The British government is looking at an overhaul of its immigration system, and one of the proposals is that the "ancestry visa" be scrapped. This visa was introduced 36 years ago by Britain in appreciation of its former dominions. The visa entitles holders to live and work in Britain for four years. It has mainly been used by nationals of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. The visa is available to those who can prove that he/she:
* is a Commonwealth citizen
* is 17 years of age and over
* has at least one Grandparent born in the United Kingdom and/or Islands
* is able to work and intends to seek employment in the UK
* is able to accommodate themselves and any dependants adequately without resources to public funds
* holds a valid UK entry clearance
The visa is granted for a four-year period. After four years in the UK you can apply for your next visa - an Indefinite Leave to Remain visa - as long as you haven’t spent a period of 90 days at a time away from the UK. After holding the Indefinite Leave to Remain visa for two years, you are eligible to apply for a British passport.
Another new proposal being considered is the introduction of an immigrant tax for non-Europeans and the requirement that non-European spouses and fiancees of British nationals pass an English language test before they might be allowed to enter the UK. The British Home Office's Green Paper on the issue says, "We need to decide whether a Commonwealth national's ancestral connections to the UK are sufficient to allow them to come here to work without the need to satisfy a resident labour market test."
