UK Ancestry Visa... I got mine!

[meeka]

I am new to the forum and hope some of you may be able to help with some advice.

I am a canadian citizen and am eligible for the ancestry visa. The reason I want one is because I was in Oz for 10months where I met my Uk boyfriend. We are now in Vancouver and have found out he cannot apply for a Canadian work permit until Dec-Feb. From traveling in Oz we are pretty broke.

I want to go to England for 5 months to work on a work holiday visa, and later down the road apply for my ancestry visa. Is this possible or is there any other options that people can suggest for our situation. In 2 months we will have lived together for 1 year(we met living together)can we apply as commonlaw for another type of visa? The other problem is I haven't worked for a few months but his parents have offered to fund everything.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Jen

[cbrichar]

Hi all,
Just thought I'd share the tale of our UK Ancestry application process, and restore a bit of faith in the UK - Canadian immigration systems.

I've been living in the UK for the past four years on an ancestry visa that expires at the end of the year. Having heard of the ridiculous processing times for UK Ancestry extensions (I fell into that gap of having been issued a 4-year Ancestry Visa, before the rules changed) and already having planned to visit family in Canada, I decided instead to simply apply for a new ancestry visa while back in Canada.

Thursday, October 8th:
My biometrics appointment - noon sharp, downtown Vancouver. I had made the appointment online only a couple of days earlier, and there were lots of places available. Quick and painless process, just a quick review of my application form, a photo and some fingerprints. Having already prepared my supporting documents, I couriered my application to Ontario that same afternoon.

Tuesday, October 13th:
I receive an email confirming that my documents were safely received in Ottawa. Also mentioned is the fact that I can expect processing to take up to 15 working days. Probably would've normally happened a day earlier, except Monday was a holiday.

Wednesday, October 14th:
I receive a second email confirming that my visa has been issued. ONE DAY after they received my documents. I'm given a postal tracking number to follow the package back.

Friday, October 16th:
My passport, complete with UK Ancestry visa, is in my hot little hands. I would never have believed it would have happened so quickly.

So - I just thought I should report the good news - it's far too often the doom & gloom that gets reported.

- Colin

[stephiegrace]

Hi all,
Just thought I'd share the tale of our UK Ancestry application process, and restore a bit of faith in the UK - Canadian immigration systems.

I've been living in the UK for the past four years on an ancestry visa that expires at the end of the year. Having heard of the ridiculous processing times for UK Ancestry extensions (I fell into that gap of having been issued a 4-year Ancestry Visa, before the rules changed) and already having planned to visit family in Canada, I decided instead to simply apply for a new ancestry visa while back in Canada.

Thursday, October 8th:
My biometrics appointment - noon sharp, downtown Vancouver. I had made the appointment online only a couple of days earlier, and there were lots of places available. Quick and painless process, just a quick review of my application form, a photo and some fingerprints. Having already prepared my supporting documents, I couriered my application to Ontario that same afternoon.

Tuesday, October 13th:
I receive an email confirming that my documents were safely received in Ottawa. Also mentioned is the fact that I can expect processing to take up to 15 working days. Probably would've normally happened a day earlier, except Monday was a holiday.

Wednesday, October 14th:
I receive a second email confirming that my visa has been issued. ONE DAY after they received my documents. I'm given a postal tracking number to follow the package back.

Friday, October 16th:
My passport, complete with UK Ancestry visa, is in my hot little hands. I would never have believed it would have happened so quickly.

So - I just thought I should report the good news - it's far too often the doom & gloom that gets reported.

- Colin

Hey Colin, congrats on your visa! What documents exactly did you submit? I am in the process now and want to ensure I have everything so that it goes through as smoothly as possible

Steph

[aimzs]

Steph,

I just got my UK Ancestry Visa too. I submitted my documents as a portfolio (in a binder in those plastic paper protectors that you can slide paper into). This way it made it easy for them to find what they needed. This is what I submitted, in order.

When you go to Biometrics, they take your application, the picture you brought with you, and your passport and put it in a "tamper-evident" package. You take this package along with your other documents and send it in. (Make sure you print your application (after you submit it) and also print the confirmation email showing you paid. If you dont print your application, they will charge you $140 plus printing fees to print it at your biometrics meetin).

I sent in:

The tamper-evident package containing my application, biometrics, passport, and photo .

Proof of payment of application fee (around $450.. which includes the cost of return shipping fee from ottawa).

All three ORIGINAL long-form birth certificates. mine, my moms, my grandfathers. They must be long form.. not the plastic wallet size ones. I had to have them ordered specially and paid extra for expedite shipping. Mine from NB was $100 and arrived in one day, my moms from ontario was $50 and arrived in 2 days, my grampy's came from england and was 26pounds and arrived in one week. (make sure you order from government websites because its cheapest). Remember - don't send a photo copy.. it has to be directly from the register / issuer.

Financial information - some ppl (including the application) say submit the last 3 bank statements but i didnt. I went to the bank and told them I needed a official letter saying exactly how much money I had available to me. So they added up all my accounts and wrote a letter saying I had "this much" available. I had $8,000 but i know ppl who had $3,000 and got it.

Letter of Support - I had my boyfriend who lives in the UK write me a letter of support saying he can provide me with accommodations and will support me until I can find a job. I didnt need any proof that he had a place in the UK (ie didnt need a bill, and didnt need a rent contract).. just the letter which he signed, and I photocopied his UK passprot.

Letter of Intent to find employment. I wrote a letter like this "To whom it may concern - I am writing this letter to express my full intention to find employment upon entering the UK. Types of jobs i will apply to are....... I have these qualifications...." etc etc. Also I started to look for jobs on a website called guardian.co.uk and sent in an application so i would have an email saying "Thank you for your application to this job".. I printed that email to prove i wasnt going to bum off their welfare system and would actually try to find a job.

Additional random documents - I worked at a camp and had a police background check done for it, so I just added that to the pile (but dont go get one! its not needed!) and I added my university transcripts just to prove I was actually a masters student and not faking it (again not needed).

I submitted my application online and paid the fee then booked my biometrics apt for 2 days after. Once you have your bio apt. you only have like 10 days to mail in your package so make sure you have everything before you book the apt.

I mailed in my package Tuesday, October 20th 2:00pm, got an email saying they received it Wednesday October 21st 8:30am, then got another email saying they had issued my Visa, Thursday October 22nd 9:30am. and to allow 2 days for it to return.

If anyone has questions please feel free to send me an email because I know how helpful this website was and how anxious and worried I felt at times because there wasnt anyone to talk to for help! So please message me!!!!

Best of luck!!

[LMC]

Hi all,
Just thought I'd share the tale of our UK Ancestry application process, and restore a bit of faith in the UK - Canadian immigration systems.

I've been living in the UK for the past four years on an ancestry visa that expires at the end of the year. Having heard of the ridiculous processing times for UK Ancestry extensions (I fell into that gap of having been issued a 4-year Ancestry Visa, before the rules changed) and already having planned to visit family in Canada, I decided instead to simply apply for a new ancestry visa while back in Canada.

Thursday, October 8th:
My biometrics appointment - noon sharp, downtown Vancouver. I had made the appointment online only a couple of days earlier, and there were lots of places available. Quick and painless process, just a quick review of my application form, a photo and some fingerprints. Having already prepared my supporting documents, I couriered my application to Ontario that same afternoon.

Tuesday, October 13th:
I receive an email confirming that my documents were safely received in Ottawa. Also mentioned is the fact that I can expect processing to take up to 15 working days. Probably would've normally happened a day earlier, except Monday was a holiday.

Wednesday, October 14th:
I receive a second email confirming that my visa has been issued. ONE DAY after they received my documents. I'm given a postal tracking number to follow the package back.

Friday, October 16th:
My passport, complete with UK Ancestry visa, is in my hot little hands. I would never have believed it would have happened so quickly.

So - I just thought I should report the good news - it's far too often the doom & gloom that gets reported.

- Colin

Hi Colin.
Wonderful account of your successful UK Ancestry Visa app...Thankyou..would you be so kind as to help me please...I am a Canadian, age 55, from the Vancouver area living in Edinburgh, Scotland for 6 months (Sept. 2/09 to March 1/10)..the max I can stay as a Commonwealth visitor. I want to move to Scotland permanently, and having my grandfather born in Edinburgh (1884), am eligible to claim UK Ancestral status with the UK Ancestry Visa. I am assembling all my docs here in Scotland during the next 4 months(the remainder of my stay) to be ready to land in YVR go straight to apply for my visa and return to Scotland as quickly as possible.. For I cannot apply for the visa over here, I must go to Canada for that. My first question..is..I can't find the actual form anywhere for the UK Ancestral Application (INF9)..could you please post a link or let me know if it is actually available on line, please excuse me if it's right infront of me here in the forum. I joined the other day after a very upseting day in Glasgow going to UK Border Services..trying to find answers to moving here...the guard was not into helping..I left in great despair and after my Man here googled and searched this wonderful forum appeared with such hope for us..the day turned completely around for us..If the form is not online..how do I obtain one..in Vancouver or can I write away for one..or even ask a friend to go and pick one up for me in YVR and mail it to me here. Another question..where exactly in Vancouver do I go...the British Embasy down town? and I think the last question for now is...as soon as I receive my approved Visa for UK Ancestry, can I simply get on a plane and fly back here..no waiting for a period of time.. Since I am entitled to entry it seems to me that I should be welcome..since I have an Edinburgh address..I have a flat I am renting with a girlfriend, am financially secure and solvent ..I sold my house and business in BC and have a bank account with the Royal Bank of Scotland (BRC) as well as my Canadian Bank Accounts with Bank of Montreal...And I am ready, able and willing to work..

Really really appreciate your help Colin or anyone in the Forum who can offer assistance..Thankyou In advance..
Loragene

[clarica33]

Hi, I'm about to mke my appoitment to go to the british consulate in ottawa for my Right of Ancestry Visa (both my grand-parents were british) and I have ALMOST everything I need except for the sponsor's mortgage or whatever that is...?? Do I really need it? And about the money I'm supposed to have in my bank account, is it okay if I put some in just 2 days before my appointment??

Many many thanks!