The UK Ancestry visa offers Commonwealth and British Overseas citizens a pathway to live, work, and study in the UK if they can trace their ancestry to someone born in the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man.
Call our experienced solicitors at 02033939272 for more information about the Ancestry Visa application process.
The UK Ancestry Visa falls under the Family Visa Category. It allows Commonwealth citizens having at least one grandparent born in the UK to enter the country. You are allowed to live, work, and study in the UK for the duration of the five-year visa.
After five years, you can apply for an extension of your Ancestry Visa or for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), which allows you to live and work in the UK and opens up an opportunity to seek British citizenship.
To become eligible for an ancestry visa England, you must
You need to prove that your grandmother was born under one of these conditions:
Claim your ancestry if:
UK ancestry is not possible through stepparents
Some examples of Commonwealth countries are:
Botswana, Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Kingdom of Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and The Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Cyprus, Malta, United Kingdom, Pacific, Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
Applicants for a UK ancestry visa must be able to show that at least one of their grandparents was born in:
Adoption is another factor that can affect an individual’s eligibility for the UK Ancestry Visa. In such a situation, the application form must contain proof of legal adoption. But, you can’t use step-parents to apply for a UK Ancestry visa.
There is no specified minimum amount of funds that an Ancestry visa candidate needs to have on hand, according to the UK ancestry visa guidance. Instead, they should be able to demonstrate that they can support themselves and their families without relying on public assistance.
Your qualifying family members can also accompany you to the UK with an Ancestry visa. According to the UK immigration rules, a dependant might be either a spouse or a child of the primary applicant. Only children under the age of 18 may apply as dependents.
There are a lot of papers and proof points that you’ll need to provide with your UK Ancestry visa application. You will be instructed on which documents are required for submission; the following is an incomplete list of possible items:
Please keep in mind that the documents you need may change depending on your situation. We know it can be hard to get some of the proof you need to support your UK Ancestry visa. If you need our visa lawyers’ help, please call 02033939272 or fill out our contact form.
Before you go to the UK, you need to get an Ancestry visa, which you can do online. You can apply up to three months before you go to the UK.
To complete your online application, you must schedule a visit to a visa application centre to provide identification documents. During your appointment, you will have your fingerprints and photograph taken (known as ‘biometric information’).
While the visa application centre processes your request, they may retain your passport and supporting documents.
Whatever you need to do will be told to you when you apply.
You can enter the UK with your dependents if you have an Ancestry Visa. The following members of the family qualify as dependents:
Each dependent must apply separately to join you in the UK. They can also apply online and will also need to have their biometric info taken at the visa application center.
Your partner or child may be eligible to submit applications from within the UK if they are already in the United Kingdom on a visa that allows them to switch.
You must provide proof that you are in a legally recognised marriage or civil partnership in the UK, or that you have been living together for at least two years, in order for your spouse to accompany you.
The UK ancestry visa cost is £531. Additionally, applicants are required to pay £19.20 for a biometric residence permit (BRP) and the NHS healthcare surcharge.
Additionally, applicants must pay the NHS healthcare fee upfront. Each adult pays £1035 a year, and children pay £776 a year. Ancestry visa holders and their dependent family members are able to access the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) due to the healthcare surcharge.
If your local visa application centre offers priority service (decision within 5 working days) or super-priority services (decision by the end of the next working day), you may be able to pay an extra £500 or £800, respectively, for these options. With the regular application process, it takes three weeks to process.
A British Ancestor visa allows you to:
You can’t:
To apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK, you must provide evidence of continuous five-year residency. So, you can’t have spent more than 180 days away from the UK in any one year over the last five years. Also, keep in mind that candidates must have a sincere desire to work in the UK. Therefore, it’s risky to spend a lot of time outside the UK since it can give the impression that this isn’t your aim, which could affect your visa.
To extend your stay in the UK by another five years, you can submit an extension application. You have to apply before your current visa expires. If you continue to satisfy the criteria, you are allowed to extend this visa indefinitely.
After you’ve spent five years in the UK on this visa, you’ll be eligible to apply for permanent residency. When you renew your visa, it won’t immediately extend your partner’s or child’s visa. If they do not extend their visa, it will remain valid until the original expiration date.
They have the option to apply simultaneously with you or at any point before the expiration of their present visa.
To extend the British ancestry visa you have to pay £1,258 application fee and the healthcare surcharge fee.
With the Ancestry Visa, you can stay in the UK for up to five years before applying for indefinite leave to remain. It is important to mention that in order to receive ILR, you will need to fill out a detailed application. To apply for British citizenship, you must stay in the UK for a minimum of twelve months after acquiring ILR.
Please note that the application for ILR must be submitted online and should not be submitted more than 28 days before the expiration of your current visa. To complete the application process, you must visit your nearest UKVCAS office to submit biometric information, which includes a photo, signature, and fingerprints.
If you want to apply for ILR, you have to show that:
If you are applying for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK on an Ancestry visa, you must show proof that you have been continuously employed or actively seeking employment for the last five years.
The following situations may result in the denial of an application for a UK Ancestry visa:
Here are some primary things to consider if your UK Ancestry visa is refused:
If your application has been denied, our immigration lawyers are here to assist and represent you. We will advise you on the appropriate course of action to take to have your application approved based on the reason for the rejection. Call our immigration attorneys at 02033939272 or send us an email to get in touch.
At Rees Clayton Immigration Solicitors, our team of highly experienced and qualified solicitors specialises in helping individuals secure a UK Ancestry Visa. We work closely with you to assess whether your heritage qualifies you for this visa, and, if necessary, we will assist in locating and retrieving family history records to submit to the Home Office as evidence.
In addition to reviewing your documents and completing your application with our expert knowledge, we provide a personalised Letter of Representation. This letter, written by one of our solicitors, supports your application by referencing relevant UK immigration laws, case studies, and supporting documentation, greatly enhancing your chances of success.
To speak with a professional immigration lawyer, contact us online or call us at 02033939272. For more information, please also explore our FAQs below.
After five years of lawful residence in the UK, you may be eligible for an extension of your UK Ancestry Visa.
This will extend your stay in the UK by five more years.
If you have not yet made a final decision on your future in the UK but would like to spend more time there, you can apply for an extension of your Ancestry Visa.
You are allowed to live, study, and work in the UK for a maximum of five years if your application is approved for a UK Ancestry Visa.
Additionally, you will be allowed to go to the UK with family members. Remember that while in the UK, you are not allowed to use public funds with this visa.
Commonwealth citizens with British ancestry who are 17 years of age or older can apply for an ancestry visa to the United Kingdom. You can only qualify if your grandfather was born in the United Kingdom, the Isles of Man, or on a British-registered ship or aircraft.
The cost for applying Ancestry Visa is £531. In addition, you may be forced to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, which allows you to use the NHS. Additionally, each dependent you plan to bring with you must pay the same application fee.
After five years, you may request a five-year UK ancestry visa extension. You may request an extension as frequently as you would like, but each time you will have to demonstrate that you are still eligible in accordance with all conditions.
One pathway to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is through the UK Ancestry Visa. After holding an Ancestry Visa and residing in the UK for five years, you may be eligible to apply for ILR. Obtaining ILR grants you the right to live in the UK permanently and is an important step toward becoming a British citizen.
For more information about UK visas for Commonwealth citizens, please feel free to contact us at 02033939272.
