The earliest you can apply for a visa is 3 months before the date you’re due to start work. This date is on your certificate of sponsorship.

You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.

You’ll be given a visa to live and work in the UK for up to 24 months, or up to 28 days more than the time on your certificate of sponsorship. You may be sponsored for a shorter period.

You can enter the UK up to 14 days before the start date of your job.

You can:

• study – for some courses you’ll need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate
• work for your sponsor in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship
• do a second job in the same sector at the same level as your main job for up to 20 hours per week outside the hours of your main job
• do a job on the Tier 2 shortage occupation list for up to 20 hours per week outside the hours of your main job
• bring family members with you

You can’t get public funds.

You must have both of the following:

• a certificate of sponsorship reference number from your UK sponsor
• £945 in savings – to prove you can support yourself (you must have had it in your bank account for 90 days before you apply)

You won’t need £945 in savings if your fully approved (‘A-rated’) sponsor has stated on your certificate of sponsorship that they’ll certify your maintenance and that you won’t claim benefits during your stay.

Certificate of sponsorship

A certificate of sponsorship is a unique reference number that holds information about the job you’ll do and your personal details. It’s not an actual certificate or paper document.

Your sponsor will give you the certificate of sponsorship.

Your sponsor must also give you the information they used on your certificate about your job, for example your working hours.

Your sponsor must be recognised by the UK government to issue certificates of sponsorship.

Your certificate of sponsorship is valid for 3 months from the date it is assigned to you.

Multiple entry

Your sponsor can give you a multiple entry certificate of sponsorship so you can leave and return to the UK.

When you apply you’ll need to provide:

• a current passport or other valid travel identification
• bank statements showing you’ve had at least £945 in savings continuously for 90 days before you apply – this is to prove you can support yourself and you must have had this in your bank account for 90 days before you apply
• your tuberculosis (TB) test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the test

You need a page in your passport that’s blank on both sides for your visa.

You won’t need £945 in savings if your fully approved (‘A-rated’) sponsor has stated on your certificate of sponsorship that they’ll certify your maintenance and that you won’t claim benefits during your stay.

You’ll need to provide a certified translation of any documents that aren’t in English or Welsh.

You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.

You can apply to extend your Tier 5 (Temporary Worker – Religious Worker) visa.

You should apply before your current visa expires.

Eligibility

You must continue to meet the eligibility rules.

You must apply again if you want to change your job within the same organisation or move to a new organisation.

How long you can stay

You can apply to take your stay in the UK up to a maximum of 24 months, or the time on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days – whichever is shorter.

How long it takes

A decision will be made:

• within 8 weeks for online and postal applications
• usually on the same day if you use the premium service

You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example because:

• your supporting documents need to be verified
• you need to attend an interview
• of your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)

Once you’ve applied you can stay in the UK until you’ve been given a decision, as long as you applied before your last visa expired.

You can apply to change (‘switch’) from another visa to a Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa.

You should apply before your current visa expires.

Eligibility

You must already be in the UK as a:

• student
• student nurse
• student re-sitting an examination
• student writing up a thesis
• Tier 4 (General) visa holder
• postgraduate doctor or dentist
• Tier 2 (General) migrant working as a post-doctoral researcher

You must meet all of the Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa’s eligibility requirements.

You can’t switch to this visa if you’ve already had a visa under one of the following categories:

• Tier 1 (Post Study Worker)
• Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme
• International Graduates Scheme
• Science and Engineering Graduate Scheme

How long you can stay

You can stay in the UK for one year on a Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa.

How long it takes

A decision will be made on your application within 8 weeks.

You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, eg:

• if your supporting documents need to be verified
• if you need to attend an interview
• because of your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)

Once you’ve applied you can stay in the UK until you’ve been given a decision, as long as you applied before your last visa expired.

Your family members (‘dependants’) must apply to join or remain with you in the UK if they’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.

A dependant is any of the following:

• your partner
• your child aged under 18 years old
• your child aged 18 or older if they’re already in the UK as dependants

They’ll have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of their application. Check how much they’ll have to pay before they apply.

They must complete their visa application by 5 July if they’ve already paid the immigration health surcharge or they might have to pay it twice. They’ll get a refund for their first payment.

Savings

You must show that your dependants can be supported while they’re in the UK.

Each dependant must have £630 available to them whether they apply with you or separately. This is in addition to the £945 you must have to support yourself.

You must have proof you have the money, and that it’s been in your bank account or your dependant’s bank account for at least 90 days before you or they apply.

Example:

You must have £2,205 if you want to bring your partner and 1 child with you to the UK (£945 to support yourself + £630 for your partner + £630 for your child).

Children born while you’re in the UK

If you have children while you’re in the UK, you can apply for permission for them to stay.

You must do this if you want to travel in and out of the UK with them.

When you apply, send a full UK birth certificate for each child showing the names of both parents.