Regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority · Ref No. F201700062
Work Visas
The UK Ancestry route is for Commonwealth citizens with a grandparent born in the UK who intend to work here.
The route is well established, and most of the work is in evidencing the family chain accurately.
The UK Ancestry route is for Commonwealth citizens aged eighteen or over with a grandparent born in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or in Ireland before 1922, who are able to work and intend to do so in the UK.
It is unsponsored: you can take any work, be self-employed, change jobs freely and study alongside working.
The chain of birth certificates must be complete and consistent: your birth certificate, your parent's, and your grandparent's, plus marriage certificates where names have changed and adoption documents where relevant.
Missing or inconsistent records are the most common obstacle. Replacement certificates can usually be obtained from the relevant registry, and discrepancies should be explained with supporting evidence rather than ignored.
You must show that you are able to work and intend to do so. Evidence can include a job offer, applications made, registration with agencies, professional qualifications and, for the self-employed, a credible plan.
The route leads to settlement after five years of continuous residence, so the working requirement matters at the extension and settlement stages as well as at the start.
What is actually needed depends on your circumstances. We confirm the list with you before anything is prepared.
We start with your history, your relationships, your work and your time in the UK. The right route follows from the facts.
We explain which route fits, what it requires and what the realistic alternatives are if it does not.
We work out what the Home Office will expect, what you already have and what needs to be obtained.
We prepare the application, explain anything that needs explaining and advise on what happens after submission.
This page is general information about UK immigration and is not advice on your individual circumstances. Requirements, guidance and procedures change. Please obtain advice before relying on anything published here.
We will tell you how UKU can assist, and what the realistic options are.
