Ancestry Visa

Ancestry Visa

The UK ancestry route is for Commonwealth citizens aged 17 years or over who are looking to live in the UK, and who have a grandparent who was born in the UK or Islands. A UK ancestry visa is essentially a visa that will allow a Commonwealth citizen with qualifying ancestral links to the UK to live and work in the UK for an initial period of 5 years.

Are you eligible for a UK ancestry visa?

You may be eligible to apply for a UK ancestry visa if you are any one of the following:

• a Commonwealth citizen
• a British overseas citizen
• a British overseas territories citizen
• a British national (overseas)
• a British subject
• a citizen of Zimbabwe

In broad terms, you must also prove that one of your grandparents was born in the UK, or the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, and meet the other eligibility requirements.

UK ancestry visa requirements

To be eligible for a UK ancestry visa, you must meet the following requirements:

• be aged 17 and over
• be a qualifying citizen
• be able to prove that one of your grandparents was born in the UK or Islands before 31 March 1922 or on a British-registered ship or aircraft. 
• be able and planning to work in the UK
• be able to satisfy the financial requirement.

To complete an Ancestry application you will have to pay a fixed Home Office application fee and you will also be liable to pay an immigration health surcharge to be able to access the UK’s NHS. This is calculated on an annual basis, payable upfront, for the length of your visa.

Main information regarding the Ancestry Visa: 

• The earliest that you can apply for an ancestry visa is 3 months before you travel.
• If your application for a UK ancestry visa is approved, you will be allowed to bring eligible family members to live with you in the UK. This means that any spouse, partner and dependent children can apply to accompany or follow to join you on this route. - Any dependants must apply separately and pay the application fee. They will also each be liable to pay the healthcare surcharge. Dependants will usually be granted the same period of leave as the main visa applicant and can also take up employment.
• The UK ancestry visa is a route to settlement in the UK, also known as indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after 5 years of continuous residence in the UK having held an Ancestry visa. This means that, provided you meet the eligibility requirements for ILR, you will be able to settle in the UK on a permanent basis, without any time restrictions.

What if my ancestry visa application is refused?

There are various reasons why an application for an Ancestry Visa may be refused, for example, where you have failed to prove that you are actively seeking work or where you have been unable to locate your grandparent’s original birth certificate.

However, in the event that your Ancestry Visa application is refused, there is no right of appeal. You will only be able to ask UKVI for an Administrative Review of their decision where you believe that the initial decision was incorrect. We can assist with this should it be the case. 

Which are the Commonwealth countries?

The following countries are part of the Commonwealth Countries and citizens of these countries may be eligible to apply for the Ancestry Visa:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• The Bahamas
• Bangladesh
• Barbados
• Belize
• Botswana
• Brunei Darussalam
• Cameroon
• Canada
• Cyprus
• Dominica
• Fiji Islands
• The Gambia
• Ghana
• Grenada
• Guyana
• India
• Jamaica
• Kenya
• Kiribati
• Lesotho
• Malawi
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Malta
• Mauritius
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Nauru
• New Zealand
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Papua New Guinea
• Samoa
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• Singapore
• Solomon Islands
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Swaziland
• Tonga
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Tuvalu
• Uganda
• United Kingdom
• United Republic of Tanzania
• Vanuatu
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Need assistance?

Securing a UK Ancestry Visa can be life changing. With so much at stake, you will need to ensure you complete the application form correctly and provide all necessary supporting documents to evidence your eligibility. As UK leading immigration specialists, the Private Immigration Team at Duncan Lewis Solicitors provides expert guidance on all aspects of the UK ancestry visa, including advice on eligibility and applications and routes to UK settlement and citizenship. If you have a question about the ancestry visa, kindly contact us at 0333 772 0409 or e-mail us at privateimmigration@duncanlewis.com / businessimmigration@duncanlewis.com.