Ancestry vs. Settlement: The Ultimate Immigration Showdown

Pre-Game Talk

History Corner: Impact on Minor Dependents

Ancestry Visa: This visa category is traditionally based on lineage and minor dependents can be included under specific conditions, usually based on financial maintenance and care.

Settlement Visa: Directly tied to relationships with British citizens or those with settled status, minor dependents, especially children, can be included with a more straightforward approach.

Track Record: The Pros & Cons

Ancestry Visa:

• Pros: Offers a direct route to permanent residence, generally a smooth path to citizenship, freedom to work without restrictions.
• Cons: Strong evidence of lineage required, financial thresholds need to be met for dependents.

Settlement Visa:

• Pros: Potential for a quicker route to citizenship.
• Cons: Stricter financial requirements, potential need for an English language test, and relationship validity is crucial.

Favourite to Win

On face value, the Settlement Visa seems to offer more to South Africans, especially those with clear family ties. However, the Ancestry Visa’s flexibility regarding work and potential duration may sway opinions.

Opening Rounds: Entry Clearance

• Ancestry Visa: Requires proof of a UK-born grandparent, along with meeting employment and maintenance funds criteria.

Ancestry Visa:

• • • Cost: Approx £516
    • Processing Times: Up to 3 months
    • Entry Duration: 5 years

• Settlement Visa: Requires a direct family connection to someone in the UK who is either a citizen or settled person, along with evidence of relationship and financial stability.

Settlement Visa:

• • • • Cost: Approx £1,523
      • Processing Times: Up to 12 weeks
      • Entry Duration: 33 months initially, extendable

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Middle Rounds: Building Residency

• Ancestry Visa: Offers the freedom to work and change employers without restrictions, helping build a stable foundation for eventual settlement.

Ancestry Visa:

• • • • Cost of Extension: Approx £1,033
      • Processing Times: Up to 8 weeks
      • Extension Duration: Additional 5 years

• Settlement Visa: Provides the ability to live, work, and study in the UK, but often comes with more stringent requirements regarding the maintenance of relationship statuses, like marriage or partnership.

Settlement Visa:

• • • • Cost of Extension: Approx £1,033
      • Processing Times: Up to 8 weeks
      • Extension Duration: Additional 30 months, until eligible for ILR

Final Rounds: Ultimate Citizenship Dream

• Ancestry Visa: After five years of continuous residence, holders can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), followed by naturalization as a British citizen.

Ancestry Visa:

• • • • Path to Permanent Residence: After 5 years
      • Total Time: Typically, 5 years to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)

• Settlement Visa: Also leads to ILR after five years, with a pathway to citizenship contingent on continuing to meet relationship criteria and other residency stipulations.

Settlement Visa:

• • • • Path to Permanent Residence: After 5 years of continuous residence
      • Total Time: Typically, 5 years to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)

The Winner

If independence and flexibility are your priorities, and you have the necessary historical connections, the Ancestry Visa might be your best bet. It offers a unique blend of freedom and a clear path to citizenship without depending on the status of a relationship.

If family unity is your main concern, and you meet the requirements to be sponsored by a family member who is already settled in the UK, the Settlement Visa could provide a faster and more straightforward route to bringing your family together in the UK.