UK Passport question

[Pushka]

I'd also appreciate knowing the main advantage to having the ancestry visa - work visa options presumably?

Yes You have to be able to work there so it’s more than just the option to stay. Or be self supporting anyway. No call allowed on public pensions etc but medical stuff is covered. You can’t work on a tourist visa which is the usual entry one.

 

[amaroo]

I got my UK passports via my Scottish born father. But there is another oppurtunity if one of your grandparents was born in Northern Ireland. The Irish will grant citizenship if your grandmother of grandfather were born on the island of Ireland.

I have this covered, but haven't bothered to apply yet. With Brexit now in full throttle maybe an Irish passport will be a pretty powerful addition.

Irish citizenship through birth or descent

You are not automatically an Irish citizen if you were born on the island of Ireland. You may be entitled to Irish citizenship if your parent(s) or grandparents were Irish. You may be entitled to Irish citizenship if you were born outside of Ireland, but you may need to register your birth.

www.citizensinformation.ie

To round off - I'm also able to apply for a NZ passport via my mothers birth. So that makes 4

 

[AisleSeat]

Depends if citizenship is by birth, or by descent. By descent (parents born in the UK but you were born outside the UK) generally means you can't pass it on. There are a multitude of - sometimes complex - exceptions to the 'born outside the UK'. An easy example would be if your parents were on active duty or a civil service posting. Much more complex are some rules where certain people born to British parents anywhere but the UK or a Commonwealth country, and between certain years, may still be eligible for UK citizenship!

This is my situation; I'm by descent. I think they changed the rules if you were born after 1983 though. I still have a long time to decide whether my kids will benefit from having a British passport or not. Lots of paperwork and I think 1000GBP is involved.

 

[Pushka]

This is my situation; I'm by descent. I think they changed the rules if you were born after 1983 though. I still have a long time to decide whether my kids will benefit from having a British passport or not. Lots of paperwork and I think 1000GBP is involved.

More if by descent. Plus there is a medical benefit co-payment of around £650 from memory. My Grandchild already has a UK passport courtesy of my DIL.

In reality it’s just me and my hubby who might need this. Our sons - one already married to a Brit and has a child (dual Aus/UK citizenship) and the other in a relationship and likely to move to the UK this year, will apply through partner to UK citizen, and the younger son has 11 months to apply for the 30 and under youth visa. Future generations will be all sorted.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'd also appreciate knowing the main advantage to having the ancestry visa - work visa options presumably?

You basically have 5 years of the right to live and work - unrestricted - in the UK. The main condition is that you can't have recourse to public funds - which means a range of services designed for those on low income: Public funds You still get things like free medical (NHS).

The benefits more generally of the Ancestory Visa are that you don't have to reapply, don't have to worry about points scoring, or being in certain professions. You don't have to be employed continuously. And it's a fairly easy (almost guaranteed) path to citizenship.

 

[get me outta here]

This all seems pretty generous of them.

You basically have 5 years of the right to live and work - unrestricted - in the UK. The main condition is that you can't have recourse to public funds - which means a range of services designed for those on low income: Public funds You still get things like free medical (NHS).

The benefits more generally of the Ancestory Visa are that you don't have to reapply, don't have to worry about points scoring, or being in certain professions. You don't have to be employed continuously. And it's a fairly easy (almost guaranteed) path to citizenship.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This all seems pretty generous of them. ☺

yes and no Not nearly as generous as some other countries where a grandparent gives you citizenship!

In the grand scheme of thing it's the country that benefits...usually young and healthy kids coming over, working, paying taxes, spending money, travelling lots (supporting various industries in the process), rarely getting sick to the extent they need extended hospital services, probably without children needing schools and other social services. So a minimal investment by the country for quite a lot in return!

 

[Pushka]

Ha. We are none of those. Win.

 

[Flashback]

More if by descent. Plus there is a medical benefit co-payment of around £650 from memory. My Grandchild already has a UK passport courtesy of my DIL.

In reality it’s just me and my hubby who might need this. Our sons - one already married to a Brit and has a child (dual Aus/UK citizenship) and the other in a relationship and likely to move to the UK this year, will apply through partner to UK citizen, and the younger son has 11 months to apply for the 30 and under youth visa. Future generations will be all sorted.

Note that if your younger son applies under the Youth Mobility Scheme, that will not count for time in the UK if he does actually want to stay there long term. He'll then need to move onto a Spouse visa or Sponsored by a Company visa and then the 5 year clock will then start ticking.

 

[Pushka]

Note that if your younger son applies under the Youth Mobility Scheme, that will not count for time in the UK if he does actually want to stay there long term. He'll then need to move onto a Spouse visa or Sponsored by a Company visa and then the 5 year clock will then start ticking.

Thanks for that info! I suspect that’s the long term plan if all goes well. And possibly keeping both sponsorship and spouse plan going at the same time. How long does the youth mobility scheme last for?

 

[Flashback]

Thanks for that info! I suspect that’s the long term plan if all goes well. And possibly keeping both sponsorship and spouse plan going at the same time. How long does the youth mobility scheme last for?

2 years, before the end of which he would need to switch onto either Spouse or Sponsorship.

 

[get me outta here]

There was something on the news yesterday about changes to the work visas for the UK. Something about needing a work sponsor and having to have a job that earned X amount of dollars. I don’t know when it comes in or where there may be a reference, it’s just a heads up. I do remember hearing them say that the test for ‘English’ had a very high bar, what they call, at A level - that will certainly test a lot of people.

 

[Flashback]

There was something on the news yesterday about changes to the work visas for the UK. Something about needing a work sponsor and having to have a job that earned X amount of dollars. I don’t know when it comes in or where there may be a reference, it’s just a heads up. I do remember hearing them say that the test for ‘English’ had a very high bar, what they call, at A level - that will certainly test a lot of people.

That's always been the case though, going down the sponsorship route there was a minimum wage requirement. Nicola Sturgeon (Scottish MP) has been piping up though, something about raising the bar ruling out 'lower' skilled workers. All very interesting and the effect of Brexit will continue to change and be felt over the next 10 months.

 

[get me outta here]

That's always been the case though, going down the sponsorship route there was a minimum wage requirement. Nicola Sturgeon (Scottish MP) has been piping up though, something about raising the bar ruling out 'lower' skilled workers. All very interesting and the effect of Brexit will continue to change and be felt over the next 10 months.

Although I didn’t get the details and I don’t know if the requirement for the income has gone up or down, I did hear that it had changed somehow.

 

[Flashback]

Looks like it is moving back to a points based system: Subscribe to read | Financial Times

 

[Flashback]

Information on GOV.UK as to the changes: New immigration system: what you need to know

On 19 February 2020, the government set out the details of the UK’s points-based immigration system. These new arrangements will take effect from 1 January 2021, once freedom of movement with the European Union (EU) has ended. It will treat EU and non-EU citizens equally and aims to attract people who can contribute to the UK’s economy. Irish citizens will continue to be able to enter and live in the UK as they do now.

The points-based system will include a route for skilled workers who have a job offer from an approved employer sponsor.

From January 2021, the job you’re offered will need to be at a required skill level of RQF3 or above (equivalent to A level). You’ll also need to be able to speak English. The minimum general salary threshold will be reduced to £25,600.

If you will earn less than this - but no less than £20,480 - you may still be able to apply by ‘trading’ points on specific characteristics against your salary. For example, if you have a job offer in a shortage occupation or have a PhD relevant to the job.

Details of how the points system will work are in the policy statement.

So it actually looks like the income requirement drops. £25k is far too low a wage to be able to survive in a city like London anyway.....