How to get a visa to live / work in the UK

"The", thanks very much for the information. When you suggest to contact the High Commission, is the one you refer to located in Ottawa, or directly in the UK (as I've seen a 1-900 or 1-800 with a rather high toll associated) to gain specific information from?

Also, does anyone know what my situation is (being the husband) of a person who will be entering using a British Passport? I've only noticed a brief paragraph that states I have to wait for 3 years before I can apply for my own citizenship.does anyone know if I am able to be employed during the first three years? So much information! Thanks again.

"The", thanks very much for the information. When you suggest to contact the High Commission, is the one you refer to located in Ottawa, or directly in the UK (as I've seen a 1-900 or 1-800 with a rather high toll associated) to gain specific information from?

Phone the High Commission in Ottawa. They are the ones who handle visa applications from people who are still in Canada. It appears you now have to phone an outsourced partner that, surprise surprise, charges an exorbitant fee to take phonecalls pertaining to visa applications. I would try phoning the High Commission directly at 613 237 1530 and see how far you get with questions about eligibility. If you have to phone ABTRAN, then dial one of these two numbers:
1 900 528 8472 (Premium rate C$2.80 /minute)
1 800 951 1444 (Credit card rate C$2.80 /minute)

You'll pay through the nose.

As for your wife, to answer your earlier question (and I'm sure you already know the answer), she appears to have Right to Abode. If her father was born in the U.K. and held citizenship when she was born, and if she was born before 1983 and is a Commonwealth citizen, then she should have no problems.

As for you, it's pretty straightforward. Either way, if your wife is entitled to settle in the U.K., you are free to join her. If she is given citizenship through Right of Abode immediately, you will be joining her as the spouse of a British citizen.

At first, you will be allowed to stay and work in the UK for two years. Near the end of this time, if you are still married and intend to continue living together, you can apply to stay permanently in the UK.

TheThe, you may have got away with the bare minimum in your application, but when I called the UK Visa high commision in Ontario, what I listed where the requirements they gave me over the phone to ensure that I would PASS a Visa application. Keep in mind, for me failure was NOT an option!

Keep in mind, I did not have a university degree, waiting job offer or spouse or other items that might have been 'pluses' on the Visa application forms.

I went it blind based on my own lowly merrits and what I listed in my post as 'Musts' was what I was told I required as a single non-British affliated Canadian citizen wishing to go to the UK. Each case is obviously based on specifics of each applications details, just wanted to clarify that as just because it was a peice of p*ss for you to get through it, doesn't mean it will be for others.

Keeping in mind of course that failure in your initial application for a visa stage creates a much longer & more detailed 'appeal' process, I thought it would be fair to me to clarify my application circumstances for any other possibly 'naive' querents out there.

Good luck to you all, it can be easy for some, it can be a whole heck of a lot harder for others.

AngelKiri, I completely agree with you.
I'm currently getting ready to apply for a UK Ancestry Visa and I can't afford to take any chances.

Your information is valuable and greatly appreciated!

Thanks so much.

Thanks for everyone's advice and great details. Just a questions, Angel, The and Hutch - did you all apply for an Ancestral Visa? If that's the case, was this based upon having a grandparent that was born in the UK? I have a friend who had a paternal grandfather born in England and is interested, but felt there was much luck as she read from the BritishHighCommission.gov.uk

UK Born Grandparent

It is not generally possible to claim citizenship through an UK born grandparent.

Is this something different than what you're applying for, or the same?

Hi Canehdian1,

------------------------------------------------------
QUOTE:
UK Born Grandparent

It is not generally possible to claim citizenship
through an UK born grandparent.
------------------------------------------------------

Your friend cannot obtain British Citizenship directly because she was not born in the UK or her parents are not UK nationals. She must apply for entry clearance first and live in the UK for five years before satisfying the British Immigration and Nationality officials.

I am applying for a UK ANCESTRY visa through my GRANDFATHER. Your friend is eligible to apply through her grandfather as well providing she can fulfill all these requirements too:

(taken from the British High Commission website)

Do I qualify for UK Ancestry?
You will qualify if you can show that:

1. You are a Commonwealth citizen
2. You are aged 17 or over

3. You have a grandparent who was born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. You have a grandparent who was born in what is now the Republic of Ireland before 31 March 1922.

4. You are able to work and intend to do so in the UK, and you can support yourself and any dependants, and live without needing any help from public funds.


If granted a UK Ancestry visa your friend is given entry clearance to the UK (just don't piss off the custom officers at the airport ) and allowed to live and work for 5 years. If she chooses to stay after the 5 years she can then apply for citizenship.

This is outlined on the Home Office - Immigration and Nationality website:

Ways of becoming a British citizen:

Naturalisation
Foreign nationals may apply for certificates of naturalisation. This also applies to Commonwealth citizens and Irish citizens.

Applicants must:

1. Have lived legally in the United Kingdom for five years (the last year should have been free of any time limit);

2. Be 18 or over
3. Not be of unsound mind;
4. Be of good character;

5. Have sufficient knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic (depending on their age and physical and mental condition); and

6. Stay closely connected with the United Kingdom.


Sorry I can't offer proper links. The forum won't allow me to. But look at the British High Commission website for Canada. And look up the Ancestry Visa. That will give you most of the information. I also recommend following Angelkiri's advice. I called the Ottawa British Embassy with my own questions and they confirmed everything that she's already told us.

I hope I could help!
Good luck to your friend!

Thanks Hutch & your response to Canehdian1 is spot on. In my case it was my fathers mother (my grandmother) who was born in Scotland. I had to pay the Scottish govt to get an original print of her birth certificate showing her birth in the early 1900's in Dundee. I also needed to provide an original birth certificate of my father listing his mothers full name DOB etc along with my own birth certificate listing my father on it. Basically you need original documents proving your heritage/ancestry link through to the current (your) generation for an Ancestry application.

As Hutch says though, that isn't the sole criteria but its probably the most distinguishing difference between a UK Ancestry & the other types of Visa's the UK embassy issues.

If you are not sure that any of the documents/prints you have ammased meet the criteria of what the UK embassy are asking for, call their office and speak to someone. yes it (might) be long distance but it is well worth it to be sure that you have everything you need (I personally prefer to exceed requirements rather then gamble at a rejection) prior to posting off your application pack to them. Make sure you send it recorded/signed for delivery so that you can obtain proof of sending & also can find out when it was recieved & who signed for it (just in case it gets 'lost') since loosing those original documents (including your own current Canadian passport) would cause no end of grief to replace.

Hope you get through it ok

TheThe, you may have got away with the bare minimum in your application, but when I called the UK Visa high commision in Ontario, what I listed where the requirements they gave me over the phone to ensure that I would PASS a Visa application. Keep in mind, for me failure was NOT an option!

Keep in mind, I did not have a university degree, waiting job offer or spouse or other items that might have been 'pluses' on the Visa application forms.

Interesting that the High Commission gave you such strict requirements compared to my situation.

I certainly wasn't implying that you were giving bad advice, but I was surprised that you were made to submit so much evidence!

Granted, when I applied I did have a girlfriend in the U.K. who had entered on an ancestry visa a few months earlier. I also had more than enough money in my bank account, but other than that there was nothing about my application that the ECO would have preferred. I had no job lined up, nor did I have a job offer for that matter. I only had a printed email from my girlfriend's cousin saying I could stay at her house.

What's funny is that I was concerned my application was going to be refused because my father's birth certificate had a serious error on it. It listed his mother as being born in Vancouver, Canada, rather than Liverpool, England. And because it was a California certificate I had to apply to have it corrected, which wouldn't happen until after I was to enter the U.K. Luckily it went off without a hitch and I was granted my visa within two weeks.

hi gang,

first time poster with a quick & easy question to answer i hope.

i am a canadian born citizen, getting ready to send in my application for my british passport.

my mom & dad are both from the UK (born & raised) & came to canada after they married.

i have all the original docs i need i believe (both of my parents birth certificates, marrige certificate, my dad's parents marriage certificate & i believe my dad's dad's (grandfather :>) birth certificate).

so i think i am in good shape that way. but what my real question is do i have to submit my canadian passport along with the application for review?

Section 4 of C1 app form:

Have you had any sort of passport or travel document before or been included in one?

if you check yes it wants to know if the document is attached with the app form making it sound like your current passport (canadian passport for me) is required.

however reading the notes for this section i read the following that makes it sound as if they only want to know if you have had a previous passport. there is no mention in the notes section about subitting a current passport with the app.

Notes Section

If you have had a previous British passport, a Commonwealth passport, a foreign passport or other travel document of any description or been included in one you should tick Yes and complete the details.

so what is the suggestion? do i need to or should i submit my current canadian passport with my app or it is not required.

edit: btw, i am back in canada & will be applying there if that makes any difference.

thanks,
nap

Just to relate my story. I'm a Calgarian, and I emigrated to the UK in 2000. I came on an ancestry visa - What Angelkiri said about having at least $3000 in the bank is correct.

Basically, An ancestry visa grants you leave to come and go as you please, and work, but with NO recourse to public funds. Soooo. if you run out of money before you get a job, you can't sign on to the dole, or get job seekers assistance, or welfare, or council housing etc. They want to make sure that you've got enough money to get you through and that you already have a place to live .

With me, my friend and I were dossing in our friend's lounge for 2 months.

After I had lived here on my Ancestry visa for 4 years, I applied for Indefinite right to remain, and got it. This was a permanent residency permit and I could have very happily kept that for ever as it DID entitle me to public funding (I think) -

At any rate, because I travel through the EU a lot, I decided to get British Nationality . Once you've lived continuously in the UK for 5 years, and after 1 of those years has been with indefinite right to remain, you can apply for British Nationality. To apply, you must not have been absent from the country for more than 90 days total within the past calendar year, you must be in the country on the day they receive your application, and you must have been in the country exactly 1 year prior to the day they receive your application.

I had to send them my university transcripts to prove I could speak English fluently, but I got in just under the gun with regards to the new tests you have to take (what's on them? "name the regular cast members of Eastenders", "which goes in first, the tea or the milk?" "describe the off-side rule in football")

Then it was off to the local office to pledge allegiance to the Queen and sing a rousing chorus of God Save the Queen.

This last bit seemed a bit funny to me. I mean. as a Canadian citizen my head of state has ALWAYS been the Queen. I was pledging allegiance to her when I was in brownies and girl guides and had to sing GSTQ in elementary school after Assemblies. so hilarious ! - they told me that they used to have a different ceremony for our sort, but that they didn't bother any more

cheers!

Stratus