Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 5:12 am-
Hi! I applied to renew my
ancestry visa last January and there is a serious lack of information on the web, so I hope this helps!
Firstly, you don't actually renew it or apply for a second one - you are actually applying for a Settlement visa. This allows you to remain in Britain indefinately (indefinate leave to remain).
You want Form SET (O) on this page:
http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/applying/applicationforms/
There is a form (Form FLR (0)) to apply for a 4 year extenstion of your ancestry visa - but they are the same price - so you might as well apply for indefinate leave.
You can apply by post, or in person at an Immigration Office - you don't leave the country. I applied in person at Croydon - it is ridiculously expensive but it's done the same day so you get it over with (I had to travel and didn't want my passport stuck in their system for weeks). You do need to make an appointment though.
Don't think you need evidence of funds - I did need a letter from my employer. I took everything I had though - recent bank statements, pay slips, etc!
You cannot apply until 4 weeks before your visa ends, which is really annoying.
The advantage of the Settlement visa is - if you want to apply for British citizenship, the requirement seems to be (in my interpretation) that you have been in the country 5 years, and the last year had no restrictions on your stay (i.e. had indefinate leave to remain) - because the ancestry visa has a time limit on it, you need to have the settlement visa for a year before you can apply for citizenship. Don't know if that's true!
Hope that helps!