How to Apply for an Adult Dependent Visa in 2023

The Adult Dependent Visa

Many individuals come to our law firm and ask can I bring my parents to the UK? Or can I bring my brother or sister to the UK? 

If this is a concern of yours then we suggest you contact us and speak with our immigration solicitors to explore your options. You may find that you can make an application for an adult dependent relative, i.e. family member such as your mother, father, sister or brother, to potentially come and live in the UK if you are:

• An individual who is born or naturalised in the United Kingdom – either by birth or via a successful British citizenship application – is known as a British citizen or,
• A settled person – meaning you are an individual who has settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme or has indefinite leave to remain in the UK, or
• You are a person with protected status or refugee leave.

If this is the case, your adult dependent relative may be eligible for an adult dependent relative visa if they fulfil the requirements set forth by immigration regulations.

An Adult Dependent Relative Visa is available to people who are able to meet the following requirements:

A relative is only entitled to apply for an adult dependent relative visa under UK immigration laws if they are:

• A mother or father who is aged eighteen or over or
• A brother or sister who is aged eighteen or over
• A child who is aged eighteen or over or
• A grandparent

To be considered an ‘adult dependent relative,’ your relative must be able to demonstrate that:

• They require long-term personal care to perform basic activities like getting dressed and bathing, as well as performing more complex tasks.
• They have no one in their resident country who can give adequate care.
• The country in which they reside does not provide adequate care, and the relative would be unable to receive the treatment they require even with family assistance from the United Kingdom.

Please note that you, as the UK party, will have to show that if a relative enters the UK on an adult dependent relative visa, he or she can be adequately maintained, housed, and cared for by you without having to rely on the public funds.

Adult Dependent Relative Visas – What are the Care Needs?

An adult dependent relative’s care requirements must be due to their age, sickness, disability, or a combination of these factors.

An adult dependent relative under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) is defined as someone who requires “long-term personal care” to assist with basic activities like washing, dressing, or feeding. Personal assistance includes assisting with taking medicine and other personal care.

Because of this, the relatives may not be able to get the care they require in their current country. That might be due to a variety of factors, including:

• There is no one in the country the relative is living in who could reasonably give care, or there isn’t enough available care.
• The cost of the treatment was not within a feasible budget.

Proving that the Care Needs in a Relative Home Country are not Sufficient or Suitable 

The Home Office may ask if the care available in another country might be provided by a different relative or through paid care or health services. The degree of proof required depends on the country where the relative is residing. In a war-torn nation, for example, it should be clearer that care is scarce. 

However, a sponsoring relative should not cut corners with their application’s quality since you want to avoid having your adult dependent sibling visa application turned down by the Home Office. This is very important to get right, so if in doubt, do speak with our immigration solicitors in London.