Your Heritage. Your Future.
A unique route for Commonwealth citizens to live, work, and settle in the UK based on their family history. We help you prove the connection that brings you home.
The Golden Ticket for Commonwealth Citizens.
If you have a grandparent who was born in the UK, you may hold one of the most powerful rights in British immigration law. The UK Ancestry Visa allows you to live and work in Britain for 5 years, leading directly to permanent settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain).
Unlike other work visas, you do not need a sponsor. You do not need a specific job offer. You simply need to prove your bloodline and your intent to work. But proving a historical connection is not always simple.
Birth certificates from 1920 aren't always easy to find. We are experts in tracking down the historical evidence you need.
The Three Pillars of Eligibility
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1. Nationality & Age
You must be a Commonwealth citizen (for example: Canadian, Australian, South African, or New Zealander) and at least 17 years old. You must apply from your country of residence — you cannot normally switch into this visa category from within the UK.
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2. Proven Lineage
You must demonstrate that at least one grandparent was born in the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man. This requirement also covers the Republic of Ireland, but only if the grandparent’s birth occurred before 31 March 1922.
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3. Ability to Work
You do not need a job offer to apply for a UK Ancestry visa, but you must prove you can support yourself without recourse to public funds. This requires showing you have enough money or other resources to cover living expenses on arrival. You must also demonstrate that you are able and intend to work in the UK; evidence of employability can include a CV and a personal statement that outline your skills, experience and planned employment prospects.
Mastering the Paper Trail.
The UK Ancestry route relies entirely on a continuous, unbroken chain of documentary evidence. A single missing birth certificate or an unexplained name change can cause a refusal.
We specialize in 'forensic' application preparation. Whether your grandparent was born in legitimate or illegitimate circumstances, or there was a legal adoption, we help you source the correct General Register Office (GRO) records. We reconcile name discrepancies caused by marriage or clerical errors to ensure your lineage is undeniable.
Bring Your Family With You.
You do not need to separate from your loved ones to claim your heritage. Your spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner can apply to accompany you. They will be granted a full right to work in the UK—meaning they can seek employment, self-employment, or study without restriction.
Who can apply?
Spouse / Civil Partner: You must provide your marriage or civil partnership certificate.
Unmarried Partner: You must prove you have lived together in a relationship akin to marriage for at least 2 years (e.g., tenancy agreements, joint bills).
Children (Under 18): Can accompany you as long as they are not living an independent life.
The 3 Key Hurdles
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This is the most common reason for refusal in single-parent cases. If the child's other parent is still alive and living abroad, you must prove you have 'sole responsibility' for the child's upbringing. We help you evidence full decision-making power over their education, health, and welfare.
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Children over 18 (or approaching 18) face extra scrutiny. You must prove they are not living an 'independent life'—meaning they are not married, financially independent, or living away from the family home. We help document their continued dependency.
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If you are bringing a partner, you must prove your relationship is 'genuine and subsisting.' We help you compile the cohabitation evidence needed for unmarried partners to join you.
Your Path to Settlement
We partner with you for the long haul, tracking your absences and eligibility dates so you never miss a deadline.
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Grants Commonwealth citizens with UK ancestry permission to live in the UK for 60 months. Applicant must be a Commonwealth citizen with a grandparent born in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man; intend to take or seek employment; have enough funds without recourse to public funds; and have suitable accommodation. Visa holders may work and study. To extend leave and qualify for settlement, applicants must continue to meet ancestry requirements and show ongoing intention and ability to work. Application requires biometric enrolment and, if applicable, tuberculosis screening; no English test is required.
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Extending a UK Ancestry visa enables a person already in the UK to remain for a further five years. Applicants need to demonstrate continuing Commonwealth status, meet work and maintenance requirements, and submit required documents, including biometric information and proof of cohabitation. Applications must be made before the current visa expires; a successful extension contributes toward settlement options after the qualifying period. Nuvora can advise on eligibility, document preparation and application strategy.
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Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) via the UK Ancestry route allows Commonwealth citizens with a qualifying grandparent to settle permanently after usually five years’ continuous lawful residence on an Ancestry visa. Applicants must:
meet continuous residence and permitted absence limits;
be working (or have been), or show genuine intention and ability to work for the five‑year route;
pass the Life in the UK Test;
meet the English requirement unless exempt; and
show good character and acceptable immigration history.
Applications, with identity and documentary evidence, are submitted to the Home Office.
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Naturalising is the process by which a non-British national becomes a British citizen. It requires meeting residency and good character requirements, demonstrating English language ability and knowledge of life in the UK, and making a formal application with supporting documents and fees. Successful applicants attend a citizenship ceremony and receive a certificate of naturalisation, after which they may apply for a British passport and enjoy the full rights of citizenship.
FAQs
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Yes. If you or your parent were legally adopted by a UK-born parent/grandparent, you are eligible. However, step-parents/step-grandparents do not count.
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Yes. Because the whole of Ireland was part of the UK until 31 March 1922, a birth in Ireland before this date counts as a 'UK birth' for this visa.
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Absolutely. This is one of the best visas for entrepreneurs and freelancers because you are not tied to a specific employer.
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Yes. The Ancestry Visa offers incredible freedom. You are not tied to a specific employer (unlike the Skilled Worker visa). You can change jobs, switch industries, or move from employment to self-employment without notifying the Home Office, provided you remain 'economically active.'
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No. You do not need a confirmed job offer. However, you must prove you are able and intending to work. We help you draft a CV and a personal statement outlining your career plans to satisfy this requirement.
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No. Like most visas, you will have 'No Recourse to Public Funds' (NRPF). You cannot claim benefits like Universal Credit until you obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain after 5 years.
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If your parent or grandparent was legally adopted in the UK, they acquire the same rights as a biological child for this visa. We can help you evidence the legal adoption order.
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Generally, no. The UK Ancestry Visa is an entry clearance route, meaning you must apply from your home country (or a country where you have residence rights). You cannot usually switch into this category if you are currently in the UK on a visitor or student visa.
Claim Your Right to Live in the UK.
Don't let a missing document stand in the way of your heritage. Book a strategy session today to secure your future in the UK.