The ancestry visa allows people who have at least one British grandparent to move to the UK. Under the ancestry visa the applicant can live and work in the UK. It also entitles the applicant to bring dependants, such as children or a spouse, with them to the UK and allows holders to live, work and study in the UK.
There are a number of requirements to satisfy for an ancestry visa, but perhaps the most important is that the applicant must be able to prove that at least one of their parents or grandparents was born in the UK. Furthermore, the applicant must intend to work in the UK and have enough money - without help from public funds - to support and house themselves and any dependants. Although the applicant does not have to be in full time employment throughout their stay in the UK, when extending their visa or applying for settlement, the Home Office will expect to see evidence of genuine employment or attempts to gain employment throughout the applicant’s time in the UK.
Please note that although the applicant could be eligible for an ancestry visa if they were adopted, having British step-parents does not qualify the applicant for an ancestry visa.
A successful applicant for an ancestry visa will normally be granted Leave to Remain for an initial period of 5 years. An applicant can apply for indefinite leave to remain (“settled status”) if he or she meets the relevant requirements, including the requirement not to have been absent from the UK for more than 180 days per year during the period in which they had leave to remain. After a year with settled status, an applicant may be eligible to apply for naturalisation as a British citizen and a British passport. Please note that the requirements for naturalisation are different from those required to gain settled status.
Gherson has over 29 years experience in assisting clients with their Immigration matters. We have team of experts that work with clients to understand their unique circumstances and tailor advice accordingly.
Should you require assistance in applying for an ancestry visa or advice on any of your immigration matters, please contact us or call +44 (0)20 7724 4488
The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please don’t hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.
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