# Transferring from Youth Mobility to UK Ancestry Visa



## Iomegadinket (Jun 9, 2014)

Hi all,

Long-time lurker, first-time poster.

I have a question about applying for a UK ancestry visa in Canada, through my paternal grandmother.

So, I am a bit of a unique case in that I have already been living in London (UK) since September 2012 on the Youth Mobility Visa. I have been studying my MA part time here, and working full-time (making a decent salary) since January 2013. I am planning a vacation to Canada next week, and I am applying for my ancestry visa application then. I am giving myself a little over 3 weeks to get my visa back (before returning to London) and am planning to pay for priority service.

I hope to confirm something which I am still fuzzy about. I keep seeing it posted everywhere that you cannot ‘switch’ from a Youth Mobility Visa to another visa. However, if I return to Canada and apply for the ancestry visa (even if I have a few months left on my YMS), should I have any problems? I.e. is it okay to transfer onto another visa after YMS if I do it in my home country?

Likewise, on the financial requirement, as I am already living here and have a good salary and banking history here, do I have to show a floating amount of $3500 CAD in my account? I imagine that is the amount they want you to have when moving over here, but if you’re already settled and with a good income, should there be any issue? I plan to include a note from my partner on helping me, etc, and stamped bank statements, including one for my credit card with a zero balance, but I currently don't have a huge amount of savings. Does anyone think this will be a problem?

Any guidance is helpful at this point.

Also happy to share my processing timeline, etc, when I do my biometrics next week!

Thank you!


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## Iomegadinket (Jun 9, 2014)

Hi all, 

well, I found the answer to my first question by emailing the new UK visa enquiry service (reply in less than 24 hours - colour me impressed!), and am happy with their answer.

Dear Sir/Madam, 

Thank you for contacting the UK Visas and Immigrations international enquiry service. I would like to inform you that you can apply for UK ancestry visa from Canada before your current visa is expired. And you will not need to cancel your current visa. When you arrive the UK next time with both visas in your passport, you can tell the UK border control that you want to enter the UK with UK ancestry visa. Please apply for UK ancestry visa when you are ready.

FYI to contact this service, you can do so by goggling their name above.

Does anyone have any thoughts/advice on my second query relating to financials? 

I am wondering if I can include letters from my parents and boyfriend attesting that they will help me if I have any problems? I will be including 2 months of stamped bank statements (as I transferred over to a different account. which I am outlining for them so they know that), and a stamped letter when in Canada with some of my savings there - not much, about $1500. The only issue is that I am not going back 3 to 6 months as they ask. I will also have a letter from my workplace with my salary (and a recent letter showing that I received a bonus) and a copy of my lease. Does that seem like enough?


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

Iomegadinket said:


> Hi all,
> 
> well, I found the answer to my first question by emailing the new UK visa enquiry service (reply in less than 24 hours - colour me impressed!), and am happy with their answer.
> 
> ...


A rather questionable answer as you can only have 1 visa at a time. Once the ancestry visa is issued the Tier 4 is no longer valid regardless of whether there is time left on it.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Technically you can be issued with two valid visas but you can enter UK only on one of them. 
So you can have a choice at UK border, though clearly you want them to activate your ancestry visa.

You should still show you have adequate funds at your disposal so you won't be tempted to access public funds. So show adequate balance in your bank account (can be UK). You can also show you have a job to go to in UK. You shouldn't need any letters of support.


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## Iomegadinket (Jun 9, 2014)

Thanks to you both for your help. It helped alleviate some of my anxiety about applying.

Just as an update, I submitted my application in Toronto 3 weeks ago, and explained to the guy at the VFS Global office about my situation. He didn't seem concerned about the dual visa issue (although did seem confused about an ancestry visa, as though he had not processed one before. I got a look when I produced the various birth certificates and photocopies, etc).

I also attached a letter to the pack that explained why I was applying for this now.

I received my ancestry visa within 6 business days, no problems. 

I flew back into the UK yesterday, and had no issues at the border. In fact, they seemed to welcome me more warmly given my ancestry (interesting, but ok).


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## phoebesensei (Sep 12, 2014)

I'm so relieved to have found this thread! I'm in exactly the same position, currently living in the UK on a Youth Mobility Visa but going home to get my Ancestry Visa.

I want to buy the priority service too but I have no idea which category to choose from the VFS global website

Can you help me? How did you buy the priority service for your visa?


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## Iomegadinket (Jun 9, 2014)

phoebesensei said:


> I'm so relieved to have found this thread! I'm in exactly the same position, currently living in the UK on a Youth Mobility Visa but going home to get my Ancestry Visa.
> 
> I want to buy the priority service too but I have no idea which category to choose from the VFS global website
> 
> Can you help me? How did you buy the priority service for your visa?


Hey! No worries, glad to help. I trawled the web for an answer to this and couldn't find it but I figured there had to be others in the same boat as me.

I actually struggled with the category on their website too - it's a pretty awful website, and be warned, they seem like they know much less what they're doing than WorldBridge did when I went to them 2 years ago for my YMV.

Anyways, I emailed the same inquiries service that question and got this reply:

Thank you for contacting the United Kingdom Visas and Immigration International Enquiry Service. This priority service is available for all visa categories with the exception of: Tier 1 exceptional talent, Settlement, EEA Family Permit and Overseas and Commonwealth visa applications. EEA Family Permit applicants are not required to purchase priority services. EEA Family Permit applications are considered priority, free of any additional charge As UK Ancestry visa is categorised under " Work " category, therefor we advice you to choose "Work" to pay for the priority service for UK Ancestry. We hope that this has answered your query.

Good luck!


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## phoebesensei (Sep 12, 2014)

Thanks for your prompt reply! Yes I did see Employment listed in the categories and from there it said to choose either more than 6 months or less than 6 months. Is that what you did?

You are a life saver!


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## lizlovenz (Dec 11, 2014)

I am so grateful for this thread - I'm in the exact same boat, going back to NZ to apply for Ancestry. I'm working as a contractor in London though my own limited company so will be sending in company incorporation docs, company bank statements, a copy of my contract, and will send a copy of my lease as you have done. 

Can I ask, when you were filling out the online application (I assume you did this in the UK), for trips to the UK, did you put each time you entered the UK as a new trip, even if that was a return trip from a holiday while you had been living here? And for your current time in the UK ie before you left to get your Visa, what date did you put as departure date as you can only put up to the current date when I'll only be leaving in February!

I'm struggling with this as I don't want my visa to be declined on a technicality!


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