UK Adult Dependent Visa for US Citizens
If you are a US citizen who requires long-term personal care and you are a parent, grandparent, sibling, or adult child of a British Citizen or someone with settled status in the UK, you might be eligible for the Adult Dependent Visa.
To receive assistance with your application, call our lawyers today on +1 844 290 6312.
Page Contents
What is the Adult Dependent Visa?
The Adult Dependent Visa is intended for parents, grandparents, adult siblings, or children of British citizens or those with settled status in the UK who, because of age, chronic illness, or disability, need long-term care. Those who receive the Adult Dependent Visa can come to the UK to live with their close relative on a permanent basis.
The purpose of the Adult Dependent Visa is to allow foreign citizens, including those with US citizenship, to come to the UK to get access to the level of personal care that can only be provided by their UK relatives.
Keep in mind, however, that the Adult Dependent Visa is granted only in exceptional circumstances.
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What are the eligibility requirements for US citizens?
All US citizens who want to apply for the Adult Dependent Visa have to meet the following requirements:
- Be a parent, grandparent, brother or sister, son or daughter of a UK citizen or person with a settled status
- Be at least 18 years old
- Require long-term personal care because of age, illness, or disability
- Be unable to receive the required level of care in the US
- Have a UK sponsor who can accommodate them and support them financially without recourse to public funds.
The fact that the applicant has to require long-term personal care means that they are unable to perform everyday tasks such as cooking, dressing, or washing on their own. They must be unable to get the assistance they need in the US either because it is not available or because the cost of it is too high.
If you are not sure whether your circumstances qualify you for it, talk to our immigration lawyers. They can assess your eligibility for the Adult Dependent Visa and help you apply or find another, more adequate immigration permit.
How can US citizens apply for the Adult Dependent Visa?
US citizens who want to apply for the Adult Dependent Visa have to submit their application online. In the form they need to provide the following:
- Evidence showing that the US citizen is related to the UK sponsor
- Evidence that the US citizen requires long-term personal care because of age, illness, or disability. To prove that medical documents from US doctors can be provided
- Evidence that the US applicant cannot receive the required care in the US because it is either not affordable or not available
- Evidence that the UK sponsor is able to accommodate the US applicant after they arrive
- Evidence that the UK sponsor is able to financially support the US relative without relying on public funds for at least 5 years after they join them in the UK.
If the applicants fail to provide some of the required evidence, their application might be delayed or even rejected. As the Adult Dependent Visa is granted only in exceptional circumstances, few applicants receive a positive decision. It can be particularly difficult to prove that the same level of care is not available in the US.
To make sure your evidence is strong enough, hire one of our immigration lawyers. They will help you prepare all the necessary documents. Additionally, if your initial application for the Adult Dependent Visa is rejected, they can help you appeal the decision.
How long is the Adult Dependent Visa valid for?
If your application for the Adult Dependent Visa is successful, how long you will be able to stay in the UK varies depending on the immigration status of your UK relative. You will be able to stay in the UK for as long as your sponsor is permitted to remain there.
For example, if your UK sponsor is a British citizen or has settled status in the UK, you will receive Indefinite Leave to Remain. That means that you will have the right to remain in the UK indefinitely. If, however, your UK sponsor has limited leave or is living in the UK under humanitarian protection, you will be granted limited leave to enter that will expire when your sponsor’s permission ends.
When your UK sponsor applies for indefinite leave, you will be able to apply for it as well and extend your stay.
What happens if I am refused the Adult Dependent Visa?
Unfortunately, the refusal rate for the Adult Dependent Visa is high.
The most common reasons for US citizens’ applications for this visa not being accepted are:
- Applicants not being able to prove that they require long-term personal care
- Applicants not being able to demonstrate that the care they require is not available in the US
- The UK sponsor does not have enough funds to be able to support the US relative for at least 5 years after they join them in the UK.
If your application for the Adult Dependent Visa is unsuccessful, you can submit an appeal to the First-Tier Tribunal. Before you undertake any steps to challenge the Home Office’s decision, make sure to discuss your options with one of our highly-qualified lawyers. This way you can ensure that your case is as strong as possible.
How can Total Law help?
Applying for the Adult Dependent Visa is not easy as there is a lot of evidence you need to provide to prove your eligibility for it.
Our lawyers can explain to you in detail how you can prove that you need to come to the UK to receive the personal care you require. They will help you prepare your application to make sure you include all the information that might be needed. This way, you can maximise your chances of success.
If you have any questions at any stage of the application process, your immigration lawyer will be around to answer them. In addition to that, they will write you a Letter of Representation that will further strengthen your case.
To find out more about how our lawyers can help, call us today on +1 844 290 6312.
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Frequently Asked Questions
To be able to sponsor a foreign relative to come to the UK on the Adult Dependent Visa, they have to either be a British citizen, have Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK or be living in the UK with refugee status or under humanitarian protection.
They have to be a child, a grandchild, a sibling, or a parent of the applicant. As part of the application, evidence of the family relationship has to be provided. To prove it documents such as birth certificates can be used.
In addition to that, they have to have enough money to be able to financially support the relative coming from abroad for at least 5 years without recourse to public funds. If there are more than one family member living in the UK, they might be able to combine their resources to provide the required care for the foreign relative.
They also have to be able to prove that they have adequate accommodation where the relative needing personal care can live with them.
Most Family Visas UK require applicants to pass an official language test proving their English abilities. Nevertheless, if a foreign citizen is coming to the UK on the Adult Dependent Visa to receive long-term personal care because of age, illness, or disability, they do not have to sit the exam.
Applications for the Adult Dependent Visa can only be made from outside the UK. It is not possible to apply for it from within the UK. That means that if you are currently in the UK on a different visa, you have no possibility of changing to the Adult Dependent Visa.
Unfortunately, the Adult Dependent Visa is very difficult to obtain. If the applicant does not provide enough evidence to convince the Home Office that they cannot be cared for in their home country and that it is essential that their UK relative takes care of them, they will be refused the visa.
It is important to prepare the application thoroughly to ensure your case is as strong as possible. That is why you should seek expert advice from an immigration lawyer before you submit your application.