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UK Ancestry Visa

A 5-year work visa for Commonwealth citizens with a UK-born grandparent — no sponsor needed, any job.

Sourced from GOV.UK · Updated April 2026
The short answer

The UK Ancestry visa is one of the most flexible routes for Commonwealth nationals — no sponsor, no salary threshold, no specific job test. You need to be 17+, hold Commonwealth citizenship, have at least one grandparent born in the UK / Channel Islands / Isle of Man, and intend to work in the UK. The visa runs for 5 years and leads to ILR. South Africans, Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders and Jamaicans are the largest user groups.

£726Application fee from
£1,035IHS per year
3 weeks · 5 working days Priority (+£500)Decision (outside UK)
5 years (extendable once before settlement)Initial leave

Who can apply

  • Aged 17 or over
  • Commonwealth citizen, British overseas citizen, British overseas territories citizen, or British national (overseas)
  • At least one grandparent born in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man (born after 1922 → Republic of Ireland not counted as UK)
  • Able to work AND intend to work in the UK (no specific job offer needed)
  • Can support yourself and dependants without public funds (no fixed threshold — discretionary; £3,000-£5,000 typical bank balance evidence)
  • TB test required if applying from a listed country (most non-Commonwealth-issuing African countries)
  • Adopted children: legal adoption recognised by UK law required for the grandparent link to count

How to apply

  1. Verify grandparent eligibilityGet a certified copy of their UK birth certificate from the General Register Office (gro.gov.uk, £11 standard / £35 priority). Republic of Ireland births don't count.
  2. Build lineage documentsBirth certificate for you → for your parent → for grandparent. Marriage certificates where surnames change. Adoption certificates where any link is adoptive.
  3. Show maintenanceBank statements showing genuine, sustained balance. £3,000-£5,000 is the typical evidenced floor; dependants increase the expectation.
  4. Sit TB test (if applicable)IOM-approved clinic, valid 6 months. Required from most non-Commonwealth-issuing African countries.
  5. Apply online£726 application fee + 5 × £1,035 IHS = £5,901 total per adult (gov.uk verified). Each adult dependant pays the same. Children: £726 + 5 × £776 = £4,606.
  6. Biometrics + decision3-week target outside UK. Priority service (£500) gives 5-working-day decision and is widely used by South African applicants.
  7. Work in any roleNo restriction on job type, employer, salary or self-employment. You can start a business, work freelance, or change roles freely.
  8. Apply for ILR after 5 yearsStandard ILR rules: £3,226, max 180 days absent/year, Life in the UK Test, B1 English.

Documents you’ll need

  • Current passport (any nationality showing Commonwealth citizenship)
  • Your full birth certificate (showing both parents)
  • Birth certificate of the parent linking you to UK grandparent
  • Birth certificate of the UK-born grandparent (showing UK birthplace — obtain from General Register Office for £11 if you don't have it)
  • Marriage certificates if names changed in the lineage
  • Adoption certificates if any link in the chain is by adoption
  • Bank statements showing 3-6 months of maintenance funds
  • Evidence of intent to work — CV, qualifications, job offers (helpful but not mandatory)
  • TB test certificate from an IOM-approved clinic (listed countries)

Good to know

5-year total cost (single adult): £726 application + 5 × £1,035 IHS = £5,901 (gov.uk verified May 2026). Plus £3,226 for ILR after 5 years (£9,127 total to ILR).
No job offer or salary threshold required — work in any role, run a business, freelance, or be self-employed.
You can switch in-country to Skilled Worker if a sponsor becomes available — useful if the sponsor cuts processing time or if your spouse is on a route ending sooner.
Children of Ancestry visa holders born in the UK become British citizens automatically when the parent acquires ILR.
Adopted descent: only legally recognised adoptions create eligibility — informal "family adoption" does not.
Children of British-by-descent parents may already be British by registration (MN1) — check before paying for an Ancestry visa for a child.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

  • Commonwealth citizens aged 17 or over with at least one grandparent born in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man. You must be able to work and intend to work in the UK.

  • Get a copy of the grandparent's UK birth certificate from the General Register Office (£11). You also need birth certificates linking through your parent — if names changed via marriage, include those certificates too.

  • No — unlike Skilled Worker, you don't need a job offer or to meet a salary threshold. You can work in any role, run a business, or be self-employed once granted the visa.

  • £637 application fee + 5 × £1,035 IHS = £5,812 total for the 5-year visa. Plus optional priority service.

  • The 56 member states of the Commonwealth of Nations, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, South Africa, Nigeria, Pakistan, Jamaica, Kenya, Singapore, Malaysia and many others. Full list at thecommonwealth.org.

Source: GOV.UK — UK Ancestry Visa · Last verified April 2026

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Verified against gov.uk · April 2026·Editorial policy
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