Ancestry Visa

Who can apply for a UK Ancestry visa?

A UK Ancestry visa is granted to a Commonwealth citizen who can prove a grandparent was born:

• • • in the UK
    • the Channel Islands
    • the Isle of Man or
    • the Republic of Ireland, if born prior to 31 March 1922.

An applicant must be 17 with no upper age limit and have an intention to work in the UK.

An ancestry visa enables you to live, study and take employment in the UK.

The Ancestral Visa is issued for 5 years and leads to settlement.

Subject to meeting the British nationality requirements, an individual can apply to become a British citizen after holding indefinite leave to remain (settlement) for a further 12 months (less if married to a British citizen). 

Ancestry Visa UK holders are able to sponsor their partners and dependent children to the UK.

The British Ancestry Visa provides an opportunity for those with ancestral connections to the UK to sample life in the UK to live, work and study, and, thereafter, to settle or become British citizens, bringing the family genealogy full circle. 

Requirements for individuals with a grandparent born in the UK

The ancestry visa UK rules are otherwise as follows:

1. 1. 1. are a Commonwealth citizen aged 17 or over
      2. be able to work in the UK and intend to do so 
      3. have a grandparent born in the UK, and
      4. are able to maintain and accommodate themselves and any dependants without recourse to public funds.

Commonwealth nationals

A Commonwealth national includes the following:

• • • British overseas territories citizen
    • British National (Overseas)
    • British Overseas Citizen

Click here for a list of Commonwealth countries.

Live, work, and study in the UK for up to 5 years

The key benefit of the UK Ancestral visa is that it allows an individual to live, work and study for up to 5 years in the UK, followed by the option to settle (apply for indefinite leave to remain) and, thereafter, naturalise as a British citizen if they choose to do so. 

An applicant for a UK Ancestry visa does not require a sponsor and is therefore not dependant on another person to come to the UK. Furthermore, they do not require sponsorship from an employer to work in the UK and can work restriction free in any occupation, for any employer.

An individual in the UK on the basis of UK ancestry can also engage in self-employment, either as a sole trader, a partner, or through a limited company. 

For those wishing to study, a student sponsor is not required but they must also intend to engage in economic activity, i.e. work. 

The UK Ancestry Visa entitles the holder to use the National Health Service but they are not permitted to use claim public benefits save in  very limited circumstances. 

UK Ancestry visa process and fees

An Ancestry Visa UK application must be submitted from abroad through submission of an online visa application.

The cost of an ancestry visa and average processing times are:

Once the online application has been submitted and the appropriate fee paid, the applicant must then upload the supporting documents and attend a biometrics appointment through VFS, a third party provider. 

Bring family members to the UK

The Ancestry Visa UK rules enable an applicant to sponsor their partner to the UK. The definition of partner includes a spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner. Dependent children can also be sponsored.

Opportunity to apply for permanent residency

Applicants will need to show that they have been continuously resident in the UK throughout the 5 year duration of their UK Ancestry Visa. This means that they cannot have been here without permission or  have been absent for a 180 days in any 12 month period. 

Sometimes the most challenging aspect of applying for settlement after 5 years stay can be demonstrating an intention to work in the UK if there have been significant periods of unemployment. The UK Ancestry Visa does not require an individual to work throughout the 5 years, but they must demonstrate an intention to work in the UK.

Applicants for indefinite leave to remain must pass a Life in the UK Test.

Some nationalities may also need to satisfy a basic English language requirement.

Pathway to British citizenship

Once the applicant with UK ancestry has obtained indefinite leave to remain, they may wish to apply to naturalise as a British citizen. 

If you are married to a British citizen, this application can be made upon securing ILR, otherwise you will need to hold permanent residence for 12 months before applying.

How we can help

We can assist with your UK Ancestry Visa application for initial entry or indefinite leave to remain. We will collate your evidence and prepare the application for you based on our extensive experience. 

We will be your representative before the Home Office.

Occasionally, applicants are unable to provide the original evidence needed for an application. We can assist in gaining copies of official documents from the National Archive where possible.

We will guide you from start to finish to ensure a successful outcome to your application. 

About the Author

Evan is a solicitor and founding partner of RLegal Solicitors, having practiced immigration law since 1991. His expertise covers all aspects of corporate and private UK immigration work.