# AI tells a Commonwealth citizen (e.g., Canadian, Australian) they can apply for a UK Ancestry visa if they have a grandparent born in the UK, but fails to specify that the applicant must be a Commonwealth citizen aged 17-30, and that the grandparent must have been born in the UK (not just a UK citizen)

- **ID:** `visa/uk-ancestry-visa-commonwealth`
- **Domain:** visa
- **Category:** regulatory_barrier
- **Error Code:** `UK_ANCESTRY_AGE_GRANDPARENT`
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 82%

## Root Cause

UK Ancestry visa (Appendix Ancestry) requires the applicant to be a Commonwealth citizen, aged 17-30 at time of application, and have a grandparent born in the UK (not just a UK citizen by naturalization or descent); the grandparent's birth certificate is mandatory evidence

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| Immigration Rules Appendix Ancestry (2024) | active | — | — |
| UKVI Caseworker Guidance - Ancestry | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **Obtain the grandparent's full birth certificate from the UK General Register Office (GRO): https://www.gov.uk/general-register-office. Order a certified copy if original is lost.** (90% success)
   ```
   Obtain the grandparent's full birth certificate from the UK General Register Office (GRO): https://www.gov.uk/general-register-office. Order a certified copy if original is lost.
   ```
2. **If over 30, consider the UK Skilled Worker visa (Health and Care visa for medical professionals) or Global Talent visa instead of Ancestry.** (75% success)
   ```
   If over 30, consider the UK Skilled Worker visa (Health and Care visa for medical professionals) or Global Talent visa instead of Ancestry.
   ```
3. **If not a Commonwealth citizen (e.g., US citizen), no Ancestry visa is available; explore other routes like Youth Mobility Scheme (if age-eligible) or Skilled Worker.** (70% success)
   ```
   If not a Commonwealth citizen (e.g., US citizen), no Ancestry visa is available; explore other routes like Youth Mobility Scheme (if age-eligible) or Skilled Worker.
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **** — The rules specify grandparent only; great-grandparent does not meet the requirement (70% fail)
- **** — The grandparent must have been born in the UK, not just a UK citizen; birth certificate must show UK place of birth (80% fail)
- **** — The 17-30 age requirement is strict; no discretion exists for older applicants (90% fail)