# UK Ancestry Visa, need advice



## quantum777 (Jun 27, 2010)

Just checking to see if I qualify for a UK Ancestry Visa. My grandfather was born in 1914 in British Guiana. I am also a Commonwealth citizen. It says your grandparent must have been born in the UK as a requirement. Would British Guiana count as being the UK?!?!?

Any help or advice would be great! Thanks!!!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

quantum777 said:


> Just checking to see if I qualify for a UK Ancestry Visa. My grandfather was born in 1914 in British Guiana. I am also a Commonwealth citizen. It says your grandparent must have been born in the UK as a requirement. Would British Guiana count as being the UK?!?!?
> 
> Any help or advice would be great! Thanks!!!


No, your grandfather must have been born in the UK, Isle of Man, Channel Islands or in what is now the Republic of Ireland prior to 31st March 1922. See UK Ancestry (INF 9)


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## quantum777 (Jun 27, 2010)

But wouldn't my grandfather have been born into what was considered part of the UK at that time? When they mean United Kingdom in the requirements, isn't it retroactive until those colonies become independent?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

quantum777 said:


> But wouldn't my grandfather have been born into what was considered part of the UK at that time? When they mean United Kingdom in the requirements, isn't it retroactive until those colonies become independent?


No, the United Kingdom refers to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. British Guiana was a colony, and ancestry visa isn't available to those whose grandparent was born in one of the former colonies.
You need to understand that an ancestry visa can lead to settlement and possible naturalisation as British citizen after 5 years, and it's only intended for those who have close family connection with the British Isles (i.e. the geographical area). If it were applicable to those with links to one of the former colonies, it would open the door to further millions in the newer Commonwealth countries such as India and Pakistan to stake a claim and immigrate. For this reason, the ancestry visa has been labelled racist, as by definition it rules out most non-white Commonwealth citizens, while leaving the door open for descendants from older Commonwealth nations like Canada, Australia and New Zealand who are predominantly white.
Yes, politically speaking, you can argue that a colony was part of the UK (or the British Empire - indeed, until early 1960s, anyone born in one of the existing or former colonies was a British subject and was free to come and live in UK as a 'citizen of the UK and the colonies'), but recent UK governments have been drawing a tight line around the numbers eligible to enter and work in UK.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Just a quote from relevant Home Office documentation on ancestry visa:

_A British-born grandparent must be born:
• in the United Kingdom and islands (Guernsey, Jersey and Isle of Man), or in what is now the Republic of Ireland before 31 March 1922, or
• on a British-registered ship or aircraft.
If the grandparent was born anywhere else (including in a *British colony *or military base overseas) you must refuse the application._

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/s...rking/outside-pbs/uk-ancestry.pdf?view=Binary


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## Baz79 (Jan 7, 2011)

Since British Guinea has never been a part of the UK, you are not eligible.

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UK Ancestry maps: UK Ancestry Maps | Celtic Family Maps


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