General Immigration

General immigration/Overstayers

UK Ancestry Visa

You can apply for an ancestry visa if you:

• Are a Commonwealth citizen;
• Are applying from outside the UK;
• Are able to prove that one of your grandparents was born in the UK;
• Are able and planning to work in the UK;
• Meet the other eligibility requirements.

We assist with the preparation and submission of an ancestry visa application, which can be made up to 3 months before your intended date of travel to the UK. Usually, the decision by the relevant government body is made within 3 weeks of submission.

Ancestry visa holders can stay in the UK for years and can apply for an extension of this visa. This category leads to Indefinite Leave to Remain.

Whilst on this visa, you can study, work and bring family members. However, you are not permitted to switch into this visa and you are not permitted to spend public funds.

We assist with the preparation and submission of ancestry visa applications, which can be made up to 3 months before your intended date of travel to the UK. Usually, the decision by the relevant government body is made within 3 weeks of submission.

How do I make an ancestry visa application?

An initial ancestry visa must be made outside the UK. It is particularly important that you include official translation of documents that you intend to rely upon have original evidence or certified official copies establishing your birth and the marriage of the grandparents you are relying on. You should also include any evidence of job searches or potential interviews you have lined up with prospective employers.

The immigration rules and guidance in relation to making an application can be very complex and daunting not to mention ever changing. The most common reasons for refusal include misunderstanding the rules, failing to include the correct supporting documents in the format required and often obtaining inaccurate advice leading to a rejection.

As a regulated law firm, with a leading immigration team recognised by the Legal 500 and Chambers, all work is undertaken by experienced professionals. We will ensure that your application is thoroughly prepared in accordance with the latest rules, with the correct supporting documents and vetted carefully before final submission to the immigration authorities.

Once your visa has been granted, we will be able to provide further information on what will happen on your arrival in the UK.

If you think you may be eligible for this visa, you can contact a member of our immigration team for further advice or to start the visa application process today on +44(0)203 114 1198 or e-mail us at privateimmigration@duncanlewis.com

Domestic Worker Visa

At Duncan Lewis, we can assist you (or your employee) with applying for a domestic worker visa for the UK.

You can apply for a visa to visit the UK with your employer if you:

• Are a domestic worker in a private household;
• Have worked for your employer for at least 1 year;
• Are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland;
• Meet the other eligibility requirements.

Domestic workers include:

• Cleaners
• Chauffeurs
• Cooks
• Those providing personal care for the employer and their family
• Nannies

Domestic work visa holders can use this visa to visit the UK with your employer for up to 6 months. You must return home at the end of the 6 months or when your employer returns home, whichever is sooner.

On this visa, you are permitted to stay in the UK if your employer takes a short trip to another country during the visit and travel abroad and return to the UK to complete your stay, though you must prove you still work for your employer, e.g. a letter from them.

You are not permitted to:

• Change your employer while you’re in the UK;
• Change your job for your employer;
• Live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent visits;
• Bring in family members (‘dependants’) - they must apply separately;
• Switch to another type of visa from this visa;
• Get public funds.

If your UK visa application is refused with no right to appeal, we can assist by way of Judicial Review. At Duncan Lewis Solicitors, we are experts at challenging the Home Office through Judicial Review. Our team of UK immigration solicitors are highly experienced with making Judicial Review claims against the UK Home Office.

For an initial consultation over the telephone with one of our expert UK immigration lawyers, call us today on +44(0)203 114 1198 or e-mail us at privateimmigration@duncanlewis.com.

I am a domestic worker; can I apply for indefinite leave to remain?

If you applied for a domestic worker visa before 5th April 2012, you may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years of continuous employment in this category.

You will be required to provide evidence of your earnings over the last five years and your employer would need to establish that you have been paid at the appropriate minimum hourly rate for each year. Your employer would also need to provide information with regards to your absences and you will also need to ensure that you meet the requirements for English language and Life in the UK.

The immigration rules and guidance in relation to making an application can be very complex and daunting not to mention ever changing. The most common reasons for refusal include misunderstanding the rules, failing to include the correct supporting documents in the format required and often obtaining inaccurate advice leading to a rejection.

As a regulated law firm, with a leading immigration team recognised by the Legal 500 and Chambers, all work is undertaken by experience professionals. We will ensure that your application is thoroughly prepared in accordance with the latest rules, with the correct supporting documents and vetted carefully before final submission to the immigration authorities.

If you think you may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain, you can contact a member of our immigration team for further advice or to start the visa application process today on +44(0)203 114 1198 or e-mail us at privateimmigration@duncanlewis.com.