Petition · past parliament · Home Office

Allow single/widowed parents of British Citizens to live in the UK as dependants

Closed 895 signatures

What the petition asks

Allow single / widowed parents of British Citizens to be granted leave to come to the UK as an adult dependant, as long as their British child is ordinarily resident in the UK, is able to support them financially and with suitable accommodation, without recourse to public funds.
British Citizens are only able to sponsor a spouse, minor dependants and elderly parents provided they require full time care. The process to do so is arduous in comparison to our EU counterparts. For British Citizens, this is unfair and can be traumatic, particularly if their single / widowed parent is left alone in another country.

Path to citizenship: Yes, 5 year route.
Right to work: Yes, although not required for settlement. Financial requirement in the absence of work.
Pay NHS surcharge: Yes

Timeline

3 Aug 2020 Petition opened for signatures
3 Feb 2021 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 895
Status Closed
Department Home Office
Opened 3 Aug 2020
Closed 3 Feb 2021

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.