Ancestry Visas May End In Britain

For more than 35 years ancestry visas allowed for some Australians an inside track to citizenship. That could be a thing of the past within two years. These visas came into play in 1972.

The British government is overhauling its citizenship rules. Part of the changes that will take place is the ancestry route that allowed for Commonwealth citizens over 17 to be granted residency if they could prove a grandparent was born in England. After five years of residing in Britain they can then apply for citizenship. What is now being proposed is people seeking citizenship must prove they are worthy by working on community activities. A draft of the plans should be brought to the table by the middle of the year. All overhauls will not begin to start until 2010.