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International Sportsperson Visa

Long Term Work Visa

This visa type is suitable if you;
Those who have an existing overseas business / Expanding and scaling up the overseas business / Holders of highly skilled job offer from a qualifying scale up business.

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International Sportsperson Visa

Sports coaches and sportspersons who hold the highest level of recognition in their sport are eligible for the International Sportsperson visa. An appropriate UK sports governing body must endorse you and sponsor you on a short- or long-term basis.

There are two types of visas for international athletes: ones with a duration of no more than twelve months, or ones with a duration exceeding twelve months.

In the international sportsperson category, a sportsperson who is granted leave for a period longer than 12 months has a pathway to settlement. Children or a partner of an applicant may accompany or join the applicant. 

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Immigration routes and rules are constantly changing in line with UK government guidelines. UK Immigration Solicitors strive to ensure that they are always well informed about any changes and how they may affect you and your next steps.

We Can Help You With Your
International Sportsperson Visa

  • Make a new application, apply for your dependents to join you, wish to extend your visa, become settled or challenge an unfair decision…
  • UK Immigration Solicitors can provide you with expert advice, guidance and legal representation to meet your needs.
  • Unsure about whether your plans would meet the requirements or whether you are likely to face any challenges?
  • We can assess your individual circumstances and confirm what your options are through a free case assessment.
  • UK Immigration Solicitors can ensure that your chances of success are maximised by handling your entire application remotely.
  • We provide a fully digital service, and you never have to visit our offices for 9/10 immigration cases.
  • We are an award-winning law firm that specialises in all types of UK immigration cases, and we offer a transparent, fixed fee service to handle your entire case.

Get Help From Our
International Sportsperson Visa Lawyers Now

Who is eligible for the International Sportsperson visa?

UK Visas & Immigration requires the following requirements in order to grant you a Care Worker Visa:

  • You are at least 18 years old;
  • If you are an adult social worker, doctor, nurse, or other health professional;
  • The job you have or the job you will have falls within one of the approved occupation codes in health or social care;
  • You work for a UK employer that is approved by the Home Office in the health and care sector;
  • A valid ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer containing information about the position being offered to you;
  • If you have a minimum B1 CEFR score (IELTS 4.0) in the English language;
  • A minimum salary or a ‘going rate’ will be paid by the sponsor company, whichever is higher;
  • You are able to provide for yourself without relying on public assistance;
  • A criminal record certificate has been provided, if you work with vulnerable people.
  • If you are from a country on the list, you have provided a valid TB certificate.

Depending on your circumstances, you may need to satisfy different requirements. 

How Does Endorsement Work?

You must obtain an endorsement from an appropriate UK sports governing body in order to qualify for an International Sportsperson visa. The UK Sports Governing Body must verify that the following criteria have been met:

  • You have an international reputation at the highest level; 
  • At the highest level in the UK, you will significantly contribute to the development of your sport

Before your sponsor can assign a Certificate of Sponsorship, you must be endorsed by a relevant UK sports governing body.

How Do I Get a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)?

In order for an individual to make a valid application for permission (also known as a visa) under the International Sportsperson visa and other sponsored work route, a sponsor must first assign a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to them.

You will need a valid Sponsorship Certificate for the job you are applying to undertake in the UK in order to obtain an International Sportsperson visa. Your sponsor must have been authorized by the Home Office to sponsor your job through the International Sportsperson route.

Sports sponsors must be based in the United Kingdom and must hold a sports sponsor licence. Sponsors can be either sporting bodies, sports clubs, event organizers, or other organisers of sporting events. Sport governing bodies approved by the Home Office will have endorsed the organization. On the International Sportsperson route, agents and overseas-based sports clubs and organizations cannot sponsor workers.

You will receive an International Sportsperson Certificate of Sponsorship confirming details such as the job and salary that has been offered to you, your qualification for the position, and the endorsement of an appropriate UK sports body.

As stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship, you will need to apply for an International Sportsperson visa at least three months before the start date of your position.

What are Financial Maintenance Requirements?

In most cases, you need at least £1,270 in cash, subject to the exemptions below.

The money must have been held for at least 28 consecutive days and not more than 31 days prior to the date of your Skilled Worker Visa application.

What are the English Requirements?

A person wishing to apply for a visa for international sportsperson for a period exceeding 12 months will be required to have language skills in English at level A1 in speaking and listening on the Common European Framework of Reference for Language.  

Either you must be a citizen of a majority English-speaking country or have passed an English language test at the required level or you must hold an academic qualification taught in English and recognized by Ecctis as equivalent to a UK bachelor’s, master’s or PhD program.

As an International Sportsperson you will not need to meet any English language requirements if you intend to stay in the UK for less than 12 months.

Can I Switch My Existing Visa to an International Sportsperson Visa?

If you were previously granted leave to remain in another immigration category, you may extend your stay by switching into the International Sportsperson route, unless you currently 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.

How Long is an International Sportsperson Visa Valid For?

You will be able to enter and remain in the UK for the period of employment listed on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days, or for 12 months, whichever is shorter, if you apply for an International Sportsperson visa for less than 12 months.

You will be permitted to enter and remain in the UK for a period equal to the period of employment recorded on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days, or for 3 years, whichever is shorter, if you apply for an International Sportsperson visa for more than 12 months.

You will be permitted to work at your sponsored job if your International Sportsperson visa application is approved. Additionally, you will be permitted to study and pursue additional employment.

In addition, you can work as a sportsperson for your national team while it is in the UK, participate in British University and College Sports (BUCS) competitions, and accept a temporary position as a sports broadcaster providing expert commentary on a specific sporting event.

When Can I Become Settled under the International Sportsperson Visa Route?

If an International Sportsperson has been granted leave as an International Sportsperson in the last 5 years for a period exceeding 12 months, they can apply for settlement in the UK after living there continuously for 5 years. 

It is possible to combine time in the International Sportsperson category with time in the Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Innovator, T2 Minister of Religion, Overseas Business Representative, or Tier 1 routes (other than Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur)).

The 5 year period relied on must not have included more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period.

It is important that your sponsor confirms that you will continue to work for them for the foreseeable future and that you will receive at least £35,800 annually.

To be eligible for the Life in the UK test, you must demonstrate English language proficiency at least at B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in speaking and listening.

This means that if you continue working for your sponsor (and meet compliance requirements) for a continuous period of 5 years, you are eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain which will then afford you a status equivalent to permanent residency.

At this point, you become free from immigration control and enter and leave the UK at your leisure without any visa requirements.

You also enjoy all of the same rights as a settled person in the UK

Can My Dependents Join me as an International Sportsperson?

In addition to a partner over the age of 18 and/or children under the age of 18, international athletes may be accompanied by dependent children. 

A dependent may also need to satisfy a financial requirement in addition to providing evidence of relationship. An International Sportsperson – or their partner or child – will need £285 for a partner, £315 for one child, and £200 for each additional child, unless they have been in the UK for at least 12 months, or if their employer will cover their costs during their first month in the UK. The money must have been held for at least 28 days, ending not more than 31 days before the application date.

As part of the settlement process, dependent partners of International Sportsperson must live in the UK for five years without abandoning it for more than 180 days every 12 months, demonstrate English language proficiency at least at level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, and pass the Life in the UK test.

How Long Is the Processing Time for an International Sportsperson Visa?

Visa decisions for most International Sportsperson are made within three weeks.  If a visa application centre offers a priority service, you may be able to obtain a faster decision.

Most applications to extend stay as an international athlete are decided within eight weeks of submission.

How can UK Immigration Solicitors help me with My International Sportsperson Visa?

Our expert legal team are highly experienced in assisting with the below services (where the option has been made available by UKVI and is considered appropriate)

New Applications – We can help you assess the merits, challenges and solutions to any issues arising whilst making a new application for an International Sportsperson Visa

Dependents – We can help you make a successful application for your partner or children to join you as your dependents on your International Sportsperson Visa.

Legal Representations – Where applicable, if you find yourself in an unusual or challenging situation and want the Home Office to take notice of your special circumstances to ensure that you are treated fairly and your rights are respected, our expert team can make both oral and written persuasive legal representations.

Challenge a Refusal – If your application has been refused, we can consider your refusal for free and advise on the best course of action.

Administrative Review – Home Office or Immigration Rules can be challenged if the decision-maker failed to follow them correctly.

Judicial Review – If your application was denied illegally, unreasonable or procedurally improperly, our immigration lawyers can apply for Judicial Review and represent you at the Judicial Review hearing.

Appeal an Unfair Decision – The decision to refuse your application may provide you with a right of appeal to the First Tier Tribunal. Our expert lawyers can advise you on and handle Appeals before the Immigration & Asylum Chamber (First Tier & Upper Tribunal)

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Success rate for work visa applications

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How can UK Immigration Solicitors help me?

We provide global assistance to clients all around the world remotely which means in most cases, you never need to visit us in person for us to provide you with expert legal assistance.

We are a multi award winning, nationwide, fully regulated law firm and are widely recognised as being the UK’s #1 Immigration Specialist Law Firm.

We offer easy to understand, fixed fee services and comprehensive representation so you, the client knows exactly what to expect and have full peace of mind about how much our service costs without worrying about unexpected further fees.

We offer free initial assessments for all cases so if you have some questions, want to make sure you qualify or just want to understand the process and associated costs, get in touch with us now by phone or online enquiry and take the first proactive step in your immigration journey today.

Immigration is a constantly changing and complex area and government application fees are rising each year, so it is important you seek expert advice and assistance to ensure that you are fully clear on what to do, when and why.

We are the original and still the best! Proud to be the UK’s #1 Immigration Law Firm.

International Sportsperson Visa

At UK Immigration Solicitors, we are passionate about all thing’s immigration. As a multi award winning nationwide law firm, we are proud to offer a truly global service. We have assisted clients from more than 120 countries over the last 10 years. We are proud to innovate and lead the immigration law industry.

Back in 2012, after carefully listening to the frustrations of clients who could not find reliable immigration advice online, we pioneered the provision of legal representation for immigration cases online. This was a revolutionary transition and since our innovations, there have been a whole multitude of online immigration service providers.

UK Immigration Solicitors are immensely proud of our reputation and our ability to deliver a truly global, comprehensive service to our clients without the need for them to step foot outside of the comfort of their own home in most cases.

Our Tried & Tested Comprehensive Representation Process for Successful Outcomes

We provide everything for one fixed, transparent fee - no unpleasent surprises!

Free Initial Assessment

Revieve a free, no obligation assessment.

The free assessment is carried out by an expert member of our Assesments Team.

We’ll identify your needs and objectives and figure out what your options are and whether you meet the requirements.

We’ll also explain exactly how we can help and issue you with a no obligation detailed proposal to take your case on.

You decide if you want us to help you through the journey having now understood your options.

1-1 Legal Consultation

If we can help you and you have accepted our proposal of service, we’ll get you booked in for a one to one legal consultation with a lawyer.

This is normally done over the phone but can be facilitated in person too if necessary.

During the legal consultation with a fully regulated expert solicitor, we will explain of the detailed requirements of your chosen visa type and check and rectify any problems and create a legal strategy and documentaton list.

We’ll also give you a step by step guide of your tailored road map.

Documentation

During the legal consultation, our lawyers will discuss documentary requirements.

We’ll explain exactly which documents you’ll need to support your application.

We’ll work with you to ensure we have everything we need and address any issues your personal circumstances present.

Together, we’ll ensure we have all of the required documentation.

Strategic Assistance

It’s rarely the case that you will have the correct documents available in a format which is acceptable to UKVI without our help.

Too often, we see clients have followed poor internet guides, made assumptions or followed a strategy which worked for someone they know.

We ensure we have a winning strategy in place and provide proactive advice on how to overcome any challenges you face.

File Submission

We’ll work with you through every step of the way to ensure that we have everything we need are we are both happy with your application by sharing a draft with you.

Once you have confirmed you are happy with our prepared application, we will submit this for you via secure transmission.

We assist with all elements of booking necessary appointments and related processes.

Visa Granted

Having submitted your application, we’ll guide you on how long we can expect the process to take.

We will monitor the application decision and where possible, will proactively review and liaise with the Home Office.v

We’ll deal with any queries raised and make any required legal respresentations for you.

If Your Case Takes A Day Or A Year To Complete, Our Fixed Fee Has You Covered For Complete Peace Of Mind

Why Not Ask Us For A Free Assessment And No Obligation Quotation Today?
Get Your Free Quotation Now On 0203 384 4389 or Complete an Online Assessment And We'll Call You Back With A Quotation.

See how we compare against 2096 other nationwide UK Immigration Law Firms

Independent results by trust platform Review Selectors

Taken from reviewsolicitor.co.uk (11.04.2023)

Value for Money

  • This Firm 91% 91%
  • National Average 55% 55%

Would Recommend to Friend

  • This Firm 94% 94%
  • National Average 66% 66%

Satisfied with outcome

  • This Firm 92% 92%
  • National Average 69% 69%

Client Reviews

4.7/5

Overall Experience

Value For Money
Communication
Initial Impressions
Approachability
Documentation Accuracy
Legal Knowledge

Call us now on 0203 384 4389 to get free help with understanding what your options are with a free assessment.

Doesn’t Seem Like This Is The Right Visa Type For You?

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This section will show you all the options and visa types available to you under the Personal Immigration category

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This section will show you all the options and visa types available to you under the Talent Based Immigration category

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This section will show you all the options and visa types available to you under the EEA & Family Members category

It Covers options for the following

  • Family Permit
  • Settled Status
  • Pre-settled Status
  • Derivative Rights of Residence

We have helped people from more than 100 countries get a UK visa without them leaving their homes!

We can help you get a visa from the comfort of your own home wherever you are in the world.

Speak to our friendly expert team now to see how we can help you live, work or study in the UK. Call now 0203 484 4389

Testimonials

What Clients Say About Us and Our Services

Michael

27/02/23

Great service all round. They were very helpful with my family's entry visa and gave solid advice towards securing my kids UK citizenship. Faheem Hasam always made himself available to respond to queries and offered advise whenever asked for.

(Trustpilot Review)

Mohammad Amro

21/02/23

I really appreciate the service and the response and the friendly team who deal with my case and specially Mr Talal talha . He is such a great person and professional. I highly recommend this great solicitor's.

(Trustpilot Review)

Yorshini Ramsamy

10/01/23

Alanta has been very helpful since day one. The application process went smoothly. It was easy communicating with her and she answered all our questions. We can't thank her enough for the amazing job she did.

(Trustpilot Review)

On Average, 98% Of Our Clients Would Recommend UK Immigration Solicitors To Their Friends & Family
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How we work in 3 simple steps

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Call us or submit your details online

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Receive a FREE no obligation assessment

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Instruct us over the phone to take your case

Why Choose
UK Immigration Solicitors?

We are professional Solicitors here to help you with your immigration needs

What is the benefit of using UK Immigration Solicitors?

Immigration rules are complex and subject to regular changes and revisions. This itself presents problems as it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of and have complied with any changes to the routes, processes and evidence requirements.

Failure to meet strict rules is likely to result in the application being refused which, in turn, is likely have an emotional and financial strain on you and your family.

It is our job to ensure we are fully aware of the latest immigration rules, policies and procedures. We don’t leave matters to chance. Once you become a client of ours, we explain our strategy and tell you exactly how we propose to get you the right result. We will pinpoint the positives and negatives of your circumstances and explain where issues may arise and what would need to be done to fix them. We provide step by step guidance and advice throughout the entire process professionally. Our vast experience allows us to foresee problems before they arise and pro-actively adopt a strategic action plan.

Our legal fees are always agreed and fixed with you right at the beginning of your case, so you have complete peace of mind and control over the costs to ensure there are no restrictions or unpleasant surprises.

There are many online agencies, advisors and marketing companies who claim to be immigration experts but, provide very little expertise.

Let us be very clear here, if you are paying for someone just to fill in the forms for you, you should think about how you can put that money to better use and avoid gambling with your future by using inexperienced and ineffective companies.

We are a fully regulated nationwide, multi award winning law firm that specialises in immigration. Having more than 60 years of combined expertise and having handled more than 8,000 cases we have unrivalled experience and expertise to ensure you get the right result first time around – Don’t take our word for it though, check out our reviews to see why our clients trust us with their futures. We are rated 5* across the board and 98% of our clients have confirmed that they would recommend us to others.

We have illustrated our typical scope of service below so you can understand what we do for you as paid of our service:

  • Our immigration specialists carry out a free detailed assessment with you to understand your circumstances and needs.
  • The collated information is then reviewed by a senior immigration solicitor who will have no less than 8 years’ immigration experience.
  • Based on the information collected, the senior solicitor will then confirm what your options are and will also confirm if we are able to help you.
  • We will offer you an Agreed Fixed Fee quotation for us to handle your entire case until initial conclusion without obligation.
  • If we have officially taken your instructions, we will create a client file for you and collect detailed initial information.
  • We will then ensure you receive a personalised one-to-one legal consultation with a senior immigration solicitor who will take your full instructions by exploring your circumstances in detail and advise you on the best way to meet your objectives. The solicitor will explain the relevant legislations and provide you with advice on the steps that we would need to take to get a successful result.
  • The senior solicitor who carried out your legal consultation will then send you detailed written legal advice explaining everything that needs to be done and which documents will be required as part of the process. We will tell you about any problem areas and formulate a strategy to overcome/mitigate these.
  • We will carefully review any documents that you have provided in support of the application. These documents are then validated and formatted to ensure that they meet the UKVI specified evidence requirements. Where they do not, we will explain what needs to be done to address the issues.
  • Where required, we will prepare any necessary written legal arguments or representations that are required to support your application and gain an approval. Often, we may be required to make discretionary submissions.
  • We will complete a draft application and share this with you to ensure that all parties are happy with the representations that will be submitted to the Home Office.
  • We advise you on what application processing routes are available. In some cases, there are fast track or premium processing routes available. We may be required to book a Home Office appointment on your behalf.  Will also be able to confirm typical processing times for any processing centre in the world. We explain all options, routes and fees comprehensively allowing you to make the best choice.
  • We lodge the application on your behalf using our secure authenticated processes. Whilst your application is pending, we continue to ensure you receive maximum legal protection and ensure that your rights and allowances are upheld throughout the processing stage. We ensure that you are aware of and remain compliant with the immigration rules and regulations during this period. We will also keep you updated on the progress of your matter.
  • If any follow up work is required in response to any queries raised by the UKVI, we will also deal with these as part of the comprehensive service.
  • We secure a decision on your matter and further advise you on the relevant implications of that decision. If required, we will also confirm if any secondary applications are required and brief you on the necessary process and procedure for those also.

Why should you use Immigration Solicitors to help me?

Here are just some of the reasons to choose us:

  • We are the UK’s #1 Immigration Specialist Law Firm
  • We are a fully SRA regulated law firm so you are working directly with our in house legal team
  • No agencies, middlemen or outsourcing
  • We have achieved 99% success rate across all application types
  • We have a 24 hour helpline that operates 7 days a week – 365 days a year
  • We have multiple offices across the UK but 90% of our clients are not required to visit in person
  • We have more than 60 years combined immigration expertise
  • Our team have handled more than 8,000 cases
  • We offer a free initial assessment which will explain your options and check your eligibility for your chosen route
  • We operate a 100% Agreed Fixed Fee model with all fees fixed and agreed before work is started
  • 98% of our clients would recommend us to family & friends
  • Our average rating is 4.6/5 across major review platforms (based on over 2000 reviews).

What is Free Needs Assessment?

If you have an immigration related problem or question, you can have a free assessment with a member of our assessments team.

The assessor will establish why you are calling and what you are looking for assistance with. The assessor will ask you a series of questions to determine your circumstances in relation to your objectives.

The assessment is 100% private and confidential. As we are a private law firm, we work with our clients to overturn Government decisions daily. We do not share any information with any third party.

Although the assessor will be a trained immigration specialist, they are not solicitors and therefore will not give you detailed legal advice or guidance.

If you want to establish what your options are and the best way forward for you, your assessor will collate the necessary information and then speak with one of the resident senior solicitors at the firm to determine what your options are, if and how we could assist and confirm whether we would be prepared to take your case. If we can assist, you will be provided with an Agreed Fixed Fee quotation which is a single legal fee to cover the firms cost of representation agreed from the outset and binding for all parties.

The free assessment is no obligation and you are merely given clarity on your position and options to move forward.

If you have a complex matter or require legal advice regarding a specific issue, you will most likely require a legal consultation.

This is a separate service and is chargeable at the prevailing rates.

Please note, UK Immigration Solicitors are a private law firm and are not part of the Government. We do not accept legal aid instructions. Although we are happy to assist genuine callers, we are not a directory service and sadly are unable to provide you with Government telephone numbers.

To get started you can either call us on 0203 384 4389 or complete the assessment form and one of the team will call you

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