When to apply for Ancestry Visa?

lynndyhop
Senior Member



Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 76
Location: Staffordshire

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 3:21 pm

 

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Hi Everyone!

I'm in the process of getting everything together for my visa.so far I have:

-Dad's Birth Certificate, my birth certificate, parents' Marriage Certificate
-Booked my flight
-Have Sponsorship form signed by boyfriend showing I will live there, and he'll support me if I can't get a company to hire me
-Bank Statements
-Will be writing a letter of intent to apply for work, plus resume and copy of university degree (also thinking of applying to some agencies and including copies of that to show I'm already on the job thing)

So I think I'm good to apply - just need to book Biometric after that (they do the pictures there, right?)

So, my poll question is for those who have their visas, how close did you apply to your date of departure?

Much thanks!
_________________
Lynndyhop.

I'm not an American! I am a Canadian. I come from a "nice", thoroughly unrealistic country.

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riverfox
Senior Member


Meow meow meow

Joined: 30 Dec 2007
Posts: 116
Location: Brighton

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:37 am

 

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Hey Lynndyhop,

Looks like you're pretty well organized! One thing I wanted to mention is that the British consulate encourages people not to book their flights until their application has been approved, as processing times CAN vary. Also there is no guarantee that you will get your visa until the is actually processed. Waiting just avoids further problems if there are delays.

That being said processing times are very good right now, but this can always change.
You can apply up to three months in advance of your departure date although a little closer is better. Just make sure you include a writen request for your visa to be post dated in with your application.

I applied about a month and a half in advance of my departure.

Next point, they WILL NOT do any pictures for you other than scanning your face / taking a single digital picture. You MUST bring a passport photo you with you. This photo should be cut to the size of the box which is printed out with your application. They lent me sissors to do it at the office when I applied however I have heard from others that they refused to allow them to cut it there, so they had to leave find sissors and then return to the office.

Otherwise I think you are good to go. Good Luck!

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lynndyhop
Senior Member



Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 76
Location: Staffordshire

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 10:39 am

 

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Thanks riverfox!

Good to know about the photos.I would have shown up without them! Do you know if there is any timing with the pictures? Ie. If I'm going in July, can I have them taken now? I'll have to look into that.And thanks for the advice on the application timing.I think I will do that exactly 3 months before then to give maximum processing time! Actually, my boyfriend will be here at that time too, so I'll have a helper ;0)

Thanks again!
_________________
Lynndyhop.

I'm not an American! I am a Canadian. I come from a "nice", thoroughly unrealistic country.

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Tigerlea
Senior Member



Joined: 02 Jan 2008
Posts: 82
Location: Calgary, Alberta

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 5:57 pm

 

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Riverfox. Where did you hear about the 3 months in advance thing? I have -never- read that or heard of that before just now. If you could please let me know, I'd really appreciate that, because I was planning on applying beginning of March but I'm not moving until July. Your 3 month this wouldn't allow me to apply until April. Could you please let me know where you found that, so that I can confirm from an outside source? Thanks so much. *worried*

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lynndyhop
Senior Member



Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 76
Location: Staffordshire

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 9:14 am

 

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Hi riverfox!

Follow up question - for the pictures - I am applying online. So would I need to trim my photos before sending them in? I'm guessing I can print out an application form to gauge what size they need to be.

Much thanks!
_________________
Lynndyhop.

I'm not an American! I am a Canadian. I come from a "nice", thoroughly unrealistic country.

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RGBaker
New Member



Joined: 15 Dec 2007
Posts: 6

Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:45 am

 

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Even though I applied 'on-line' I still needed to attend in person and that's when I handed over the picture .

The problem with getting your visa too far in advance of using it is you are 'wasting' some of the time available on your visa . if you get the visa months before you go, those months are subtracted off your eligible period in the UK -- maybe not a concern, depending on your plans (i.e. apply for citizenship, return after three years, et cetera) but you should be aware that the visa dates from issue, not when you arrive in the UK.

GB

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Tigerlea
Senior Member



Joined: 02 Jan 2008
Posts: 82
Location: Calgary, Alberta

Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:12 am

 

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I seem to remember reading someone else saying you can send a note with your application asking that they post-date your visa. If that's true, I don't really see why applying earlier is really much of an issue. I tried to e-mail the immigration peoples, but they haven't replied back as of yet. Hopefully they do and I can get this sorted.

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lynndyhop
Senior Member



Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 76
Location: Staffordshire

Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:18 am

 

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So when you went in person, where did you go? I thought I would just send in all my documents to Ottawa via Registered Mail. Am I able to bring all the documents with me in person?

Thanks so much for helping me clear this up!
_________________
Lynndyhop.

I'm not an American! I am a Canadian. I come from a "nice", thoroughly unrealistic country.

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