alittlebitbrit

Hello,

Technically I'm not a returning Brit but in my heart I am.

My paternal grandfather was born in West Derby, Lancashire which is a good thing for me 'cause I will now apply for a UK Ancestry Visa.

I have a few questions:

I am gathering the relevant birth certificates so no questions there.

I have no savings but I do receive approx. £620 per month in pensions. It is my understanding that this will offset the lack of savings...I believe the savings (or pensions) are required in order to support oneself while looking for work

I have a shop on Etsy...a sort of online shopping centre. I also sell on eBay and will have a shop on Folksy, a UK only craft website. I can earn approx. £200-300 monthly from these sources. It is my understanding that these sources of income will satisfy UKVI.

I have secured a lovely and affordable room to rent...all bills included.

I am now in the UK as a 6 month visitor. I am testing out my budget and am happy that I can live frugally....which I have always done...on my pensions.

My only nagging worry is age. There is supposedly not an upper age limit. But is that really so, I wonder.

I am fit and chipper but 69, pushing 70, all the same.

So, I'd really like to hear of other pensioners who have applied for UK Ancestry Visas. I prefer success stories but also need to know what hurdles there may be.

If anyone can enlighten me, I'd appreciate it.

Thank you kindly.

BritInParis

The main stumbling block will be your ability to prove you can and are able to work in the UK. If you intend on making your home in the UK permanently by applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain after your ancestry visa expires then you will need to demonstrate that you have been working in the UK for the previous five years by which time you'll be 70.

You don't need to work full-time - part-time work is acceptable - providing you don't use public funds to support yourself. If you treat your Etsy store as self-employment then bear in mind that you'll need to submit tax returns and pay National Insurances on the proceeds as this will form your proof of employment. The tax-free allowance is now £10,000 p.a. so you are unlikely to need to actually pay any tax but you'll need to file a tax return anyway. National Insurance payments on that kind of income will be relatively minimal.

alittlebitbrit

Thank you BritInParis.

I will definitely keep my self-employment records up-to-date and submit tax returns. I'm sure I will be well under the tax-free allowance. Most of my income will be from pensions.

I do love your math skills...very complementary. I only wish I would be 70 in 5 years!

Cheers,
Sydney

BritInParis

A worthy typo

Bermudashorts

I do not know a lot about UK visas, but when I saw your thread I had a quick read. The ancestry visa is classified as an employment visa, so getting your income from pensions is all very well, but in order to stay you need to demonstrate that you are and have been employable.

The £200 a month is barely pocket money. Are you sure this is going to be enough? Would it be worth speaking to a UK migration agent / lawyer before you uproot yourself?

alittlebitbrit

Thank you for your concern, Bermudashorts. I am now in the UK testing my budget. I can frugally get by on my pensions with a bit left over for pocket money. Whatever I earn beyond that will go into the bank for emergencies. Also will have a bit stashed away in case things don't work out and I have to fly back to Canada.

I have lived here before, having married a Brit. We are separated but he is now disabled so I want to be here to help as much as I can for whatever time he has left. (I was in the process of applying for FLR when an emergency forced me to return to Canada for 9 months. When I asked for my passport, my application was torn up so I have to start over with a new application)

UK Ancestry seems to be the best bet as it is cheapest and easiest and gives me five years without the worry and expense of flying back and forth as a visitor. And the process takes a very short time so I don't have to be away from my husband for too long. UK Ancestry is also not dependent on my husband (his prognosis is 2-3 years of life remaining, maximum) or on our living together so I can apply for ILR in five years if everything goes well.

That's the plan. Just waiting for the last birth certificate to arrive, then will return to Canada and make my application and wait.

Editha

I just want to wish you luck with your application. I can't remember which thread, but there has been another person recently wanting to come to the UK to be with his son who is very ill.

It is a great pity the system is not flexible enough to allow for compassion.

alittlebitbrit

Thank you so much Editha. I remember that thread as well. It was heartrending. It is a shame that each case can't be looked at individually. I hope the other poster and his wife manage to get here to be with their son.

Bermudashorts

I didn't suggest it was dependent upon those things, I didn't even know about the husband. But what I read was that the ancestry visa is an employment category visa and in order to progress to ILR, you would need to prove you are and have been employable. Not that you can live frugally on pensions - but are actually employable.

It would give you five years if you think that is what you need, but I think I would want to know what the future is likely to bring at the end of those five years. As I said, I don't know a lot about UK visas, maybe the UK is very flexible about the rules, but just on what I did read, I wondered if you might be underestimating it and would benefit from a professional opinion.

Good luck.

alittlebitbrit

Thank you again, Bermudashorts,

I think I misunderstood when you said 'do you think that will be enough'. I thought you were referring to 'enough to live on'. So I was reassuring you that I would be okay in that respect. I realize now, I think, that you meant enough in the sense of 'allowable' and were concerned about my application possibly being denied. I have done some research and have asked for professional opinions. It appears that this visa, although classed as an employment visa, has as it's main concern - no access to public funds. Part-time employment and self-employment are acceptable so long as this concern is met. That's why it seems a good visa for me. Helping to look after my husband and a part-time online shop are about all that I can handle. So the pensions are a blessing.

I added the bit about my situation in case and in hope that there might be someone else reading who may have a similar situation.

I hope that I didn't upset you. This immigration business is daunting and I enjoy hearing from and about others and their experiences. I do thank you for your comment.

Bermudashorts

No of course you did not upset me, not even a teeny bit.

I was just worried about you getting caught out in five years time, that is all. But sounds like you have done your homework. So as I say, good luck with your UK move and what lies ahead.