d
c

The Ancestry visa route is open to those who are Commonwealth citizen’s and can evidence they have a grandparent who was born in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

Upon being granted this visa, you will be able work, study and have your dependants accompany you in the United Kingdom for a period of five years.

Once you have lived in the UK for a continuous period of five years on this route, you may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). Having ILR will enable you to be free from any immigration restrictions and live freely in the UK as a “settled” person.

The Ancestry visa has certain requirements regarding eligibility, validity, financial and suitability that must be met in order for the application to be successful.

If you would like further advice on this particular visa category, please do not hesitate to contact our Immigration team.

Case Study

A national of New Zealand had come to us for assistance as he was advised that he could not apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK in this category as he was unable to provide evidence which showed that he had been in employment or self-employment in the UK for the full 5 year period.  We had advised that there was no requirement for applicants with leave under the UK Ancestry visa category to show that they were continuously employed throughout the 5 year period. The requirement is for them to stay employed at the time of filing of the application or alternatively to show that they were seeking employment.

Further to our advice, our client successfully obtained indefinite leave to remain.

Contact our Immigration Team
telephone: 020 7691 4000
or email: enquiries@edwincoe.com

Ancestry Visas Team

Sundeep Rathod

Sundeep Rathod
Partner
Head of Immigration

Immigration
Chloe Ngan

Chloe Ngan
Paralegal

Immigration
  • Single page view

Immigration

Ancestry Visas

If you are a Commonwealth citizen and you have a grandparent who was born in the UK, you may be able to apply for a UK Ancestry visa subject to meeting the eligibility requirements. The Ancestry visa option is available to you if you meet the following criteria:
  • You are a Commonwealth citizens;
  • You are applying from outside the UK;
  • You are able to prove that one of your grandparents was born in the UK;
  • You are able and intend to work in the UK;
  • You are 17 or over; and
  • You have sufficient funds without needing recourse to public funds to support and accommodate yourself and any dependants in the UK.
Your ancestry As part of the application, you must show that you have a grandparent born in one of the following circumstances:
  1. a)     In the UK, including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
  2. b)    Before 31 March 1922 in what is now the Republic of Ireland
  3. c)     On a British-registered ship or aircraft.
You can claim ancestry if either you or the relevant parent:
  1. a)     Were adopted
  2. b)    Were born within or outside marriage in the UK.
It is important to note that UK ancestry cannot be claimed through step-parents.

2 Stone Buildings, Lincoln’s Inn,
London WC2A 3TH
Sat Nav: WC2A 3TL
DX 191 LDE

Tel: +44 (0)20 7691 4000
Fax: +44(0)20 7691 4111

Email: enquiries@edwincoe.com

Share by: