What do I do if I'm in the UK and my UK Working Visa is about to expire?

What do I do if I'm in the UK and my UK Working Visa is about to expire?

 Last updated 1st August 2020

Information for UK Work Visa holders during the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic.

If you are in the UK and your visa expires between 24th January 2020 to 31st July 2020 and/or you were able to request an extension. You are now expected to return to your home country as soon as it is safe and possible to do so. From 1st to 31st August 2020, the conditions of your stay in the UK will be the same as the conditions of your leave. So, if your conditions allowed you to work or study you may continue to do so during August 2020 but you must depart the UK by 31st August 2020. 

If you intend to leave the UK but are unable to do so by 31st August 2020, you must request additional time to stay - see this LINK to ask for exceptional assurance.

 

Australia, Canada and New Zealand are still allowing their citizens to return home:

New Zealand
Australia
Canada

For all other COVID-19 related UK Visa enquiries, you should contact the CIH (details below) directly.

Coronavirus Immigration Helpline Email: CIH@homeoffice.gov.uk
Telephone (UK): 0800 678 1767
(Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm, calls are free of charge)
Due to Data Protection Regulations the UKVI can only speak to the visa holder or applicant about their specific query.

For all information on COVID-19 and UK Work Visas see this LINK.

NHS Frontline Workers

If you are on a current UK Working Visa and you are a frontline health worker and your visa is about to expire before 1st October 2020, your UK Work Visa will be automatically extended for one year.... free of charge! The extension will most likely be for Tier 2 applicants, so if you are on a YMS Visa or an Ancestry Visa, please check in with your employer to see if you are eligible. 

Yes, you will not pay any additional fees, including the IHS (Immigration Health Surcharge). This extension will also apply to your family members who are with you on a dependant visa. Your employer will be able to let you know if you qualify for this and they will give you instructions on how to apply for the extension if you qualify.  

If your visa is due to expire after the 1st October 2020, you won't get the free extension. You will need to extend your visa the normal way.

Doctors and Nurses on UK Student Visas

If you are a student nurse or doctor, the restriction on the amount of hours you can work in the NHS has been lifted. Meaning, trainee doctors and nurses will not be limited by the number of hours they can work in the NHS during term time. For pre-registered overseas nurses who are required to pass their first skill test will have this deadline extended to the end of the year. This is to get more nurses on the frontline.

The unlimited hours also extend to Tier 4 students, Tier 2 workers and your NHS job is the second job, visiting academic researcher and visa holder of a short-term visa (permitted to volunteer). 

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When we hear more updates from the UK government concerning UK Visas, we are on top of it! And we will ensure that we post each update immediately as they come through to us.

Stay safe and stay well!