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U.K. Immigration - Overview
U.K. Visitors Visa
Depending on the country you are a national of
you may require a visa to visit the U.K. as a tourist or visitor
if you intend to stay no longer than 6 months. Visitors to the
U.K. are generally divided into two sections – ‘visa
nationals’ and ‘non-visa nationals'. Visa nationals
are citizens from countries who require a visa before
travelling to the U.K., whereas non-visa nationals are citizens
from countries who are able to apply for a visa once they
have arrived in the U.K. A visa is essentially a ‘clearance
stamp’ that you will receive in your passport entitling
you to travel to, and upon presenting your passport to an immigration
official at your port of entry, enter the United Kingdom.
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To be eligible for a visa (if
required) you will need to apply to your local U.K. Embassy or
Consul before travelling to the U.K. You will need to satisfy
the immigration officials there that you plan to stay no longer
than 6 months in the U.K., that you have sufficient funds to support
yourself for the duration of your stay without resorting to employment
in the U.K., and that you have an onward ticket out of the U.K.
To determine if you require a visa (are considered
a visa national) to travel to and enter the U.K. visit
this web page.
Visa requirements for E.U./E.E.A. citizens
Citizens of the member countries of the E.U.
(Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and
the United Kingdom) and the E.E.A. (the E.U. plus Iceland, Liechtenstein
and Norway) are permitted to move freely between member states,
and have the legal right to seek and take employment (with some
exceptions). Citizens from within the E.E.A. borders are entitled
to enter the U.K without a permit and seek employment.
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When entering the U.K.
at a major port or airport E.E.A. citizens will be required to
provide a passport or identification card to U.K. immigration
officials. They may stay in the U.K. indefinitely, do not need
to register for residency, and do not have to register with the
police authorities. While there is also no requirement to demonstrate
to immigration officials that the applicant has sufficient financial
resources to support their stay in the U.K., automatic rights
to public financial assistance may be limited in some cases.
UK Ancestry Visa
For those people who are eligible for a U.K.
Ancestry Visa a 4-year visa to enter the U.K. and seek employment
is possible. In order to qualify for such a visa the applicant
must apply at their local U.K. Embassy or Consul before travelling
to the U.K. and must:
- Be over the age of 17
- Be a citizen of a Commonwealth country
- Be able to provide proof that one of their grandparents was
born in the U.K. (or in the Republic of Ireland before March
31, 1922).
- Be able to seek and undertake work
- Be able to support themselves and any dependents adequately
financially
Documentary evidence that you will require to
prove that your grandparent was born in the U.K. would be in the
form of birth certificates and subsequent marriage licences to
prove your line of descent to them. Adoptive descendents can also
qualify for the U.K. Ancestry visa as long as there is sufficient
proof of their lineage. At the end of the 4-year time period the
applicant is able to apply for the right to remain indefinitely
in the U.K.
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