Family
Adult Dependent Relative visa for Indian applicants
Direct answer
Reviewed by UK Visa Desk counselling team, Visa counsellors, Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, Patiala. Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024. Last verified .
Home Office fee
£3,635
about ₹4,81,020 at 132.33 INR/GBP, effective 8 April 2026
Verified 8 October 2026 · source
Health surcharge
Not payable
This route is exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge
Verified 8 October 2026
Processing time from India
12 weeks
Priority 30 working days
Verified 8 October 2026
Our filing price
₹39,999
All-in, GST included
Verified 8 October 2026
Summary
In short
The UK Adult Dependent Relative visa costs £3,635 from India, about ₹4,81,020 at the Home Office rate, under the fee table effective 8 April 2026, and carries no health surcharge when granted as indefinite leave to enter. The test under Appendix Adult Dependent Relative is that you need long-term personal care for everyday tasks and that this care is not available or affordable in India even with your sponsor's help. Decisions take about 12 weeks after biometrics and most applications are refused. The common Indian mistake is proving that the UK child can pay for care, which under the rule shows care is affordable in India and defeats the application.
In practice
Worked example
Example: a Sangrur widow with advanced dementia joining her son in Hounslow. A file like the ones the desk prepares; the figures are from the datasets and dated.
The situation
Surinder Kaur, 76, is a fictional widow in Sangrur with dementia diagnosed by a Patiala neurologist in 2023 and a 3-year record of decline: she wanders at night, cannot cook, bathe or take her medicines unaided, and has been admitted to hospital twice after falls. Her only other child lives in Melbourne. A live-in carer was hired in 2024, but she became distressed with strangers, two agencies withdrew in writing, and a Ludhiana nursing home wrote that it cannot manage dementia wandering. Her son Baljit, a British citizen and NHS pharmacist in Hounslow, earns £52,000, owns a 4-bedroom house with a ground-floor room, and signs a 5-year maintenance undertaking. The application is built over 8 months before it is filed.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Visa fee | £3,635, about ₹4,81,020 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £0, because the grant is indefinite leave to enter |
| Sponsor's gross annual income | £52,000, about ₹68,81,160 |
| Medical record | 3 years, 4 specialist reports, 2 hospital discharge summaries |
| Care attempts documented | 2 agency withdrawal letters and 1 nursing home refusal |
| Live-in carer quotes obtained in Sangrur | ₹28,000 to ₹35,000 a month, affordable but unsuitable |
| Maintenance undertaking period | 5 years |
| Priority settlement service | £500, about ₹66,165, usually 30 working days; not chosen |
| Standard decision time | 12 weeks after biometrics, often the full period |
Outcome
The visa is granted as indefinite leave to enter. The medical evidence predates the application by years and shows a need for help with everyday tasks, and the file proves that paid care was tried and failed, so the care she needs is not available in India even though it is affordable. The same file would have been refused if the evidence were a single doctor's letter dated the month of application. It would also have failed if the argument had been that Baljit can afford a carer in Hounslow, because the rule asks whether care is available in India, not whether the family prefers the UK.
The officer’s view
What the officer checks
What the officer checks on an Adult Dependent Relative file from India
| What they check | Why it matters | Evidence that answers it |
|---|---|---|
| Is the relationship qualifying and the sponsor British, settled or protected? | Appendix Adult Dependent Relative ADR 4.1, formerly E-ECDR.2.1, limits the route to a parent, grandparent, sibling or adult child of a sponsor with the required status. | Your passport, the sponsor's British passport or settlement evidence, and the sponsor's birth certificate or school leaving certificate naming you as the parent. |
| Do you need long-term personal care for everyday tasks? | ADR 5.1, formerly E-ECDR.2.4, requires that because of age, illness or disability you need long-term personal care to perform everyday tasks such as washing, dressing and cooking. | Specialist reports from a neurologist, geriatrician or orthopaedic consultant, hospital discharge summaries, prescriptions, and an occupational therapist's assessment of daily living. |
| Is that care unavailable or unaffordable in India, even with the sponsor's help? | ADR 5.2, formerly E-ECDR.2.5, is the paragraph on which most refusals rest. The officer assumes paid care exists in India unless the file shows why it does not meet the need. | Care agency quotes and withdrawal letters, nursing home refusals, affidavits on why relatives in India cannot help, and a record of what was tried and why it failed. |
| Can the sponsor maintain, accommodate and care for you for 5 years? | E-ECDR.3.1 and 3.2 require adequate maintenance, accommodation and care without public funds, supported by a signed undertaking. | 6 months of the sponsor's payslips and bank statements, savings, the signed undertaking, the tenancy or mortgage, and a property inspection report. |
| Where is the other parent, and who else is in India? | Where both parents are alive the rules generally expect both to apply, and the officer asks why other relatives in India cannot provide care. | Spouse's death certificate or their own application, and a family tree with statements and locations of every child and sibling. |
| Is the medical history credible in its timing? | Part 9 and the caseworker's credibility assessment treat reports dated just before the application, with no earlier treatment, as weak or contrived. | Treatment records going back years, pharmacy bills, hospital registration cards and insurance claims that show the condition pre-dates the plan to apply. |
| TB certificate and suitability | Applicants from India need a TB certificate for a stay over 6 months, and Part 9 covers previous breaches and undeclared refusals. | TB certificate from an approved clinic, declared refusals, and a note on any previous UK visits and timely departures. |
From the desk
Mistakes we see
From files Indian applicants have brought to the desk after a refusal, most frequent first.
| The mistake | What it costs | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| A doctor's report dated the same month as the application, with no earlier records | The officer treats the report as prepared for the visa and gives it little weight, so the care need under ADR 5.1 is not proved. | Build the file from years of treatment: specialist letters, discharge summaries, prescriptions and bills, then add a current assessment. |
| Arguing that the son or daughter can easily afford to look after you in the UK | Under ADR 5.2 the sponsor's money shows care is affordable in India, so the application is refused. | Focus on availability and suitability: show what care was tried in India and why it did not meet the need. |
| A general practitioner's letter instead of specialist evidence | The letter describes a condition but not a need for help with everyday tasks, so ADR 5.1 is not met. | Obtain reports from the treating specialist and an independent assessment of daily living needs by a geriatrician or occupational therapist. |
| No evidence that care in India was ever tried | The officer finds paid care is available in every Indian city and refuses under ADR 5.2. | Hire or approach carers and nursing homes, keep the contracts, quotes and withdrawal or refusal letters, and explain each failure. |
| Applying from inside the UK after arriving as a visitor | The route requires an application from outside the UK, so it is refused, and overstaying to pursue it is a Part 9 breach. | Return to India and apply from there, with the recent visit explained honestly. |
| Other children or siblings in India not mentioned | The officer finds that relatives nearby could provide care and refuses. | List every relative in India with a statement on their circumstances and why they cannot provide daily care. |
| Punjabi affidavits and hospital papers without certified translations | The documents are not considered, and the care history they describe is treated as missing. | Attach certified English translations with the translator's details for every document. |
| No signed 5-year maintenance undertaking or no inspection report | E-ECDR.3.1 and 3.2 are not met even where the care need is accepted. | Include the undertaking, 6 months of the sponsor's finances and an inspection report showing the room you will occupy. |
Step by step
Timeline
From the first document to the decision, in the order Indian applicants actually do it.
Step 1: Honest assessment of whether the route is realistic
Week 1Most applications fail on care being available in India. If you are still independent, a long-term Standard Visitor visa is the better path.
Step 2: Gather the medical and care history
Months 1 to 6, drawing on years of recordsCollect specialist reports, discharge summaries, prescriptions and an independent daily living assessment. Document every attempt to arrange care in India and its failure.
Step 3: Sponsor's finances, undertaking and accommodation
Month 26 months of payslips and statements, savings, the signed 5-year undertaking and a property inspection report. Add statements on the other parent and relatives in India.
Step 4: TB test
Month 2, within 6 months of applyingAttend an approved clinic in India and keep the certificate with the medical file. Bring the current prescriptions to the appointment.
Step 5: Complete the form and pay the fee
Month 3Pay £3,635 in rupees at the Home Office rate; no surcharge applies for indefinite leave to enter. Add £500 for the priority settlement service if time matters.
Step 6: Biometrics day
1 to 2 weeks after bookingVFS centres offer a mobile biometrics service for applicants who cannot travel, quoted case by case. Otherwise attend with a family member and the original medical file.
Step 7: Decision
12 weeks after biometrics, often the full periodThe officer may ask for further evidence or a verification of the medical reports. Answer within the deadline given.
Step 8: Passport return, travel or appeal
2 to 3 days after the decisionA grant is indefinite leave to enter, so travel within the vignette window and set up the eVisa. A refusal carries a human rights appeal with a short deadline stated in the letter, which needs a UK lawyer.
Home Office data
How Indian applicants fare
This is the route Indian families in the UK ask about for ageing parents, and the one we most often advise against. The test under Appendix FM E-ECDR.2.4 and 2.5 is not whether your children can support you, but whether you need help with everyday tasks such as washing, dressing and cooking, and whether that care is unavailable or unaffordable in India. Since India has paid carers and private hospitals in every city, the Home Office almost always finds care is available. The route has been described by the courts as among the most restrictive in the rules, and the large majority of applications are refused. Decisions take about 12 weeks and the fee is not refunded. Many families use a long-term Standard Visitor visa instead and accept the 6-month limit on each stay.
The rules
Eligibility
- You are the parent, grandparent, brother, sister or child aged 18 or over of a person who is British, settled, or has protection status in the UK (E-ECDR.2.1)
- As a result of age, illness or disability you need long-term personal care to perform everyday tasks (E-ECDR.2.4)
- That care is not available in India even with the practical and financial help of your sponsor, or is not affordable there (E-ECDR.2.5)
- Your sponsor can maintain, accommodate and care for you without public funds for at least 5 years (E-ECDR.3.1 and 3.2)
- Where both parents are alive, both must usually apply together unless one is clearly independent
- No Part 9 suitability issues, and a TB certificate from an approved clinic
- You are applying from outside the UK; the route cannot be switched into from a visitor visa
Checklist
Documents, named the Indian way
- Your passport and the sponsor's passport, settlement evidence or protection status
- Relationship proof: your child's birth certificate naming you, or school leaving certificate and family records
- Medical evidence from an Indian specialist (not a general practitioner letter) describing the condition, the daily tasks you cannot do and the prognosis, with hospital discharge summaries and prescriptions
- An independent assessment of your care needs, ideally by a geriatrician or occupational therapist
- Evidence of attempts to arrange care in India: quotes from care agencies and nursing homes, letters refusing or unable to provide the care, and why relatives nearby cannot help
- Sponsor's finances: 6 months of payslips and bank statements, savings, and a signed undertaking to support you for 5 years
- Accommodation evidence with a room for you and a property inspection report
- Evidence of your current living situation in India: who helps you now and why that cannot continue
- TB certificate and a medical declaration for any ongoing treatment
- Death certificate of a spouse or evidence of any other relatives in India and their circumstances
In rupees
Cost from India, in rupees
| Charge | GBP | INR |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Dependent Relative entry clearance (Appendix Adult Dependent Relative) application fee | £3,635 | ₹4,81,020 |
| UK Visa Desk all-in filing price, GST includedPaid to Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd. Home Office fees are paid by you on gov.uk. | ₹39,999 | |
| Required Home Office charges plus our filing price | £3,635 | ₹5,21,019 |
Fees from the Home Office table effective 8 April 2026, verified 8 October 2026; converted at 132.33 INR per GBP (8 October 2026). Pass-through charges paid on gov.uk; card and bank margins extra. Optional lines are not in the total.
Risk
Why Indian applications are refused
- E-ECDR.2.5: care is available in India through paid carers or nursing homes, and the sponsor can afford it from the UK
- E-ECDR.2.4: medical evidence shows a condition but not a need for help with everyday personal tasks
- Other family members in India could provide care, and no evidence shows why they cannot
- Sponsor's finances insufficient for 5 years of support, or the undertaking missing
- Applicant recently visited the UK and returned, suggesting independence and that care in India was working
- Part 9 and credibility: medical reports dated just before the application with no earlier treatment history
Adult Dependent Relative: long-term care need and care unavailable in India
The hardest family route. The officer accepted the parent is elderly or unwell but found that care is available in India (paid carers, hospitals, other relatives) and the UK sponsor could fund it from the UK. Almost all Indian ADR applications are refused on this paragraph.
What to fix: detailed medical reports describing the daily tasks the applicant cannot perform; evidence of attempts to arrange care locally and why it failed (letters from agencies, costs, the applicant's refusal of strangers due to dementia, for example); statements from every relative in India explaining why they cannot care.
Decode Appendix Adult Dependent Relative: ADR 4.1 to ADR 5.2Exclusion or deportation order in force
A mandatory refusal: you were deported from the UK or formally excluded, and that order is still in force. No visa can be granted until the order is revoked.
What to fix: apply for revocation of the deportation order (normally after 10 years, earlier only in exceptional cases) with a UK regulated adviser; do not submit new visa applications while the order stands; each refusal adds to the record.
Decode 9.2.1Presence not conducive to the public good
The officer considers your behaviour, character or associations make you unsuitable, for example extremism, serious dishonesty not covered by other paragraphs, or a pattern of conduct abroad. Used rarely but it is mandatory.
What to fix: obtain the full reasons (ask for the decision notice and consider a Subject Access Request); character evidence and clearance certificates; this ground usually needs legal representation.
Decode 9.3.1Free tools
Tools for this route
Fee calculator in rupees
Every Home Office fee and the health surcharge, totalled in rupees at a dated rate.
Processing times tracker
Standard, priority and super priority times for Indian applicants, updated monthly.
Refusal reason decoder
Paste the paragraph from your refusal letter and read what it means.
Questions
Questions Indian applicants ask
What are my realistic chances as a parent from India?ShowHide
Low. The Home Office refuses most applications because it finds paid care is available in India. Cases that succeed usually involve dementia, severe disability or conditions needing a family member rather than a paid carer, with years of medical records. We will tell you honestly before you pay £3,635.
Does my son or daughter's income help?ShowHide
Only for the maintenance test. For the care test it works against you: if they can afford a carer in India, the rule says care is affordable there. The question is whether suitable care exists at all, not whether they would rather you lived with them.
Can I apply from inside the UK after arriving as a visitor?ShowHide
No. The rules require an application from outside the UK. Applying in-country is refused, and overstaying to do so damages every future application.
Is the visa permanent if granted?ShowHide
Yes, when the sponsor is British or settled: you receive indefinite leave to enter, with no extensions and no further fees. If the sponsor has limited leave, you receive leave in line with theirs.
Do I pay the health surcharge?ShowHide
Not when you are granted indefinite leave on entry. If granted limited leave in line with a sponsor who is not yet settled, the surcharge applies for the length of that leave.
What is the alternative for parents who are still independent?ShowHide
A 2, 5 or 10 year Standard Visitor visa, spending up to 6 months at a time in the UK. Many families alternate between children in the UK and home in Punjab. It does not give settlement or NHS care, but it is granted far more often.
Can both parents apply together?ShowHide
Yes, and if both need care each pays the fee. If only one parent needs care and the other is their carer, the rules generally expect both to remain in India unless the carer parent also qualifies.
Is there an appeal?ShowHide
Yes. Refusals carry a human rights appeal to the First-tier Tribunal. Appeals on this route can succeed where family life evidence is strong, but they take a year or more from India and need a UK lawyer.
- Punjab licence: 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024valid to 22 July 2029
- CIN: U52291PB2024PTC060508Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd
Dataset dates: fees 8 October 2026. No outcome is guaranteed.
Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024. Applicants outside the UK only; applicants in the UK are referred to a regulated adviser.