Savings threshold for financial dependent relative?

[Razza]

Hi experts,

My British wife's father is retired and mother is officially retiring in a few months time. They live in Abu Dhabi so once the employment ends, they must leave. Once retired, they will have no other income, pension or property, just some savings. We have evidence of sending them some money regularly for over a year such that their savings aren't depleted significantly with only one earner.

Is there a threshold for the amount of savings that they need to have to be deemed financially dependent? With their current lifestyle, medical issues, and the need to relocate to their respective home countries (they have passports from Pakistan and Bangladesh) in order to apply for a visa, their savings might last about 6 months to a year. Is the ECO looking for a figure closer to 3 months? Is the ECO looking for any particular figure?

Thanks for your help.

[geriatrix]

What is the intention - to visit UK or settle in the UK as older dependant relative(s) of a British citizen (your wife)?


regards

[Razza]

'Apologies for not clarifying. This is for settlement of both parents in the UK. They have never had any problems obtaining visit visas - this has meant that they (especially my retired father-in-law) have been able to help us out on numerous visits with looking after our 4 year old who has ongoing long term medical needs. It would be a real shame if we couldn't help them out when their sole income stream ceases.

[geriatrix]

See also Older dependant relatives.


regards

[Razza]

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately I only wrote to the forum after reading all the related posts but couldn't find any figure, subjective or otherwise.

I believe the most relevant point is:

payments from the sponsor are essential to help the applicant achieve a reasonable life style;

But what's not clear is at what point they should apply for the settlement visa? At the point when their savings have dropped below what is essential to achieve a reasonable life style, or a few months before this point to pre-empt how long the application process will take? If they don't apply whilst still in Abu Dhabi, then they would have to live separately in two different countries from where they would apply for their respective visas - they don't have any home or financially well off relatives to speak of, so this could be very traumatic.

So, should they apply with 6 months worth of savings? Or 3 months or even 0 months?

Thanks for bearing with me...

[geriatrix]

If you are under the impression that providing evidence that the savings of the applicant(s) have become less than / fallen to, let's say, GBP X pounds is sufficient enough for the ECO to be convinced that the applicant(s) meet the eligibility requirements then, IMHO, you haven't understood the requirements clearly.

One of key requirements is:

(iii) is financially wholly or mainly dependent on the relative present and settled in the United Kingdom;

Note the use of "is", rather than "will be"!

As long as they have savings / income, they may be considered financially independent - unless it can be proved that the sponsor has been providing significant financial support to the applicant(s) since the savings / income isn't enough for a "reasonable lifestyle". How long such savings last or whether any income is sufficient to maintain a "reasonable lifestyle" is subject to what is defined as a "reasonable lifestyle" in the country of residence of the applicant.

In simple words and to put it bluntly, you have to prove to the ECO that it is the sponsor's money that's ensuring a roof on the applicant's head, pays for their sustenance and with no other relative(s) to take care of the applicant in the hour of need, it is in the interest of both the sponsor and the applicant that the settlement visa be approved.

In short, there is no ball figure that one must aim for! It is the financial dependence (wholly or mainly) on the sponsor that is key!

This is one visa that is perhaps the most difficult to obtain!


regards

[Razza]

Thanks for the clarification. It's really appreciated.

To take your argument forward, it sounds like they must leave the country and relocate, hence incurring relocation expenses (x2) likely to impact their savings further.

Couldn't we argue that we have already contributed to their savings, without which, would have reduced their real savings further (at the point of application)? And of course, not withstanding the emotional/stress overhead, we could argue that our ongoing contributions to support both parents in two different countries would be higher than if they were in one place i.e. with us in the UK.

It also sounds like providing them some money regularly up till now wouldn't necessarily be a strong argument in our favour. Unless we argue that if we hadn't paid it up till now, we would have only had to pay to cover their living costs later on after relocation.

Or perhaps we should declare our contributions as a liability which should be repaid back to us (or just transfer all the contributions back), and therefore reduce their actual savings further. I know it sounds harsh but if we hadn't transferred the money, their savings would of course be considerably less.

We really do want to avoid them relocating because that would be traumatic for both. They have never lived apart in their 30+ years of marriage.

[geriatrix]

Emotion / trauma / stress aren't the factors that will influence ECO's decision - for an ECO every settlement application that comes to him/her has an element of stress / trauma / emotion from both ends (sponsor + applicant). You may invoke a feeling of empathy from the ECO, but perhaps nothing more!

The ECO will make a decision only when, on the balance of probabilities, he is satisfied that the applicant(s) satisfy the specified immigration requirements.

I understand your perspective "will eventually meet the requirements (in the immediate or near future) because the savings will go down and dependence will eventually follow", but again, as I have previously mentioned, "will meet" is not the crietria. What is key is that the applicant(s) meet(s) the requirements on the date of the application .... supported by documentary evidence to substantiate the claims made.

If you wife has any siblings (anywhere in the world), expect it to be even more difficult (e.g. - why can't siblings provide support?)



regards