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Pathway

UK Adult Dependent Relative Visa

United Kingdom Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

The UK Adult Dependent Relative visa is for an adult who needs long-term personal care from a close relative living permanently in the UK. It is a demanding route and generally requires showing that needed care is not available or affordable in the applicant's country.

Care needs
Long-term personal care required because of age, illness, or disability
Care abroad
Show that suitable care is unavailable or unaffordable where you live
UK relative
A qualifying close relative able to provide support, housing, and care without public funds

Summary

The UK’s adult-dependent-relative route is for a person needing long-term care from a qualifying UK relative, with medical and country evidence showing why suitable care cannot be obtained where the applicant lives. The qualifying UK relative must document support, housing, and care without public funds. Entry permission normally has to be obtained before traveling to join them.

Could this pathway work for you?

Eligibility

The applicant must be 18 or over and be the sponsor's parent, grandparent, child, brother or sister. A parent or grandparent who has a partner must normally apply together with that partner; only one of the couple needs the care. The sponsor must be British, Irish or settled, have qualifying pre-settled status, or protection status.

Medical and care evidence must establish the tasks the applicant cannot perform and the likely duration. Country evidence must show that appropriate care is unavailable or unaffordable, not merely less desirable or more expensive than UK family care. The sponsor must prove adequate maintenance, housing and care without public funds and sign an undertaking for 5 years from arrival if settlement is granted on entry, or for the temporary-permission period.

For an ordinary application to join a British or settled sponsor, the outside-UK “other dependent relative” fee is £3,635 from 8 April 2026. Different fees or concessions apply to some protection-status and armed-forces sponsors.

Entry clearance normally must be obtained from outside the UK. Switching from a visit or other route is not the normal path.

Care needs beyond financial dependence
  1. Long-term personal care Document the needs caused by age, illness, or disability.
  2. Care in the home country Show why appropriate care is unavailable or unaffordable, even with the sponsor's help.
  3. UK sponsor and care plan Prove the covered family relationship, status, housing, and support.

Financial dependence or a wish to live closer to relatives is insufficient.

What This Route Allows

Where the sponsor is British or settled, an outside-UK applicant is granted settlement immediately. Where the sponsor has temporary qualifying status, permission ends with the sponsor's and the ADR can settle when the sponsor does. Temporary permission allows work, self-employment and study but no public funds. There is no English or Life in the UK test for ADR settlement.

What This Route Is Not

It is not a retirement, parent sponsorship or convenience route. Financial dependence alone, age alone, or the absence of a preferred family caregiver is insufficient. The separate BN(O) route has its own adult-dependent provisions.

Next Steps

  1. Obtain a detailed clinical assessment describing each care need and prognosis.
  2. Document searches, prices, availability, location and suitability of care in the home country.
  3. Prove the family link and sponsor's status, housing, income, savings and care plan.
  4. Apply for entry clearance before travel and address why remote financial support cannot solve the need.

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Discussed in these reports

Other routes in United Kingdom.

Sources