If you are a citizen of a Commonwealth country and one of your grandparents was born in the UK (including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man), you have UK ancestry.
Eligibility
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You can apply to come to the UK in this category if you can show that:
-You are a Commonwealth citizen;
-You are aged 17 or over;
-You have a grandparent who was born in the UK (including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man), or a grandparent who was born before 31 March 1922 in what is now the Republic of Ireland;
-You are able to work and you plan to work in the UK; and
-You can adequately support and accommodate yourself and your dependants without help from public funds (see rights and responsibilities for an explanation of this).
Applying from Outside the UK
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You must obtain permission to enter the UK (known as ‘entry clearance’) on the basis of your UK ancestry before you travel here. If you were given permission to enter and work in the UK because of your UK ancestry, you will be allowed to stay for five years.
Applying from Inside the UK
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If you have already entered the UK in a different immigration category, you cannot switch into the UK ancestry category. UKBA will only give you permission to stay in the country on the basis of UK ancestry if:
-You entered the UK holding entry clearance based on your UK ancestry; or
-We have already given you permission to stay based on your UK ancestry.
Extending your Stay in the UK
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If you want to extend your stay, you must be in the UK to apply, and you must apply at least four weeks before your permission to stay in the UK ends.
You will need to apply for an identity card for foreign nationals as part of your application to extend your stay.
Permanent Stay
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If you have lived and worked continuously in the UK for five years in this category and you still meet the UK ancestry requirements then you can apply to live in the UK permanently.
