Ancestral visas

 
(please scroll down for more info)
Rules
You must show that you:

  • are a Commonwealth citizen
  • are aged 17 years or older
  • have a grandparent who was born in the United Kingdom* and islands
  • are able to work and intend to take or seek employment in the United Kingdom
  • are able to support and accommodate yourself and any dependants adequately without any recourse to public funds

* Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, and for persons born before 31 March 1922 only, the Republic of Ireland.

You must obtain an entry clearance (which is like a visa and endorsed in the passport) prior to travelling to the United Kingdom for this purpose. Applications for entry clearance must be made to the visa section of the British High Commission.

Applications will be processed as quickly as possible, priority being given to personal callers. It is important that the documentation referred to in this section is provided with the application. Prospective travellers are strongly recommended not to purchase airline tickets before the resolution of the application for entry clearance.

This site contains only a brief guide. It does not cover all the rules for entry. The law is mostly in the Immigration Act 1971 and the Statement of Changes in the UK Immigration Rules. The rules for going to the UK are different if you are a national of another member state of the European Economic Area (the memher states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), or if you have relatives based in the UK or if you claim British citizenship

You will be granted entry for a period of four years on arrival in the UK and you will not need a work permit.

How to apply

You must apply at the British Mission in the country where you are living and you will need to present the following:

1. Completed and signed application form IM2A (Questions 1-27) and IM2D.
2. A valid passport (preferably six month's validity plus previous passports if you have them. Temporary or emergency passports are not acceptable)
3. Two passport-size photographs
4. Evidence of funds (e.g. your recent and current bank statements) to show how much money is available to you and under your control in the United Kingdom.
5. Final and full unabridged birth certificate (B I- 19) of yourself, your parent(s) and grandparent who was born in the UK.
6. Evidence that there is employment available for you in the UK, or evidence - including your employment references, your qualifications and feedback-from prospective employers to show that you are able to and intend to work in the UK.
7. Evidence that accommodation is available for you in the UK (e.g. Tenancy agreement or renting authority letter)
8. Your contact address and telephone number in this country.
9. Application fee: Payment must be made in cash or postal orders. Cheques are not accepted. Fees are not refundable and applications will not be processed until the correct fee has been received.

If one of Your parents was born in the UK you might he a British citizen or have right of abode in the UK. This means that you would be free from UK Immigration Control. You should read leaflet INF7 for more details.

Additional Information

If you are married and have children under 18 and your dependants intend to accompany you to the UK, separate applications must be admitted. Application forms IM2A and IM2D should be completed and a fee is charged per applicant. Original, full unabridged marriage (B1-36) and birth certificates (B1-19), as applicable, must be submitted. You will be asked to submit evidence that you can maintain and accommodate your dependants without recourse to public funds. Public funds are certain state benefits:

  • housing under the homeless legislation
  • income support
  • family credit
  • council tax benefits
  • housing benefit

Entrance to the United Kingdom on the basis of Ancestry is for the purpose of employment. You do not need a work permit when you arrive in the United Kingdom with a UK ancestry entry clearance and should be granted entry for a period of four years. You will be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain after four years, provided you continue to meet the requirements of the Rules of Ancestry and have spent a continuous period of four years in employment in the United Kingdom in this capacity.

Fee : Payable in cash or postal orders only. Fees are non-refundable.

Customs and Excise

Advice on importing personal effects and goods into the UK may be obtained from:

HM Customs and Excise
Dorset House
Stamford Street
London
SEI 9PY

Immigration Advisory Service (IAS)

The IAS is an independent charity that gives free and confidential
advice, assistance and representation to persons who are applying
for entry clearance for the UK. Their address is:

Count House
190 Great Dover Street
London
SEI 4YB
Phone : 0944 207 357 6917
Duty Office (24hrs) : 0944 208 814 1559
Fax : 0944 207 378 0665

Tell a friend: