UK Ancestry Visa

To qualify for this visa, you must meet specific criteria regarding your nationality, your family tree, and your intentions once you arrive in the UK.

• Nationality: You must be a Commonwealth citizen. This includes citizens of countries like Australia, Canada, South Africa, and India, as well as British Overseas citizens, British Overseas Territories citizens, British Nationals (Overseas), and citizens of Zimbabwe. You can qualify even if you became a Commonwealth citizen through naturalization rather than birth.
• Age: You must be 17 years or older on the date you submit your application.
• Ancestry: You must prove that at least one of your grandparents was born in the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man. You also qualify if your grandparent was born in the Republic of Ireland before March 31, 1922, or on a British-registered ship or aircraft.
• Work Intention: You must be able and intending to work in the UK. While you do not need a job offer before you apply, you must demonstrate that you are physically capable of working and that you plan to seek employment or start a business.
• Financial Maintenance: You must show that you have enough money to support yourself and any family members joining you without relying on public funds (government benefits). There is no fixed minimum balance, but you must prove you can cover your initial housing and living costs.

Ancestry Nuances

The ancestry requirement is strictly limited to grandparents. You cannot apply based on a great-grandparent or a more distant relative. However, the rules do recognize adoption and births outside of marriage, provided the legal relationship can be documented. You do not need to prove your grandparent was a British citizen; you only need to prove they were born in the qualifying territory.