Ancestry Visa

Is or was one of your grandparents a British Citizen but your parents are not? This visa may apply to you.
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Ancestry Visa

The UK Ancestry route enables Commonwealth citizens, British overseas citizens, British Overseas Territories citizens or British national (overseas) who have at least one grandparent born in the UK, the Channel Islands or Isle of Man to come to work, study and eventually settle in the UK.

Applicants can work and study in the UK. Dependants can join main applicants and after continuous residence of 5 years they qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK.

How we can help

We have significant experience in UK Ancestry applications, we assist clients by ensuring the application is sound to increase their chances of a successful application. Herrington Carmichael’s experienced Immigration team can ensure your application is managed in a co-ordinated manner, with you kept updated every step of the way.

Key contact

Usof Shah PNG
Usof Shah
Legal Director

What our clients say about us

The Real Estate team at Herrington Carmichael were excellent in dealing with this transaction right from the initial negotiations. They delivered their expertise in a pragmatic and commercial way emphasising the importance of having a legal team with the relevant industry knowledge and experience in complex renewable energy and infrastructure agreements. They acted efficiently and responsively and maintained a professional approach throughout the transaction particularly when dealing with unexpected requirements and stringent timescales.

Liz Hailey has been my primary point of contact at Herrington Carmichael and has become a trusted adviser to me and my clients. Liz possesses unparalleled legal knowledge and offers a unique approach to issues, thinking outside the box to come up with solutions. The collaborative approach within the business ensures that we have access to a variety of different legal departments offering an end-to-end service. The communication has been a primary factor in my continuing use and recommendation of Liz and HC.

Rachel Duncan, Anna Svensson, Charlotte Keeper, and Jed Temple are working as a team with both extensive and developing skill sets to collectively deliver a valued leasehold acquisition and advisory service to our in-house team of property professionals. Trusted advice and guidance are always available and quick to respond.

A dedicated, commercially minded team at all levels, with direct communication to principals is a real benefit to us.

I deal with many law firms and in recent years I have noticed a 'shift' toward an 'over' emphasis on ensuring boxes are ticked rather than being solution-led. Jamie Lynch and his team struck the right balance and never forgot that the client actually wants the best outcome!

A strong real estate team with London experience in transactions while also located in the regions. Good communication and sufficient cover when anyone in the team is away from the business. Adapts to client requirements and maintains open communication throughout transactions.

Liz Hailey - huge depth of range, knowledge, and experience in the real estate sector. Liz has picked up our requirements very quickly and has accommodated these where needed. Liz explains things in a simple but knowledgeable manner, and we are confident she is acting in the best interests of her client at all times.

They are genuinely engaged and thoughtful people to work with through a variety of transactions. The key from my perspective is that all challenges are put into relevant context with thorough recommendations made.

The breadth of experience across a wide range of challenging assets is absolutely clear. Expectations and time scales are well managed proactively. Picking up the phone to discuss is of key value; thank you.

We have also greatly benefited from the excellent work of Usof Shah, Immigration Director, whose expertise has been instrumental in helping our members address critical skills shortages in the construction industry. Usof has provided clear, actionable guidance on immigration laws, empowering our members to legally employ skilled foreign workers and sustain their businesses. His commitment extends beyond traditional legal services - he has delivered live webinars and offered free advice to some of our SME members, which was highly valued and, in several cases, helped save their companies. This combination of deep legal expertise, accessibility, and genuine care for clients' success sets him apart from others in the field.

Throughout my UK career, I came across many solicitors and solicitor firms. But Herrington Carmichael is the best so far. Their quick response, wider knowledge, and straightforward decisions come with a very competitive advisory fee. I can easily recommend them, and I did. Their success rate for me is 100%. In a nutshell, they are brilliant.

The individual deals with my requirements and makes sure I fully understand what he is advising and what the best way to proceed is.

Responsive, commercial, and able to explain immigration requirements in clear, simple terms.

The individuals we work with stand out for being approachable, knowledgeable, and responsive. Usof Shah, in particular, has been extremely professional, helpful, and practical in his advice.

Usof Shah stands out for his strong combination of technical expertise, commercial awareness, and responsiveness. He is able to explain complex immigration matters in a clear and practical way while remaining highly approachable and solutions-oriented throughout the process. What differentiates him from competitors is the level of personal attention and ownership he brings to matters. He is proactive, detail-oriented, and demonstrates a strong understanding of the operational and business needs of his clients rather than approaching matters from a purely technical perspective. I have particularly valued his responsiveness, clear communication, and ability to manage matters efficiently under tight timelines. He consistently provides pragmatic advice and maintains a high level of professionalism, which creates a strong sense of confidence and reliability throughout the engagement.

Usof Shah and his team stood out for their professionalism, responsiveness, and clear communication.

Herrington Carmichael’s team stands out for its strong expertise in immigration matters, combined with a highly personalized and responsive service. Over the past few years, they supported me and three members of my family, managing each of our individual cases efficiently and professionally. Compared to other firms, they are notably more organized and responsive.

Dedicated family law team with a passion for the area and a strong commitment to client service. Technically excellent lawyers with good legal judgment. Pragmatic and solutions-focused, providing realistic advice enabling clients to make informed decisions from an early stage.

I have always been impressed with how strong the team's commitment is to client outcomes and how well they balance each other in pushing forward for an outcome while also exploring settlement.

Personalised service - understood requirements. Work lasted several years and through several partners and associates, but the practice was able to ensure a seamless handover of information. Billing was clearly supported.

Herrington Carmichael punches above its weight. For a relatively small firm, it provides excellent service for high-net-worth individuals.

Sarah Speed is an outstanding family lawyer who is a joy to work with. She is very bright as well as being a calm and reassuring presence for her clients. Her down-to-earth and pragmatic advice means that she is not distracted in a case from the issues that matter. She is no pushover, and her clients can rest easy in the knowledge that she will skillfully argue their case for them when necessary, but also find a compromise when contested litigation is not the best way forward for her client.

I am not familiar with the team, but rather with one of the partners, Sarah Speed. However, it seems to me that the breadth of work that the firm covers provides good cross-pollination of legal expertise across various sectors, which may be enormously helpful in some cases.

A lovely team. All very professional and, importantly, friendly.

Graeme Black comes with a host of experience delivered in a manner that is simple to understand. He is friendly, supportive, and a great asset to the firm.

They are extremely knowledgeable about their field and genuinely care about the clients. They are honest and transparent.

Stephen Baker is exceptionally well-experienced, has a steadfast, logical mind, and an incredible ability to pinpoint real issues.

Very knowledgeable team, highly client-focused and with generally quick turnaround of any requests. Very professional approach and very open and honest with their respective areas of expertise.

Stephen conducted complex and challenging litigation and responded to the demands of a demanding client with great patience, determination, and tactical astuteness, while also developing a strong and positive relationship with the other members of the legal team, including counsel. He is a seasoned and highly skilled litigator.

From the first person I spoke to, then to all of the team, they were all polite, precise, and knew exactly what service I was going to need.

Jed was brilliant and really compassionate about my tough situation. He was calming and reassuring when I was quite stressed about my situation. This alone was a real quality that helped me out and one that made him stand out. The whole team was brilliant, very clear on what needed to be done and what the process would look like.

I have now met several partners across a number of disciplines and find them all most accommodating. Mostly, we deal with the litigation team, who are very good, provide sound advice (even when it is not what you want to hear), and are personable and professional. The conveyancing team is also very efficient and seems to look to reserve costs where they can, which is very impressive. HC's billing is also good, quick, and easy to understand.

I have done a lot personally and with my firm over the years with Ed Jones, who is especially effective and with whom we have had a number of wins. He is also a very effective mediator. Jed Temple too has provided excellent advice, and Michelle Lambeth has also been helpful and accommodating.

The whole team was brilliant. They were great at listening and understanding my problem, with the main thing being reassuring about my situation. They explained clearly the different approaches to take and what the outcomes could be.

Friendly service with a clear understanding of what services are involved in a complex legal environment.

The personal touch made me feel like a normal person who made a mistake. They were always quick in responding to my emails and didn’t make me feel like just another case. They related to me in my scenario.

The team's strengths were being very knowledgeable and being able to explain to me the process we would go through with the possible outcomes.

We were very happy with our service. Being first-time buyers and brand new to the property world, Annari & Mary-Jayne relieved all of our worries and made our journey very stress-free and relatively easy. Thank you.

We received excellent support in reviewing and modifying our Wills to our latest needs. The communication has always been straightforward and very effective and we achieved the objectives we set at the beginning of the process. Strong expertise and legal knowledge have been key to the successful completion.

It was a very straightforward process & Charlotte explained everything clearly to us in a very friendly way & answered any queries we had. It was a pleasure to have her deal with this matter, and I would certainly come to your firm of solicitors on that basis. Thank you so much.

Paul provided calm, helpful, constructive and thorough advice on my matter and I will be in touch again to progress.

Aadil has been representing my son through a very challenging child custody/recovery case. His help and knowledge has been fantastic. He went above and beyond working on his day off too make sure court papers were delivered on time. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Aadil.

I just wanted to write a huge thank you for all your help and support during my recent divorce proceedings There were times when it seemed things would never get resolved but thankfully with your guidance everything went relatively smoothly in the end.

Annari is an excellent Solicitor. We have always used her services for all of our property conveyancing jobs. She is a valuable asset to your company.

We had the pleasure of working with Annari on buying our very first house. We would like to take this opportunity to let you know how efficient Annari was throughout the entire process. Annari really helped to make buying our first home an easy process! She absolutely went above and beyond her call of duty.

The service we received was exceptional. We were always updated and Annari would answer any questions I had immediately. Keep doing what you do Annari. Thank you so much for everything, and Amy too.

Thanks again, we’ve always felt in good hands. It is for this reason we’d highly recommend Herrington Carmichael and especially Annari.

Annari is an excellent Solicitor. We have always used her services for all of our property conveyancing jobs. She is a valuable asset to your company.

We had the pleasure of working with Annari on buying our very first house. We would like to take this opportunity to let you know how efficient Annari was throughout the enitre process. Annari really helped to make buying our first home an easy process! She absolutely went above and beyond her call of duty.

Both Holly Bray & Jessica Brooke were fantastic from start to finish on the purchase of my new build property. Nothing was an issues for them and I didn’t need to chase them for anything at all. I was kept well informed all the way through the process to completion and everything was dealt with in a very pleasant and professional manner. I would happily recommend Herrington Carmichael to anyone looking for a conveyancer for the purchase of their property. 5 stars.

Meet our experts

Dedicated professionals ready to assist you.

Usof Shah PNG
Legal Director
Neelu-Gurung-PNG
Paralegal

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to your most pressing questions about our services and processes.

The Ancestry visa can be applied for if you are:

  • A Commonwealth citizen
  • a British overseas citizen
  • a British overseas territories citizen
  • a British national (overseas)
  • a citizen of Zimbabwe

You are aged 17 or over

  • You have enough money to support yourself, and your dependants
  • You intend to work in the UK
  • You have a grandparent born in one of the following circumstances:
    • In the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man
    • Before 31 March 1922 in Ireland
    • On a ship or aircraft that was either registered in the UK or belonged to the UK government
  • People from countries with high levels of TB (tuberculosis) will be required to do a TB test to demonstrate that they are not ill or carriers of the disease.

If you are from a non-English speaking country, you will need to fulfil the English language requirement. You can do this through providing evidence in one of the following ways:

  • Write and pass the SELT test at the level of at least A1 at an approved English language test centre to prove your English language ability. You will need to include your pass certificate in your portfolio of evidence to submit to the Home Office.
  • You hold a degree or higher qualification taught in English at an educational institution recognised by NAIRC
  • You are over 65
  • You are a recognised refugee
  • You are living in the UK as an orphan or widow
  • You are a victim of domestic abuse
  • You have a mental or physical condition which prevents you from sitting the exam
  • You need to prove you have enough money to support yourself (and dependants, if applicable) without the help of public funds
  • Plan to work in the UK and have the ability to
  • You do not have an English Language requirement however you will need to prove your English skills when applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain
  • Adopted children and grandchildren can also apply. Children of parents who were adopted may apply. As can children whose parents were not married. Step-children will not be able to claim ancestry.
  • You may need to do a TB test if you are from a qualifying country.
  • You will need to provide biometric information by attending an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point in your country.

Both your spouse or partner and your children can join your UK Ancestry Visa application as dependants. You will need to provide evidence of your relationship when you apply.

A dependent can by any of the following:

  • Your partner
  • Your child(ren) under 18
  • Your child(ren) over 18 who was previously on your partners visa before turning 18

You will need to prove your relationship with your partner with one of the following:

  • You are in a civil partnership or marriage that the UK recognises
  • You have been living together for a minimum of 2 years when applying
  • You have been in a relationship together but due to circumstances, have not been able to live together. Circumstances may include working or studying in different locations, or it is not accepted in your culture/religion.

In the case that you are not living together, you will need to provide evidence of your commitment:

  • Regular communications (WhatsApp messages over the years, emails, phone calls, social media, etc)
  • Proof of financially supporting one another
  • Caring for any children together
  • Photos and proof of spending time together on holidays, at events, etc.

Your child(ren) must:

  • Live with you permanently (unless they are in full-time education at a boarding school or tertiary institution)
  • Not be married, have children or be in a civil partnership
  • be supported by you without the use of public funds.

Your child will not automatically become a British citizen. You will need to add them as a dependent on your visa.

You will need to provide a full UK birth certificate for the child born in the UK, showing the names of both parents. They will need to be on your visa for travel into and out of the country.

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

The Ancestry visa allows you to stay in the country for 5 years. After 5 years you can either apply for indefinite leave to remain (settlement) or you can extend your visa.

If you choose to extend your visa, the extension will be valid for another 5 years and you will need to apply for each dependent on your visa as well as pay the extension fee of £1,048 per each person applying and the healthcare surcharge of £1,035 per year of the visa per person.

Yes, subject to meeting eligibility requirements, this visa can lead to indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK after 5 years in the UK on this route. After 12 months on ILR, you can apply for British Citizenship.

It costs £637 per person for the visa and you will most likely need to pay the IHS (healthcare) surcharge. The surcharge is currently £1,035 per year. Since this visa is for 5 years, you will need to pay for the 5 years upfront for each dependent.

You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks of submitting the application from overseas, or within 8 weeks of submitting your application from within the UK. Please note, these timeframes are a guideline, and some applications do take longer to receive a decision.