Commonwealth citizens who are 17 years or older who wish to reside in the UK and have grandparents born in the UK or the Islands may apply for an Ancestral Visa UK. For the first five years, a Commonwealth citizen with qualifying ancestral ties to the UK can reside and work on a UK ancestry visa.
With an ancestry visa, you are usually not restricted in what kind of work you can do. You can work in the UK at any skill level or job. You may choose to work for an employer in an employed capacity, or you may want to start your own company so that you can work for yourself. Unlike other visa alternatives that fail to provide the same flexible employment options, these UK visa types even allow you to do both.
You can volunteer and pursue your studies while working or actively searching for employment. You can live and work in the UK without limitations without a UK Ancestry Visa. It also gives you the chance to bring family members along and study. After five years, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. After a year, you can then apply for a British citizenship.
Conditions for Eligibility for a UK Ancestry Visa
The UK Ancestry visa requirements include,
1) You must be at least 17 years old.
2) Be a Zimbabwean citizen, a British national, a Commonwealth citizen, a British overseas citizen, or a British Overseas Territories citizen.
3) Apply from outside the United Kingdom.
4) Show proof that one of your grandparents was born in the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, or the United Kingdom.
5) Think about seeking employment in the UK.
6) Have enough money to support and house you and any dependents without the need for government assistance.
The requirement for Work
The employment criteria for a Ancestry visa is that you must be able and intend to work in the UK. You do not need to be employed when applying, but you must show that you intend to work in the UK and have a good chance of getting hired. If required, proof of onward travel for Visa applications may be needed to prove your intention to depart the UK when applying for a visa.
The requirements for dependants
You can also go to the UK with your qualifying family members with an Ancestry visa. According to the Ancestry visa rules, a dependent is the spouse or child of the primary applicant. Please be aware that children under 18 are only eligible to apply as dependents.
The financial requirement
The Home Office UK Visa guidelines state that applicants for an Ancestry visa is not required to possess a certain quantity of money. Instead, they should demonstrate that they can support and care for themselves and any accompanying family members without having to apply for government assistance
The grandparent requirement
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Applicants must demonstrate the following for a UK Ancestry visa: at least one of their grandparents was born in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man. Before March 31, 1922, they must be born in the Republic of Ireland. They were born aboard a British-registered ship or aircraft.
If someone is adopted, they or their parents may also apply for the UK Ancestry Visa. Applicants must submit proof of legal adoption on their application form. It is important to remember that stepparents cannot be used to apply for a UK Ancestry visa.
How to Submit an Application
The following is the application procedure for the Ancestry visa.
1) Fill out the online1Ancestry visa application at least three months before your expected arrival in the UK. To join you in the UK, each of your dependents will have to submit a different application.
2) Add any supporting papers that you may need to provide.
3) Pay the BRP fee, healthcare surcharge, and application fees.
4) Schedule a meeting with a visa application center in your nation of residence. Your fingerprints and photo are required for enrolment in order to use them for your biometric residency permit. A decision about your application will be sent to you in three weeks.
Required Documents
You will be required to provide a variety of supporting documents as part of the Ancestry visa application procedure.
1) For a UK Ancestry visa, you may need to submit your current passport or another appropriate travel document as instructed.
2) Your original birth certificate.
3) The original birth certificates of your parents and grandparents serve as the foundation for your application for a Ancestry visa.
4) You may use a bank statement as proof that you can support yourself and your dependent family members in the UK. This must be dated within 31 days of submitting your application.
5) Proof that you intend to work in the UK could be a business plan if you work for yourself or a job offer.
6) If your parents were adopted, you will need to submit legal adoption documents.
7) If your parents or grandparents changed their names since birth, you must provide suitable proof of this change, such as a marriage certificate or a deed poll.
8) If your spouse or civil partner will join you, your marriage certificate or civil partnership paperwork.
9) Certificate of TB test.
Cost of a UK Ancestry Visa
The UK Ancestry visa cost is 531 pounds. A biometric residence permit price of 19.20 pounds and the NHS healthcare premium must also be paid by applicants.
You can pay an extra 500 pounds for the priority service or 800 pounds for the super-priority service.
Processing Duration for the UK Ancestry Visa
Three weeks are needed to process the application for the Ancestry Visa. You will receive a decision regarding the priority service in five working days. You will receive a decision regarding the super-priority services by the end of the next business day.
Renewal or Extension of UK Ancestry Visa
If you plan to stay beyond the initial five years, you can apply online to renew or extend your UK Ancestry Visa before your current leave expires. Those who cannot or do not plan to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years of continuous residence in the UK can apply for an Ancestry Visa extension and renewal.
You must do this before your existing visa expires to extend your Ancestry visa UK. If your dependent family members are also applying at the same time, you can include them as well. You can extend your Ancestry Visa multiple times if you meet the eligibility requirements.
Applicants must pay the NHS healthcare surcharge in addition to the 1048 pounds cost to extend their Ancestry visa.
Conclusions
Please be aware that documentation needed may change depending on your circumstances. Getting some of the proof you need to back up your UK Ancestry visa may be challenging. A private employee may need to apply for a UK Domestic Worker Visa separately if you intend to bring them while on a UK Ancestry Visa.