Citizenship Areas
Support for eligible adults seeking to join a qualifying relative in the UK because they need long-term personal care.
We assess care required because of age, illness or disability and the availability and affordability of suitable care in the applicant’s country of residence.
The relationship and sponsor’s immigration status must fit the route. We assess the proposed care, accommodation and financial support together.
This route has demanding care and dependency conditions. A wish to live near family, or financial dependency alone, does not establish eligibility.
We review the applicant’s circumstances and family arrangements before advising on the suitability of an application.
We assess the care situation and the UK relative’s position, then help prepare the application around the individual circumstances.
Review the relationship, care needs, current arrangements, immigration history and proposed UK support.
Advise on relevant supporting information and review the care, accommodation and financial position.
Assist with the appropriate application and identity process, including case-specific representations where relevant.
Review the permission granted, sponsor responsibilities and any future application or settlement stage.
Initial applications under this route are made from outside the UK. A person already holding limited Adult Dependent Relative permission may be able to extend in the UK where eligible.
We advise on the applicable application costs and any relevant service options. A planned family move does not guarantee an application outcome or decision date.
We assess the help needed with everyday living, how it is currently provided and whether suitable care can reasonably be obtained where the applicant lives.
We help present the relevant circumstances coherently rather than assuming that a medical diagnosis or a family relationship is enough on its own.
We review whether the UK relative is eligible to sponsor the application and whether the family relationship falls within the route.
We assess how the proposed support will be provided and funded, including the relevant undertaking and any public-funds restrictions.
We can review the proposed household arrangements and the immigration implications for each person. A successful application does not automatically provide permission for other relatives.
We also assess linked applications involving a parent or grandparent and their partner where the route permits. Where EU Settlement Scheme eligibility, the separate BN(O) arrangements or another family route may be relevant, we assess that separately before recommending the application.
Successful overseas applicants joining a British, Irish or settled sponsor are normally granted indefinite permission. Where the sponsor holds qualifying limited permission, the applicant may instead receive permission linked to the sponsor’s stay.
Where limited permission is granted, we assess continued eligibility and the appropriate extension or settlement stage as the sponsor’s status changes.
We review the actual grant and any relevant responsibilities rather than assuming that every Adult Dependent Relative application follows the same timetable.
Some successful applications provide settlement at the outset. Others require a later application in line with the sponsor’s position and the relevant rules.
We can review the grant, sponsor’s status and family history before advising on the appropriate next step, including SET(O) where relevant.
Naturalisation has separate status, residence, absence, language, good-character and other conditions, including any applicable exemptions. Settlement does not automatically confer citizenship.
We assess the relevant circumstances when advising on a later nationality application.