ANCESTRY VISA
If you are a Commonwealth citizen and you have at least one grandparent born in the UK, you may be able to apply for an Ancestry visa. You must intend to work in the UK after your arrival.
Your Ancestry visa will be granted for up to 5 years, after which you can settle in the UK.
To apply for an Ancestry visa, you must satisfy all of the requirements below. You must:
- Be a Commonwealth Citizen.
- Provide proof that one of your grandparents was born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. Your grandparent can be a biological grandparent or a grandparent by adoption.
- Be able and planning to work in the UK.
- Be over 17 years old.
Maintenance
You must have sufficient funds for your maintenance in the UK without recourse to public funds. If you are applying with your dependents, you must be able to support them too.
You should note that the following conditions will apply to your stay in the UK in this category.
You will be permitted the following activities on your Ancestry visa:
- Work and study in the UK
- Bring your dependent family members
- Extend your visa
- Settle in the UK
You will not be able to do the following in the UK on your Ancestry visa:
- Claim public funds (most benefits)
- Switch to Ancestry visa from another visa category in the UK
Fairmont Lawyers can provide you with professional legal assistance every step of the way to obtain an Ancestry visa.
FAQ
The earliest you can apply is 3 months before your travel to the UK.
No. Ancestry visa can only be applied for outside the UK.
If you or your parents were adopted, you can apply for an Ancestry visa. Unfortunately, the rules do not extend to stepparents or stepchildren.
Yes. One of the conditions of this category is that you are will work in the UK after your Ancestry visa is granted. This includes starting your own business in the UK. When you apply to extend your visa or settle in the UK, you will need to show that you worked during the time you have spent in the UK in this category.
The current visa application fee for a Representative of an Overseas Business visa (from October 2021) is £516. The Immigration Healthcare Surcharge (IHS) is £624 per each year of the visa unless you are exempt. The Home Office reviews its fees and these may be subject to increase in the future.
It takes around 3 weeks to get a decision on an application for Ancestry visa from outside the UK.
However, some delays may occur depending on your individual circumstances or the Home Office/UKVI.
You may be able to choose Priority Service, subject to availability. You will need to pay an additional fee to use this service, and the cost depends on the visa center.