Adult Dependent Relative Visa: Bring Your Parents or Relatives to the UK
Bring an elderly parent or relative who needs long-term care to the UK, with SRA-regulated London solicitors.
The Adult Dependent Relative (ADR) visa lets a parent, grandparent, adult son or daughter, or brother or sister of a British citizen, settled person or refugee come to live in the UK when they need long-term personal care that they cannot get in their home country. If the sponsor is British or settled, the relative usually receives settlement (indefinite leave) on arrival.
It is one of the hardest UK visas to get. Home Office data from the years after the 2012 rule changes showed only around 1 in 5 applications succeeding, even after appeals. The difference is almost always the evidence. Adam Bernard Solicitors is an SRA-regulated London immigration firm with more than 15 years’ experience building ADR applications and appealing refusals.
Who can apply for an Adult Dependent Relative visa?
The applicant must be the parent, grandparent, brother or sister, or son or daughter (aged 18 or over) of the UK sponsor (Immigration Rules, Appendix Adult Dependent Relative, ADR 4.1).
The UK sponsor must be aged 18 or over and be one of the following (ADR 4.2):
- a British citizen
- settled in the UK (ILR or EU Settlement Scheme settled status)
- in the UK with refugee or humanitarian protection status
- an EEA national with limited leave under Appendix EU, but only in specific qualifying circumstances
Parents or grandparents applying as a couple: only one of them needs to meet the long-term care requirement, as long as they apply together.
You must apply from outside the UK. The rules need entry clearance as an Adult Dependent Relative before arrival (ADR 3.1), so you can’t switch into this route from a visit visa. If a relative is already in the UK and cannot safely return, the only option is a human rights (Article 8) application. See Human Rights Applications.
The care requirement: what "long-term personal care" means
The applicant must, because of age, illness or disability, need long-term personal care to do everyday tasks (such as washing, dressing, eating and moving around), and that care must be unavailable or unaffordable in their home country, even with financial help from the sponsor (ADR 5.1–5.2).
This test is where most applications fail. The Home Office looks at two questions:
- Does the applicant need long-term personal care? Being elderly or having a diagnosis is not enough. The medical evidence has to show that the applicant cannot perform everyday tasks without help.
- Can the required level of care be reasonably provided in their home country? The caseworker asks whether there is a care home, carer or relative who can provide care at the required level, and whether the family can afford it.
In BritCits v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWCA Civ 368, the Court of Appeal upheld the rules. It also confirmed that “required level” of care includes the applicant’s emotional and psychological needs, not only physical care. That matters when care is available in theory but can only come from strangers, or when the applicant has dementia or severe anxiety. Strong applications use that point with specialist evidence.
Financial and accommodation requirements
The sponsor must show they can maintain, accommodate and care for the applicant without claiming public funds, and must sign a maintenance undertaking (ADR 6.4).
- The undertaking lasts 5 years from arrival when the applicant receives settlement. When the sponsor has protection status, it lasts for the length of the permission granted.
- The sponsor must be able to meet the cost of the applicant’s care. If the relative claims certain public funds during the undertaking period, the Home Office can try to recover the cost.
- Accommodation must be adequate, owned or occupied exclusively by the family, and must not be overcrowded.
Unlike the partner route, there is no fixed minimum income figure. The Home Office judges affordability against the evidence of care costs and household outgoings.
What does the ADR visa give you?
If the sponsor is British or settled, the relative is granted indefinite leave to enter, which is permanent settlement from the day they arrive (ADR 9.1). If the sponsor has refugee or humanitarian protection status, permission is granted in line with the sponsor’s leave (ADR 9.2).
After settlement, the relative can apply for British citizenship by naturalisation once they meet the residence and other requirements.
Adult Dependent Relative visa fees 2026
From 8 April 2026, the ADR visa fee is £3,635 when applying from outside the UK, or £452 if the UK sponsor has protection status (GOV.UK).
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| ADR application: sponsor British or settled | £3,635 |
| ADR application: sponsor has protection status | £452 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | Not payable when settlement is granted on arrival |
| Super priority service | Not available for ADR applications |
| Legal fees | Fixed-fee quote after free consultation |
How long does an ADR application take?
Family visa applications made from outside the UK are usually decided within 12 weeks (GOV.UK). ADR cases often take longer because caseworkers look closely at the medical and care evidence, and you can’t pay for super priority. Build in extra time and plan evidence gathering 2–3 months before you submit.
Documents you'll need
The strongest ADR applications rely on independent, expert evidence rather than letters from the family. Typical documents include:
- Proof of relationship: birth, marriage or adoption certificates linking applicant and sponsor
- Medical evidence: a detailed report from a consultant or medical professional confirming the condition, prognosis and which everyday tasks the applicant cannot do
- Care-availability evidence: letters from care homes and agencies in the home country showing care is unavailable, unsuitable or unaffordable, plus independent country evidence
- Absence of family carers: evidence explaining why other relatives in the home country cannot provide care
- Sponsor finances: payslips, bank statements, tax returns and a costed care plan
- Accommodation: tenancy or title deeds, plus a property inspection report where needed
- Signed maintenance undertaking
Our solicitors can arrange independent expert reports and write detailed legal representations that tie each piece of evidence to the ADR 5.1–5.2 tests.
Why ADR applications are refused
The most common reason for refusal is that the Home Office decides care is available and affordable in the home country, often because a care home, a paid carer or another relative is available.
Other common reasons:
- medical evidence that confirms a diagnosis but not a need for help with everyday tasks
- family-written letters instead of independent evidence
- sponsor finances that don’t cover the cost of care
- inconsistent evidence about other relatives in the home country
What to do if your ADR visa is refused
An ADR refusal is treated as a refused human rights claim, so the usual remedy is an appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber), not an administrative review. The appeal deadline from outside the UK is 28 days from receiving the decision.
At appeal, the Tribunal considers Article 8 (family life), including evidence that post-dates the refusal. Where no appeal right exists, judicial review may be possible. A fresh application with stronger evidence is sometimes faster. See UK Immigration Appeals.
How Adam Bernard Solicitors can help
- Assess eligibility and the strength of the care case before you pay the £3,635 fee
- Commission independent medical and care-availability expert reports
- Prepare the sponsor’s financial evidence and maintenance undertaking
- Draft legal representations citing ADR 5.1–5.2 and BritCits
- Represent you at First-tier Tribunal appeals
We are SRA-regulated and listed on the Law Society’s Find a Solicitor. We offer a free initial consultation at our High Holborn and Upton Park offices, or by video. For other ways to bring family to the UK, see our UK Family Visa guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring my elderly parents to the UK permanently?
Do both parents need to require care?
How much does the Adult Dependent Relative visa cost in 2026?
Can I apply for the ADR visa from inside the UK?
Is there a minimum income requirement?
Why is the Adult Dependent Relative visa refused so often?
Can I appeal an ADR refusal?
How long does the ADR visa take?
Request to book a Free Consultation
Our Clients Share Their Success Stories.
Good service 👍 👌 many thanks for the great service you have provided to us. Our visa got approved just within 2 weeks only because of your hardwork and subject matter expertise. I am very thankful to you
For me, it was the attitude towards the job the lawyers displayed. Totally unmatched. I've been in and out of law firms because of the divorce with my wife and other related issues but Adam Bernard Solicitors was it for me guys. The best!
I want to thank Adam Benard team, they really helped me in my process of purchasing a property, their team are listen and respond to their customers fast. I really love your service, thanks alot.
Adam Bernard team helped me to purchase the best property for the best amount of time for the best money i have . i personally love dealing with them and i thank the team for all the efforts they made to make the task better .
