How can I apply? How long does it take to get a decision?
You will be required to submit an online application outside of the UK, pay the fees, upload the scanned documents and other supporting evidence online, arrange an appointment at the visa application centre to provide your biometric information, such as digital photo and fingerprints, and attend an interview, if required.
You usually get a decision within 24 weeks if you apply outside of UK and once you attend the appointment at the visa application centre.
What can I do if my visa is refused?
If your Adult Dependant Relative visa has been refused, you should have a right to appeal to the First Tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) as this type of application is considered to be a human rights claim.
Depending on your circumstances, you might be able pursue further the decision maker’s refusal of your visa via Judicial Review (to challenge the lawfulness of the decision) or via Administrative Review (if a mistake was made by the decision maker when issuing your visa refusal).
You will also have the option to make a new visa application. If you decide to reapply, you shall address in the new visa application all reasons for your refusal, providing all missing information and relevant supporting evidence.
Our solicitors can assist you with your appeal process as it can be a complex immigration matter requiring specialist legal support, advice and representation.