Settlement for Adult Relatives in the UK: Eligibility & Application Guide (2025)

Adult Dependent Relative Visa UK has a special route for the adult relatives of British citizens or people with settled status. This permanent resident visa allows certain eligible family members to join their loved ones in the UK under specific grounds. But the process is complicated, with strict eligibility criteria and specific application processes. This guide details everything you need to know about settlement for adult relatives in the UK, including those who are eligible, how to apply and related challenges.

How Settlement Works for Adult Relatives

The UK settlement for adult relatives is aimed at family members who need long term care that cannot be provided in their own country. Once granted, this visa gives the applicant indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK, meaning they can live permanently with their sponsoring relative. This route may be especially relevant for parents, grandparents, siblings or adult children who rely on their UK-based family member for care and support.

To get into this route a sponsor would need to ensure an applicant would be dependent on them and that they would not be relying on public funds. By 2025, these regulations will still illustrate the governments emphasis on financial independence and true family bonds.

This video explores the difference between all the dependent family visa routes.

The Eligibility Criteria

Eligible applicants as an adult relative for settlement in the UK have the following requirements:

Relationship Requirements: Must be a parent, grandparent, brother/sister (18 years or older), or son/daughter (18 years or older) of a British citizen or settled person. The relative who sponsors you must also be 18 or older.

Care Needs: The individual must require long term personal care because of age, illness, or disability. This care must include help with daily activities like eating, dressing or getting around.

Inadequate Options in Their Home Country: The applicant must show that appropriate or affordable care is not available in their home country. Supporting documentation, such as medical reports and evaluations, will likely be needed from respective health departments.

Financial Independence: Sponsors must demonstrate a capacity to support their applicant without recourse to public funds. This requires passing an adequate maintenance test and signing a maintenance undertaking form.

Eligible Locations: You can only apply for this route if you are currently outside the UK; the route does not allow those already inside the UK to apply.

Health Requirements: All applicants, especially those from countries with mandatory testing, may be required to submit results of tuberculosis tests.

Clearly, meeting these standards is a precondition to approval in the settlement adult relative category.

The Application Process

The steps for applying for settlement as an adult relative are:

Fill in the Application Form: Applications should be made using Appendix 1 (Form VAF4A). This allows you to collect necessary information such as the applicant and their sponsor.

Collect Evidence: Applicants will be required to submit ample evidence for a successful claim, including:

• Evidence of Relationship (i.e., birth certificates)

• Care needs report medical reports

• Archived reports of inadequate international options for care

• The sponsors bulk financial documents indicate their ability to provide support

• Sponsor-maintained signed maintenance undertaking form

Biometric Information: Since applicants are required to register biometric details, including fingerprint information and facial pictures, at a visa foundation.

Pay Fees: The current fee structure includes fees for processing applications and biometric enrollment.

Finalise Application: After all relevant files are ready, submit the application online with supporting documents.

The process can take months because of the extensive documentation required and requests by immigration authorities for additional information.

What are the ILR Expiry Rules

Regulations related to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) govern eligibility for settlement under this route. ILR holders do not need to seek public funds but must demonstrate that they can support themselves for five years without recourse to public funds. Also, those granted ILR via this visa will have permanent residency rights, but conditions such as not being absent from the UK for a period before fulfilling the qualifications.

The ILR expiry rules further highlight the need for financial independence and meeting immigration requirements during the sponsorship duration. If these conditions are not met, the visa can be revoked or refused on renewal applications.

Challenges in Applying

The most complex route to a settled adult relative status due to its severe conditions is:

• Demonstrating Care Needs: Applicants are typically challenged to submit adequate proof of long-term care needs that the applicant cannot meet in their home country.

• Financial Tests: Sponsors must meet income thresholds and prove their financial stability over five years a tough hurdle for many families.

• Paperwork: The often complicated paperwork can cause delays if not filed correctly and on time.

• Refusals: Applications are often refused as there may be insufficient evidence or not meeting the eligibility criteria. Appeals take time and money.

Benefits of Settlement

While it has its challenges, reaching a settlement has many benefits:

• Permanent residency rights

• Reading and understanding data between the lines

• Freedom to work or study

• Ability to be a sponsor to other families

For many families, this is a pathway to stability and reunification after years of separation.

Leave to Remain as a Spouse or Adult Relative Visa

Both these routes of application are considered family visas, but the leave to remain as a spouse route varies greatly from the settlement for adult relatives visa route:

• If you're married, spouse visas also offer a pathway to ILR although they tend to address marital relationships, and usually require five years of residency before being eligible.

• Visas for adult relatives rely on support needs due to age or health and can allow for immediate settlement upon approval.

Both pathways have strict financial thresholds but are tailored to specific family situations.

Get Professional Assistance

The settlement for adult relatives allows families to reunite in the UK on compassionate grounds, which is a valuable opportunity. But this process is complex and it requires a lot of preparation and strict eligibility criteria. Whether it's proving the need for care or the income and savings thresholds through ILR expiry rules, meticulous attention to detail and comprehensive documentation is required at every turn. For individuals who are considering submitting an application via this route but are daunted by the hurdles involved, A Y & J Solicitors can provide specialist advice that is specific to your individual circumstances.

A Y & J Solicitors is a specialist immigration law firm with extensive experience in settlement for adult relatives. We have an in-depth understanding of immigration law and are professional and results-focused. For assistance with your visa application or any other UK immigration law concerns, please contact us at +44 20 7404 7933. Were here to help!