UK Visas
Ah, visas! Not the kind you use to pay for dinner – ha! But the little stamps that make your passport look cool and more importantly allow you to enter the UK without any hassles from the guys at the customs desk.
The application process for a UK visa can be tricky because you need to fill out some heavy duty forms and there is no room for error. If you make a mistake or fail to produce the right information, the British High Commission will reject you and you’ll have to start the process all over again, and pay another application fee – ouch!
If you’re not sure which visa you need or qualify for, check out the links below. There’s heaps of information on each type of visa, how you qualify and the process involved.
You can also call us and we’ll help you get the application right so you breeze through customs at the other end. Better still; get one of our UK Essentials Packs which also includes UK Bank Account, National Insurance Number, UK Mobile, Money Transfer and personal Payroll Management and Tax Services.
Don’t know which visa applies to you? Check out the intros below and click through for more details on each visa category.
Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme
If you are aged between 18 and 30 and want to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years then you need a Tier 5 Visa. The Tier 5, YMS or Youth Mobility Scheme as it also called, has replaced what used to be known as the Working Holiday Visa.
Tier 1 Highly Skilled
If you are over 30, have skills, qualifications and work experience you can apply for the Tier 1 Visa. The Tier 1 (General) Highly Skilled Visa has replaced the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) and offers people an initial 3 year visa to work and live in the UK without restriction on travel or employment, with a further 2 year extension available by application.
Tier 4- Student Visa
The Tier 4 Student Visa is broken up into two categories, ‘Child’ Students (applicants 4-15 years) and Adult/General’ Students (applicants over 17 years) Applicants aged 16-17 years have the option of applying under either category. You and your approved education provider should agree whether you need to apply for an adult or child student visa. Note that if you come over as a Child Student, you must be coming to the United Kingdom to be educated at an independent fee-paying school.
UK Ancestry
If you are over 17 and have a grandparent who was born in the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland you can apply for a UK Ancestry Visa. This visa allows you to live and work in the UK, unrestricted, for 5 years.
Visitor Visa
This visa allows you to enter the UK as a tourist. You are free to holiday throughout the UK, but are not permitted to work. This visa issued for 6 months, unless you are applying for a long term (1,2,5,10 years) visitor visa. Generally Commonwealth citizen, don’t require a visa to visit for up to 6 months.
Work Permits
If you are skilled and have a job offer in the UK, you can get a Tier 2 Skilled Visa. The Tier 2 Skilled Visa has replaced what was previously called the UK Work Permit and allows an individual to travel to the UK for a specific job. Applications for a work permit must be made by the employer in the UK that wants to hire you.
Call us on: AUS 1300 141 033, NZ +612 9318 7888 or email an enquiry HERE.
