The opportunity to extend UK visas
in order to gain further leave to remain in the UK is afforded by
several different types of UK visas.
In some cases UK visa extensions may
be applied for by the candidate themselves, as with Tier 1. However, in
other cases for example applying for a UK work permit extension, the
application procedure is an employer led one.
Global Visas, as a UK immigration
consultancy can advise you on the right route to immigration to the UK
for your needs. Our UK immigration law consultants can assist at all
stages of your application for a UK visa, or for a visa extension
service and can provide everything you will need including UK
immigration lawyer expertise and a comprehensive package of on arrival
services.
Tier 1
Obtaining an extension for visa
holders who are in the country under Tier 1 requires a candidate to meet
the criteria for further leave to remain in the UK.
Candidates
will also need to demonstrate proficiency in the English Language by
providing either an IELTS (International English Language Testing
System) score at above band six, or documentary evidence of a Bachelor
taught in English.
In addition, candidates will need to
reach a points threshold on a points based system similar to that used
in their original application.
In terms of
, the points system is the same as that for original
, age however is weighted
differently, to take account of the time elapsed between the original
visa application and the new one.
Previous earnings will be
considered, based on the length of the original visa granted and will
differ as to whether the visa was granted for less or more than 12
months.
A UK immigration consultant at Global Visas can provide detailed information on this and all Tier 1 extension criteria.
Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS)
The term 'extension' can be misleading with regard to a Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme (also known as UK working holiday visa).
A
Youth Mobility Scheme visa may be granted for up to 2 years; in cases
where an applicant was granted less than this, an extension may be
applied for. However, this type of visa is granted only once and cannot
be extended beyond its 24-month maximum.
Staying in the United Kingdom beyond
this period will require a UK visit visa application (often known as a
travel visa or tourist visa) which does not permit you to work in the
UK, or alternatively another immigration route such as Tier 1.
Working Permit Extension
A work permit can be extended for a
maximum period of five years, although it is worth remembering that
candidates who have already spent five years in the country on a work
permit, will be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the
UK or ILR, usually known as permanent residency. However, for applicants
whose work permit or Intra Company Transfer (ICT) expires before this
time, an extension may be applied for.
As with the original permit, the
responsibility for submitting the request lies with the employer rather
than the employee and must be lodged before the current permit expires.
The position in question does not
have to be re-advertised in order for an extension to be granted.
Holders of work permits may also be granted a new work permit for up to
five years in cases where a change of employment takes place. However,
holders of multiple entry visas will not be eligible for either change
of employment or a work permit extension.
Graduate and Training Schemes
Under
graduate
schemes such as the Science and Engineering Scheme or SEGS, shortly to be replaced by the International
Graduate
scheme, the option to extend a visa
does not exist directly. The same is true of the Fresh Talent Working
in Scotland Scheme, which like SEGS, administers leave to enter the UK
for specific lengths of time. Neither scheme is intended as a route to
settlement and does not provide a route to becoming a permanent resident
or to undergo British Naturalization as a UK citizen.
However,
in both cases, the opportunity is present throughout to switch to
another UK visa for immigration should the relevant criteria be met.
Candidates on either scheme could switch to Tier 1 if they meet the
requirements, or stay on in the United Kingdom through a working permit,
if a specific offer of employment is made.
The Training and Work Experience
Scheme or TWES, does not however, offer the same ability to switch from
one UK immigration service to another. It awards work experience or
training visas for a set period, extending this time only in exceptional
circumstances.
Since both sides of this immigration
route are intended to provide an applicant with experience or training
which will be put to use on their return to their home country,
candidates must spend a period outside the United Kingdom before they
can apply to return under a UK work permit. This period will be 12 or 24
months depending upon whether the TWES visa was issued for less than or
more than 12 months.
Extensions for Student Visas
A tier 4 student visa may be
extended by applying for Further Leave to Remain. In order to do so it
will be necessary to demonstrate that you will be in the country to
undertake a further course of study, that you have successfully
completed your original course of study and that you will be able to
support yourself financially throughout your time in Britain. An
extension of this kind must be submitted before the expiry of the
original document.
Doctor and Dentist Visas
The postgraduate doctor visa and
postgraduate dentist visa provide the opportunity for qualified doctors
or dentists to undertake postgraduate study in Great Britain.
In both cases, the visas can be
extended by periods of three years at a time in circumstances where a
candidate has secured a job in a specialist training post. However, this
immigration route is distinct from working permits in that they do not
provide the potential for a route to permanent UK residence and they are
awarded on the expectation that a candidate will return home once
training has finished.
UK visiting visas may be used as
outlined above to allow people on working holiday visas to stay in the
country for an additional six months, though working is not permitted.
The visiting visa itself however is always granted for a maximum period
of six months. Visit visas cannot be extended unless in the exceptional
circumstances that the original document was granted for less than six
months in which case it may be extended to the standard maximum period.
Dependents
Leave for your spouse and/or
dependents to remain in Britain will vary according to the UK
immigration route in question. HSMP allows for spouse immigration via a
dependency visa which will depend on the extension of the HSMP holder's
own right to remain in the country. People coming to the United Kingdom
through a marriage visa or a De Facto visa, often known as an unmarried
partner visa will be granted a 2-year period in the country.
The extension of visa duration in
these categories is unnecessary since on completion of the two-year
period, applicants will qualify to apply for ILR. In the case of a
fiance visa, no extension is available, these six month visas for
immigration to the UK are issued solely on the proviso that the parties
involved will marry in the UK within the stated period. Find out further
information on our UK Au Pair Visa page.
