The UK Ancestry visa is for Commonwealth and British Overseas citizens and nationals with a grandparent who was born in the UK (or the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man).
As a Commonwealth citizen with a UK-born grandparent, you might be eligible to live and work in the UK under the UK Ancestry Visa. This visa must be applied for from outside the UK.
To be eligible for the UK Ancestry Visa, you must fulfil the following conditions:
The exact criteria can vary, so consulting an immigration lawyer for tailored advice is advisable.
To qualify, you must establish a UK-born grandparent. This includes birth in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, or the Republic of Ireland (before 31 March 1922). Birth on British registered ships or aircraft may qualify, but birth in a British colony or military base overseas doesn’t satisfy this criterion.
You can claim UK Ancestry if your grandparent is a blood relative or legally adopted. The legitimacy of your parents’ or your birth, in or out of wedlock, is not a factor in eligibility.
While you do not need to be employed at the time of application, you must prove your ability and genuine intention to work in the UK. This includes having a job offer or convincing the Home Office of your intention and ability to find work or self-employment. Your age and health are crucial factors in this assessment.
You can apply up to 3 months before your travel date. Decisions typically take around 3 weeks for applications made outside the UK.
Once granted, the visa allows you to work, study, and bring dependent family members to the UK without restrictions on the type of work. After 5 years in the UK, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), provided you have been working or actively seeking work and meet other requirements like the English language and Life in the UK test.
For assistance with a UK Ancestry Visa application, our immigration solicitors are well-versed in the relevant Immigration Rules. We offer professional assessments and application preparation, providing clear and reliable advice as part of our client-focused service.
Under UK immigration law, many individuals already present in the UK may be able to switch from one visa category to another without having to leave the UK. However, switching is not a universal right and is subject to certain restrictions and regulation. Understanding who can and cannot switch immigration category from within the UK […]
Holding a Sponsor Licence allows UK businesses to recruit skilled workers that are overseas nationals, but it also imposes strict and ongoing compliance duties. In 2025, the Home Office has intensified enforcement activity, with more unannounced compliance visits and increased scrutiny of whether sponsors are meeting their obligations. This article highlights the most common compliance […]
On 14 October 2025, the Home Office laid a new set of changes to the UK’s immigration rules, following the publication in May 2025 of the Immigration White Paper titled Restoring Control over the Immigration System. A central change affecting economic migration is the increase in the English Language requirement for several key work routes. […]
UK Family Visa allows you to bring family members (eligible foreign nationals) to join you in the UK for an extended period of 6 months or more. You can bring your spouse or partner, fiance or proposed civil partner, child, parent, or a relative to who you will provide long-term care.
The Global Business Mobility visa is an umbrella category of five different types of UK work visas. These visas are designed for employees of overseas companies to undertake specific types of work or assignments in the UK.
Our lawyers act for schools, colleges and universities across the world. We understand your context and are able to advise on any legal and regulatory matters, as well as international projects.
The UK Temporary Worker Visa is a work visa that permits you to work in the UK temporarily. The time you can stay in the UK for a Temporary Worker Visa varies depending on the category you apply for and ranges from 6 months to 2 years.
EEA nationals are required to obtain leave to enter or remain in order to visit or live in the UK. Unless a person is coming to the UK for a short visit, they will need to apply for a visa in advance of their arrival.
Whether you wish to recruit a foreign worker, establish a UK branch of an overseas company or effect an intra-company transfer, our immigration barristers can assist. Our expertise covers immigration routes for individual investors and entrepreneurs, small and medium businesses, as well as multinational companies.
Well versed in both the legal and technical languages of decentralized finance, our global team can support anyone wanting to navigate the fast-changing world of blockchain, cryptocurrency and digital assets.
Often people want to come to the UK to settle in the UK, without a specific idea as to what they want to do when they are here. In fact, our clients regularly ask us, what is the quickest way to settle in the UK?
With British citizenship you can apply for a British passport and you will be free of immigration control, allowing you to travel into and out of the UK freely without the need for a visa.
The UK Graduate visa allows international students to remain in the UK after completing their studies for up to two years, or three for doctoral graduates.
If your UK visa or immigration application has been refused, our immigration appeal lawyers can advise you on the merits of appealing to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber), prepare your immigration appeal and represent you at your immigration appeal hearing.
Applications for leave to enter or remain in the UK can be made, in certain circumstances, on the basis that to require the individual to leave the UK or to not allow them entry into the UK would be a breach of the individual’s human rights.
Applications for leave to enter or remain in the UK can be made, in certain circumstances, on the basis that to require the individual to leave the UK or to not allow them entry into the UK would be a breach of the individual’s human rights.
The Hong Kong BN(O) route allows BN(O) status holders and certain family members to live, work and study in the UK. After 5 years, applicants will be able to apply for settlement, and after a further year, British citizenship, providing they meet the requirements.
Our website will give you a flavour of the advice we provide - if you would like to talk to us for more information, please contact our client services team who will be happy to assist.
Tailor your preferences to receive regular, relevant insights and updates. You can change your preferences and unsubscribe at any time.
The jurisdiction and applicable law to be invoked is that of England and Wales in the event of any dispute arising as a result of content posted on this website.
Privity Legal®
