The areas we cover are UK skilled Worker Visa, UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa, UK HEALTH AND Care WORKER Visa UK International Sportsperson Visa  UK  Minister of Religion Visa (T2),  UK Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation Visa.

LONG TERM WORK VISAS

You can no longer apply for a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa.

If you want to set up or run a business in the UK you might be able to apply for an Innovator visa or a Start-up visa.

If you already have a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa
You can still apply:

to settle in the UK (indefinite leave to remain)
to extend your visa
for family members to join you

Entrepreneur visa Tier 1

If you are a Commonwealth citizen and have a grandparent who was born in the UK, you may be able to live and work in the UK on the basis of your UK Ancestry.  A UK Ancestry visa can only be obtained from outside the UK. 

UK Ancestry visa

This Visa open to individuals who are  talent the field of 
 science, engineering, medicine, humanities, digital technology and arts and culture (including film and television, fashion design and architecture who wish to work in the UK.

Global TALENT VISAS

Artist and Entertainers
The UK is a world-leading hub for the creative industries. Whether you are an actor, musician, dancer or other performing artist, our immigration team are well experienced in the full range of UK visas available to artists and entertainers who to visit or work in the UK

Artist and Entertainers

The UK is a world-leading hub for the creative industries. Whether you are an actor, musician, dancer or other performing artist, our immigration team are well experienced in the full range of UK visas available to artists and entertainers who to visit or work in the UK




SECTOR EXPERTISE

This services cover,  SPONSOR COMPLIANCE,  SECTOR EXPERTISE,  LONG TERM WORK VISAS,  SHORT TERM WORK VISAS,  SPONSOR LICENCES, TALENT VISAS, and OTHER WORK VISAS

Business Immigration

We assist  UK IINNOVATOR VISA,  UK START-UP VISA,  UK REPRESENTATIVE OF AN OVERSEAS BUSINESS VISA, ECAA ANKARA AGREEMENT VISA

Business Visa

In order to employ skilled workers from outside the UK, UK employers must usually first apply to UK Visas and Immigration for a sponsor licence. Workers must have a job offer from an employer that has made a successful sponsor licence application before they can apply to come to, or remain in, the UK for work

What are the main eligibility requirements for a Sponsor Licence?
In order to obtain a sponsor licence, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

Your company is a genuine organisation operating lawfully in the UK;
You are honest, dependable and reliable;
You are capable of carrying out your sponsor duties and evidencing your compliance in an appropriate timeframe and manner;
You can offer genuine employment that meets the appropriate skill level and appropriate rates of pay.
In order to establish that you are a genuine organisation operating lawfully in the UK, you will need to submit a number of company-related documents. The exact documents will depend upon the type of organisation that you are and the tiers that you wish to sponsor migrants under.

UKVI will assess whether you are honest, dependable and reliable by looking at your history and background, as well as that of the key personnel named on your application and any people involved in the day to day running of your business.

UKVI will examine your current human resources and recruitment practices in order to make sure that you are able to fulfil your sponsor duties.

Under the genuineness test, UKVI will look at the role that you are seeking to recruit foreign nationals for, and the extent to which this role fits within your organisation as a whole.

What else do I need to know about making a Sponsor Licence application?
You can apply for a sponsor licence online. At the end of the application, you will need to print out the submission sheet and post it to UK Visas and Immigration, along with the correct supporting documents.

Most sponsor licence applications are processed within 8 weeks.

As part of the sponsor licence application process, UK Visas and Immigration may visit your business premises in order to check if it satisfies the sponsorship criteria.

It is important that your sponsor licence application is prepared carefully, as there is no right of appeal if your licence application is refused. If you are refused a licence, you may not be able to apply again for up to five years, depending on the circumstances.

Once your application has been approved, you will be granted an A-rated sponsor licence, following which you can start assigning Certificates of Sponsorship to migrants who wish to work for you, and you will be listed under the register of sponsors.

You will be given access to the Sponsor Management System (SMS). This is an online portal where you can manage your licence. You must also use the system to report certain events, such as if a migrant fails to report to work.

A sponsor licence is valid for 4 years, after which you will need to apply for a Sponsor Licence Renewal.

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In order to establish that you are a genuine organisation operating lawfully in the UK, you will need to submit a number of company-related documents to UKVI. You will also need to present information concerning your business activities in the UK, HR and recruitment practices and details of how your organisation intends to comply with the requirements of the sponsor licence. The documents will need to be received by UKVI within 5 working days of the date on which the online application form is submitted.

Sponsor Licence Suspensions and Revocations
If UKVI believe that you are breaching your duties and pose a threat to immigration control, your sponsor licence may be suspended. If you are subject to a Sponsor Licence Suspension, you will not be able to sponsor new migrants, but your current sponsored migrants will be unaffected. UKVI may then reinstate your licence, downgrade it or revoke it.

If you are failing to meet your sponsor duties in a serious way or stop operating in the UK, your licence will be revoked. If you are subject to a Sponsor Licence Revocation, any migrants that you sponsor will have their leave curtailed. They will be given 60 calendar days to find alternative sponsorship or leave the UK.

SPONSOR LICENCE APPLICATIONS

Short terms work visa apply to UK Graduate Visa, UK Intra-Company Graduate Trainee Visa, UK Youth Mobility Scheme Visa, UK Temporary Work – Creative Worker Visa UK Temporary Work – Seasonal Worker Visa, UK Temporary work- Charity worker Visa, UK Temporary work- Religious Worker Visa 

Short Terms Work Visa

This Visas category cover, Investor Visa, Investor Visa Extension, and Investor Visa ILR.

Investment Visas

This type of visas applies  to Spouse, Civil partner Unmarried Partner, Fiance, Proposed Civil Partner, Child, Adult Dependent Relative, Family  Member of PB Migrant.
SPOUSE VISA

The UK Spouse visa category is for partners of British citizens, persons with indefinite leave to remain in the UK or limited leave to remain  who wish to join, or stay with, their husband or wife in the UK.
 You can also apply for a UK Spouse visa if your Spouse is outside the UK, but intending to return to the UK with you.


Family & Partner Visas 

Under European Community Law, the right of residence gives EEA nationals the right to legally work and live in the UK.

At Solomon Shepherd Solicitors we recognize that every case has its own merits and an Immigration Expert will assess all of the relevant information surrounding your EEA Residence Permit. It is very important that an expert covers every detail of your case because only then can they fully inform you of the best way to process your application.


Our Solicitors will ensure that your paperwork is accurate and in order, as this will provide a solid backbone to your case. A well-presented set of documents will strengthen and validate your EEA Residence Permit application even further.


The EEA family permit is suitable for a non-EEA national who falls within one of these descriptions.

The spouse or civil partner of an EEA or Swiss national
A descendant (child or grandchild) of the EEA national or their spouse/civil partner under 21 years of age;
A dependent descendant (child or grandchild) of the EEA national or their spouse/civil partner aged 21 and over
A dependant relative in the ascending line (i.e. parents or grandparents) of an EEA or Swiss national or his/her spouse or civil partner.
 
How to Apply
Please contact  us we  will help you with this process.

Family Members
Unmarried Partners
Permanent Residence

EEA Visas

UK GLOBAL TALENT VISA

The UK Global Talent visa is open to talented and promising applicants within the fields of science, engineering, medicine, humanities, digital technology and arts and culture (including film and television, fashion design and architecture) who wish to work in the UK.

‘Talent’ applicants will already be leaders in their respective field, while ‘promise’ applicants will be able to show the potential to become leaders in their field. 

The UK Global Talent category is not subject to a cap on the number of applicants, does not require a job offer and can lead to settlement in the UK.  A dependent partner and dependent children under 18 can apply under this route.

TALENT VISA

UK Citizenship gives applicants who successfully obtain Citizenship status the same privileges as those born in Britain. You will:
 
Hold British status
Be granted a British Passport
Be free to work in the UK without restrictions
Be required to attend a Citizenship ceremony.
Depending on your current citizenship or nationality, you may be able to apply in several ways:
 
Naturalisation
Registration
Children
Stateless people
 
In order to be naturalised as a British citizen, you will need to meet certain statutory criteria with regard to your immigration status, length of residence in the UK, future intentions, knowledge of the English language and life in the UK, and good character.  The requirements for British Citizenship by Naturalisation vary slightly depending on whether you are married to a British citizen or not.

Apply for UK Citizenship: Not married to a British citizen

If you are not married to a British citizen (or do not wish to rely on your marriage to a British citizen) the Home Office must be satisfied that:

You were in the UK on the day five years before the date of your application;
You have not been absent from the UK for more than 450 days during the intervening five year period;
You have not been in the UK in breach of the immigration laws at any time during that five year period;
You have not been absent from the UK for more than 90 days during the 12 month period immediately preceding the date of your application;
You are not subject to any limit on the period for which you may remain in the UK and have not been subject to any such time limit at any time during the 12 month period immediately preceding the date of your application;
You are of good character;
You have sufficient knowledge of the English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic language;
Your intentions are that if your application is successful your home (or principal home) will be in the UK.
Apply for UK Citizenship: Married to a British citizen

If you are married to a British citizen, the Home Office must be satisfied that:

You were in the UK on the day three years before the date of your application;
You have not been absent from the UK for more than 270 days during the intervening three year period;
You have not been in the UK in breach of the immigration laws at any time during that three year period;
You have not been absent from the UK for more than 90 days during the 12 month period immediately preceding the date of your application;
You are not subject to any time limit on the period for which you may remain in the UK at the date of your application;
You are of good character;
You have sufficient knowledge of the English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic language.

British Citizenship  by Naturalisation

Indefinite leave to remain,  also referred to as settlement, is a status that a foreign citizen can apply for if they are already living in the UK. This status means that a migrant in the UK is permitted to live and work in the UK without restrictions.

Permission to enter and stay in the UK (‘Leave’) can be granted to a person for a specified period of time, known as Limited Leave, or can be granted for an indefinite time, known as Indefinite Leave. The granted Indefinite Leave to Remain (“ILR”) is often also referred to as “Settlement”, as this is essentially what the permission amounts to. A migrant who is  granted ILR is permitted to live and work in the UK without restrictions.

Most migrants will need to have been granted one or more periods of limited leave before being able to apply for Settlement/ ILR. The length of time that they will complete in the UK before they can apply for ILR is referred to as the “qualifying period”. The qualifying period will depend on the category and the circumstances of their leave in the UK.

Qualification for ILR status will depend on the category and circumstances of the individual but it will be based on the length of time spent in the UK. There are both financial factors and length of stay that need to be taken into account. For more information visit our indefinite leave to remain page.

ILR is a status non-EU citizens and their family members must be granted before applying for British citizenship.

For example: A migrant spouse of a settled person who meets the financial requirements will be required to complete 60 months in the UK before they can apply for ILR; a migrant spouse of a settled person who does NOT meet the financial requirements, is required to complete a period of 10 years in the UK before they can apply for ILR.

What are the Eligibility requirements for ILR application:
You must meet the requirements set out in the Immigration Rules which are relevant to the visa category which you are apply from.

All applicants aged 18-64 must meet the two parts of the Knowledge of Language and Life (“KOLL”) requirement by :
Passing the Life in the UK test, and
Meeting one of the following language qualifications:
having a speaking and listening qualification in English at B1 level or above of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR),or
having a degree that was taught or researched in English, or
being a national of an English-speaking country.

Indefinite Leave to Remain and leave to Remain

This section will explain the various routes available as a student and made simple by the point based system.  Please contact us and we can help  you on making an application to enter the united 
Kingdom under the following student categories
Short Term Study Visa
Tier 4 (Child) Student Visa
Tier 4 (General) Student Visa

Requirements for a UK Student Visa
In order to qualify for a UK Student Visa you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

You are aged 16 or over;
You have been offered an unconditional place on an approved course with a licensed student sponsor;
You can read, write, speak and understand English to at least CEFR Level B2 (if studying at degree level or above) or CEFR Level B1 (if studying at below degree level);
You have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course without relying on public funds;
You have the consent of your parent(s) or legal guardian if you are 16 or 17 years old;

Course Requirements for a UK Student Visa
Student Visa applicants can apply for a visa to study the following courses:

A full-time course that leads to a qualification below degree level (RQF level 3, 4 or 5) with at least 15 hours per week of organised daytime study;
A full-time course that leads to a qualification that is at degree level or above (RQF level 6, 7 or 8);
A full-time course that is at degree level or above (RQF level 6,7 or 8), that is equivalent to a UK higher education course and is being delivered as part of a longer course overseas;
A part-time course leading to a qualification that is above degree level (RQF level 7 or above);
A recognised foundation programme for postgraduate doctors or dentists (if you have finished a recognised UK degree in medicine or dentistry, received that degree from a registered student sponsor and spent your final year and at least one other year of studies leading to that degree in the UK);
An English language course at level B2 or above in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Student Visas

UK INTERNATIONAL SPORTSPERSON VISA The UK International Sportsperson visa is for elite sportspersons and qualified sports coaches who are recognised as being at the highest level of their sport internationally. You will need to be sponsored on a short or long-term contract and have been endorsed by an appropriate UK sports governing body.UK International Sportsperson visas are available for a period of either 12 months or less, or for a period exceeding 12 months.The UK International Sportsperson visa provides a route to settlement for sportspersons who have been granted leave in the UK International Sportsperson category for a period exceeding 12 months.&nbsp;All applicants may be joined or accompanied by a dependent partner and children. Requirements for a UK International Sportsperson Visa In order to qualify for a UK International Sportsperson visa you will need to satisfy UK Visas &amp; Immigration that:You are aged 16 or over;You have an offer of a job as a sports person from an approved sponsor that holds an International Sportsperson sponsor licence (which requires a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the role you wish to undertake);You have been endorsed by an appropriate UK Sports Governing Body;You genuinely intend, and are able, to undertake the role for which you are being sponsored and do not intend to undertake other employment;You satisfy an English language requirement (if applying for a UK International Sportsperson visa for a period exceeding 12 months);You have sufficient personal savings to support yourself in the UK;Your application does not fall for refusal under the general grounds for refusal;You have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.The exact requirements you will need to satisfy may vary depending on your circumstances.&nbsp;You may want to speak to our team for expert advice. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">UK International Sportsperson Visa Endorsement by Sports Governing Body Requirement</h2> In order to qualify for a UK International Sportsperson visa you will need to secure an endorsement from an appropriate UK Sports Governing Body.&nbsp;The relevant UK Sports Governing Body will need to confirm that:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">You are internationally established at the highest level; and&nbsp;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You will make a significant contribution to the development of your sport at the highest level in the UK</li></ul>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;You will need to be endorsed by a relevant UK Sports Governing Body before your sponsor can assign a Certificate of Sponsorship. <h2>UK International Sportsperson Visa Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) Requirement</h2> In order to obtain a UK International Sportsperson visa you will need to have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from a Home Office approved sponsor for the job you are applying to undertake in the UK.&nbsp;Your sponsor will need to have been authorised by the Home Office to sponsor your job under the UK International Sportsperson route.Your sponsor will be a UK-based sporting body, sports club, events organiser or other organiser operating in the sporting sector and will hold a sports sponsor licence.&nbsp;The organisation will have been endorsed by the relevant, Home Office-approved, sport’s governing body.&nbsp;Agents and overseas-based sports clubs and organisations cannot sponsor workers on the International Sportsperson route.Your International Sportsperson Certificate of Sponsorship will confirm information such as the details of the job and salary that has been offered to you, that you are qualified to undertake the role and that you have been endorsed by an appropriate UK Sports Governing Body.You will need to apply for a UK International Sportsperson visa within the 3 month period before the start date of your job as stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship. <h2>Financial Requirement for a UK International Sportsperson Visa</h2> Unless you have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months or your employer agrees to cover your costs during your first month in the UK (and this is confirmed on your Certificate of Sponsorship) you will need to have at least £1,270 in your bank account, held for at least 28 days, ending not more than 31 days before the date of your International Sportsperson visa application. <h2>English Language Requirement for a UK International Sportsperson Visa</h2> If you apply for a UK International Sportsperson visa for a period exceeding 12 months then you will need to have English language skills at level A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for language in speaking and listening.&nbsp;&nbsp;You will either need to be a national of a majority English speaking country, have passed an approved English language test at the required level or have an academic qualification that was taught in English and is recognised by Ecctis as being equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD.If you wish to stay in the UK as a UK International Sportsperson for a period of 12 months or less then you will not need to satisfy an English language requirement. <h2>Switching into the UK International Sportsperson route</h2> If you currently have leave to remain in another immigration category, you may extend your stay in the UK by switching into the UK International Sportsperson route unless you have, or were last granted, permission as a Visitor (unless visiting the UK as a sportsperson carrying out permitted sports activities, in which case switching is possible), Short-term student, Parent of a Child Student, Seasonal Worker, Domestic Worker in a Private Household or outside the Immigration Rules.&nbsp;<h2>Duration of a UK International Sportsperson Visa</h2> If you apply for a UK International Sportsperson visa for a period of 12 months or less and your application is successful you will be permitted to enter and remain in the UK for either the period of employment stated on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days&nbsp;or 12 months, whichever is the shorter.If you apply for a UK International Sportsperson visa for a period of more than 12 months and your application is successful you will be permitted&nbsp;to enter and remain in the UK for either the period of employment stated on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days or 3 years, whichever is shorter. <h2>Conditions of Stay on a UK International Sportsperson Visa</h2> If your UK International Sportsperson visa application is successful, you will be permitted to work in the job you have been sponsored for.&nbsp;Supplementary employment and study will also be permitted.You may also undertake employment as a sportsperson for your national team while it is in the UK, play in British University and College Sport (BUCS) competitions and accept temporary engagements as a sports broadcaster providing expert guest commentary on a particular sporting event. <h2>Settlement on the UK International Sportsperson Route</h2> International Sportspersons who have, at any point in the last 5 years, been granted leave as a UK International Sportsperson for a period exceeding 12 months, can apply for settlement (indefinite leave to remain) in the UK after 5 years’ continuous residence in the UK.&nbsp;Time spent in the UK International Sportsperson category can be combined with time spent in the Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Innovator, T2 Minister of Religion, Representative of an Overseas Business and Tier 1 (other than Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) routes.You must not have been outside the UK for more than 180 days in any 12-month period during the 5 year period relied on.Your sponsor will need to confirm that they still require you to work for them for the foreseeable future and that you are paid at least £35,800 per year.Unless you are exempt, you will need to demonstrate English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in speaking and listening to at least level B1 and pass the Life in the UK&nbsp;test. <h2>Dependants of UK International Sportsperson Visa Holders&nbsp;</h2> International Sportspersons may be joined or accompanied by a dependent partner over the age of 18 and/or dependent children under the age of 18.&nbsp;As well as providing evidence of relationship, dependents may need to satisfy a financial requirement.&nbsp;Unless they have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months or the International Sportsperson’s employer agrees to cover their costs during their first month in the UK, the International Sportsperson – or their partner or child – will need to have £285 for a partner, £315 for one child and £200 for each additional child.&nbsp;The money will need to have been held for at least 28 days, ending not more than 31 days before the date of their visa application.In order to qualify for settlement, dependent partners of International Sportspersons need to complete 5 years residence in the UK, with absences of no more than 180 days in any 12-month period and, unless exempt, demonstrate English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in speaking and listening to at least level B1 and pass the Life in the UK&nbsp;test. <h2>UK International Sportsperson Visa Processing Times</h2> Most UK International Sportsperson visa applications are decided within 3 weeks.&nbsp;It may be possible to secure a faster decision if the visa application centre offers a priority service.Most applications to extend stay as a UK International Sportsperson are decided within 8 weeks. <h2>UK International Sportsperson Visa Refusals</h2> If your application for a UK International Sportsperson visa is refused, you may be able to make a fresh application or apply for Administrative Review.

UK INTERNATIONAL SPORTSPERSON VISA

UK SKILLED WORKER VISAThe UK Skilled Worker Visa is open to individuals of all nationalities (except British and Irish) who have an offer of an eligible skilled job in the UK from a Home Office-approved sponsor.&nbsp;The route can lead to settlement and applicants can be joined by dependent partners and children.In order to secure a UK Skilled Worker Visa you will need to be sponsored to do a specific job, which meets certain skill and salary requirements, by an employer that has been licensed by the Home Office.There is no cap on the number of people who can enter the UK on the UK Skilled Worker route.Requirements for a UK Skilled Worker VisaIn order to qualify for a UK Skilled Worker Visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:You are aged 18 or over;You have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job you are planning to do;Your job offer is a genuine vacancy;Your sponsor has paid any required Immigration Skills Charge;Your job is at an appropriate skill level;You are competent in the English language to at least CEFR Level B1 (equivalent to IELTS 4.0);You will be paid a salary which equals or exceeds both a general salary threshold and the ‘going rate’ for the occupation;You have enough money to support yourself without relying on public funds;You have provided a criminal record certificate, if required; andYou have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.The exact requirements you will need to satisfy will vary depending on your circumstances.&nbsp;You may want to speak to an immigration team will be able to assist. Certificate of Sponsorship requirement (CoS)In order to obtain a UK Skilled Worker Visa you must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job you are planning to do.&nbsp;Your Certificate of Sponsorship will need to have been issued by an employer that is authorised by the Home Office to sponsor the job in question under the UK Skilled Worker route. Your sponsor must be listed as A-rated on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors, unless you were last granted permission as a UK Skilled Worker and are applying to continue working for the same sponsor as in your last permission.Your Certificate of Sponsorship must have been issued not more than 3 months before the date of your UK Skilled Worker application.Your Certificate of Sponsorship must include certain mandatory information, including:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">details of your name, job and salary;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">a start date which is no more than 3 months after the date your Skilled Worker visa application;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">confirmation that the Certificate of Sponsorship has not been used in a previous application which was either granted or refused and has not been withdrawn by the sponsor or cancelled by the Home Office;</li></ul> Genuine Vacancy Requirement In order to be granted a UK Skilled Worker Visa, you will need to satisfy the Home Office that you are being sponsored to undertake a genuine vacancy and are capable of undertaking the role for which your Certificate of Sponsorship has been assigned. If there are reasonable grounds to believe that the job you are being sponsored to do does not exist, is a sham or has been created mainly so that you can apply for a UK Skilled Worker Visa then your application will be refused.The Home Office will also want to be satisfied that you have not entered into an arrangement whereby you will fill a temporary or permanent position, or undertake contract work which involves undertaking an ongoing routine role or providing an ongoing routine service to a third party who is not your sponsor. Immigration Skills Charge Requirement Your sponsor must also have paid in full any required&nbsp;Immigration Skills Charge. The Immigration Skills Charge is a charge for each foreign worker that a sponsoring employer seeks to employ.&nbsp;The Immigration Skills Charge must be paid each time a sponsoring employer assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship to a migrant.<h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2 class="ql-align-justify">Appropriate Skill Level Requirement</h2> In order to qualify for a UK Skilled Worker Visa, the job you are being sponsored for must be an eligible job at or above a minimum skill level. Under the UK Skilled Worker Visa route, the role you are looking to fill must be skilled to at least RQF level 3, which is roughly equivalent to A-levels.You do not need to hold a formal qualification in order to satisfy the skills level requirement. It is the skill level of the job that you will be doing that will determine whether the threshold is met.The Home Office sets out eligible jobs, along with their skills levels, in an Appendix to the Immigration Rules.&nbsp;Each eligible job has an occupation code.&nbsp;You must be sponsored for a job in an eligible occupation code listed in the Appendix.Your sponsor must choose an appropriate occupation code.&nbsp;If the Home Office has reasonable grounds to believe that your sponsor has not chosen the most appropriate occupation code then your application for a UK Skilled Worker Visa will be refused.In assessing whether your sponsor has chosen the most appropriate occupation code, the Home Office will consider factors such as whether they have shown a genuine need for the job as described, whether you have the appropriate skills, qualifications and experience needed&nbsp;to do the job as described and the sponsor’s history of compliance with the immigration system.<h2>English Language Requirement</h2> In order to qualify for a UK Skilled Worker Visa you will need demonstrate English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in all 4 components (reading, writing, speaking and listening) to at least level B1 (intermediate).Prospective employees applying for entry clearance or leave to remain as a UK Skilled Worker will satisfy the English language requirement if they:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Are a national of a majority English-speaking country;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Have passed a Secure English Language Test;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Have been awarded a degree taught in English;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Obtained a GCSE/A Level or Scottish Highers in English while at school in the UK; or</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Have already shown they met the requirement, of level B1, in a previous successful application for entry clearance or permission to stay.</li></ul> <h2>Salary Threshold Requirement</h2> Employers seeking to recruit under the UK Skilled Worker route must (subject to being able to trade points as set out below) pay their skilled workers a salary which equals or exceeds both a general salary threshold and the ‘going rate’ for the occupation (as set out in the relevant occupation code mentioned above), whichever is higher.The general salary threshold under the Skilled Worker route is £25,600 a year.&nbsp;Therefore, in most cases an applicant for a UK Skilled Worker Visa must be paid a salary which equals or exceeds £25,600 a year and 100% of the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher. The assessment of salary is based on guaranteed basic gross pay.Some sponsored skilled workers applying under the UK Skilled Worker route may be paid less than the above amount, where they are awarded additional so-called ‘tradable points’ for other attributes:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">An applicant with a PhD qualification which is relevant to the job may be paid a salary which equals or exceeds both £23,040 per year and 90% of the going rate for the occupation;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">An applicant with a PhD qualification in a STEM subject which is relevant to the job may be paid a salary which equals or exceeds both £20,480 per year and 80% of the going rate for the occupation;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">An applicant with a job offer for a job in a shortage occupation may be paid a salary which equals or exceeds both £20,480 per year and 80% of the going rate for the occupation;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">An applicant who is a new entrant to the labour market may be paid a salary which equals or exceeds both £20,480 per year and 70% of the going rate for the occupation;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">An application for a job in a listed health or education occupation may be paid a salary which equals or exceeds both £20,480 per year and 80% of the going rate for the occupation</li></ul> <h2>What is a ‘job in a shortage occupation’?</h2> The Home Office maintains a list of skilled roles where employers find it difficult to secure adequate numbers of workers with the required skills to fill their vacancies.&nbsp;&nbsp;As set out above, if you have a job offer for a job on the shortage occupation list, the salary threshold requirement will be reduced. <h2>Who is a ‘new entrant to the labour market’?</h2> New entrants to the labour market include those under the age of 26 at the date of application (or switching from a Student or Graduate Visa) and applying for a maximum of three years leave, those sponsored in postdoctoral research positions and those working towards professional qualifications, registration or chartered status.&nbsp;As set out above, if you qualify as a new entrant to the labour market then the salary threshold requirement will be reduced. <h2>Financial Requirement</h2> Subject to the exemptions below, you will need to have cash funds of at least £1,270 available.You will need to have held the money for at least 28 consecutive days ending not more than 31 days before the date of your UK Skilled Worker Visa application.You will be exempt from the financial requirement if you have a fully ‘A-rated’ sponsor who is willing to meet your maintenance costs up to the end of the first month of your employment, to an amount of at least £1,270, if necessary.&nbsp;Your sponsor will need to confirm this on your Certificate of Sponsorship.If you are applying for permission to stay and have been in the UK with permission for 12 months or more at the date of application, you will meet the financial requirement and will not need to show funds. <h2>Criminal Record Certificate Requirement</h2> If you are applying for entry clearance and being sponsored for certain jobs (broadly comprising jobs in the health, care, welfare and education sectors) then, unless it is not reasonably practical to do so, you will need to provide a criminal record certificate for any country in which, since the age of 18, you have been present for 12 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the 10 years before the date of your application. <h2>Do Sponsors need to complete a Resident Labour Market Test?</h2> Unlike its predecessor route, there is no requirement for employers sponsoring skilled workers under the UK Skilled Worker Visa route to undertake a Resident Labour Market Test (RLMT).&nbsp;However, sponsors must still be seeking to fill a genuine vacancy. <h2>Switching into the UK Skilled Worker Visa Route</h2> If you currently have leave to remain in another immigration category, you may extend your stay by switching into the UK Skilled Worker route unless you have, or were last granted, permission as a Visitor, Short-term student, Parent of a Child Student, Seasonal Worker, Domestic Worker in a Private Household or outside the Immigration Rules. <h2>Is there a cooling off period in the UK Skilled Worker route?</h2> Under its predecessor route, those applying for entry clearance or to switch into the Tier 2 (General) route had to have not been in the UK as a Tier 2 (General) migrant during the past 12 months.&nbsp;Under the UK Skilled Worker route, the 12-month ‘cooling off period’ has been removed.&nbsp;There is no restriction on when applications to enter the UK Skilled Worker Visa route can be made. <h2>Duration of a UK Skilled Worker Visa</h2> If your application for a UK Skilled Worker Visa is approved you will be granted entry clearance or permission to stay for a period ending 14 days after the end date of your Certificate of Sponsorship (which may be up to a maximum of 5 years after the start date of your Certificate of Sponsorship). <h2>Is there a maximum time in the UK Skilled Worker route?</h2> Under the former Tier 2 (General) route, those applying for entry clearance or to switch into the route had to satisfy a requirement to spend a maximum of six years in the route.Under the UK Skilled Worker route, the six-year maximum length of stay in the route has been removed. There is no restriction on the length of stay. <h2>Conditions of Stay as a UK Skilled Worker</h2> UK Skilled Worker Visa holders are permitted to work in the job they have been sponsored for.&nbsp;They may also undertake supplementary employment provided they continue to work in the job for which they are being sponsored. Study is also permitted, subject to the condition to provide an ATAS Certificate where required.&nbsp;Access to public funds is not permitted. <h2>Settlement as a UK Skilled Worker</h2> In order to qualify for Settlement as a UK Skilled Worker, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">You have spent a continuous period of 5 years in the UK;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The 5-year continuous period consisted of time with permission on any of, or any combination of, the following routes: Skilled Worker, Global talent,&nbsp;Innovator, Tier 2 Minister of Religion, Tier 2 Sportsperson, Representative of an Overseas Business or as a Tier 1 Migrant (other than as a Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) Migrant);</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You have not been outside for more than 180 days during each year of the 5-year continuous period;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You have passed the Life in the UK test (unless aged 65 or over);</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Your sponsor is still a Home Office approved sponsor;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Your sponsor still requires you to work for them for the foreseeable future;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You are being, and will be paid for the foreseeable future, at least the general salary threshold or the going rate requirement, whichever is higher.</li></ul> <h3>ILR Salary Threshold Requirement</h3> For most applicants, your salary must be at least £25,600 per year or the ‘going rate’ for the occupation (as set out in the relevant occupation code), whichever is higher.However, the following applicants need only demonstrate that they receive a salary of at least £20,480 per year or the ‘going rate’ for the occupation, whichever is higher:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">If you were sponsored in your most recent application for a job in a shortage occupation or a specified health or education occupation code; or</li><li class="ql-align-justify">If your 5-year qualifying period for settlement includes time as a Tier 2 (General) Migrant during which you were sponsored for a job in one of the following occupation codes: • 2111 Chemical scientists • 2112 Biological scientists and biochemists • 2113 Physical scientists • 2114 Social and humanities scientists • 2119 Natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classified • 2150 Research and development managers • 2311 Higher education teaching professionals.</li></ul>Other salary reductions permitted through tradable points do not apply to settlement applications. <h2>Dependants of UK Skilled Workers</h2> UK Skilled Workers may be joined or accompanied by a dependent partner over the age of 18 and/or or a dependent child under the age of 18.

UK SKILLED WORKER VISA

UK HEALTH AND CARE WORKER VISA

UK INTRA-COMPANY TRANSFER VISA The UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa is for employees of multinational employers who need to be transferred to a UK branch of their employer to do a skilled role in the UK.You will need to have worked for your employer overseas for at least 12 months, unless you will earn £73,900 or more in the UK. Requirements for a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa In order to qualify for a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:You are aged 18 or over;You are currently employed by an organisation that has been approved by the Home Office as a sponsor;You have worked for your sponsor, or a business linked to your sponsor by ownership, outside the UK, for at least 12 months, unless you will earn £73,900 or more in the UK;You have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued by your sponsor for the job you are planning to do;The job you are planning to do is genuine;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The job you are planning to do is at an appropriate skill level;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;You will be paid at least £41,500 or the ‘going rate’ for your job, whichever is higher;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Your sponsor has paid any required Immigration Skills Charge;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;You have enough money to support yourself without relying on public funds;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;You have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The exact requirements you will need to satisfy will vary depending on your circumstances.&nbsp;You may want to speak to an immigration lawyer for expert advice. UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa Duration of Employment Requirement If you are applying for an Intra-Company Transfer Visa and you are earning less than £73,900 per year then you must be currently working for your sponsor, or a business linked to your sponsor by ownership, outside the UK, for a period of at least 12 months.The 12 months’ work outside the UK can have been accumulated over a historic period if you were continuously working for the sponsor group, in the UK or overseas, throughout the 12 months prior to the date of application and any breaks have only been for statutory maternity, paternity or parental leave, adoption leave, sick leave, assisting with a national or international humanitarian or environmental crisis or taking part in lawful industrial action.If you are earning £73,900 per year or more then you do not need to have been employed for any specific period of time.UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) RequirementIn order to obtain a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa you must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job you are planning to do.&nbsp;Your Certificate of Sponsorship will need to have been issued by an employer that is authorised by the Home Office to sponsor the job in question under the Intra-Company Transfer route.Your sponsor must be listed as A-rated on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors, unless you were last granted permission under the Intra-Company routes and are applying to continue working for the same sponsor as in your last permission.Your Certificate of Sponsorship must have been issued not more than 3 months before the date of your Intra-Company Transfer application.Your Certificate of Sponsorship must include certain mandatory information, including:Details of your name, job and salary;Confirmation that you have worked for your employer outside the UK for at least 12 months, unless you are a high earner;A start date which is no more than 3 months after the date of your Intra-Company Transfer Visa application;Confirmation that the Certificate of Sponsorship has not been used in a previous application which was either granted or refused and has not been withdrawn by the sponsor or cancelled by the Home Office.Genuine Job RequirementIn order to be granted a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa, you will need to satisfy the Home Office that you are being sponsored to undertake a genuine job.If there are reasonable grounds to believe that the job you are being sponsored to do does not exist, is a sham or has been created mainly so that you can apply for a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa then your application will be refused.The Home Office will also want to be satisfied that you have not entered into an arrangement whereby you will fill a temporary or permanent position, or undertake contract work which involves undertaking an ongoing routine role or providing an ongoing routine service to a third party who is not your sponsor.UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa Job Skill Level Requirement In order to qualify for a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa, the job you are being sponsored to do must be an eligible job at or above a minimum skill level.The Home Office has published a list of jobs that are eligible for an Intra-Company Transfer Visa.&nbsp;The list includes the relevant occupation code, job type and related job titles.&nbsp;You will usually meet the job skill level requirement if the job you are being sponsored for is on the list.However, your sponsor must choose an appropriate occupation code.&nbsp;If the Home Office has reasonable grounds to believe that your sponsor has not chosen the most appropriate occupation code then your application for a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa will be refused. In assessing whether your sponsor has chosen the most appropriate occupation code, the Home Office will consider factors such as whether they have shown a genuine need for the job as described, whether you have the appropriate skills, qualifications and experience needed to do the job as described and the sponsor’s history of compliance with the immigration system. UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa Salary Requirement Employers seeking to transfer an employee under the UK Intra-Company Transfer route must pay their skilled workers a salary which equals or exceeds both a general salary threshold and the ‘going rate’ for the occupation (as set out in the relevant occupation code mentioned above), whichever is higher.The general salary threshold under the UK Intra-Company Transfer route is £41,500 a year.&nbsp;Therefore, in most cases an applicant for a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa must be paid a salary which equals or exceeds £41,500 a year and 100% of the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher.The assessment of salary is based on guaranteed basic gross pay (up to 48 hours per week) plus allowances which are guaranteed to be paid for the duration of the employment in the UK or are paid as a mobility premium or to cover the additional cost of living in the UK.The Home Office has published a list of going rates for eligible Intra-Company Transfer occupation codes.&nbsp;The annual salaries stated are based on a 39-hour working week and must be pro-rated for other working patterns.Immigration Skills Charge RequirementYour sponsor must also have paid in full any required Immigration Skills Charge.The Immigration Skills Charge is a charge for each foreign worker that a sponsoring employer seeks to employ.&nbsp;The Immigration Skills Charge must be paid each time a sponsoring employer assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship to a migrant.UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa Financial RequirementSubject to the exemptions below, you will need to have cash funds of at least £1,270 available.You will need to have held the money for at least 28 consecutive days ending not more than 31 days before the date of your Intra-Company Transfer Visa application.You will be exempt from the financial requirement if your sponsor is willing to meet your maintenance costs up to the end of the first month of your employment, to an amount of at least £1,270, if necessary.&nbsp;Your sponsor will need to confirm this on your Certificate of Sponsorship.If you are applying for permission to stay and have been in the UK with permission for 12 months or more at the date of application, you will meet the financial requirement and will not need to show funds.Switching into the UK Intra-Company Transfer RouteIf you currently have leave to remain in another immigration category, you may extend your stay by switching into the UK Intra-Company Transfer route unless you have, or were last granted, permission as a Visitor, Short-term student, Parent of a Child Student, Seasonal Worker, Domestic Worker in a Private Household or outside the Immigration Rules. Duration of a UK Intra-Company Transfer VisaIf your application for a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa is approved, you will be granted entry clearance or permission to stay for either the time given on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days, a period of 5 years, or the length of time that will take you to the maximum time period allowed in the category (see below), whichever is shorter.Maximum Time in the UK Intra-Company Transfer RouteIf your application for a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa is successful you will be able to extend your stay in the UK up to a maximum period of:5 years in any 6 year period if you are paid less than £73,900 per year; or9 years in any 10 year period if you are paid £73,900 or more per year.Under a previous version of the route, there was a cooling-off requirement which prevented a person re-entering the UK on the Intra-Company Transfer route for 12 months after departing.&nbsp;This cooling-off provision no longer applies.Conditions of Stay on a UK Intra-Company Transfer VisaIntra-Company Transfer Visa holders are permitted to work for their sponsor in the job described on their Certificate of Sponsorship.&nbsp;They may also do a second job up to 20 hours per week, provided the same is either in the same profession and at the same level as the main job or on the Skilled Worker shortage occupation list.&nbsp;They may also undertake a course of study.&nbsp;Access to public funds is not permitted.Settlement on the UK Intra-Company Transfer RouteThe UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa does not lead to settlement in the UK.&nbsp;However, you may be able to switch into another immigration route which does lead to settlement.You may also be eligible to extend your stay until you qualify for settlement on the basis of Long Residence.Dependants of UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa applicantsIntra-Company Transfer Visa holders can be joined or accompanied by a dependent partner over the age of 18 and/or dependent children under the age of 18.

UK INTRA-COMPANY TRANSFER VISA

UK REPRESENTATIVE OF AN OVERSEAS NEWSPAPER, NEWS AGENCY OR BROADCASTING ORGANISATION VISA The UK Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation visa category is for employees of media organisations being posted to the UK on a long-term assignment as a representative of their overseas employer.What is a UK Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation visa? The UK Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation visa allows an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation to be posted to the UK on a long-term assignment to work as a full-time representative of their overseas employer. Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) can be achieved after 5 years in the Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation visa category. Requirements for a UK Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation visa In order to qualify for a UK visa as an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation you will need to satisfy UK Visas &amp; Immigration that:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;You are employed by an overseas media agency or organisation;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;You were recruited outside of the UK;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;You are being posted to the UK on a long-term assignment;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;You intend to work full time for your employer and will not take other work;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;You satisfy an English language requirement;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Your employer’s principal place of business is outside of the UK;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;You will be able to maintain and accommodate yourself without recourse to public funds.The exact requirements that you will need to satisfy will vary depending on your circumstances.&nbsp;You may want to speak to our immigration team for expert advice.&nbsp;<h2 class="ql-align-justify">Is the UK Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation visa only available to journalists?</h2> While Home Office Guidance states that applicants in this category will usually be journalists, it also states that applicants could be producers, news cameramen or camerawomen and front-of-camera personnel. However, secretaries and other administrative support staff will not qualify and must apply under an alternative immigration route if one is available. <h2>How many representatives can an overseas media company post to the UK?</h2> In contrast to the&nbsp;<a href="https://immigrationbarrister.co.uk/personal-immigration/business-visas/sole-representative-of-an-overseas-business-visa/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: windowtext;">Sole Representative visa</a>&nbsp;route, an overseas media company can have more than one representative in the UK.&nbsp;Therefore, the&nbsp;Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation visa can be used to post multiple media company representatives to the UK at the same time. <h2>What documents will I need to provide in support of an application for a UK Representative of an Overseas Newspaper visa?</h2> With the exception of the English language requirement, there are no specified evidence requirements for an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation visa.&nbsp;You will need to prove that you meet all of the requirements above, but the rules do not specify any mandatory requirements in terms of the evidence you must submit.&nbsp;Our immigration barristers can advise as to the documents that should be provided to satisfy the Home Office that the requirements of the visa route are met. <h2>Conditions of Stay as an Employee of an overseas newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation</h2> As an employee of an overseas media agency, you will not be permitted to take on any other employment and must work full-time for the organisation that you are representing in the UK. <h2>Can a UK Representative of an Overseas News Business bring family members to the UK?</h2> Yes.&nbsp;A&nbsp;Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation&nbsp;may bring, or be joined by, their&nbsp;spouse, civil partner, unmarried or same-sex partner and any children under the age of 18.&nbsp;Unfortunately, as with most other categories of the Immigration Rules, Media Representatives cannot bring their parents, siblings or other extended family members. <h2>When should I apply for a UK&nbsp;Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation visa?</h2> You should make an application for a Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation visa no more than 3 months before you intend to travel. <h2>How much does a UK&nbsp;Representative of an Overseas Newspaper visa&nbsp;cost?&nbsp;</h2> The Home Office application fee for a Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation visa is currently £610. <h2>How long will it take for my Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation visa application to be decided?</h2> Most Overseas Media visa applications are decided within 3 weeks.&nbsp;Many visa application centres outside the UK also offer a priority service which allows Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation visa applicants to receive a decision on their applications for entry clearance within 5 working days. <h2>How can I extend my UK&nbsp;Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation visa?</h2> Your initial visa will be valid for 3 years, after which time you will be able to extend your stay for a further two years. In order to extend your stay you will need to show that you are still engaged in the employment for which you were granted entry to the UK and are still required for the future.&nbsp;Your employer must certify this in a letter.Additionally, you will need to show your income for the 12 months before your application to extend. This could be done through providing payslips or bank statements. You or your employer will need to confirm how your salary was paid, for example, whether it was for number of hours or if it was commission based. <h2>How can I settle in the UK as a&nbsp;Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation?</h2> After five years in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for settlement provided:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">You have spent a continuous period of 5 years lawfully in the UK as an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You have, throughout, been an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation undertaking a long-term assignment as a representative of their overseas employer</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You have, throughout, been engaged in the employment for which your last period of permission was granted;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You are still required for the employment in question, as certified by your employer;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You have demonstrated sufficient knowledge of the English Language and Life in the UK;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You do not fall under the general grounds for refusal;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You are not in the UK in breach of immigration laws.</li></ul> <h2>How our immigration barristers can help your UK&nbsp;Representative of an Overseas Newspaper visa application</h2> The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-part-5-working-in-the-uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: windowtext;">Immigration Rules</a>&nbsp;contain few requirements in terms of the documents that must be provided in support of a Representative of an Overseas Newspaper visa application.&nbsp;It can be helpful to get advice from an immigration lawyer in order to ensure that your application is professionally presented and technically correct&nbsp;

UK REPRESENTATIVE OF AN OVERSEAS NEWSPAPER, NEWS AGENCY OR BROADCASTING ORGANISATION VISA

The UK Minister of Religion Visa (T2) is for individuals who have been sponsored to perform a mainly pastoral leading role within a bona fide faith-based organisation or religious order in the UK.&nbsp;&nbsp; The UK T2 Minister of Religion route can lead to settlement in the UK and applicants can be joined or accompanied by a dependent partner and dependent children under the age of 18.If you wish to support the activities of a UK religious institution by conducting religious work such as working in a religious order or undertaking non-pastoral work for a religious order, for no more than 2 years, you may wish to consider the&nbsp;<a href="https://immigrationbarrister.co.uk/personal-immigration/short-term-work-visas/temporary-work-religious-worker-visa/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: windowtext;">Temporary Work – Religious Worker Visa</a>&nbsp;instead. <h2>Requirements for a UK Minister of Religion Visa (T2)</h2> In order to qualify for a UK Minister of Religion Visa (T2) you will need to satisfy UK Visas &amp; Immigration that:<ul><li>You are aged 18 or over;</li><li>You have an offer of a job as a minister of religion from an approved sponsor that holds a T2 Minister of Religion Visa sponsor licence (which requires a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the role you wish to undertake);</li><li>You genuinely intend, and are able, to undertake the role for which you are being sponsored;</li><li>You satisfy an English language requirement;</li><li>You have personal savings to support yourself in the UK;</li><li>Your application does not fall for refusal under the general grounds for refusal;</li><li>You have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.</li></ul> The exact requirements you will need to satisfy may vary depending on your circumstances.&nbsp;You may want to speak to our immigration team for expert advice&nbsp;<h2>T2 Minister of Religion Role and Activities</h2> The UK T2 Minister of Religion Visa is available to individuals who are qualified to do the job of a Minister of Religion.You will have a key leading role within your religious establishment or organisation in the UK, such as a minister of religion, missionary, member of a religious order, or other religious worker in a mainly pastoral role.As a Minister of Religion you will be expected to perform religious duties within your sponsor’s organisation or directed by your sponsor’s organisation in the UK.&nbsp;These duties may include preaching, pastoral and non-pastoral work.&nbsp;However, your work should be mainly of a pastoral nature, such as leading a congregation in performing rites and rituals, and preaching the essentials of the creed.&nbsp;This would include, but not be limited to, religious leaders such as priests, imams, rabbis and other ministers of religion.Your role as a Minister of Religion should not involve mainly non-pastoral duties, such as school teaching, media production, domestic work or administrative and clerical work, unless your role is a senior position within your sponsor’s organisation (such as a financial controller).&nbsp;Applicants for these other roles should consider being sponsored on an alternative route such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://immigrationbarrister.co.uk/personal-immigration/long-term-work-visas/skilled-worker-visa/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: windowtext;">Skilled Worker</a>&nbsp;route.You should receive pay and conditions at least equal to those given to settled workers in the same role and compliant with the national minimum wage. <h2>T2 Minister of Religion Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) Requirement</h2> In order to obtain a UK Minister of Religion Visa (T2) you will need to have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from a Home Office approved sponsor for the role you are applying to undertake in the UK.&nbsp;Your sponsor will need to hold a valid T2 Minister of Religion sponsor licence.Your sponsor will be a bona fide religious organisation which:<ul><li>Has charitable status;</li><li>Is the structure for a faith-based community with a common system of belief and spiritual goals, codes of behaviour and religious practice, which exists to support and/or propagate common beliefs and practices and where beliefs:</li></ul>o&nbsp;&nbsp;include any religious belief or similar philosophical belief in something transcendental, metaphysical or ultimate;o&nbsp;&nbsp;exclude any philosophical or political belief concerned with man, unless that belief is similar to religious belief;<ul><li>Does not exclude anyone from its community on the basis of gender, nationality or ethnicity;</li><li>Receives financial and material support for its core religious ministry from its congregation or community on a voluntary basis, without promise or coercion;</li><li>Does not breach, or encourage others to breach, any UK legislation;</li><li>Does not work against the public interest, or have a detrimental effect on personal or family life as commonly understood in the UK.</li></ul>Your Certificate of Sponsorship will confirm information such as details of the job and salary that has been offered to you, that you are qualified to do the job of a T2 Minister of Religion, that you are a member of the sponsor’s religious order (if your sponsor’s organisation is a religious order) and that you will perform religious duties within your sponsor’s organisation or directed by your sponsor’s organisation in the UK.You will need to apply for a Minister of Religion Visa (T2) within the 3 month period before the start date of your role as stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship. <h2>Financial Requirement for a UK T2 Minister of Religion Visa</h2> Unless you have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months or your employer agrees to cover your costs during your first month in the UK (and this is confirmed on your Certificate of Sponsorship) you will need to have at least £1,270 in your bank account, held for at least 28 days, ending not more than 31 days before the date of your Minister of Religion Visa (T2) application. <h2>English Language Requirement for a UK T2 Minster of Religion Visa</h2> You will need to have English language skills at level B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for language in reading, writing, speaking and listening. <h2>Switching into the Minster of Religion (T2) route</h2> If you currently have leave to remain in another immigration category, you may extend your stay in the UK by switching into the Minister of Religion (T2) route unless you have, or were last granted, permission as a Visitor, Short-term student, Parent of a Child Student, Seasonal Worker, and Domestic Worker in a Private Household or outside the Immigration Rules. <h2>Duration of a UK Minister of Religion Visa (T2)</h2> If your application for a UK Minister of Religion Visa (T2) is successful, you will be permitted to enter and remain in the UK for either the period of employment stated on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days or 3 years and 1 month, whichever is shorter.Ministers of Religion can spend up to 6 years on the UK T2 Minister of Religion route.&nbsp;If you apply to stay in the UK as a T2 Minister of Religion from within the UK, you will be granted permission to stay in the UK for either the period of employment stated on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days or 3 years or the difference between 6 years and the period you have already been granted permission on the T2 route, whichever is shorter. <h2>Conditions of Stay on a UK Minister of Religion Visa (T2)</h2> If your UK Minister of Religion Visa (T2) application is successful, you will be permitted to work in the job you have been sponsored for.&nbsp;Supplementary employment, voluntary work and study will also be permitted. <h2>Settlement on the UK T2 Minister of Religion Route</h2> T2 Ministers of Religion can apply for settlement (indefinite leave to remain) in the UK after 5 years’ continuous residence in the UK.Time spent in the T2 Minister of Religion category can be combined with time spent in the International Sportsperson, Skilled Worker, Tier 1 (other than Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur), Sole Representative of an Overseas Business, Innovator and Global Talent routes.You must not have been outside the UK for more than 180 days in any 12-month period during the 5 year period relied on.Your sponsor will need to confirm that they still require you to work for them for the foreseeable future and that you will be paid an appropriate salary.Unless you are exempt, you will need to demonstrate English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in speaking and listening to at least level B1 and pass the Life in the UK&nbsp;test. <h2>Dependants of UK Minister of Religion Visa (T2) Holders</h2> T2 Ministers of Religion may be joined or accompanied by a dependent partner over the age of 18 and/or dependent children under the age of 18.As well as providing evidence of relationship, dependents may need to satisfy a financial requirement.&nbsp;Unless they have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months or the T2 Minister of Religion’s employer agrees to cover their costs during their first month in the UK, the T2 Minister of Religion – or their partner or child – will need to have £285 for a partner, £315 for one child and £200 for each additional child.&nbsp;The money will need to have been held for at least 28 days, ending not more than 31 days before the date of their visa application.In order to qualify for settlement, dependent partners of T2 Ministers of Religion need to complete 5 years residence in the UK, with absences of no more than 180 days in any 12-month period and, unless exempt, demonstrate English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in speaking and listening to at least level B1 and pass the Life in the UK&nbsp;test. <h2>UK T2 Minister of Religion Visa Processing Times</h2> Most Minister of Religion Visa (T2) applications are decided within 3 weeks.&nbsp;It may be possible to secure a faster decision if the visa application centre offers a priority service.Most applications to extend stay as a T2 Minister of Religion are decided within 8 weeks. <h2>Minister of Religion Visa (T2) Refusals</h2> If your application for a Minister of Religion Visa (T2) is refused, you may be able to make a fresh application or apply for Administrative Review.