UK Ancestry

Hello Brains Trust! Long time lurker here who has gained much information, support and comfort from reading peoples stories, profferings of support, information and so on over the years. It's an amazing thing when people come together like this and I know I'm only one of thousands who are truly grateful.

I will attempt to keep my scenarios as succinct as possible (hah!):

I have British grandparents, thus wish to apply for a UK Ancestry visa. I am an Australian (i.e Commonwealth) citizen, married to a British citizen. My mother holds British citizenship by descent.

We currently reside in Australia. I have a baby girl, born in Australia. We were married in the UK and spent two years there. I have UK bank accounts, a NIN etc. *My spousal visa was rejected* due to a missing document and as I was on a YM visa at the time, could not appeal without a lot of fuss. Due to being pregnant and wanting to avoid stress, I opted to return to Australia with my husband and start again.

I have ALL original documentation confirming my British heritage. We fulfill all financial criteria, however I am dependant on my husbands income at this time. Job prospects are high for my husband given he held a high paying position in a job shortage category when we were last in the UK. I intend to finish what I had started when in the UK and launch a start-up.

Brains Trust, please give me your opinions: taking my Spousal Visa rejection into account, does this sound like a straightforward enough application to warrant filling it out myself for me and my daughter?

I have already lost a significant chunk of funds from my Spousal Visa rejection, thus I am balking at the $600+ fee for a visa service. I completely understand that the logical answer is to just pay the fee and get the peace of mind that goes along with it, but given that (I assume!) many applicants are successful WITHOUT engaging such a service, I would love to hear your thoughts.

If any clarifications are warranted, just ask. Thank you very very much in advance.

Not sure who 'brains trust' is, but I will attempt to answer your questions.

If you qualify and have all the paperwork, there should be no issue in getting an Ancestral visa. However, you have to provide evidence that you are 'intending to seek employment' in the UK as it is obviously, an employment category visa.

You might not be aware, but w.e.f. 6th April, Australians and New Zealand citizens will also be required to pay the immigration health surcharge, which for an Ancestry 5 year visa, is £1000 per applicant. You also have to show evidence of funds/savings (roughly £1500 per person) held in a bank account for 3-6 months.

Surely if your husband is British, your daughter is British by descent??? Is your husband full British born? Your daughter could apply directly for a British passport if this is the case.

Out of interest, what document was missing from your spouse visa application?