UK Ancestry Visa Extension

A UK ancestry visa extension allows an applicant to extend their stay in the UK for another five years if they are already on this route. It provides continued permission to live and work in the UK while maintaining a pathway to settlement. 

If an applicant does not yet meet the requirements for, Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a UK Ancestry Migrant, they may apply for an extension instead. This option is often chosen where: 

• The applicant has not met the English language or Life in the UK test requirement. 
• The applicant cannot demonstrate five years of continuous lawful residence due to breaks in stay. 
• The applicant has an unspent criminal conviction that could result in an ILR refusal under paragraph 322(1C) of the Immigration Rules. 
• The applicant is not ready to apply for settlement or is unaware that they may be eligible. 

At Sunrise Solicitors, our experienced immigration solicitors and lawyers assist applicants in preparing strong UK Ancestry visa extension applications. We ensure that every detail is addressed to maximise the chance of success. Contact us today and get free initial advice from our expert solicitors.

Eligibility Requirements For Extension Of UK Ancestry Visa

To succeed in your application for UK Ancestry visa extension application, you must satisfy the following eligibility criteria:

• You must be in the UK with UK Ancestry visa;
• You must be a Commonwealth citizen
• You must be aged 17 or over
• You must provide proof that one of your grandparents was born in the UK and Islands and that the relevant grandparent is the applicant’s blood grandparent or grandparent by an adoption recognised by the laws of the UK
• You must be able to work and intend to take or seek employment (this includes self-employment and voluntary work) in the UK
• You must be able to maintain and accommodate yourselves and any dependants adequately without recourse to public funds
• You must not be in the UK in breach of immigration laws, except that any current period of overstaying will be disregarded if any of the exceptions set out in paragraph 39E of the Immigration Rules

Maintenance and Accommodation Requirement

Paragraph 186(v) of the Immigration Rules requires an applicant to be able to maintain and accommodate themselves and any dependants adequately without recourse to public funds. When an applicant applies for extension of UK Ancestry visa, they are required to give information on their application form about their finances and accommodation and to provide supporting evidence. Evidence can include, but is not limited to:

• payslips
• bank statements
• building society pass book
• P60s
• evidence of any other source of income – for example, income from rental property
• tenancy or mortgage agreement

The Immigration Rules do not specify the evidence that an applicant must submit so the Home Office UKVI will assess each case on its merits. As a guide, if the evidence shows that the applicant is in paid employment or self-employment at the date of application and is earning more than they would be entitled to if they were in receipt of Universal Credit, or if they have savings that exceed the Universal Credit level, they will meet the maintenance requirement.

Applicants are advised to submit evidence covering at least 3 months. However, the Home Office UKVI may not refuse an application solely because the evidence covers less than this. The Home Office UKVI may accept evidence covering a shorter period if they are nonetheless satisfied that the applicant will be able to maintain and accommodate themselves. The Home Office UKVI may request additional evidence (even if the applicant has submitted evidence covering a 3-month period) if they are not satisfied, based on the evidence provided, that the applicant meets the requirement. Third-party support (for example, financial help or accommodation from a relative or friend) is acceptable under the UK ancestry rules.

Super Priority Service (Decision Within 24 Hours) For UK Ancestry Extension

As the expert UK Ancestry visa solicitors based in London, we are registered with the Home Office, UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) and its commercial partners UKVCAS Sopra Steria to provide Super Priority Service (SPS) for your application whereby decision on your application will be made by the Home Office UKVI within 24 hours of the enrolment of biometrics at a designated service centre.

Our experienced UK Ancestry visa solicitors can prepare and submit your application to the Home Office, UKVI through Super Priority Service (SPS) and get decision on your UK Ancestry visa extension application within 24 hours. This way, you will not have to wait for the decision on your UK Ancestry extension application for months (sometimes years).

Extension Fee and Processing Time 

The extension of ancestry visa UK costs £1,321 per applicant. Also, the applicants need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (HIS). The fee is £1,035 per year for adult applicants. For children under 18 the IHS fee is £776 per year.  

Applicants will usually receive a decision on their extension application within 8 weeks. However, they might get a faster decision if they opt for either priority or super priority service.  

Priority and Super Priority service 

• If the applicant chooses priority service, they will have to pay an additional fee of £500 along with the standard application fee. This fast-track visa service provides a decision within 5 working days.  
• If the applicant chooses super priority service, they will have to pay an additional fee of £1000 along with the standard application fee. The applicant will receive a decision within a day. However, if the appointment falls on weekend or a holiday the applicants will receive a decision within 2 working days.   

When to Apply for Extension?  

Applicants can extend their Ancestry visa any time before their current visa expires. Though there is no strict 28-days rule for extension of Ancestry Visa UK. However, applying 28 days before the expiry is considered good practice. This gives the Home Office ample time to process the extension request and eliminate the risk of overstaying the visa.  

In case the visa has expired already, applicants can submit a late application within 14 calendar days to extend their visa. The application may still be acceptable if the applicant provides a valid reason beyond their control, such as a medical emergency or bereavement which caused delay to submit the application. 

Additionally, if a previous application was refused, a new application submitted within 14 days of that refusal may also be treated as valid and the overstay may be disregarded. However, submitting late without justification may lead to the application being refused and the applicant being classified as an overstayer. 

How to Apply? 

Applicants can apply online to extend their visa. After applying, they are required to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point. At the service point the applicants will be asked to provide their biometric information including their photographs and fingerprints. This has no fee.  

Applicants are also required to submit their supporting documentation. For this, they have two options. They can either upload their supporting documents into the online service. Or the applicants can have their documents scanned at their UKVCAS appointment.  

After you Apply 

After applying for the Ancestry visa extension, applicants can stay in the UK until they receive a decision as long as they have applied before their last visa has expired. Applicants should remain in the UK until they get a decision. They must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until they get a decision. This can result in the withdrawal of the application.  

The Home Office might contact the applicant if their application is complex or requires more time to process. The applicant will be contacted:  

• if their supporting documents need to be verified 
• If they need to attend an interview 
• because of personal circumstances such as criminal conviction   

Documents Required for UK Ancestry Visa extension

The document checklist for the UK Ancestry Visa extension is given below: 

How Can We Help With Your UK Ancestry Visa Extension?

Our specialist team of UK Ancestry visa solicitors can provide fast, friendly, reliable and fixed fee legal services for your application for extension of UK Ancestry visa. As your appointed legal representatives for UK Ancestry visa renewal application, our work can include the following:

• assessing your eligibility for extension of your UK Ancestry visa by considering all the relevant eligibility requirements;
• advising on relevant documents to be submitted in support of the UK Ancestry visa extension application;
• assessing the documentary evidence to ensure that the documents are in line with the Home Office UKVI requirements for renewal of UK Ancestry visa;
• completing online application form for extension of UK Ancestry visa;
• preparing a detailed cover letter in support of your UK Ancestry extension application to explain in detail how all the relevant requirements for renewal of UK Ancestry visa have been satisfied by the applicant;
• submitting the UK Ancestry visa extension application online, paying the Home Office UKVI fees for UK Ancestry visa extension application and booking applicant’s appointment with the UKVCAS application centre;
• uploading all the supporting documents online in support of the UK Ancestry extension application;
• doing all the follow up work including responding to any queries raised by the Home Office UKVI until decision is reached on your UK Ancestry visa extension application.

Our Fixed Fees For Extension/Renewal Of UK Ancestry Visa

Our fixed fees for extension / renewal of UK Ancestry visa from inside the UK are as given in the fee table below:

The agreed fixed fee will depend on the complexity of the application for extension of UK Ancestry visa and the volume of casework involved in the application. In addition to our fixed fee for extension of UK Ancestry visa from inside the UK, the applicant also has to pay the Home office UKVI fees for the application.