Adult Dependent Relative

A demanding route for adults who need long-term personal care.

For a parent, grandparent, brother, sister, son or daughter aged 18 or over, living outside the UK, who needs long-term personal care because of age, illness or disability, and whose relative in the UK is British, Irish, settled or otherwise eligible to sponsor them.

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This route is not an "over 65" route, and age alone does not qualify anyone. It depends on the applicant's care needs and on what care is available where they live.

The main test

The applicant normally needs to show that, because of age, illness or disability, they need long-term personal care to perform everyday tasks, and that the required level of care is not available or cannot reasonably be afforded in the country where they live, even with practical and financial help from the UK sponsor.

Evidence may include

Detailed medical evidence explaining functional needs.
Care assessments and evidence of daily assistance.
Evidence of local care options and why they are not available or affordable.
Financial evidence and undertakings from the sponsor.
Accommodation and care plans in the UK.
Evidence of the family relationship.

Before you instruct us
These applications are evidentially demanding. At the first appointment we will tell you plainly whether your matter is one we can take on within our Level 1 authorisation, and whether the evidence is likely to meet the rules, before any fee is charged for the application itself.

How WLIS can help

1 We check that the route suits your plans and that the matter is a straightforward one within our IAA Level 1 authorisation.
2 We review your eligibility and your documents, and explain plainly anything that needs attention.
3 We give you a document checklist written for your circumstances rather than a generic one.
4 We prepare the application form and supporting documents, and you check and approve the final information before anything is submitted.
5 We help with submission, biometrics or identity steps, and your eVisa and UKVI account after the decision.

What we can and cannot help with

We provide advice and application assistance for straightforward immigration matters within our IAA Level 1 Immigration authorisation. Where a matter falls outside that authorisation — for example because it involves adverse immigration history, a discretionary or human-rights claim, an administrative review, an appeal or tribunal work — we will tell you and signpost or refer you to an adviser authorised at the appropriate level.

If an application is refused, we will explain the decision and whether any further work remains within our Level 1 authorisation. Where an administrative review, an appeal or other higher-level casework is needed, we will signpost or refer you to an appropriately authorised adviser. We do not provide appeal or tribunal representation.

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) makes the final decision on every application. No immigration adviser can guarantee that an application will be approved.

Our IAA regulation How we work Fees

Questions clients often ask

Why is this route considered so difficult?

Because the applicant must show that, as a result of age, illness or disability, they need long-term personal care to perform everyday tasks, and that the care is not available or affordable in the country where they live. Both parts have to be shown with independent evidence.

My relative can afford care where they live. Does that matter?

Yes, and it is usually decisive. If suitable care is available and affordable locally, including care the UK sponsor could pay for, the requirement is not met. The route is not designed around a family's wish to provide care personally, however understandable that wish is.

Is there any alternative if this route is not open?

Sometimes. Depending on the facts, a visit visa or a different family route may be worth considering. We will tell you plainly if we think an adult dependent relative application does not meet the rules, rather than take a fee for one that cannot get off the ground.

Official sources we check

We check what we publish against the Home Office's own guidance. These are the GOV.UK pages behind the advice on this site — use them to confirm anything you read here, because the rules change and the official page is always the current one.

GOV.UK content is published by the UK government and is not part of this website.

Talk to us about adult dependent relative

Tell us what you want to apply for, the status you hold now and when your current permission ends. We will confirm whether the matter is within our Level 1 authorisation and offer a suitable appointment.

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The enquiry button opens the secure WLIS enquiry form on enquiry.wlisuk.com in a new tab. Please do not send identity documents until we ask for them.