You must show that you have a grandparent born in one of the following circumstances:

• in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man

• before 31 March 1922 in what is now Ireland

• on a ship or aircraft that was either registered in the UK or belonged to the UK government

You can claim ancestry if:

• you or your parent were adopted

• your parents or grandparents were not married

You cannot claim UK ancestry through step-parents.

When you apply you’ll need to provide:

• a current passport (with a blank page for your visa) or another valid travel document

• your full birth certificate

• the full birth certificates of the parent and grandparent your ancestry claim is based on

• evidence that you’re planning to work in the UK, for example job offers you’ve received or a business plan if you’re self-employed

• evidence, such as bank statements, that prove you can support yourself and any dependants in the UK - it must be dated within 31 days from when you submit your application

Depending on your circumstances, you might also need to provide:

• evidence that your parents or grandparents have changed their name since birth, for example marriage or civil partnership certificates or a deed poll

• legal adoption papers if you or your parents are adopted

• your tuberculosis test results if you’re from a country where you have to take a TB test

• proof of your relationship with your partner or children if they’re applying with you

You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK.

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.

With a UK Ancestry visa you can:

• work

• study

• bring your partner or child

Your work can be:

• paid or voluntary

• full-time or part time

• in self-employment or in a job where you’re employed by someone else

You cannot:

• change (‘switch’) into this visa if you came to the UK on a different visa

• get public funds

You can stay in the UK for 5 years on this visa.

Applying to stay longer in the UK

If you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years on this visa, you may be able to either:

• apply to extend your visa for a further 5 years

• apply to settle permanently in the UK

Your partner and children can apply to join you in the UK as your ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible.

A ‘dependant’ is any of the following:

• your partner

• your child under 18

• your child aged 18 or over who was previously on your or your partner’s visa as a dependant

You’ll need to provide evidence of your relationship when you apply.

Your partner

You must be able to prove one of the following:

• you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK

• you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply

• you’ve been in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply but you cannot live together, for example because you’re working or studying in different places, or it’s not accepted in your culture

If you’re not living together, you’ll need to prove that you have an ongoing commitment to each other, for example by providing evidence that you:

• communicate regularly with each other

• support each other financially

• care for any children you have together

• spend time together as a couple, for example on holiday or at events

Your child

They must:

• live with you (unless they’re in full time education at boarding school, college or university)

• not be married, in a civil partnership or have any children

• be supported by you without using public funds

Successful applicants for a UK Ancestry visa are granted leave to enter the UK for a period of 5 years.

After 5 years residence in the UK, you will be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain.  In order to qualify for ILR, you must be able to provide evidence that you have been working or genuinely seeking work during the past five years.

You will also need to have spent not more than 180 days outside the UK in any of the previous 5 years and demonstrate satisfactory knowledge of the English language and Life in the UK.