Commonwealth citizens who are 17 years or older who wish to reside in the UK and have grandparents who were born in the UK or the Islands may apply for an Ancestral Visa UK. For the first five years, a Commonwealth citizen having qualifying ancestral ties to the UK can reside and work in the country on a UK ancestry visa.
With an ancestry visa, you are usually not restricted in what kind of work you can do. You will be able to work in the UK at any skill level and in any kind of 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 will be permitted to volunteer and pursue your studies while working or actively in search of employment. You can live and work in the UK without any limitations if you have 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, or a British overseas citizen or 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 UK Ancestry visa is that you must be able and intend to work in the UK. You do not need to be employed at the time of application. This implies that you need to be able to demonstrate that you want to work in the UK and that you 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 of a UK Ancestry Visa Holder
You can also go to the UK with your qualifying family members if you have an Ancestry visa. According to the UK Ancestry visa rules, a dependent is the spouse or child of the primary applicant. Please be aware that children under the age of eighteen are the only ones eligible to apply as dependents.
The financial requirement of the UK Ancestry Visa
The Home Office UK Visa guidelines state that an application for an Ancestry visa is not required to possess a certain quantity of money. They should instead demonstrate that they can support and care for themselves and any accompanying family members without having to apply for government assistance.
The grandparent requirement for the UK Ancestry Visa
The following must be demonstrated by applicants for a UK Ancestry visa is that 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 what is now the Republic of Ireland. They were born aboard a British-registered ship or aircraft.
If someone is adopted, either they or their parents may also apply for the UK Ancestry Visa. Applicants in this situation 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 for a UK Ancestry Visa
The following is the application procedure for the UK Ancestry visa.
1) Fill out the online1Ancestry visa application. This needs to be done 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 for a UK Ancestry Visa
You will be required to provide a variety of supporting documents as part of the UK Ancestry visa application procedure.
1) Your current passport or another appropriate travel document may be one of the documents you are instructed to submit for a UK Ancestry visa.
2) Your original birth certificate.
3) The original birth certificates of your parents and grandparents, which serve as the foundation for your application for a UK Ancestry visa.
4) A bank statement may be used as proof that you are able to provide for your dependent family members and yourself in the UK. This needs to be dated within 31 days of the application submission date.
5) Proof that you intend to work in the UK could be a business plan if you will be working for yourself or a job offer.
6) If your parents were adopted, you will need legal adoption documents.
7) Suitable proof of this change, like a marriage certificate or a deed poll, is required if your parents or grandparents have changed their names since birth.
8) If your spouse or civil partner will be joining you, your marriage certificate or civil partnership paperwork.
9) Certificate of TB test.
Cost of a UK Ancestry Visa
Applying for 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 might be able to 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 UK 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 longer than the initial 5-year period, you can apply online to renew or extend your UK ancestry visa before the end of your current leave. Those who cannot or do not plan to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years of continuous residence in the UK are eligible for a UK Ancestry Visa Extension and Renewal.
You have to do this before your existing visa expires in order to extend your Ancestry visa UK. If your dependent family members are also applying at the same time, you can include them as well. According to the rules, you can extend your Ancestry visa UK as many times as necessary and as long as you fulfil the eligibility requirements.
The NHS healthcare surcharge must be paid by applicants in addition to the 1048 pounds cost to extend their Ancestry visa.
Take note
Please be aware that depending on your circumstances, the documentation needed may change. 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.