Apply for a UK Ancestry Visa – Do you have a Grandparent born in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, or on a British-registered ship/aircraft?
As a Commonwealth citizen with UK ancestral connections, the Ancestry Visa offers you the opportunity to live and work in the UK on a long-term basis.
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.
You must apply for an ancestry visa from your home country. You can contact our Cape Town or Melbourne offices to make sure that your application is successful.
Eligibility Critieria:
- You are a Commonwealth citizen
- You are aged 17 years or over
- You have a grandparent who was born in the UK
- You are able to work
- You intend to take employment in the UK
- You are able to support and house yourself and any dependants without recourse to any public funding
You may bring your spouse, partner and/or dependent children with you. They are allowed to stay for the same time as you are and there usually aren’t any restrictions relating to their employment.
Eligibility for Indefinite leave to remain after 5 years
Ancestry visas are issued for five years. At the end of that period, if you have lived in the UK continuously and you have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months of the last five years (known as ‘continuous residence’) you may apply for Indefinite leave to remain (ILR).
If you have an Ancestry visa that was issued before April 2006, this period will most likely be for four years. If your Ancestry visa is for four years, you may apply for a one year extension and then for ILR.
After spending 12 months on ILR, you may be eligible to naturalise as a British citizen and gain UK citizenship.
To check your eligibility call us on Tel: 020 7859 4527 | Whatsapp +44 7894 54 2613 | info@solutionvisas.com alternatively, book a free consultation and we will get in touch with you.
