uk ancestry
Visa

You can apply for a UK Ancestry visa if you are one of the following: 

• A Commonwealth citizen.
• A British Overseas citizen. 
• A British Overseas Territories citizen. 
• A British National (Overseas). 
• A citizen of Zimbabwe.

You must also be able to prove that you have a grandparent born in one of the following circumstances: 

• In the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
• Before 31 March 1922 in what is now Ireland. 
• On a ship or aircraft that was either registered in the UK or belonged to the UK government. 

You must also meet the following requirements: 

• You are aged 17 or over.
• You can and plan to work in the UK. 
• You have enough money to support yourself and any dependants in the UK. 

When you apply for a UK Ancestry visa, you will need to have enough money to: 

• Pay the visa application fee – It costs £637 to apply. 
• Pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) – The IHS costs £1,035 per year, or £776 per year for under-18s. 
• Support yourself in the UK – There is no set amount of funds you must show, but you will need to show that you are able to support and house yourself and any dependants in the UK without help from public funds. 

note:

The visa application fee and the IHS must also be paid for any accompanying dependants.

You must apply online for a UK Ancestry visa before you travel to the UK. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel. 

As part of your online application, you will need to book an appointment at a Visa Application Centre to prove your identity. At your appointment, you will have your photograph and fingerprints taken (known as your ‘biometric information’). 

Once you have applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you will usually receive a decision within 3 weeks if you have applied from outside the UK. 

If you are applying to extend your UK Ancestry visa from inside the UK, you will usually receive a decision on your application within 8 weeks. 

You may be able to pay for a faster decision using the Home Office priority services. 

You can stay in the UK for 5 years on a UK Ancestry visa. After 5 years, you may be able to apply to extend your visa for a further 5-year period, or apply to settle permanently in the UK (Indefinite Leave to Remain), if you are eligible.  

With a UK Ancestry visa, you can:

• Work (your work can be paid or voluntary, full-time or part-time, and employed or self-employed). 
• Study.
• Bring your partner or child.

You cannot:

• Switch to this visa if you came to the UK on a different visa. 
• Access public funds.

If you think you are eligible for a UK Ancestry visa and require support with the application process, Smith Stone Walters can help. Our dedicated Private Client team can assess your eligibility for this route and provide support with the entire process from application to delivery of your visa.

To find out how we can help, please contact us today.