United Kingdom IMMIGRATION

There are two types of visas for students: Tier 4 (General) student visa and Tier 4 (Child) student visa, which can be acquired to study in Tier 4 licensed sponsor institutes in the UK. 

The undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the UK are usually of lesser duration, which helps cut tuition fees and living expenses. The full-time undergraduate courses are generally three years, while the postgraduate courses are usually one year or more.

English Language Proficiency Requirement:

• For Undergraduates, IELTS 6.0 band overall, with each module 5.5 band.
• For Bachelor’s & Master’s, IELTS 6.5 band overall with each module 5.5 band.
• IELTS waiver: Minimum 10+2 passed in English medium with First Division + 65% above in English subject.

Studying Under Tier 4 of the Points-Based System.

The most common visa for international students entering the UK is the Tier 4 Student Visa. It’s a points-based system.

As a Tier 4 (General) student, you must have 40 points to qualify.

You can score:

• 30 points for having a valid confirmation of acceptance for studies, which you get for studying a course at an acceptable level with an approved education provider (also known as a ‘Tier 4 sponsor’), and for having acceptable English language skills; and
• 10 points for having enough money (also known as maintenance or funds) to cover your course fees and living expenses.

UKVI has confirmed these changes do not affect you if you are entering directly at degree level or higher at an institution in the UK listed as Tier 4 Sponsors (previously known as Highly Trusted Sponsors). UK universities currently choose their method of testing students’ English language ability, and this will not change.

Tuition Fees

For most institutes, the average tuition fees for studying in the UK are £3,000 and £9,000 per year. Apart from this, the fees for students coming from another country are more as international costs are involved. The tuition fee varies for the course and institute at which one wants to study.

Jobs & Employment

International Business Management, Computer Information Systems, Finance & Accounts, Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology, MBA, Graphics Design, Website Designing, Computing, Networking Technology, Hardware Technology, Psychology, Physiotherapy, and Human Resource Management are some of the most sought-after sectors for employment. The salaries are pretty high, and the future is bright for professionals who meet the requirements of employers.

The UK Government has clarified the much-awaited and anticipated changes in the UK immigration system. As per The UK Border Agency (UKBA), changes that took place in April 2011 include a permanent immigration cap on skilled immigration, a new exceptional talent visa and new criteria for skilled workers with a job offer and intra-company transfers. Furthermore, significant changes in the rules for sponsoring non-EU workers would also come into effect.

It was brought forth that the Tier 1 General skilled immigration visa would end with effect from April 6’ 2011, and a new ‘Exceptional Talent’ visa would be introduced in its place. The UKBA confirmed that with effect from April 6, 2011, an annual limit of 1,000 visas would be in place for the ‘exceptional talent’ visa category and Tier 2 visa. The yearly limit is decided at 20,700.

Clarifying further, the UKBA announced that the Tier 2 visa would be divided into 12 monthly quotas of 1,500 places. Also, after the certificate of sponsorship has been granted to the employer, the same is to be assigned to the prospective employer within 3 months. The new rules also put forth that the employers would be required to apply for a certificate of sponsorship from the UKBA for a specific post. Currently, an annual allocation of certificates of sponsorship is practiced.

Under the Tier 2 visa, all the Non- EU workers would be eligible if they work in a graduate-level job in the UK, speak at intermediate level English and meet specific salary and employment requirements. Some changes in the Tier 2 visa intra-company transfer route are also on the cards, like the applicants applying under this visa type must be in an occupation on the graduate occupation list. Also, the worker must be in a profession that pays more than £40,000 per year in case he intends to stay in the UK for more than one year. A three-year visa with the possibility of extending the visa for another two years is applicable for workers who earn more than £40,000 a year.

A Partner Visa UK, also known as a UK Spouse Visa, is a settlement visa that allows you to live with your British partner in the UK for up to 30 months. It is one of the visas under the Family visa category.
It can be extended for another 30 months if you meet certain eligibility conditions. Holding a Partner Visa is the first step toward Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and, eventually, British Citizenship.
To apply for a UK Spouse Visa and enter the UK, you must be married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, UK-settled person or UK refugee. The main eligibility criteria include proof that you are in a genuine relationship and meet specific financial conditions.

Note that this visa is different from the UK Marriage visitor visa, which only allows you to come to the UK to get married or enter into a civil partnership, regardless of whether your partner is a British citizen.

The Fiance Visa is designed to enable non-EEA nationals to enter the UK to marry/enter a civil partnership with their UK-based partner and begin a new life here. The applicant’s partner must be a UK citizen or a person with settled status in the country.
Fiance Visas last for 6 months, and they are granted under the assumption that you will marry your partner within the visa’s validity period.
You must apply for another immigration permission to remain in the UK after your Fiance Visa expires, which grants holders 30 months of residence in the UK. You can look for employment and study in the UK as a Spouse Visa holder without any restrictions.

Visitor visas in the UK allow you to travel for short-term stays of up to six months and can be used for leisure and business, among other reasons.

The visitor visa can act as a short-term business visa, a tourist visa for UK holidays, an academic visit visa, a marriage visitor visa to get married or enter into a civil partnership, and much more. If you’re coming to the UK for travel, tourism, leisure, short-term business needs, or private medical treatment, then the standard visit visa (UK) will permit you to come to the UK to do so.

• Leisure – Are you a non-EEA national looking for a holiday visa? UK visas for international travellers can sometimes become confusing, but the standard visiting visa to UK territories will cover you for up to six months for any leisure purposes. Whether coming for a family visit, sightseeing, or general travel, your needs fall under the standard visa because it functions as a UK general visitor visa and UK tourist visa. For UK holidayers from non-EEA regions, the standard visitor visa is the path.

• Business – If you need to enter the UK for short-term business requirements such as conferences, events or business appointments, then the general visitor visa UK will allow you to travel to the UK to conduct your business for up to six months.

• Other reason – The standard visitor visa can also allow you to travel to the UK if you receive private medical treatment.

Innovator Visa Overview

The Innovator Visa replaced the old Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa, which was closed to new applicants on 29 March 2019. The Innovator visa category is ideal for those seeking to establish a business in the UK. You will need to have £50,000 to invest in your business and an innovative, viable and scalable business idea supported by an endorsing body.

What are the main requirements for an Innovator Visa?

To qualify for an Innovator Visa you must meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 18 years old;
• If you are a first-time applicant, you must have at least £50,000 available to invest in your business or have already invested £50,000.  
• Your business idea must also have been endorsed by an approved UK endorsing body that has positively assessed your new business idea for innovation, viability and scalability and is satisfied that you will spend your entire working time in the UK on developing your business venture;
• You genuinely intend to undertake, and are capable of undertaking, any work or business activity in the UK stated in your application;
• You do not intend to work in the UK other than for the business(es) you have established;
• You are competent in the English language to at least IELTS 5.5;
• You have at least £945 (additional to any investment funds required) and £630 per dependent available to support you and your family members without relying on public funds.

Investment Funds

You must have at least £50,000 in investment funds to apply for an Innovator visa to set up a new business. The funding can come from any source. There is no need for investment funds if the business is already established and has been endorsed for an earlier visa.

You do not need to be your business’s sole founder and may be a member of an innovator team. However, innovator team members that are required to satisfy an investment funds requirement cannot share the same £50,000 but must instead have at least £50,000 investment funds each.

If the endorsing body confirms that the funds are available to the applicant, no further evidence is required. However, suppose some or all of the funds are not guaranteed as available by that body. In that case, the funding provider has to write a signed declaration explaining how they know the applicant and the sum being provided and confirming that the funds have yet to be promised to anyone else.

Indefinite Leave to Remain

Your initial Innovator visa will be valid for 3 years. It is possible to extend an Innovator visa for 3 years. There is no maximum time limit in the category. You can apply for indefinite leave to remain (permanent residence) after spending 3 years in the Innovator visa category. 

To qualify for indefinite leave to remain as an Innovator:

• you must again be endorsed by an approved UK endorsing body that is satisfied that you have shown significant achievements judged against the business plan assessed in your previous endorsement, 
• you are registered with Companies House as a Director or Member of your business, 
• your business is active, trading and appears sustainable for at least the following 12 months, 
• you have had an active key role in the day-to-day management and development of the business, and you will spend your entire working time in the UK developing your business ventures.

You will also have to satisfy at least two of the following:

• At least £50,000 has been invested into the business and actively spent furthering your business plan;
• The business has created the equivalent of at least 5 full-time jobs for resident workers, which have an average salary of at least £25,000 a year;
• The business has created the equivalent of at least 10 full-time jobs for resident workers with no average salary requirement;
• The number of customers has at least doubled within the most recent 3 years and is currently higher than the mean number of customers for other UK businesses offering comparable main products or services;
• The business has engaged in significant research and development activity and has applied for intellectual property protection in the UK;
• The business has generated a minimum annual gross revenue of £1 million in the last full year covered by its accounts;
• The business has generated a minimum annual gross revenue of £500,000 in the last full year covered by its accounts, with at least £100,000 from exporting overseas.

To qualify for settlement, you will also need to have spent at most 180 days outside the UK in any rolling 12-month period during the 3 years of your visa and have sufficient knowledge of English and Life in the UK. 

You will need to stay in contact with your endorsing body with checkpoints 6, 12 and 24 months after your successful application. The endorsing body will need to be satisfied that you are continuing to work on your business venture and have demonstrated reasonable progress in relation to either your original or a new business idea that is innovative, scalable and viable. Your endorsement may be withdrawn, and your leave curtailed if this is not the case.

Changing status to an Innovator Visa

It is possible to change your status to an Innovator Visa if you are inside the UK and hold one of the following visas:

• Start-up Visa
• Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) Visa
• Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Visa
• Tier 2 Visa
• A visitor who has been undertaking permitted activities as a prospective entrepreneur. It’s a specified category under Appendix FM and would require proof of entry clearance in that category.