Ancestry Visa – Quick Guide

Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

• Be a Commonwealth citizen aged 17 or over.
• Have at least one qualifying grandparent born in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, or Isle of Man.
• Intend to live and work in the UK.

Applicants must demonstrate that they can:

• Maintain and accommodate themselves in the UK without recourse to public funds.
• There is no fixed minimum financial requirement.
• Third-party financial support is acceptable where appropriate.

A successful applicant may:

• Work full-time.
• Study.
• Be self-employed.
• Undertake voluntary work.
• Bring eligible dependants.

• No access to public funds.

The following categories cannot switch into the UK Ancestry route from within the UK:

• Visitor
• Short-term Student
• Parent of a Child Student
• Seasonal Worker
• Domestic Worker in a Private Household

Applicants should normally provide:

1. 1Valid passport.
2. 2Applicant’s birth certificate.
3. 3Father’s or mother’s birth certificate
4. 4Grandparent’s UK birth certificate.
5. 5Evidence of intention to work in the UK.
6. 6Recent bank statements.
7. 7Evidence of accommodation.
8. 8Employment offer (if available).
9. 9Evidence of sponsor support (if applicable).
10. 10Tuberculosis (TB) certificate (where required).

Applicants are generally required to pay:

• Visa application fee.
• Immigration Health Surcharge (unless exempt).
• Biometric enrolment fee.

• Passing the Life in the UK Test.
• Meeting the English language requirement (Level B1), unless exempt.

Applications may be refused due to:

• Failure to prove the ancestral link.
• Missing or incorrect civil documents.
• Insufficient evidence of an intention to work in the UK.
• Inadequate maintenance or accommodation evidence.
• Incomplete supporting documentation.