Work visas · IAA-regulated advice
UK Ancestry Visa Advice in Birmingham & London
Live and work in the UK for 5 years, then settle, if you’re a Commonwealth citizen with a grandparent born in the UK. We check you qualify, trace your evidence back to your grandparent and prepare your application, for a fixed fee agreed in writing.
Last checked 11 October 2026 · Reviewed by Vishal Gautam, IAA-regulated adviser
Overview
What is a UK Ancestry visa?
A UK Ancestry visa lets a Commonwealth citizen with a grandparent born in the UK live and work here for 5 years. You don’t need a job offer or a sponsor, and there’s no English test for the visa itself. You can do any kind of work, including self-employment, and you can study.
After 5 years you can apply to settle (indefinite leave to remain), or extend for another 5 years. Your partner and children can come with you. You must apply from outside the UK: you can’t switch to this visa from another visa unless you’ve held a UK Ancestry visa before.
✓This is your visa if…
- You’re a Commonwealth citizen, a British overseas territories citizen, a British overseas citizen or a British national (overseas)
- A grandparent was born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, or in what is now Ireland before 31 March 1922
- You’ll be 17 or over when you arrive, and you can and plan to work in the UK
- You can support and house yourself and your family without public funds
Quick check
Could you qualify? Six questions, one minute
Answer honestly. Nothing is saved or sent: this is a general guide, not advice on your case.
Are you a citizen of a Commonwealth country, or a British overseas territories citizen, British overseas citizen or British national (overseas)?Citizens of Zimbabwe can also apply.
Was one of your grandparents born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man?Ireland counts if they were born there before 31 March 1922. So can a UK-registered ship or aircraft.
Can you show the family link with birth certificates, from you to your parent to your grandparent?Plus marriage certificates or a deed poll if anyone changed their name, and adoption papers if relevant.
Will you be 17 or over on the date you plan to arrive in the UK?There’s no upper age limit. Under 18s need parental consent.
Can you work, and do you plan to look for and take work in the UK?You don’t need a job offer. Part-time, self-employed or voluntary work can count.
Can you support and house yourself and your family without claiming benefits?There’s no set amount. Credible support from a relative or friend can count.
Eligibility
UK Ancestry visa requirements
You must meet every requirement on the day you apply, and again each time you extend or apply to settle.
Nationality and age
- A citizen of a Commonwealth country, including Zimbabwe
- Or a British overseas territories citizen, British overseas citizen, British national (overseas) or British subject
- Aged 17 or over on the date you plan to arrive in the UK; if you’re under 18, you need your parents’ consent
- A TB test if you’re applying from a listed country
You don’t need to have been a Commonwealth citizen from birth. Your partner and children don’t need to be Commonwealth citizens.
Your UK-born grandparent
- Born in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
- Or born in what is now Ireland before 31 March 1922
- Or born on a ship or aircraft registered in the UK or belonging to the UK government
- A biological grandparent, or one through a legal adoption. It doesn’t matter if your parents or grandparents weren’t married, but step-grandparents and great-grandparents don’t count
Born in a British overseas territory, a former colony or a military base abroad? That doesn’t count.
Able and planning to work
- You must be able to work and intend to look for and take a job in the UK
- You don’t need a job offer: job applications, offers or a business plan can show your plans
- Any work counts: any skill or salary level, full or part time, self-employed or voluntary
There’s no upper age limit, but older applicants still need to show they can and will work.
Supporting yourself
- Enough money to support and house yourself, and any family with you, without public funds
- Credible promises of support from a relative or friend can be taken into account
- You must meet this again when you extend and when you apply to settle
There’s no published figure, so it’s a judgement call: we look at your savings, job prospects and housing together.
Your partner and children
- Your husband, wife, civil partner or partner of 2 years can join you, and so can your children under 18
- Each family member applies separately and pays their own fee and health surcharge
- Their visas end on the same date as yours, and they can work and study
- They can apply to settle at the same time as you, without their own 5-year qualifying period
Children born in the UK during your stay aren’t automatically British, and need their own visa.
Documents
UK Ancestry visa documents: the easy part
Most people can list the documents. Refusals come from the links between them: every certificate must connect you to your grandparent without a gap.
What everyone needs
- Your passport, showing your Commonwealth citizenship
- Your full birth certificate
- Full birth certificates of the parent and grandparent your claim is based on
- Evidence of your plans to work, such as job offers or a business plan
- £Proof you can support yourself and your family, such as bank statements
- Proof of your relationship, if your partner or children apply
Plus marriage certificates or a deed poll if anyone changed their name, adoption papers if relevant, a TB test if you’re applying from a listed country, and certified translations of anything not in English or Welsh.
Costs & timeline
UK Ancestry visa cost and processing time
From outside the UK, the Home Office fee is £726, plus the health surcharge of £5,175 for the 5-year visa. Most decisions from outside the UK take 3 weeks.
| Home Office application feefirst visa, applying from outside the UK | £726 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge5 years at £1,035 | £5,175 |
| Home Office total, per adultbefore TB test and translations | £5,901 |
| Home Office application feeextending for another 5 years | £1,407 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge5 years at £1,035 | £5,175 |
| Home Office total, per adultbefore TB test and translations | £6,582 |
Home Office fees from the fees table in force from 8 October 2026 and GOV.UK; health surcharge from GOV.UK, checked 11 October 2026. The surcharge is £776 a year for anyone under 18. Each family member pays their own fee and surcharge. Settlement costs £3,226 per person, with no surcharge. You may be able to pay for a faster decision. Our consultation fees →
Gather your family records
Before you applyBirth certificates for you, your parent and your grandparent, plus anything that explains a change of name.
Apply and give biometrics
Up to 3 months before you travelOnline application, fee and surcharge paid, then fingerprints and photo at a visa application centre.
Decision
Usually within 3 weeksThen live and work in the UK for 5 years. Extensions in the UK usually take about 8 weeks.
Settle (ILR)
After 5 yearsNo more than 180 days abroad in any 12 months, English at B1 (B2 from 26 March 2027) and the Life in the UK test. Or extend for another 5 years.
British citizenship
When you’re eligibleOnce you’re settled, you can apply to become British when you meet the residence and other requirements.
Avoid a refusal
Common UK Ancestry visa refusal reasons
Most refusals come down to the family paper trail, not eligibility. These are the issues we check first.
A gap in the paper trail
The certificates must show a clear line from you to your parent to your grandparent. A missing certificate, a name change or a spelling difference can break it.
We check: every link, and what explains each difference.
A birthplace that doesn’t count
A grandparent born in a British overseas territory, a former colony or on a military base abroad doesn’t qualify. Nor does a birth in Ireland after 31 March 1922.
We check: exactly where and when your grandparent was born.
Certificates the Home Office doubts
Caseworkers check that certificates are genuine and relate to you. Details that don’t match, or a certificate used before by someone else, lead to further checks.
We check: your records are official copies, and explain anything unusual.
No real plan to work
You must show you can and will look for work in the UK. Saying so isn’t enough without something to back it up.
We check: your evidence of job searching, offers or self-employment plans.
Not enough money shown
There’s no set figure, so the Home Office judges whether you can live without public funds. Evidence must be recent, within 31 days of applying.
We check: your savings, support and housing add up for your family.
Trying to switch in the UK
You can’t switch to a UK Ancestry visa from a visitor, student or other visa in the UK unless you’ve held one before.
We check: whether you must apply from abroad, and the best time to do it.
How we help
Our UK Ancestry visa services
Choose a one-off consultation, or let us handle your application from start to finish for a fixed fee.
Eligibility consultation
We check your nationality, your grandparent’s birthplace and your family records, and tell you what’s missing.
Evidence review
We check your certificates, work plans and finances against the Rules.
Full application
We prepare and submit your application, and your family’s, with a cover letter that sets out how you qualify.
Extension and ILR
We help you extend, or apply to settle after 5 years.
Our scope: we’re regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority at Level 1. If you’re refused, we explain your options, including administrative review, and refer you to a solicitor or higher-level adviser where your case needs a higher level of advice.
FAQs
UK Ancestry visa questions, answered
My grandparent was born in Ireland. Does that count?
Yes, if they were born before 31 March 1922, anywhere in what is now Ireland. A grandparent born in Northern Ireland counts whatever the date, because it’s part of the UK.
Do I need a job offer?
No. You must be able to work and intend to look for and take work in the UK, but you don’t need a job lined up. Full-time, part-time, self-employed and voluntary work can all count.
How much money do I need?
There’s no fixed amount. You must show you can support and house yourself and any family with you without public funds. Support from a relative or friend can count, and your evidence must be dated within 31 days of applying.
Can I switch to a UK Ancestry visa if I’m already in the UK?
Not usually. You must apply from outside the UK, unless you’ve been granted a UK Ancestry visa before. If you’re here on another visa, you’d need to leave and apply from abroad.
Is there an English test or an age limit?
There’s no English test for the visa itself, and no upper age limit: you must be 17 or over when you arrive, with parental consent if you’re under 18. To settle, you need English at B1 (B2 if you apply on or after 26 March 2027), unless you’re under 18 or 65 or over.
Can my partner and children come with me?
Yes. Your partner and children under 18 can apply as your dependants, and they don’t need to be Commonwealth citizens. They can work and study, and can apply to settle at the same time as you.
What can I do after 5 years?
You can extend for another 5 years (£1,407), or apply for indefinite leave to remain (£3,226). To settle you must still meet the visa requirements, have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months, and pass English and the Life in the UK test. You can apply up to 28 days before you reach 5 years.
What if my application is refused?
You can ask for an administrative review if you think the Home Office made a caseworking error. It costs £80 and must be made within 28 days if you applied from outside the UK, or 14 days if you applied in the UK. We explain your options and whether a fresh application would be better.
Related routes
Other work and settlement routes
Ready when you are
Home, sorted.
Book a consultation, or start with the free quick check on this page.