Ancestry Visa
The UK Ancestry Visa allows certain Commonwealth citizens (and other eligible nationalities) to live and work in the UK if they have a grandparent who was born in the UK (or certain other qualifying places). It is a five-year visa that may lead to settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain, ILR) if you meet the continuous residence and other requirements.
Who Can Apply
You may be eligible if you:
- Are 17 or over.
- Are a Commonwealth citizen, British Overseas citizen, British Overseas Territories citizen, British National (Overseas), or citizen of Zimbabwe.
- Can prove a grandparent was born in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, or in the Republic of Ireland before 31 March 1922, or on a UK-registered ship or aircraft.
- Can support and house yourself (and any dependants) without needing public funds.
- Plan to work in the UK (self-employment or employment).
Required Documents
You will need to submit:
- Valid passport or travel document.
- Full birth certificate of yourself; and birth certificates of parent & grandparent on which claim is based.
- Proof of your intention to work (e.g. job offers, business plan, CV).
- Proof of financial maintenance (recent bank statements) for you (and dependants if applicable).
- Additional documents if names have changed (marriage certificate, deed poll), adoption papers where relevant.
- TB test clearance (if you’re from a country that requires this).
- Proof of relationship for partner or children applying as dependants. GOV.UK+1
Duration, Residence & Settlement
- Once granted, the Ancestry visa is valid for 5 years.
- After 5 years’ continuous residence in the UK on Ancestry leave, you may apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), provided you’ve not been absent more than 180 days in any 12-month period.
- If you don’t quite meet all the criteria by the 5-year mark, you may extend your ancestry leave and continue working toward ILR.
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Applying / Processing Time
- You can apply online, and if outside the UK you may apply up to 3 months before travel.
- You’ll need to attend a visa application centre to provide biometric information (fingerprints, photo).
- Decision time is typically 3 weeks for applications from overseas.
Bringing Your Family
- You may bring your spouse or civil partner, unmarried partner (if cohabiting for 2 years), children under 18 and some children aged 18+ who have been dependants already.
- Dependants must also meet maintenance and accommodation requirements.
- Dependants have rights to work, study, and travel.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who qualifies for a UK Ancestry Visa?
A citizen of a commonwealth country, who is 17 or older, and one of his grandparents was born in the UK, qualifies for an ancestry visa.
How can ICONIQ Solicitors help with a UK Ancestry Visa application?
At ICONIQ Solicitors we can assist you with your ancestry visa by providing guidance on eligibility and documentation which will make the process smoother, more efficient and stress-free.
What documents prove ancestry?
The key documents required to prove ancestry are as follows:
- Grandparents birth certificate
- Parent’s birth certificate
- Applicant’s own birth certificate
Can dependants join the main applicant?
Yes, dependents can join the UK provided that there is financially stability to support the dependants without recourse to public funds.
Does the Ancestry route lead to ILR?
The ancestry route leads to ILR after having lived in the UK for a continuous period of 5 years. The residency requirement, character requirement, English language and evidence of working in the UK without recourse to public funds must be proven.
What if birth/adoption records are missing?
It is possible to locate documents from ancestry archives. A request can be put in for data and the appropriate bodies will then locate the grandparent’s birth certificate.