UK Ancestry visa Overview You can apply for a UK Ancestry visa if you: are a Commonwealth citizen (Botswana, Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Cyprus, Malta, UK, Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu) are applying from outside the UK are able to prove that one of your grandparents was born in the UK are able and planning to work in the UK meet the other eligibility requirements You must prove that: are 17 or over have enough money without help from public funds to support and house yourself and any dependants can and plan to work in the UK Show that you have a grandparent born in 1 of the following circumstances: in the UK, including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man before 31 March 1922 in what is now the Republic of Ireland on a British-registered ship or aircraft You can claim ancestry if either you or your relevant parent: were adopted were born within or outside marriage in the UK *You can’t claim UK ancestry through step parents. How long it will take The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel. Example: You can apply from 16 March if you plan to travel on 15 June. You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK. You can check the guide processing times to find out how long getting a visa might take in your country. Fees Your UK Ancestry visa will cost £516. You may also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. Check how much you’ll have to pay before you apply. How long you can stay You can stay in the UK for 5 years on this visa. You can apply to extend your visa. You can also apply to settle in the UK permanently. What you can and can’t do You can: work 1 Achieve Education, Rowlandson House, 289-293 Ballards Lane, London, N12 8NP Tel.: 020 8004 9900, Email: [email protected], Website: www.achieveeducation.com study bring family members You can’t: change (‘switch’) into this visa if you’re already in the UK on another visa get public funds Family members Your family members (‘dependants’) must apply to join or remain with you in the UK if they’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. A ‘dependant’ is any of the following: your partner your child under 18 your child over 18 if they’re currently in the UK as a dependant They may also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of their application. Check how much they’ll have to pay before they apply. Dependants applying outside the UK Your family members must apply online. They’ll need to have their fingerprints and photograph (known as ‘biometric information’) taken at a visa application centre as part of their application. They may be able to get their visa faster or other services depending on what country they’re in - check with the visa application centre. North Korea Your family members can’t apply online if they’re applying from North Korea. Each family member will need to make their own application. They must: download the application form and guidance - they can read the guidance if they need help filling in the form read the instructions to find out where they need to take their completed form Dependants applying in the UK Your dependants can apply to extend or switch their visas to stay with you if they’re already in the UK. They should apply using the dependant application form. It’s best to send your dependant’s application at the same time as yours but they can apply at a later date. Members of your family can’t apply in the UK as your dependant if they hold a visitor visa. Children born while you’re in the UK If you have children while you’re in the UK, you can apply for permission for them to stay. You must do this if you want to travel in and out of the UK with your child. Complete the application form and send a full UK birth certificate showing the names of both of your child’s parents. 2 Achieve Education, Rowlandson House, 289-293 Ballards Lane, London, N12 8NP Tel.: 020 8004 9900, Email: [email protected], Website: www.achieveeducation.com .