The Ancestry Visa allows people from certain countries to live and work in the United Kingdom for up to 5 years. After 5 years, you can apply to stay permanently (Indefinite Leave to Remain / ILR) in the UK if you meet the rules.

Who Can Apply?

To qualify for a UK Ancestry Visa, you must:

• Be a Commonwealth citizen or a British Overseas Citizen / British Overseas Territories Citizen / British National (Overseas).
• Be 17 years or older when you apply.
• Have a grandparent born in the UK, Channel Islands, or Isle of Man (or in Ireland before 31 March 1922).
• Plan to work in the UK, you must show you can and intend to take employment or work for yourself.
• Show that you can support yourself (and any dependents) financially without public funds.

You must apply for this visa from outside the UK (you cannot convert to this visa from inside the UK).

What You Can Do with This Visa

• Live in the UK for 5 years.
• Work in any job, full‑time, part‑time, employed or self‑employed.
• Study.
• Bring your partner and dependent children under 18 with you, they can live, study, and work in the UK too.

After 5 Years

After living in the UK for 5 years on this visa, you can:
✔ Extend the Ancestry Visa for another 5 years, or
✔ Apply to settle permanently in the UK (ILR).

Your partner and children can also apply for ILR at the same time if eligible.

Documents You Will Need

When you apply, you must provide:

• Your current passport or travel document.
• Birth certificates: yours, your parents’, and your grandparents’.
• Evidence that you plan to work in the UK.
• Proof of funds showing you can support yourself (and dependents).
• Marriage certificates, if needed to prove family links.
• Adoption papers if you or your parent were adopted.

Things to Know

• You cannot use public funds (state benefits) while on this visa.
• There is no strict money requirement, but you must show enough finances to support yourself.
• You must enter the UK with the visa before it starts.
• You cannot switch into this visa if you are already in the UK on another visa (like a visit visa).

How Visa Wise Consultants & Lawyers Can Help

Visa Wise Consultants & Lawyers can guide you with your UK Ancestry Visa application from Pakistan. We help with:

• Checking if you qualify.
• Preparing your documents correctly.
• Completing the application.
• Supporting you throughout the process.

📞 Call us: 0326-9211119 / 0301-0964444

Let us help you achieve your UK work and settlement goals!