The UK Ancestry route allows Commonwealth citizens with a UK-born grandparent to come and live and work in the UK. The migrant will be able to come to the UK for five years and do any kind of work (including self-employment), at any skill level. Holders can apply to settle permanently in the UK after five years’ continuous residence.
Who can apply?
Applicants must be Commonwealth citizens and be able to prove that one of their grandparents was born in the UK or Islands (Guernsey, Jersey, or the Isle of Man).
In addition, applicants must meet the other eligibility requirements below.
Table 22: UK Ancestry conditions and requirements
| Requirements | Conditions and restrictions | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| English language | No | Capped | No |
| Application fee | Yes | Switching – routes (in-country) | Yes |
| Immigration Skills Charge | No | Settlement | Yes |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | Yes | Dependants | Yes |
| Biometrics | Yes | Access to public funds | No |
| Maintenance | Yes | Supplementary work | N/A |
Applicants must be receiving at least National Minimum Wage (exemptions apply to some schemes, e.g. Erasmus).
Additional information
Applicants do not need a job offer to come to the UK in this category but must show they are able and intend to work. They can do any kind of work (including self-employment) at any skill level. The work does not have to be with a licensed sponsor.
UK Ancestry visas are valid for five years, at the end of which holders can apply to settle permanently in the UK or extend their visa for a further five years.
The English language is not required for an initial visa, but applicants must meet an English language requirement and pass the ‘Life in the UK’ test to qualify for settlement.
Further information
This document covers the draft requirements for the main work and study routes opening later this year. It will be followed by the final arrangements in the Immigration Rules and guidance for applicants. For all other routes, including the family route, from January 2021 EU citizens and their family members (who do not qualify under EUSS) will need to apply and qualify for entry or stay on the same basis as non-EU citizens.
The Points-Based System is being implemented in phases to ensure smooth delivery and allow sufficient time for everyone to adapt.
There are also other immigration routes beyond those outlined in this document, including:
- Seasonal Workers pilot for agriculture: Further information has not been included on the Seasonal Workers pilot, as it will conclude at the end of 2020. The pilot will be fully reviewed, with a decision on whether it will continue under the Points-Based System being made later this year.
- Overseas Domestic Workers: This route allows a domestic worker in a private household, that has worked for their employer for at least one year (for example nannies or those providing personal care for the employer and their family), to visit the UK with their employer for up to six months.
The UK Government is deeply concerned by China’s imposition of a national security law on Hong Kong that restricts the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong in breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration. We have a historic and moral obligation to British Nationals (Overseas) in Hong Kong who elected to retain their ties to the UK, and we will honour our commitment to them. We will introduce a new immigration route for British Nationals (Overseas) and their immediate family dependents who are usually resident in Hong Kong, allowing them to live and work in the UK and providing a pathway to citizenship.
