The Adult Relative Dependent Visa plays a crucial role in reuniting UK-based permanent residents with their family members who require essential medical care and support.
While this immigration route benefits families immensely, the ??requirements and application process can be complex. Also, immigration policies change frequently, as we’ve seen with the recent reforms to certain UK visa routes in 2024, and staying updated with such changes can be challenging.
If you intend to apply for the UK Adult Dependant Relative Visa, it’s essential to understand the criteria you must meet and be well-prepared ahead of your application. This article will discuss all you need to know to make a successful Adult Dependent Visa application in 2024.
An Overview of the Adult Dependent Visa?
The Adult Dependent Visa is a family-based visa that streamlines the migration of non-EEA individuals who have UK-based relatives and need long-term medical care. This visa allows an applicant to be with their loved ones in the UK and receive the support they cannot get in their home country.
The UK has effective healthcare services and support systems that can cater to complex medical needs, and several families can take advantage of this to help their relatives.
For instance, a parent residing in the UK can sponsor their financially dependent adult child who has a deteriorating condition and no one else to care for them. An individual can also sponsor a parent or grandparent who needs long-term care.
However, the qualifying criteria for this visa are strict. There is a high refusal rate of over 96% due to many applicants being unable to prove that the care they require is unavailable or unaffordable in their home country.
Given the high likelihood of a refusal, it’s important to apply carefully and only if you meet the requirements. You can discuss your circumstances with an immigration lawyer and get expert advice before you apply.
Adult Relative Dependent Visa UK Requirements for Sponsors
A sponsor for the Adult Dependent Visa must be 18 years or older and be the applicant’s parent, grandparent, child, brother, or sister. They must also be one of the following:
- British or Irish citizen
- A settled person (Indefinite Leave to Remain)
- A person from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, living in the UK before 1 January 2021 and has pre-settled status.
- An individual with refugee or humanitarian protection protection status.
Additionally, a sponsor must have sufficient funds and adequate accommodation to support their relatives throughout their stay in the UK without recourse to public funds.
Sponsors can prove they have sufficient finances through their employment and non-employment income. The Home Office will consider the circumstances of the sponsor’s family and the care the applicant needs to decide if their income is sufficient.
Requirements for Applicants
Applicants for the Adult Dependent Visa must be able to prove that:
- They require long-term personal care to perform daily tasks due to age, disability, or illness.
- They cannot obtain the required care in their home country because it is not available or affordable, and no one in that country can provide it, even with the sponsor’s help.
An individual applying to join their child or grandchild in the UK must apply with their partner, provided the partner is the sponsor’s other parent. This other parent must not require long-term care and must show they cannot care for the main applicant alone.
On the other hand, if an intending applicant has a partner who is not the sponsor’s parent, they and their partner will not be eligible for the visa.
The Cost of the Adult Dependent Visa
The application fee for the Adult Dependent Visa is £3,250. However, if your UK-based relatives have protection status, you’ll pay a reduced cost of £404.
You’ll also need to pay a healthcare surcharge of £1,035 for each year you’ll be in the UK and a biometrics enrollment fee of £19.20.
Documents for the Dependent Relative Visa Application
Before you begin your application for the visa, you should prepare the following supporting documents:
- Your passport or travel document
- Proof of your sponsor’s legal right to be in the UK
- A proof of your relationship with your sponsor
- A medical record detailing your health condition
- Evidence of unavailable health care in your country, such as a doctor’s note.
- A bank statement from your sponsor
- An undertaking signed by your sponsor confirming they will be responsible for your financial maintenance.
- Proof of accommodation in the UK.
The Application Process for the Adult Dependent Visa
Applications for the Adult Dependent Visa must be submitted online.
You should visit the UK government website and complete the application form correctly. Then, you’ll need to pay the visa fees and health surcharge. You’ll also need to upload your supporting documents to the online portal.
Finally, you’ll need to attend an appointment at a visa application center nearest to you tto submit your biometric information.
The Processing Time of the Adult Dependent Visa
Once you’ve made an application and submitted your biometrics, the Home Office will process it and contact you with a decision within 24 weeks.
The Validity Period of the Adult Dependent Visa
If your application for the Dependent Adult Visa is successful, your length of stay in the UK will be tied to your relative’s stay. If your relative is a British citizen or settled person, you can be in the UK for an unlimited time.
On the other hand, if your relative has pre-settled or protection status, you can stay for as long as they are in the UK. When they apply for a visa extension or settlement, you can apply with them.
Conclusion
The criteria for the Adult Dependent Relative Visa require applicants to demonstrate that the care they require can only be with their relatives in the UK. This requirement is very stringent, and the Home Office judges each application based on the applicant’s circumstances.
It’s advisable not to navigate the process alone. Speak to a UK immigration lawyer with experience with such cases before you begin an application.
Meta Title: The Application Process for Adult Relative Dependent Visa
Meta Description: The Adult Relative Dependent Visa allows non-EEA citizens to enter the UK and receive long-term medical care from their UK-based family members.
