Member

The expansion of the definition of who can sponsor child relatives without any financial requirements, noting another tabled amendment, aims to remove the requirement that children should not be living an independent life from the child/relative route. The existing appendix to the child/relative route already allows a close relative with protected status in the UK to sponsor a child to stay with or join them, but only when there are serious and compelling circumstances. This could be in a situation where the child has no family other than the close relative or where the relative could reasonably be expected to support or care for the child. I would argue to the Committee today that, to uphold the integrity of that route, it is essential that it is for children only.