UK Ancestry Visa

UK Ancestry Visa – Overview
The UK Ancestry visa allows Commonwealth citizens with a UK-born grandparent to live and work in the UK for up to 5 years. This visa is popular for those looking to establish long-term residence and eventually apply for settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain).

Who Can Apply?
To be eligible for a UK Ancestry visa, you must:

• Be a Commonwealth citizen
• Be aged 17 or over
• Have at least one grandparent born in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, or in Ireland (before 31 March 1922)

Be able and planning to work in the UK

Be able to support and accommodate yourself (and any dependants) without needing public funds

Note: You can claim ancestry through legitimate or adoptive grandparents, but not through step-grandparents.

What You Can Do on a UK Ancestry Visa
Work (employed, self-employed or freelance)

Study

• Bring dependants (spouse/partner and children)
• Apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after 5 continuous years in the UK
• Apply for British citizenship after gaining ILR and meeting the requirements

What You Cannot Do

• Access public funds (e.g., benefits or housing assistance)
• Claim UK ancestry through great-grandparents

Visa Length and Extension

• Initial visa granted for 5 years
• After 5 years, you can apply for settlement (ILR) if you meet the continuous residence and other requirements
• If you’re not ready for ILR, you can extend your visa

Financial Requirements

• No minimum income threshold, but you must show you can support yourself and any dependants without relying on public funds
• You may need to provide bank statements, employment offers, or evidence of job-seeking efforts
• Fees (as of 2025)
  Visa application fee: £682
• Immigration Health Surcharge: £1,035 per year (5 years = £5,175)

Path to Settlement
After 5 continuous years in the UK, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) if you:

• Have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period
• Pass the Life in the UK Test
• Meet the English language requirement (B1 level)