The UK Ancestry visa is available to Commonwealth citizens and British Overseas citizens who can trace their ancestry to a grandparent born in the UK (including the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man). Holders can live, work, and study in the UK, and can bring eligible family members with them. The visa initially grants a stay of 5 years, after which holders can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for a UK Ancestry visa, applicants must:
- Be aged 17 or over
- Be a Commonwealth citizen, British Overseas citizen, British Overseas Territories citizen, British National (Overseas), or citizen of Zimbabwe
- Apply from outside the UK
- Be able to prove that a grandparent was born in the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man
- Intend to work in the UK
- Have sufficient funds, without relying on public funds, to support and house themselves and any dependants
Commonwealth countries include: Botswana, Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Kingdom of Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, India, Malaysia, Maldives, 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, United Kingdom, Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
Grandparent requirement. Applicants must show that at least one grandparent was born:
- On a British-registered aircraft or ship, or
- In the UK, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands, or
- Before 31 March 1922, in what is now the Republic of Ireland
Applicants can also qualify where they, or the parent through whom ancestry is claimed, were legally adopted — in which case adoption evidence must be included. Migratia notes that ancestry claimed through a step-parent does not qualify under this route.
Financial requirement. There's no fixed sum applicants must hold. Instead, they must demonstrate they can support and accommodate themselves and any accompanying family without turning to public funds.
Bringing Dependants
Ancestry visa holders can bring eligible family members with them. Under the immigration rules, a dependant is defined as a partner or child of the main applicant — only children under 18 qualify as dependants under this route.
How to Apply
The application process generally involves:
- Completing the online Ancestry visa application before travelling to the UK (applications can be submitted up to three months ahead of travel). Each dependant must apply separately to join the main applicant
- Uploading the required supporting documents
- Paying the application fee, healthcare surcharge, and BRP fee
- Booking an appointment at a visa application centre in the applicant's home country to provide biometrics (photo and fingerprints) for the biometric residence permit (BRP)
Decisions are typically issued within 3 weeks.
Required Documents
Migratia advises preparing the following supporting evidence, noting the exact requirements will depend on individual circumstances (this list is not exhaustive):
- A current passport or other valid travel document
- A full birth certificate
- Full birth certificates for the parent and grandparent through whom ancestry is being claimed
- Evidence of an intention to work in the UK, such as a job offer or business plan for self-employment
- Evidence of sufficient funds to support the applicant and any dependants, such as a bank statement dated within 31 days of submitting the application
- Evidence of any name changes for a parent or grandparent since birth, such as a marriage certificate or deed poll
- Legal adoption papers, where applicable
- A TB test certificate, depending on country of origin
- A marriage or civil partnership certificate, where a spouse or civil partner is joining the applicant
Migratia recognises that gathering the right evidence — particularly historical family records — can be genuinely difficult, and our immigration solicitors are on hand to help applicants put together a complete, well-supported application.
Cost
The application fee for the Ancestry visa is £682. On top of this, applicants must pay the NHS Immigration Health Surcharge.
Healthcare surcharge. Currently £1,035 per year for each adult and £776 per year for anyone under 18, this grants Ancestry visa holders and their dependants access to NHS services.
Priority processing. Where available at the relevant visa application centre, applicants can pay an additional £500 for a decision within 5 working days, or £1,000 for a decision by the end of the next working day — compared with the standard 3-week processing time.
What You Can and Can't Do
On a UK Ancestry visa, holders can:
- Work for any employer, in any role
- Study
- Bring immediate family members to the UK
Holders cannot:
- Switch into this route from another visa while already in the UK
- Access public funds, such as welfare benefits
Time spent outside the UK. Anyone planning to apply for ILR will need to show 5 years of continuous UK residence, meaning no more than 180 days spent outside the UK in any single year of that period. Since applicants must genuinely intend to work while in the UK, Migratia notes that spending extended periods abroad could call that intention into question and put the visa at risk.
Extending or Renewing the Visa
Anyone wishing to stay beyond the initial 5-year period, but who cannot or does not intend to apply for ILR at that point — for example, due to unspent criminal convictions — can apply online to extend or renew their Ancestry visa before their current permission expires. Dependants can be included in the same extension application if applying at the same time.
The visa can be extended as many times as needed, provided the applicant continues to meet the eligibility requirements. The current extension fee is £1,321, plus the NHS healthcare surcharge.
Route to ILR and Citizenship
After 5 years of continuous residence on an Ancestry visa, holders can apply for ILR — though this isn't granted automatically, and a full application is required. Once ILR has been held for at least 12 months, applicants can then apply for British citizenship.
The ILR application is completed online, and Migratia advises against applying more than 28 days before the current visa expires. Applicants will also need to attend a UKVCAS appointment to provide biometric information (photo, signature, and fingerprints).
To qualify for ILR, applicants must show that they:
- Have sufficient funds to support themselves and their dependants
- Intend to work in the UK
- Remain a Commonwealth citizen
- Have passed the Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK requirement
- Meet the English language requirement (for example, a CEFR qualification at level B1 or above in speaking and listening)
As part of the ILR application, applicants must also provide evidence that they have been genuinely working, or actively seeking work, throughout their 5 years on the Ancestry visa.