# Entry with Ancestry Visa



## Boopis (Apr 9, 2013)

Hi All

My partner and I plan on moving to the UK at the end of 2013 or early 2014. We both reside in Australia and my partner is eligible for the Ancestry Visa. The plan is for me to accompany him as his partner (unmarried). Having read a few posts/threads on this forum I am now concerned that this might not be as simple as we had hoped. So here are some of my questions. 

Is anyone able to tell me if my partner and I were to be approved for the above mentioned visa, are we required to enter the country within a certain time frame (i.e. 3-4 months) or the visa gets cancelled? 

My partner is currently a student and as such does not have an income. I am full time employed in the finance sector and between the two us we have more than the required amount of savings. Will the lack of my partners regular income be an issue for us? 

What is the processing time for the Ancestry visa? I turn 31 in one and a half months and am stressing that I should apply for a youth mobility visa just in case. I am also more than aware that if i were to do this it would cause issues with the partner visa application. Also, I know that I will need to enter the country in 3 months time or the visa will become invalid. So very confused as to what to do re this.

I am hoping that we are able to apply for the Ancestry visa ASAP and, if approved, enter on that visa 8-12 months down the track. Does anyone know if this is possible. 

Any assistance would be much appreciated.

Thanks guys


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## AmyD (Jan 12, 2013)

When applying for a fiancé visa (the only kind I have first hand knowledge about), you have to specify a date you want to enter, and that date must be within 90 days. As far as I know, you can not apply for a visa and enter a year later. There might be some special rule regarding ancestry visas that I don't know about (which is entirely possible) but I've never heard of a visa being granted that far in advance from the intended date of travel. Why not just apply closer to your intended date of travel?


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## Boopis (Apr 9, 2013)

Hi Amy

I'm just a bit concerned about getting rejected a partner visa. As I mentioned, my partner does not have an income (he's on a scholarship but I do not think that meets the income threshold) and I am concerned that might be an issue given that, technically, I will be his dependent. 

I wonder if our savings balance work in our favour at all? That is all I have to rely on. 

Also, in less than two month I will no longer be eligible for a youth mobility visa which means that I will have no back up plan later in the year. 

PS: We had originally planned to move in June 2013 and this wasn't such an issue then, but stuff happened!!


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

According to the link below being granted an Ancestry visa is based on you living
*and working* in the UK, Not sure that being a student can be termed as "working".

Also that you can show that you can fully support your dependents without recourse to public funds. If your partner is a student how would he show that he can fully support you? Do you have substantial savings etc.

UK Border Agency | UK ancestry


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## Boopis (Apr 9, 2013)

Thanks for your response, Crawford. 

We plan on moving to the UK after my partner completes his PhD, so we will both we ready to work once we get there. Between the two of us, our savings is substantial. I'm thinking this may not help as they may just want to see regular income rather than savings that have sat in an account for 5+ years (meaning it has accumulated over the last 5+ years with no substantial deposits made in the last two). Will having a savings account substitute for income?


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## AmyD (Jan 12, 2013)

Unfortunately I don't know much about ancestry visas. I do know that the UKBA is very strict about financial requirements so if you don't meet it, you simply won't be granted a visa. The rules do state that he has to support you so how would he do that? 

I don't know if your savings count. I am sure someone else can weigh in with this question. 

An option: marry him, send him go to the UK and work for six months (earning the minimum), then apply for a spouse visa. Have you guys considered that?


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## AmyD (Jan 12, 2013)

Savings do count with other partnership visas so it is possible it counts with ancestry too. Do you have the minimum of £62,500? If so, I think you'll be fine.


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## Boopis (Apr 9, 2013)

Thanks Amy. 

I do not have that level of funds. To be honest, I was completely unaware of these financial requirements until today and it has totally thrown me. 

Does the six month employment requirement change if he were to line up a job before we got there? I have a sneaky suspicion that it won't but I have to ask.


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## AmyD (Jan 12, 2013)

Again, I don't know much about ancestry visas, but for spouse visas, if he has a job lined up that starts within three months, he can be granted entry. But I think he also has to have been working and earning the minimum (£18,600 per year) for 6 months.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Boopis said:


> Hi All
> 
> My partner and I plan on moving to the UK at the end of 2013 or early 2014. We both reside in Australia and my partner is eligible for the Ancestry Visa. The plan is for me to accompany him as his partner (unmarried). Having read a few posts/threads on this forum I am now concerned that this might not be as simple as we had hoped. So here are some of my questions.





> Is anyone able to tell me if my partner and I were to be approved for the above mentioned visa, are we required to enter the country within a certain time frame (i.e. 3-4 months) or the visa gets cancelled?


The visa is valid 5 years and you can enter at any time during its validity. However, as you become eligible for settlement (ILR) after 5 years, it's in your interest to enter UK on the first day of validity or very shortly after. 



> My partner is currently a student and as such does not have an income. I am full time employed in the finance sector and between the two us we have more than the required amount of savings. Will the lack of my partners regular income be an issue for us?


No. Unmarried partner is eligible as dependant if you have been living together for 2 years. He must show you can maintain you without recourse to public funds. There is no financial requirement such as minimum income or savings. You do need some starting capital of around £5,000.



> What is the processing time for the Ancestry visa? I turn 31 in one and a half months and am stressing that I should apply for a youth mobility visa just in case. I am also more than aware that if i were to do this it would cause issues with the partner visa application. Also, I know that I will need to enter the country in 3 months time or the visa will become invalid. So very confused as to what to do re this.


Processing time is around 3-4 weeks. We have dealt with visa validity. As for a choice between Tier 5 YMS and Ancestry, remember YMS doesn't lead to settlement whereas ancestry does.



> I am hoping that we are able to apply for the Ancestry visa ASAP and, if approved, enter on that visa 8-12 months down the track. Does anyone know if this is possible.


Possible but not advised for reasons given. Ancestry visa is quite simple to obtain, provided your partner has a UK-born grandparent and he is able and willing to work. For your dependant visa, you need to meet the requirements as unmarried partner (2-year cohabitation, genuine relationship etc). Or just get married. So apply when you know you can leave within 3 months (you can request your visa to be valid from up to 3 months in the future).


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

Can anyone explain the logic behind why the dependent of someone on an ancestry visa can enter the UK without having to fulfill the financial requirements of, say, the spouse/partner of a British citizen.? As stated one only needs some starting capital of around 5K UKP.

Seeing how the requirements of the ancestry visa appear to be only "able and willing to work", not having any the need of any financial requirements appears to go against what the Government is advocating, namely that people should be adequately resourced so as not to resort to public funds.

In the particular case above the couple have some savings, but no jobs lined up until after the one partner graduates, and, yet, they could enter the UK based on one of them having a grandfather from the UK and then hopefully, find work.

A British citizen on the other hand with a non EEU spouse has to either have a job lined up, work history or substantial savings.

Am I missing something here?


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## cc9 (Oct 29, 2012)

Crawford said:


> Can anyone explain the logic behind why the dependent of someone on an ancestry visa can enter the UK without having to fulfill the financial requirements of, say, the spouse/partner of a British citizen.? As stated one only needs some starting capital of around 5K UKP.
> 
> Seeing how the requirements of the ancestry visa appear to be only "able and willing to work", not having any the need of any financial requirements appears to go against what the Government is advocating, namely that people should be adequately resourced so as not to resort to public funds.
> 
> ...


I actually can't believe it !!!! The more I read about ancestry visas and eea family permits, the more I feel like a second class citizen in my own country!!!!!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Ancestry visa is a concession to those of Commonwealth citizenship with close tie to UK. It has been accused of racism, as someone with a UK-born grandparent is likely to be white, esp if their descendants have emigrated to old Commonwealth countries like Canada, Australia and NZ. Also it's a work visa, so it's similar to points-based system (e.g. Tier 2 General), whose dependants don't have stringent financial requirement to meet either, only a modest amount. It has been rumoured for some years that ancestry visa may be abolished to reduce immigration, but hasn't happened yet.


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## cc9 (Oct 29, 2012)

Don't get me wrong I am in support of people being able to immigrate, my family are Irish and throughout the ages Irish people have emigrated far and wide. I just sometimes get so frustrated that UK citizens face such stringent immigration rulles.......


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

While the UK Government has every right to impose immigration rules as it sees fit, they should not be applying rules which have an adverse affect on only certain groups of the community.

If specific financial requirements are needed for non EEU spouses of British citizens, then these same rules should be applied to others locating to the UK *on any other visa* except for the Tier 1/2 work visas (these points based visa already have base limits for financial resources and skill requirements).

People are already shouting "unfair" when one compares the financial requirements for those entering from the EU (practically nothing), and now here is another visa which has little in the way of ensuring the people entering the country can support themselves or will be able to obtain work once they get there.

Just thinking completely out of the box what is to stop a returning Brit with a non EU spouse applying for an ancestry visa and thereby completely bypassing the financial regulations as laid out in the current immigration laws? Presumably the majority of them can prove an ancestor from the UK.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

They can't. British citizens are excluded from ancestry visa or any other UK visa.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

Joppa said:


> They can't. British citizens are excluded from ancestry visa or any other UK visa.


Darn .......


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## cc9 (Oct 29, 2012)

nice try Crawford


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## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

cc9 said:


> I actually can't believe it !!!! The more I read about ancestry visas and eea family permits, the more I feel like a second class citizen in my own country!!!!!


I agree with you and Crawford, I find it appalling how some people can effectively walk into the UK, with little or no resources, I think the Immigration laws, and other laws need to be 'shaken up' drastically, to start protecting Uk's indigenous people and economy.
I am not against the idea of people coming to the Uk, but it must be for the right reasons, and with definite proof of income, no scams, in all cases, to stop UK falling apart further.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

There is nothing UK can do about EU rules, short of leaving EU altogether. The government is tweaking some of the other rules such as access to benefits and social housing which aren't mandated by EU.

As for ancestry visa, I suppose the government is in no hurry to abolish it or bring in stringent financial requirement because of the relatively small number of people actually on that visa. There are around 3500 applications in UK each *week *for family route, such as FLR(M) and SET(M), while I'd imagine the number on ancestry visa must be a tiny fraction of that.


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## Boopis (Apr 9, 2013)

Thank you, Joppa. After further investigation I believe I apply as a non dependent spouse rather than a dependent on my partner's application. 

In response to others regarding the unfairness of the non existence of financial requirements for those entering the UK (partner included) on the ancestry visa, my guess is that it stems from the fact that we have no recourse to public funds. As a UK citizen, one is eligible to access the UK welfare system. If this person were to bring in a dependent spouse, and possibly kids, the entire family is now able (not saying everyone will) access the welfare system. My understanding of the financial requirements for UK citizens is that you only need to be earning the minimum wage to meet these requirements. If you are not, then it means that you are not earning the minimum wage, and are already on the welfare system (I understand that I am making a broad assumption here). 

Should my partner and I not find jobs and are unable to maintain ourselves, we do not impact, in any way, the government's coffers. On the other hand, if we do find jobs we pay higher taxes than UK citizens. It's a win-win for the UK government so why would they want to change it?


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## Boopis (Apr 9, 2013)

Hi All

I just thought I would provide some information on the financial requirements for the spouse of someone on an ancestry visa. I have been told that the applicant would be required to show funds of AUD 4000 for a single visa and more (in the range of AUD 5000-6000) for a spouse. This is only starting capital as the applicant is expected to work, given that the ancestry visa is simply another kind of work visa. The main documents to provide is proof of relationship for two years. 

Please note that this is only advice that I have been given and have not yet tested it.


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