UK Ancestry visa

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	UK Ancestry visa
Stay	5 years
Entry application cost	£726
Extension cost	£1,407 per person
Settlement (ILR) cost	£3,226 per person
Healthcare surcharge	Required as part of application
Eligibility timing	Apply up to 3 months before travel
Decision processing time	Usually 3 weeks from outside UK
Work rights	Allowed; employed, self-employed, or voluntary
Study rights	Allowed
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel facility	Multiple entry permitted
Citizenship pathway	Eligible for settlement, then British citizenship
Family sponsorship	Eligible partners and dependent children permitted
Visa switching	Cannot switch into this visa
Visa record	Not stated in the source

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Purpose and Overview

The UK Ancestry visa allows eligible Commonwealth and British nationals with UK-born grandparents to live, work, and study in the UK for up to 5 years.

To qualify, you must be one of the following:

• A Commonwealth citizen
• A British overseas citizen
• A British overseas territories citizen
• A British national (overseas)
• A citizen of Zimbabwe

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must prove that they:

• Are 17 years of age or older.
• Have sufficient funds without recourse to public funds to support and house themselves and any dependants.
• Can work and plan to work in the UK.

Ancestry Rules

You must show that at least one grandparent was born in one of the following circumstances:

• In the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man.
• In what is now Ireland before 31 March 1922.
• On a ship or aircraft registered in the UK or belonging to the UK government.

Ancestry exceptions and conditions:

• You can claim ancestry if you or your parents were adopted, or if your parents or grandparents were not married.
• You cannot claim ancestry through step-parents.

Rights and Conditions

Permitted Activities

• Work: You may undertake paid or voluntary work, full-time or part-time, as an employee or in self-employment.
• Study: You may pursue educational courses.
• Family: You may bring your eligible partner and children.

Prohibited Activities

• You cannot access most benefits (public funds).
• You cannot switch into this visa from inside the UK if you arrived on a different visa route.

Family Provisions (Partners and Children)

Your partner and children can apply to join or stay with you in the UK as dependants.

Eligible Dependants

• Partner: You must be in a UK-recognised marriage/civil partnership, have cohabited for at least 2 years, or show an ongoing 2-year committed relationship if living together was not possible.
• Children under 18: Must live with you (unless in full-time boarding education), be unmarried, have no children, and be supported without public funds.
• Children 18 and older: Eligible only if they were already in the UK as your dependant before turning 18 and do not live an independent life.
• Children born in the UK: Do not automatically acquire British citizenship; a dependant visa must be obtained before they turn 18 to allow travel.

Dependant Rights

• Dependants can study, travel abroad, and work (except as a professional sportsperson or coach).
• Dependants cannot access public funds or the State Pension.

In-Country Dependant Switching Restrictions

Dependants cannot switch to this visa within the UK if they currently hold leave as a visitor, short-term student, parent of a child student, seasonal worker, domestic worker in a private household, are on immigration bail, or hold leave outside the immigration rules. Student visa holders may only switch if they completed their course or completed at least 24 months of a PhD.

Documents Required

When applying, you must provide:

• A valid passport or travel document.
• Your full birth certificate.
• Full birth certificates of the parent and grandparent on whom the ancestry claim is based.
• Evidence of your plan to work (e.g., job offers or a business plan for self-employment).
• Financial evidence (e.g., bank statements dated within 31 days of submission).
• Relationship proof for any dependants applying with you.

Additional documents (if applicable):

• Marriage certificates, civil partnership certificates, or deed polls showing name changes.
• Legal adoption certificates.
• Tuberculosis (TB) test results (depending on country of residence).

Extending the Visa

• You may apply to extend your visa for an additional 5 years as many times as you like, provided you continue to meet the eligibility requirements.
• Fee: £1,407 per person plus the healthcare surcharge.
• Processing Time: Usually within 8 weeks.
• Application: Must be completed online before your current visa expires.

Permanent Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain)

After 5 continuous years of residence in the UK on an Ancestry visa, you may qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).

ILR Eligibility

• Continuous residence with no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period.
• Continued Commonwealth citizenship and ongoing intention to work in the UK.
• Passing the Life in the UK Test and meeting English language requirements (for applicants aged 18 to 64).
• Adequate maintenance funds without public funds.

ILR Fees and Times

• Fee: £3,226 per person (Super Priority service available for an extra £1,000 to receive a decision within 1–2 working days).
• Processing Time: Standard service takes up to 6 months.
• When to apply: Earliest application is 28 days before completing the 5-year qualifying period.
• Application: Must apply online from within the UK.

Settlement grants the right to live, work, study, access public funds, and apply for British citizenship (usually after holding ILR for 12 months). Staying outside the UK for more than 2 consecutive years may result in the loss of ILR status.

How to Apply

1. Initial Application (Outside the UK):
   • Apply online via the UK Visa application portal up to 3 months before your planned travel date.
   • Pay the £726 fee and the immigration healthcare surcharge.
   • Book an appointment at a visa application centre to submit biometric information (fingerprints and photo).
   • Standard decision time is approximately 3 weeks.
2. In-Country Extensions & ILR:
   • Submit the online form and book an appointment with UKVCAS to submit biometrics and supporting documents.
   • Assisted digital support is available for applicants needing technical help with online forms.

Important Warnings

• Travel restrictions during processing: You must not travel outside the Common Travel Area (the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man) while an in-country extension or settlement application is pending. Leaving the area causes the application to be automatically withdrawn.
• Application timing: Always submit extension applications before your current permission expires to protect your legal status. Do not apply for ILR earlier than 28 days before completing your 5-year qualifying period.