Overview

You can apply for a UK Ancestry visa if you’re one of the following:

You must also:

  • prove one of your grandparents was born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
  • meet the other eligibility requirements

How long it will take

The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.

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.

Fees

A UK Ancestry visa costs £637.

Healthcare surcharge

You may also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. Check how much you’ll have to pay before you apply.

How long you can stay

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:

What you can and cannot do

With a UK Ancestry visa you can:

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