Section A: What is the Adult Dependent Relative Visa?
The Adult Dependent Relative (ADR) route is part of the UK’s family immigration framework. It allows a British citizen or a person who is settled in the UK to sponsor an adult family member who requires long-term personal care as a result of age, illness or disability, where that care cannot reasonably and adequately be provided in the country where the applicant is living.
Although commonly referred to as the “Adult Dependent Relative visa”, it is not a standalone visa category. It sits within the wider family visa system and is governed by Appendix Adult Dependent Relative of the Immigration Rules. The route is intentionally narrow and is designed to apply only in exceptional circumstances where long-term personal care needs cannot be met overseas, even with the practical and financial support of a UK-based sponsor.
In practical terms, the ADR route is most often used by families seeking to bring an elderly parent or close adult relative to the UK where that person is no longer able to carry out everyday tasks such as washing, dressing or preparing food without assistance. The focus of the rules is not on emotional closeness or financial support alone, but on whether the applicant requires ongoing personal care and whether that care can be provided to the required standard in their home country.
The key question, therefore, is whether the applicant’s care needs can only reasonably and adequately be met in the UK.
To qualify, the applicant must show that, as a result of age, illness or disability, they require long-term personal care to perform everyday activities. In addition, they must demonstrate that, even with the sponsor’s financial assistance and practical help, the required level of care is not reasonably or adequately available in the country where they are living. This assessment is fact-specific and evidence-led, and it is the point on which most applications fail.
Where an application is successful, the type of leave granted depends on the sponsor’s immigration status. If the sponsor is a British citizen or a person who is settled in the UK, the applicant will normally be granted indefinite leave to enter, allowing them to live in the UK without any time limit. If the sponsor instead has limited leave to remain under a qualifying route, the applicant will be granted limited leave in line with the sponsor’s permission, usually subject to a condition of no recourse to public funds. In those cases, settlement can only be applied for once the sponsor becomes settled and the relevant requirements are met.
Applications under the ADR route must normally be made from outside the UK. There is no general ability to switch into the adult dependent relative route from within the UK. Once leave has been granted under the ADR route, an applicant who holds limited leave may later be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain, provided the rules in force at the time are satisfied.
The restrictive nature of the ADR rules reflects a clear policy intention. The Home Office aims to limit reliance on UK public services, including the NHS and local authority social care, where adequate care can be provided overseas. At the same time, the rules are designed to ensure that applicants whose care needs can only reasonably be met by a close relative in the UK are granted certainty over their long-term status, rather than being left in prolonged temporary arrangements.
At an early stage, applicants and sponsors should identify whether there is clear, independent evidence addressing both the care requirement and the availability of care overseas, as these are the issues that will determine whether an application is viable.
DavidsonMorris Strategic Insight
Any notion that the Adult Dependent Relative route is a compassionate family reunification route is flawed. The Home Office focuses on care arrangements, and no amount of emotional plea will hit the mark, even if it’s based on a genuine need and close family ties. It’s the care situation that is being assessed and will determine the outcome.
Section B: Eligibility Criteria
The Adult Dependent Relative route is deliberately tightly drawn. Eligibility is assessed by reference to specific requirements set out in Appendix Adult Dependent Relative, and applications succeed only where those requirements are met in full and supported by detailed evidence. The focus of the assessment is not on family closeness or general dependency, but on long-term personal care needs and the availability of appropriate care overseas.
Eligibility turns on a small number of tightly defined questions rather than broad notions of family dependency.
An applicant will only qualify where they can show that they require long-term personal care as a result of age, illness or disability and that such care cannot reasonably and adequately be provided in the country where they are living, even with the sponsor’s financial and practical support.
Even where care needs are genuine, most applications fail because the Home Office concludes that care can be provided overseas.
1. Who qualifies as an adult dependent relative?
For UK immigration purposes, an adult dependent relative of a UK-based sponsor is limited to a closed list of family members. The applicant must be one of the following:
a. A parent aged 18 or over
b. A grandparent
c. A brother or sister aged 18 or over
d. A son or daughter aged 18 or over
No other relatives fall within the scope of the ADR route. Wider family members such as aunts, uncles, cousins or nieces and nephews are not eligible, regardless of the level of care required.
Since March 2023, adult dependent relative applications have been governed by Appendix Adult Dependent Relative, replacing the previous provisions in Appendix FM. The rules were amended again in July 2023 to reinstate the earlier position under Appendix FM, allowing the partner of a qualifying parent or grandparent to apply at the same time, even if that partner does not independently meet the care requirement. This applies only where both parents or grandparents are applying together and are in a genuine and subsisting relationship.
Where the applicant is a parent or grandparent, they must not be in a subsisting relationship with a partner unless that partner is also the sponsor’s parent or grandparent and is applying for entry clearance at the same time.
Applicants are required to provide documentary evidence of the family relationship, such as birth certificates, marriage certificates or adoption records. This evidence underpins the application and establishes that the relationship requirement is met.
2. Who can sponsor an adult dependent relative?
At the date of application, the sponsor must be aged 18 or over and fall within one of the permitted categories. The sponsor must be:
a. A British citizen in the UK
b. An Irish citizen in the UK
c. A person who is present and settled in the UK
d. A person in the UK with refugee status or humanitarian protection
e. An EEA national with limited leave to remain under Appendix EU
The sponsor’s immigration status is significant, as it determines whether the applicant, if successful, will be granted indefinite leave to enter or limited leave in line with the sponsor’s permission. Where the sponsor has limited leave, any grant to the adult dependent relative will normally be subject to a condition of no recourse to public funds.
3. Long-term personal care requirement
The question that Home Office caseworkers ask is whether the applicant genuinely requires ongoing personal care for everyday tasks.
The central requirement of the ADR route is that the applicant must, as a result of age, illness or disability, require long-term personal care to perform everyday tasks. Everyday tasks include activities such as washing, dressing, cooking and moving around safely within the home.
Conditions such as dementia, cognitive impairment or mental health disorders often require particularly clear functional evidence to demonstrate the need for personal care.
The test is functional rather than diagnostic. It is not enough for an applicant to have a medical condition or to be elderly. The evidence must show that the condition results in an ongoing need for personal care and assistance with daily living.
While advancing age may be relevant, age alone does not establish eligibility. Similarly, financial reliance or emotional ties to the sponsor do not satisfy the care requirement unless they are directly linked to the need for long-term personal care and supported by appropriate medical evidence.
4. Availability of care overseas
The key is whether suitable care can reasonably be arranged in the applicant’s country of residence. So, in addition to establishing the need for long-term personal care, the applicant must show that the required level of care cannot reasonably and adequately be provided in the country where they are living. This assessment is central to the decision and is the most common basis for refusal.
The Home Office will consider whether appropriate care is available through a wide range of sources, including family members, friends, neighbours, paid carers, nursing services or residential care facilities. The assessment is not limited to state-provided care and will take into account private arrangements where these are available and affordable.
The fact that the sponsor can afford to support the applicant financially in the UK often works against an application, as decision-makers will consider whether that same financial support could be used to secure suitable care overseas. Evidence is required to explain why such arrangements are not possible, not reasonable or not adequate to meet the applicant’s needs.
Applications frequently fail where private care is available overseas, even if the applicant or sponsor considers it culturally unsuitable or undesirable. As such, before applying, sponsors should assess what paid and unpaid care options exist in the applicant’s home country and gather evidence explaining why those options are not reasonable or adequate in practice.
| Overseas care option | Typical UKVI position |
| Close family members living nearby | UKVI will usually treat nearby relatives as a realistic care option unless there is clear evidence they cannot reasonably provide care. |
| Wider family, friends or neighbours | UKVI considers whether any trusted person could reasonably assist with care, even if not a close relative. |
| Paid home carers | Paid care is usually treated as a viable option if it exists locally and is affordable using sponsor resources. |
| Nursing or residential care homes | Residential care will often defeat an ADR application if suitable facilities exist and can meet the applicant’s needs. |
| State-provided health or social care | UKVI considers whether state services exist, but does not require them to match UK standards. |
| Short-term or informal care arrangements | UKVI will assess whether temporary solutions could reasonably be extended or formalised. |
| Combination of paid and unpaid care | Mixed care arrangements are often viewed as reasonable if they collectively meet care needs. |
5. Adequate maintenance and accommodation
The sponsor must be able to show that the applicant will be adequately maintained, accommodated and cared for in the UK without recourse to public funds. The ADR route does not operate a minimum income threshold. Instead, it uses an adequate maintenance test based on a comparison with Income Support levels for a comparable UK household.
A formal undertaking is required from the sponsor confirming responsibility for the applicant’s maintenance, accommodation and care for a period of five years or, where limited leave is granted, for the duration of that leave. This undertaking forms part of the eligibility assessment and underlines the expectation that public funds will not be relied upon.
DavidsonMorris Strategic Insight
Caseworkers approach Adult Dependent Relative visa applications on the basis that care should ordinarily be provided overseas. The burden therefore falls on the applicant to displace that assumption through evidence. The route is intentionally restrictive and is reserved for the most acute cases, where there is no realistic alternative to care being provided by a UK-based relative. That is a high threshold. Meeting it requires substantial, well-targeted evidence focused on care provision and not emotional arguments, however genuine.
Section C: Application Process
Applications under the Adult Dependent Relative route are evidence-heavy and procedurally unforgiving. The application process is structured around the requirement to demonstrate long-term personal care needs and the unavailability of adequate care overseas, supported by independent and credible evidence. Weak or incomplete applications are routinely refused, even where the underlying family circumstances are compelling.
In practical terms, applicants should treat evidence preparation as the substantive part of the application, with the online form acting only as the delivery mechanism.
An application under the ADR route is made online and, in almost all cases, must be submitted from outside the UK. There is no general ability to switch into the adult dependent relative route from within the UK.
1. How to apply for an adult dependent relative visa
The application process follows a defined sequence, but success depends far more on the quality of the supporting evidence than on the mechanics of submission.
Before applying, the sponsor and applicant should carry out a detailed assessment of whether the requirements of Appendix Adult Dependent Relative are met. Particular attention should be given to the care requirement and to whether adequate care can reasonably be provided in the applicant’s country of residence. These issues should be addressed before any application is submitted.
The application is completed online via the Home Office website. The applicant will need to complete the relevant family visa form and provide detailed information about their personal circumstances, medical condition, care needs and family arrangements.
Once the application has been submitted, the applicant will be required to attend a biometric appointment at a visa application centre outside the UK to provide fingerprints and a photograph. Supporting documents are usually uploaded online in advance of, or following, the biometric appointment in accordance with the instructions provided.
After submission, the application will be assessed by an Entry Clearance Officer, who will consider the written evidence in detail. There is no interview as standard, and decisions are commonly made solely on the papers provided.
2. Supporting evidence
The supporting documentation is the foundation of an ADR application. General statements or informal letters are rarely sufficient. Evidence should be specific, independent and clearly linked to the requirements of the Immigration Rules.
In most cases, the evidence will include:
a. Documentary proof of the family relationship between the applicant and the UK sponsor, such as birth certificates, marriage certificates or adoption records.
b. Independent medical evidence confirming that the applicant requires long-term personal care as a result of age, illness or disability. This should be provided by a doctor or other qualified health professional and should explain how the condition affects the applicant’s ability to carry out everyday tasks.
c. Evidence addressing the availability and adequacy of care in the applicant’s country of residence. This may come from medical professionals, local health authorities or other appropriate bodies. Where care arrangements have previously been in place, the evidence should explain why those arrangements are no longer suitable, available or affordable.
d. Evidence of adequate maintenance, accommodation and care in the UK. This includes financial information from the sponsor and, where applicable, a signed undertaking confirming responsibility for the applicant’s support without recourse to public funds.
Where financial support has previously been provided by the sponsor or other family members, the application should explain why that support does not enable appropriate care to be provided overseas. The Home Office expects this issue to be addressed directly and supported by evidence.
Where evidence is general, unsupported or internally inconsistent, decision-makers will usually conclude that the requirements are not met.
| Common assumption | Evidential factors |
| “Genuine family need will be enough.” | UKVI assesses whether the applicant requires long-term personal care and whether that care can reasonably and adequately be provided overseas. |
| “Emotional support is a form of dependency.” | Emotional closeness is not part of the legal test unless it is supported by medical evidence and directly linked to a need for personal care. |
| “If I can pay for care in the UK, that shows I qualify.” | UKVI often treats sponsor funding as evidence that suitable care could be arranged overseas using the same resources. |
| “Private care overseas does not count, only state care matters.” | UKVI considers all realistic sources of care, including paid care, home carers and residential care, not just state provision. |
| “A diagnosis proves dependency.” | UKVI expects functional evidence showing the applicant cannot perform everyday tasks without long-term personal care. |
| “There is no one to care for them overseas, so the case is clear.” | UKVI considers a wide range of potential carers, including wider family, friends, neighbours and paid providers. |
| “It is enough to say care is ‘not available’ overseas.” | UKVI expects evidence showing why care is not available, not adequate or not reasonable in the applicant’s circumstances. |
| “If refused, an appeal will fix it.” | Appeals focus on legal and evidential errors, not a second chance to make a better case. |
3. Application fees and Immigration Health Surcharge
Applying for an adult dependent relative visa involves several mandatory fees.
At the time of application, the entry clearance fee for an adult dependent relative application made from outside the UK is £1,938 per applicant. The ADR route is primarily an out-of-country route, and in-country application fees apply only in limited circumstances where leave under the route already exists.
In addition to the application fee, applicants are required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. The surcharge is payable upfront and allows access to NHS services during the period of leave granted. The current rates are £1,035 per year for applicants aged 18 or over and £776 per year for applicants under 18.
A biometric enrolment fee may also be payable when providing fingerprints and a photograph.
These fees are subject to change and should always be checked against the latest Home Office guidance before submitting an application.
4. Processing times
Processing times for adult dependent relative applications are often lengthy. Applications made from outside the UK are typically decided within 12 weeks, although this is an indicative timeframe and not a guarantee.
Several factors can affect how long a decision takes. Applications that raise complex medical issues, require verification of overseas care arrangements or contain gaps or inconsistencies in the evidence often take longer to determine. Delays can also arise where further information is requested or where biometric appointments are postponed.
Given the absence of priority services for most ADR applications, realistic expectations around timing are important, particularly where care needs are urgent.
DavidsonMorris Strategic Insight
ADR applications are decided on whether the evidence submitted answers these two questions: does the applicant need long-term personal care, and why can’t that care happen overseas. If your evidence does not explicitly confront overseas care options, the caseworker will assume that suitable arrangements exist and refuse the application on that basis.
Section D: Rights and Responsibilities of Adult Dependent Relative Visa Holders
An individual granted leave under the Adult Dependent Relative route is permitted to live in the UK in accordance with the conditions attached to their grant of leave. The precise rights and responsibilities depend on whether the applicant has been granted indefinite leave to enter or limited leave to remain in line with the sponsor’s immigration status.
While the ADR route is not designed as a work or study pathway, successful applicants are granted a lawful status that allows day-to-day life in the UK to continue without repeated immigration applications, provided the conditions of leave are respected.
1. What adult dependent relatives are permitted to do
An adult dependent relative who has been granted leave is permitted to live in the UK for the duration of that leave. Where indefinite leave to enter has been granted, there is no time limit on residence.
ADR visa holders are permitted to work in the UK. This permission applies regardless of the type of leave held and is not restricted to specific employers or roles. In practice, many adult dependent relatives are elderly or unwell and do not take up employment, but the legal right to work exists unless expressly restricted by a condition of leave.
ADR visa holders are also permitted to undertake study in the UK. Any study undertaken should be consistent with the individual’s care needs and overall circumstances.
Where the Immigration Health Surcharge has been paid, or where the applicant holds indefinite leave, the visa holder is entitled to access NHS healthcare services in line with the terms of their leave.
2. Conditions and restrictions
Where an adult dependent relative is granted limited leave, that leave will normally be subject to a condition of no recourse to public funds. This means the visa holder is not permitted to access most state benefits, social housing or other forms of public financial assistance.
The sponsor’s undertaking to maintain, accommodate and care for the applicant without reliance on public funds underpins this restriction. Any breach of the no recourse to public funds condition can have serious immigration consequences and may also expose the sponsor to recovery action in limited circumstances.
Visa holders are expected to comply with UK immigration laws and the conditions attached to their leave. Any conduct that engages the general suitability grounds, including criminal behaviour, may affect future applications or lead to enforcement action.
3. Travel and absences from the UK
Adult dependent relatives are permitted to travel in and out of the UK while their leave remains valid. However, absences from the UK may have implications for future settlement applications where the applicant holds limited leave.
For applicants who have been granted indefinite leave to enter, absences are governed by the general rules on lapsing of indefinite leave, which can occur after extended periods spent outside the UK. For those on limited leave, absences may affect whether the residence requirements for indefinite leave to remain are met at a later stage.
Care should be taken to ensure that travel patterns remain consistent with the intention to reside in the UK on a long-term basis.
4. Progression to settlement and citizenship
Where an adult dependent relative has been granted limited leave in line with a sponsor’s limited permission, they may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain once the sponsor becomes settled and the relevant requirements are met. There is no automatic right to settlement, and eligibility is assessed under the rules in force at the date of application.
Applicants granted indefinite leave to enter on arrival already hold settled status and are not required to make a further application for indefinite leave to remain.
After holding indefinite leave for the required qualifying period, an adult dependent relative may be eligible to apply for British citizenship through naturalisation, provided the statutory requirements are satisfied. These include residence requirements, good character and, where applicable, meeting English language and Life in the UK test requirements.
DavidsonMorris Strategic Insight
The ADR visa is a narrow lens. It’s only looking at whether care has to happen in the UK because it can’t happen elsewhere. Residence benefits are not a factor.
Section E: Refused Adult Dependent Relative Visa
Refusals under the Adult Dependent Relative route are common. The rules are intentionally restrictive, and most applications fail not because the applicant lacks genuine care needs, but because the Home Office concludes that suitable care can be provided in the applicant’s country of residence. This is the point on which the majority of decisions turn.
A frequent difficulty arises where a sponsor is able to demonstrate that they can maintain and accommodate the applicant in the UK for five years. In those circumstances, decision-makers often take the view that the same financial support could be used to secure appropriate care overseas. Unless the evidence directly addresses why this is not reasonable or adequate in the applicant’s particular circumstances, the application is likely to be refused.
In practice, refusals almost always turn on how this question is answered.
1. Common grounds for refusal
The most common reasons for refusal relate to the availability of care abroad. Entry Clearance Officers are required to consider a wide range of potential care providers in the applicant’s home country. This includes not only close family members, but also wider family, friends or neighbours, as well as paid care options such as home carers, nurses or residential care facilities.
If the decision-maker concludes that care of the required standard is available or could reasonably be arranged, the application will usually be refused, even where the applicant would prefer to be cared for by a relative in the UK. Personal preference, emotional hardship or family separation, without more, do not meet the test set out in the Immigration Rules.
Applications are also refused where the medical evidence is vague, outdated or fails to link the diagnosed condition to an ongoing need for personal care. General statements about ill-health or ageing, without functional assessment, are rarely sufficient.
2. Challenging a refusal
Where an application is refused, the refusal notice should set out the reasons for the decision and confirm whether there is a right of appeal. Many refusals under the ADR route attract a right of appeal on human rights grounds, as they engage Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects the right to respect for private and family life.
An appeal will focus on whether the decision is lawful, proportionate and consistent with the evidence. This often involves close scrutiny of how the Entry Clearance Officer assessed the availability and adequacy of care overseas, and whether relevant evidence was misunderstood or overlooked.
In some cases, it may be appropriate to submit a fresh application addressing the specific deficiencies identified in the refusal, rather than pursuing an appeal. The appropriate strategy depends on the reasons given and the strength of the available evidence.
3. Exceptional circumstances and Article 8
Even where the substantive requirements of the ADR route are not met, decision-makers are required to consider whether there are exceptional circumstances such that refusal would result in unjustifiably harsh consequences for the applicant or their family. This assessment is carried out under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Exceptional circumstances are not established simply because family members wish to live together in the UK. The threshold is high, and the evidence must show consequences that go beyond the normal emotional impact of separation. Medical, psychological and practical factors may be relevant, particularly where supported by independent evidence.
Where Article 8 is engaged, the decision-maker must balance the individual circumstances of the case against the public interest in maintaining effective immigration control. Success on this basis is fact-specific and remains relatively uncommon, but it can be decisive in cases involving particularly acute care needs.
4. Preparing a stronger application
Given the refusal rate under the ADR route, careful preparation before applying is often more effective than attempting to remedy problems after a refusal. A strong application addresses the Home Office’s likely concerns directly, particularly around overseas care options, affordability and practicality.
Clear medical evidence, detailed explanations of why care arrangements cannot continue abroad and a coherent narrative linking the evidence to the requirements of the Immigration Rules can materially affect the outcome. Where emotional or psychological factors are relied upon, they should be supported by professional evidence and clearly connected to the applicant’s care needs.
DavidsonMorris Strategic Insight
ADR visa refusals usually follow a similar pattern; the Home Office accepts the medical condition but refuses on the basis of overseas care availability. It’s a strict test based on UKVI’s concept of “reasonable” care, with no consideration or weight given to whether care would be dignified or emotionally appropriate. Appeals are only likely to succeed due to legal or evidential failure and o unfairness.
Section F: Summary
The Adult Dependent Relative route allows British citizens and individuals who are settled in the UK to sponsor a close adult family member who requires long-term personal care as a result of age, illness or disability. It is a narrow and highly restricted route, designed to apply only where the required level of care cannot reasonably and adequately be provided in the applicant’s country of residence, even with the sponsor’s financial and practical support.
Although often referred to as a separate visa, the Adult Dependent Relative route forms part of the wider UK family visa framework and is governed by Appendix Adult Dependent Relative of the Immigration Rules. Eligibility is tightly defined, both in terms of the relatives who can apply and the nature of the care needs that must be demonstrated.
Successful applications depend on detailed, independent evidence. Applicants are required to show not only that they need ongoing personal care to carry out everyday tasks, but also that suitable care is unavailable or unsuitable overseas. Sponsors must also demonstrate that they can maintain, accommodate and care for the applicant in the UK without recourse to public funds, supported by a formal undertaking.
Where the sponsor is a British citizen or settled in the UK, a successful application will usually result in a grant of indefinite leave to enter. Where the sponsor has limited leave, the applicant will be granted limited leave in line with the sponsor’s status, with settlement only becoming possible at a later stage if the sponsor becomes settled and the relevant requirements are met.
Given the high refusal rate and the evidential burden involved, the Adult Dependent Relative route requires careful assessment and preparation before an application is made.
In most cases, the outcome turns not on the applicant’s need for care, but on whether the Home Office accepts that care cannot reasonably be provided overseas.
Section G: Need Assistance?
Given the cost and refusal rate associated with this route, many applicants seek an early legal assessment before applying.
DavidsonMorris are UK immigration specialists with extensive experience advising families on Adult Dependent Relative applications. Where you are considering an application under this route, or have received a refusal, tailored legal advice can help clarify whether the requirements are realistically met and how best to present the evidence in support. For expert advice, book a fixed-fee telephone consultation and speak to one of our UK immigration advisers.
Section H: FAQs
What does adult dependent relative mean?
An adult dependent relative is a parent, grandparent, adult sibling or adult child of a British citizen or a person settled in the UK who, as a result of age, illness or disability, requires long-term personal care and cannot obtain that care to the required standard in their country of residence.
What is the Adult Dependent Relative visa?
The Adult Dependent Relative visa forms part of the UK family visa system. It allows a qualifying adult relative who requires long-term personal care to join their sponsor in the UK where the care cannot reasonably and adequately be provided overseas.
Who qualifies as an adult dependent relative?
Only a limited group of relatives qualify under the rules. These are parents, grandparents, brothers or sisters aged 18 or over, and sons or daughters aged 18 or over, provided the care and dependency requirements are met.
Do financial or emotional ties on their own qualify?
No. Financial support or emotional closeness does not meet the requirements of the Adult Dependent Relative route unless it is directly linked to a need for long-term personal care supported by medical evidence.
Can adult dependent relatives work or study in the UK?
Yes. Adult dependent relatives are permitted to work and study in the UK, subject to the conditions of their leave. However, the route is not designed as a work or study pathway and many applicants do not take up employment due to their circumstances.
How long does the visa last?
Where the sponsor is a British citizen or settled in the UK, successful applicants are usually granted indefinite leave to enter. Where the sponsor has limited leave, the applicant will normally be granted limited leave in line with the sponsor’s status.
What usually leads to a refusal?
Most refusals arise because the Home Office concludes that appropriate care is available or could reasonably be arranged in the applicant’s country of residence. Inadequate medical evidence and failure to address overseas care options are also common reasons for refusal.
Can I bring my brother to the UK permanently?
An adult brother can qualify under the Adult Dependent Relative route, but only where the strict care and availability requirements are met. The rules are applied narrowly and most applications fail on the basis that suitable care can be provided overseas.
Section I: Glossary
| Adult Dependent Relative | A qualifying adult family member who requires long-term personal care due to age, illness or disability and meets the requirements of Appendix Adult Dependent Relative. |
| Sponsor | A British citizen or person settled in the UK who undertakes responsibility for the applicant’s maintenance, accommodation and care. |
| Indefinite Leave to Enter | Permission to enter the UK without any time limit on stay. |
| Indefinite Leave to Remain | Permanent immigration status allowing an individual to remain in the UK without time restrictions. |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | A charge paid as part of a visa application to access NHS services during the period of leave granted. |
| No Recourse to Public Funds | A condition of leave preventing access to most state benefits and public housing. |
| Long-term Personal Care | Ongoing assistance with everyday tasks such as washing, dressing and preparing food due to age, illness or disability. |
Section J: Additional Resources
| Resource | Description | Link |
| UK Government – Adult Dependent Relative visa | Official GOV.UK guidance explaining eligibility, evidence requirements and how to apply under the Adult Dependent Relative route. | https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/adult-dependent-relative |
| Immigration Rules – Appendix Adult Dependent Relative | The full legal text of Appendix Adult Dependent Relative, setting out the binding requirements applied by decision-makers. | https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-adult-dependent-relative |
| Home Office Guidance – Adult Dependent Relatives | Internal Home Office guidance used by Entry Clearance Officers when assessing ADR applications and refusals. | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapter-8-appendix-fm-family-members/adult-dependent-relatives-accessible-version |
| European Convention on Human Rights – Article 8 | The legal framework governing the right to respect for private and family life, relevant where exceptional circumstances are argued. | https://www.echr.coe.int/documents/convention_eng.pdf |
| First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) | Information on appeals against ADR refusals where a human rights right of appeal is available. | https://www.gov.uk/courts-tribunals/first-tier-tribunal-immigration-and-asylum |
| Citizens Advice – Adult family visas | General guidance on family visas, including high-level explanations of the Adult Dependent Relative route. | https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/immigration/getting-visas-for-family-members/check-if-your-adult-family-member-can-get-a-visa-to-join-you-in-the-uk/ |
