Ancestry Visa

Ancestry Visa

To be eligible for the Ancestry visa, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

1 Commonwealth Citizen. - you are a Commonwealth citizen (53 member countries).

2 Apply from your Country of Residence. - you apply for the visa from your country, outside the UK.

3 Grandparent born in the UK. - you can prove that one of your grandparents was born in the UK.

4 Work in the UK. - you can work in the UK and intend to work in the UK.

5 Age. - Aged 17 years or over.

6 Funds. - you have sufficient funds available to support and accommodate yourself and any dependents, without assistance from public funds.

Grandparents - Ancestry Visa

You must prove that you have a grandparent that was born in 1 of the following circumstances:

• Born in the UK, including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man or
• Born before 31 March 1922 in what is now the Republic of Ireland
• Born on a British-registered ship or aircraft.

You can claim ancestry if:

• You or your parent were adopted
• Your parents or grandparents were not married

Note that you cannot claim UK ancestry through step-parents.

British Citizen with the Right of Abode

Right of Abode - If you have the right of abode then you are completely free from United Kingdom Immigration Control. The right of abode exists for all British citizens, a select group of Commonwealth citizens and citizens of certain other countries. If you have a right of abode then the Home Office issues a Certificate of Entitlement to right of abode in the United Kingdom, as a sticker, that is fixed in a valid passport.

The British Nationality Act 1981 came into force on 1 January 1983 and after that date you will have the right of abode in the UK if, immediately prior to that date, any of the following situations apply:

• You were a citizen of the UK and Colonies and acquired your citizenship by being born, adopted, naturalised or registered in the United Kingdom.
• You were a citizen of the UK and Colonies and your parent was at the time of your birth or legal adoption, a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies by being born, adopted, naturalised or registered in the United Kingdom.
• You were a citizen of the UK and Colonies and your parent qualified for the right of abode under the above situation.
• You were a citizen of the UK and Colonies at any time prior to 1 January 1983, and had been living in the UK for 5 years or more without a break.
• You were a citizen of the UK and Colonies and were then, or had previously been, the wife of a man with the right of abode in the United Kingdom.
• You were born in the UK after 31 December 1982 and one of your parents was then a British citizen or legally settled in the United Kingdom.
• You were born outside the UK after 31 December 1982 and at the time of your birth one parent was a British citizen other than by descent.
• You were registered or naturalised as a British citizen after 31 December 1982.

Commonwealth Citizen with the Right of Abode

If you have been a citizen of a Commonwealth country up to 1 January 1983 and, immediately prior to that date you will have a right of abode as a Commonwealth citizen if either of the following situations apply:

• You were a Commonwealth citizen with a parent who, at the time of your birth or legal adoption, was a citizen of the UK and Colonies and acquired their citizenship by being born in the United Kingdom.
• You were a Commonwealth citizen and are, or were, the wife of a man with the right of abode in the UK.

Citizenship Application Process

• Apply to the Home Office for the issue of your British passport, with documentary evidence.
• Applicant must demonstrate knowledge of life in the United Kingdom. This means that the applicant must pass the 'Life in the UK' test.

Office Address and Telephone - VisaConnect UK

Contact VisaConnect's Consultants at our London, UK office below:

VisaConnect Immigration Consultants UK
124 City Road
EC1V 2NX
UK

Telephone: (+44) 207 193 2327