My mother is not a UK citizen and lives abroad. She lives alone and is getting quite frail and elderly. I've supported her for many years. Can I bring her to live with me in the UK?

This information applies to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

You may be able to bring your mother to the UK but, in most circumstances, there are strict conditions that you and she will have to meet. Most importantly, you must have permanent rights to live here yourself, and your mother must be financially dependant on you and have no close relatives to turn to in her home country.

UK immigration law is complex and getting it wrong has serious consequences. It is always advisable to consult a specialist adviser. To find out more, see Help with immigration problems.

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Other Frequently asked questions about immigration:

• I'm a British citizen, and I want to marry my girlfriend who is from abroad and in the UK on a student visa. Do we need to do anything special about her status in this country?
• I came to the UK on a visitor's visa and would like to stay here to do a degree. Will I be allowed to do this?
• My uncle lives in a country where there is a lot of political unrest and violence. He says he's getting afraid to leave the house, and wonders if he could come to the UK for a while until things calm down a bit