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Leave to remain (visa) application processOnceaTier2CertificateofSponsorshipisissuedtoamigrant,theymustapplyforleavetoremain(visa)withinthreemonthsofthedatethattheirCertificateofSponsorshipisissued,orbeforetheirexistingvisaexpires,whicheverissooner.Thisappliestoallincountry'initial'and'extension'Tier2applicants.Afterthreemonthsthecertificatewilllapseandcannolongerbeusedtosupportavisaapplication.

Pleasenotethatthoseapplyingunderthiscategorywillbesubjecttoa"genuinenesstest".

Leavetoremain(visa)applicationprocess

PriorityPostalServiceapplications

Applyinginperson

Biometricenrolmentprocess

Leave to remain (visa) application process

Itistheresponsibilityofthemigranttocompletetheleavetoremainapplicationform,althoughtheStaffImmigrationTeamcanofferguidanceonthis.Itisessentialtoensurethatthemigranthassignedthedeclarationpage.

TheStaffImmigrationTeamwill,wherepossible,checkTier2leavetoremainvisaapplicationsfromincountryapplicants(andfromtheirdependants,whereapplicable)andsubmitthesetotheHomeOfficeonbehalfofthemigrant.

PleasenotethattheStaffImmigrationTeamcannotguaranteethesuccessfuloutcomeofanyleavetoremainapplicationsincethisdecisionismadebytheHomeOfficeandnotbytheUniversity.

Wherepossible,departmentsandcollegesareadvisedtosubmitleavetoremainvisaapplicationstotheStaffImmigrationTeamnolaterthan8weeksbeforethemigrant'svisaisduetoexpire(for'extension'applicants),ornolaterthan8weeksbeforetheyareduetocommencetheirnewpost(for'initial'applicants),toallowsufficienttimefortheapplicationtobechecked,issuesresolved,andsubmittedtotheHomeOffice.

TheStaffImmigrationTeamcannotguaranteetobeabletocheckanyleavetoremainapplicationsreceivedlaterthanthreeworkingdaysbeforethemigrant'svisaisduetoexpire.Insuchcircumstances,theStaffImmigrationTeamwill,wherepossible,submittheapplicationtotheHomeOfficeasitisreceived.

DepartmentsandcollegesshouldnotethatmigrantsapplyingfromwithintheUKunderthefollowingcircumstancesarenotpermittedtostarttheirnewpostwiththeUniversityuntiltheirleavetoremain(visa)hasbeengrantedforthenewpost:

currentlyonaTier2oroldstyleworkvisasponsoredbyanotherorganisation

currentlyonaTier2oroldstyleworkvisasponsoredbytheUniversity,butwhowillbechangingjobswithintheUniversitytoadifferenttypeofrole(e.g.aresearchertakingupanewpostasaUniversityLecturer)

Note,however,thatthisruledoesnotapplytomoststudentvisaholders,whocanbeemployedfulltimeforuptofourmonthsaftercompletionoftheirstudies,pendingcourseresults(providingtheirstudentvisa

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isstillvalid).IfastudentsubmitsaTier2leavetoremainapplicationwithinthisfourmonthperiod,theymaycontinuetoworkuntiladecisionisreachedontheirworkvisaapplication.

ATier4studentvisaholderawaitingtheoutcomeofanapplicationtoswitchintoTier2(General)whichwassubmittedbeforetheirTier4visaexpiredcanfillafulltimepermanentvacancyaslongastheyhavesuccessfullycompletedacourseatdegreeleveloraboveandtheyareemployedintheroleforwhichtheyareapplyingunderTier2,otherwiseatemporarycontractofemploymentshouldbeissuedtothestudentworkeruntiltheirworkvisahasbeengranted.

Pleaserefertotheemployingoverseasstudentswebpageforfurtherinformation.

MigrantsarestronglyadvisednottomakeanytravelplansuntiltheyhavereceivedtheirpassportandvisabackfromtheHomeOffice.Onceapostalapplicationismade,theStaffImmigrationTeamcannotrequestaprogressupdatefromtheHomeOfficeunlesstheapplicationhasbeenoutstandingformorethansixmonths(althoughapplicationsrarelytakelongerthan8weeks).

Onaverage,wefindthatpostalapplicationstake68weekstobeprocessedbytheHomeOffice,butthedateofreturnofamigrant'sdocumentscannotbeguaranteed.

Ifthemigranthasaspouseorchildrenwhoalsoneedtoextendtheirleavetoremain,theirdetailswillneedtobecompletedonthemainmigrant'sapplicationform,buteachdependantwillalsoneedtocompleteaseparateapplicationform.

Dependantswillberequiredtosigntheirownapplicationforms,exceptchildren,inwhichcasetheparentcansign.Dependantapplicationscanbesubmittedalongwiththemainmigrant'sapplication.

Migrantswillberequiredtoshowthattheyhaveextramaintenancefundsavailableforeachdependant,unlessevidencehasalreadybeensubmittedinapreviousTier2application.

PleaseseetheTier2leavetoremain(visa)applicationguidance(incountry) (291kb)fordetailsofthesupportingdocumentsthatwillbeneededforTier2leavetoremain(visa)applicationsforboth'initial'applicantsand'extension'applicantsapplyingfromwithintheUK.TherelevantguidancedocumentwillbesenttothemigrantbytheStaffImmigrationTeambyemailtogetherwiththeirCertificateofSponsorshipnumber.

New5yearTier2leavetoremain(visa)TheHomeOfficehaveintroducedanewTier2leavetoremain(visa)whichcanbegrantedforadurationofupto5yearsinsteadofthecurrent3yearmaximum.AhigherfeeispayableforaTier2visaapplicationforover3(upto5)years.PleasenotethatforthoseinitiallygrantedaTier2visasinceApril2011themaximumdurationforwhichtheycanholdaTier2visais6years.WhilethenormalTier2requirementsapplywhereanapplicationisbeingmadeforlongerthan3yearstheapplicantisconsideredtobean'ExperiencedWorker'andthehighersalarythresholdapplies,regardlessofwhethertheywouldotherwisemeetthecriteriatobeconsideredasa'NewEntrant'.

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Priority Postal Service applications

TheHomeOffice'sPriorityPostalServiceconsidersincountryTier2applicationsinamuchshortertimeframethanthestandardpostalroute.Thisserviceaimstoprovideadecisionwithintenworkingdaysoftheirreceiptofanapplicationalthoughapplyingusingthisservicedoescostmore.

ThefeeforanapplicationmadeusingthePriorityPostalServiceistherelevantstandardfeeplus300perperson.

OnlyalimitednumberofTier2PriorityPostalapplications(currently30)areacceptedbytheHomeOfficeeachday(excludingweekends&bankholidays)andarequestforanapplicationslotmustbemadethroughtheStaffImmigrationTeamandapprovedbytheHomeOfficebeforeapriorityapplicationcanbemade.

Inordertousethisservicemigrantsmust:

makearequesttotheHomeOfficethroughtheStaffImmigrationTeamforanapplicationslotbycompletingandemailingaTier2PriorityPostalServiceRequestforinclusionformtotheStaffImmigrationTeam

submittheircompletedTier2Priorityapplicationform(s)andsupportingdocumentstotheHomeOfficebypostusingRoyalMailSpecialorRecordedDeliverywithin24hoursofconfirmationofan

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applicationslotfromtheStaffImmigrationTeamwhichwillprovideareferencenumberissuedbytheHomeOfficewhichmustbeusedwhenapplying

submittheirBiometricinformationthroughthePostOfficewithin2daysofreceivingtheirletterfromtheHomeOfficeinvitingthemtoenroltheirbiometricinformation.

PleaseconsulttheHomeOffice'sTier2PriorityServicewebpagewheretheTier2Priorityapplicationformsandguidance(formainapplicantsanddependants)canbefound.InordertousetheTier2PriorityservicetheseformsmustbeusedratherthanthestandardTier2applicationforms.

MoreinformationinrelationtotheBiometricenrolmentprocesscanbefoundbelow,however,pleasenotethatforapriorityapplicationBiometricinformationmustbesubmittedwithin2daysofreceivingtheinviteletterratherthantheusual15days.

Pleasenotethatduetothe24hourdeadlinewithinwhichTier2PriorityPostalapplicationsmustbesubmittedmigrantsapplyattheirownriskastheStaffImmigrationTeamisnotabletocheckorsubmittheseapplicationsontheirbehalf.

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Applying in person

MigrantsmaymakeanapplicationforaTier2LeavetoRemainvisainpersonatoneoftheHomeOffice'sVisaPremiumServiceCentresalthoughthisdoescostconsiderablymore.Thefeeforanapplicationmadeinpersonistherelevantstandardfeeplus400perperson(thisincludesa100appointmentfeepaidatthetimeofbookingwhichmayberetainediftheapplicantfailstoattendtheirappointmentwithoutgoodreason,theappointmentiscancelledwithoutgoodreasonandnotrebooked,ortheapplicationiswithdrawnbeforetheappointment).

Pleasenotethatfrom15November2013wherethemigranthasbookedtheappointmentthemselvesthefeeinrespectofallapplicationstobesubmittedonthedaymustbepaidinfullonlinepriortotheappointment,however,thisdoesnotapplyiftheStaffImmigrationTeamhavesecuredtheappointmentasinthiscasethefeescanstillbepaidinfullontheday.

Whereamigrantispayingtheapplicationfee(s)onthedayoftheappointmentpaymentcanonlybemadeviaCreditorDebitcard.Ifpaymentisbeingmadeonthedayusingacreditordebitcardthatisnotinthemigrant'sownnamethepersonnamedonthecardmustbepresenttoauthorisethetransaction,andthecardmustbe'chipandpin'enabled.Wewouldrecommendthatmigrantscontacttheirbankbeforeattendingtheappointmentinpersontomakethemawarethatalargepaymentwillbetakeninordertoavoidthepaymentbeingqueriedorrefused.

ThenearestPremiumServiceCentrestoOxfordareinCroydonandSolihull,Birmingham.

InformationonhowtobookanappointmentatthesecentresonlinecanbefoundontheHomeOfficewebsite.

Whenapplyinginperson,theapplicantshouldreceiveadecisionontheirapplicationthesameday.However,theirBiometricResidencePermit(equivalenttoavisa)willnotbeavailableimmediately,andwillbesenttotheapplicantwithintenworkingdaysofthedateoftheirappointment.

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Biometric enrolment process

Migrantworkers(andtheirdependants)applyingforTier2leavetoremain(visa)fromwithintheUKwillneedtohavetheirbiometrics(fingerprintsandphotographs)takenbeforeadecisionismadeontheirapplication.MigrantswillbeissuedwithaBiometricResidencePermit,ratherthanaworkvisaorvignetteintheirpassport.

OncetheHomeOfficereceivesaTier2leavetoremainapplication,themigrant(andanyaccompanyingdependants)willbeidentifiedasneedingtoprovidetheirbiometricdetails,andwillbesentaletterinvitingthemtodosowithin15workingdaysofreceivingtheletter.MigrantscanfindmoreinformationaboutenrollingtheirbiometricinformationontheHomeOffice'swebsite.

MigrantswhohavesubmittedtheirvisaapplicationbypostoronlinemayenroltheirbiometricinformationatoneofthePostOfficebranchesofferingthisserviceacrosstheUK,informationaboutthisprocesscanbe

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foundintheHomeOffice'sBiometricResidencePermitsguidance.PleasenotethatthePostOfficechargesafeeforeachpersonenrollingtheirbiometricinformation.ThereisnoneedtobookanappointmentatthePostOfficeasitisawalkinservicebutyoucanonlyusetheserviceafteryouhavereceivedaletterinvitingyoutodoso.ThePostOfficeisopenfrom09:0017:30MondaytoSaturday.

Migrantswhohavemadeanappointmenttosubmittheirapplicationinpersonwillenroltheirbiometricinformationatthetimeoftheirappointment.

WhenenrollingtheirBiometricinformationmigrantsmustensurethattheytakethefollowinginformationwiththem:

thecompleteoriginalletterfromtheHomeOfficeinvitingthemigranttosubmittheirbiometricinformation(includingthebackpagewhichcontainsabarcodeandtheapplicant'scasereferencenumber,fullnameanddateofbirth),thePostOfficewillnotbeabletoproceedwiththeirenrolmentifthecompleteletterisnotpresented

sufficientpaymentfortheservice(whenenrollingyourbiometricinformationthroughthePostOfficefeescanbepaidbycashordebitcardonly).

Anyapplicantundertheageof16mustbeaccompaniedbyaresponsibleadult.Iftheresponsibleadultistheparent,theymusttakeeitherthelettertheyreceivedfromtheHomeOfficeinvitingthemtousethebiometricenrolmentservice,orphotoidentificationsuchasaUKphotocarddrivinglicence,passportornationalidentitycard.Iftheresponsibleadultisthechild'slegalguardianorsomeoneelsewhoisnotaparent,theymusttakeoneoftheformsofphotoidentificationlistedabove,aswellasaletterconfirmingthattheyarearesponsibleadultwhohasacloseconnectiontothechildandwhohasbeenauthorisedtoaccompanyhimorhertothebiometricenrolmentcentre.

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