The UK Ancestry visa is one of the most popular routes to the UK for South Africans. If a grandparent was born in the UK, you can live and work there for 5 years without a job offer or sponsor. The visa fee itself is modest. The health surcharge is what makes it expensive.

All rand figures use R21.92/£ (Oct 2026).

Who qualifies for a UK Ancestry visa?

You can apply if you:

  • are a Commonwealth citizen. South Africa is in the Commonwealth, so a South African passport qualifies.
  • are 17 or older.
  • have a grandparent born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. A grandparent born in what is now Ireland before 31 March 1922, or on a UK-registered ship or aircraft, also counts.
  • can and plan to work in the UK. You don't need a job offer.
  • can support yourself and any dependants without public funds.

Adoption counts, and it doesn't matter if your parents or grandparents weren't married. Step-parents don't count.

Check your parents first. If one of your parents was born in the UK, you may already have a claim to British citizenship, which is better than an Ancestry visa. Check that before you apply.

How much does a UK Ancestry visa cost?

CostGBPApprox. ZAR
Visa fee (5 years)£726R15,910
Health surcharge, adult (£1,035 a year × 5)£5,175R113,440
Total per adult£5,901R129,350
Health surcharge, child under 18 (£776 a year × 5)£3,880R85,050
Total per child£4,606R100,960

The Immigration Health Surcharge gives you access to the NHS, and you pay all 5 years upfront when you apply. For an adult, it's almost 90% of the total.

What does it cost for a family?

Your partner and children under 18 can apply as your dependants. Each person pays the visa fee plus their own surcharge.

FamilyGBPApprox. ZAR
1 adult£5,901R129,350
2 adults£11,802R258,700
2 adults + 1 child£16,408R359,660
2 adults + 2 children£21,014R460,630

These are visa costs only. Flights, TB tests, document costs and money to live on until your first UK pay cheque come on top. Budget for those separately.

What other costs should you budget for?

ExtraCostNotes
TB testPer person, at an approved clinicRequired, because the visa is for more than 6 months
Priority service£500 (R10,960)Decision in about 5 working days, if available at your centre
VFS appointment extrasVariesOptional; VFS shows prices when you book
DocumentsVariesUnabridged birth certificates, UK birth certificate for your grandparent, certified copies
Travel to a VFS centreVariesJohannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town or Durban only

What documents do South Africans need?

You need to prove the link from you to your grandparent, one generation at a time:

  1. Your grandparent's UK birth certificate (you can order a copy from the UK General Register Office).
  2. Your parent's birth certificate, showing that grandparent as their parent.
  3. Your own birth certificate, showing that parent.
  4. Marriage certificates or name-change documents wherever a surname changed along the line.
  5. Your passport, bank statements and evidence that you plan to work in the UK.

For South African certificates, you need unabridged birth certificates that list both parents.

Start on your Home Affairs paperwork early. Unabridged birth certificates are the most common hold-up for South African applicants, and they can take months. Order them before you do anything else.

How much money do you need to show?

There's no fixed minimum. You need to show you can support yourself (and any dependants) until you find work, without public funds. Many advisers suggest holding a few months' UK living costs in your account for at least 90 days before you apply. The more people you're bringing, the more you should show.

How long does it take?

The standard decision time is about 3 weeks from your biometrics appointment. You can apply up to 3 months before you plan to travel. If you need it faster, Priority (£500) gives a decision in about 5 working days where it's available.

Allow much more time for the paperwork than for the decision. Home Affairs documents and your TB test usually take longer than the visa itself.

What happens after 5 years?

You can extend the visa, or apply for settlement (indefinite leave to remain) if you meet the requirements at that point, including having worked in the UK. Settlement has its own fee, and the UK has been reviewing its settlement rules, so check the current requirements on GOV.UK before your 5 years are up.