UK ancestry visa documents: a practical checklist for faster decisions

A UK Ancestry visa is one of the more flexible long-term routes for eligible Commonwealth citizens with a UK-born grandparent. It allows the holder to live in the UK for 5 years, work (including self-employment), study, and bring eligible dependents. 

Home Office guidance suggests a decision is usually made within 3 weeks for applications made from outside the UK. That is a helpful benchmark, but in practice, missing or unclear documents can cause delays, extra requests for evidence, or a refusal that could have been avoided with a cleaner pack. 

This article sets out a practical, document-first checklist that applicants can use to prepare a clear, easy-to-review application.

For readers who want a quick overview of the route first:
UK ancestry visa 

The reality of “faster decisions”

UKVI caseworkers still have to be satisfied on the same key points in every Ancestry application:

• identity and nationality
• the ancestry link to a qualifying grandparent
• the intention and ability to work in the UK
• the ability to maintain and accommodate without public funds
• where relevant, relationship evidence for dependants
• any extra compliance items such as TB testing (if required)

A fast decision is rarely about luck. It is usually about making each of those points obvious on the first read, with documents that are complete, consistent, and easy to cross-reference.

The core document checklist (main applicant)

1) Passport and travel history documents

UKVI expects a current passport or another valid travel document.

Practical tips:

• Upload the photo page clearly.
• If the passport has relevant entry stamps or visas that support the timeline, include those pages too.
• If an old passport contains key travel history that explains long absences, include it as supporting context (even if not strictly required).

2) Birth certificate chain (this is the spine of the application)

UKVI expects:

• the applicant’s full birth certificate
• the full birth certificates of the parent and the grandparent used for the ancestry claim 

“Full” matters. Short-form extracts often do not show parental details, which is exactly what UKVI needs to see to connect the chain.

A practical way to label these uploads:

• Applicant birth certificate
• Parent birth certificate (link: applicant → parent)
• Grandparent birth certificate (link: parent → grandparent)

3) Proof the grandparent qualifies under the rules

The ancestry must be based on a grandparent born:

• in the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man
• or before 31 March 1922 in what is now Ireland
• or on a qualifying UK-registered ship or aircraft 

Important limitations and helpful clarifications:

• Ancestry can still be claimed if the applicant or parent was adopted, or if parents or grandparents were not married. 
• Ancestry cannot be claimed through step-parents. 

If the grandparent’s circumstances are not straightforward, a short, factual cover letter can help. It should point the caseworker to the exact documents that prove the rule is met.

4) Name change evidence (where the paper trail needs help)

UKVI specifically flags that applicants might need evidence of name changes (for example, marriage or civil partnership certificates, or a deed poll). 

This is a common cause of delays because ancestry applications often involve older records and multiple generations.

Typical documents that help:

• marriage certificates (to link maiden name to married name)
• deed poll documents
• official change-of-name records
• divorce decrees (if they explain a name change used on later documents)

A simple best practice is to create a 1-page “name trail” note listing each person and their name(s) as shown on each certificate.

5) Adoption documents (only if relevant)

If adoption is part of the ancestry chain, legal adoption papers should be included. 

The focus is not personal history. It is ensuring the legal relationship is clear and matches the rule that adoption can still support an ancestry claim.

6) Evidence of intention to work in the UK

UKVI expects evidence that the applicant is planning to work, such as:

• job offers received, or
• a business plan if self-employed 

Applicants do not necessarily need a signed contract before applying, but the evidence should look genuine and practical.

What tends to work well in practice:

• a UK-style CV
• job search evidence (applications, recruiter emails, interview invites)
• a short statement outlining the job sector and plan
• if self-employed: a basic business plan, target clients, pricing, and a simple start-up budget

The aim is to show the applicant is not arriving without a realistic plan to work.

7) Financial evidence (maintenance funds)

UKVI expects evidence (such as bank statements) proving the applicant can support themselves and any dependants, dated within 31 days of the application submission. 

The Ancestry route does not publish a single fixed “must-have” amount on GOV.UK, so applicants should focus on clarity and credibility:

• regular income or savings that make sense for the applicant’s situation
• a sensible buffer (especially if exchange rates are involved)
• statements that are easy to read (account holder name, account number, running balance)

A useful planning note on costs:

• The visa application fee is £682. 
• The Immigration Health Surcharge is £1,035 per year for most applicants and £776 per year for applicants under 18. 

That means the upfront IHS for a 5-year visa can be significant. For example:

• 1 adult: £1,035 × 5 = £5,175 (IHS), plus £682 (visa fee) = £5,857 total
• 2 adults and 1 child: (£5,857 × 2) + (£776 × 5 + £682) = £11,714 + £4,562 = £16,276 total

These figures are not “maintenance funds” as such, but they are real cash outgoings that applicants should budget for when planning the move. 

8) TB test certificate (only if required)

Applicants need TB testing if they are coming to the UK for 6 months or more and have lived in certain listed countries for 6 months or more, with recent residence rules also applying. UKVI also requires testing to be done at a Home Office-approved clinic. 

If a TB test is required, it should be obtained early so it does not hold up the final submission.

Dependants: the relationship checklist

UKVI confirms that partners and children can apply to join the main applicant as dependents (where eligible), and relationship evidence must be provided. 

Partner documents

Commonly useful documents include:

• marriage or civil partnership certificate (if applicable)
• evidence of cohabitation and a genuine relationship (for unmarried partners, where relevant)
• joint finances or joint tenancy documents
• correspondence addressed to each partner at the same address (covering a sensible period)

For broader relationship evidence guidance, these pages may be useful:
UK family visas
Spouse visa 

Children’s documents

Typical documents include:

• full birth certificate(s)
• evidence of parental responsibility (particularly if only 1 parent is travelling)
• consent letters if a child is travelling with 1 parent
• school or medical records (when helpful for confirming care arrangements)

Presentation: how to make the evidence easy for UKVI to review

A strong application pack does not rely on UKVI “finding the point”. It makes the point obvious.

A practical upload structure:

1. Passports (main applicant + dependants)
2. Ancestry chain documents (birth certificates, adoption documents where relevant)
3. Name change trail (marriage certificates, deed poll, etc.)
4. Work intention (CV, job search evidence, business plan)
5. Financial evidence (bank statements, savings evidence)
6. Accommodation plan (where helpful)
7. TB test certificates (where required)
8. Cover letter (1–2 pages, with a numbered document index)

On scanning and uploads:

• use clear, straight scans
• avoid cutting off margins (many official certificates have stamps or reference numbers at the edges)
• keep file names consistent (for example: “01 Applicant Passport”, “02 Applicant Birth Certificate”)

Common document issues that slow decisions

These are some of the most frequent avoidable problems:

• short-form birth certificates submitted instead of full certificates 
• missing link documents for name changes (especially between generations) 
• unclear work plans (for example, a vague statement without CV or evidence) 
• bank statements older than 31 days at the point the application is submitted 
• TB certificate missing where the applicant’s country of residence triggers the requirement 
• dependants included without clear relationship evidence 

FAQs

Can an applicant apply from inside the UK?

UKVI states applicants must apply for a UK Ancestry visa before they travel to the UK, and it cannot be “switched into” from another visa inside the UK. 

How long does it take to get a decision?

It indicates a decision is usually made within 3 weeks when applying from outside the UK, and priority services may be available in some locations. 

What documents are mandatory for most applicants?

UKVI lists the passport, full birth certificate, full birth certificates for the parent and grandparent, work intention evidence, and bank statements (dated within 31 days of submission). 

Can ancestry be claimed if grandparents were not married, or if there was adoption?

Yes, ancestry can be claimed if the applicant or parent was adopted, and if parents or grandparents were not married. 

Can ancestry be claimed through a step-parent?

No. It is clear that UK ancestry cannot be claimed through step-parents. 

How much does the visa cost?

GOV.UK lists the visa fee as £682. Applicants may also have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, which GOV.UK lists as £1,035 per year for most applicants and £776 per year for applicants under 18. 

What happens after 5 years on an Ancestry visa?

After 5 years on this route, an applicant may be able to extend for a further 5 years or apply for settlement (indefinite leave to remain), if eligible. GOV.UK also lists the settlement application fee as £3,029 per person, with a typical decision time of up to 6 months under the standard service.

For longer-term planning:
Indefinite leave to remain settlement
British citizenship applications
Ilr based on long residence 

For applicants who want the Ancestry chain, name trail, and maintenance evidence checked properly before submission, Garth Coates Solicitors can review the documents, identify gaps that commonly trigger delays, and help present the application in a clean, caseworker-friendly format.

Ready to move forward with your UK immigration plans? Garth Coates Solicitors can guide you at every step — from eligibility checks and document preparation to submission and follow-up. If you’re launching a business, our uk start up visa team can help you build a strong application. Need support with work routes? Speak to a trusted skilled worker visa solicitor today. We also advise on the uk self sponsorship visa for entrepreneurs seeking more control. Studying in the UK? Our student visa solicitors are here to help — contact us now for tailored advice.