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Points Based System Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) (INF 27)

Guidance - Points Based System Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) (INF 27)
Last updated 27 November 2008

This guidance is for applicants who are resident outside the United Kingdom (UK). It explains what you need to do if you wish to come to the UK with a job offer for specific, short-term employment under Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) of the Points Based System.  You must have both a sponsor and a valid Certificate of Sponsorship before applying. It is only a guide but it aims to answer some common questions. There are also notes to help you complete an application form. More comprehensive guidance is available on the UK Border Agency website, which is the definitive version, and in the event of any discrepancy overrules the information provided in this leaflet.  You should also consult this guidance if you are resident in the United Kingdom.

Important! Maintenance concession :
For four months after the date Tier 5 goes live we will accept that the maintenance requirement has been met, provided you can show that you have the specified amount of funds available prior to the date of your application.  You do not have to show that it has been in your bank account for a minimum period of three months. You must still submit supporting evidence using one of the forms specified.  If you do not have sufficient funds, or do not provide the necessary evidence your application will be refused. 

Guidance

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Further information

 

What is the Points Based System?

The Points Based System (PBS) is a new system for managing migration for those wishing to enter the UK for work or study.

 

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When did it start?

Tier 1 (General) Migrant of the Points Based System was launched for foreign nationals living in the UK on 29 February 2008 and replaced the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP). On 30 June 2008 the programme was extended to include applicants resident overseas. Three further sub-tiers of Tier 1 were also rolled out for applicants either in the UK or overseas. These were Investor, Entrepreneur and Post-Study Work. Tier 2 for Skilled Workers and Tier 5 for Temporary Workers and the Youth Mobility Scheme were launched worldwide on 27 November 2008. See the companion leaflets in this series for Skilled Worker, the Youth Mobility Scheme and other PBS routes. Tier 4 (Student) is due to be phased in throughout 2009.


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What sort of employment is covered by Tier 5 (Temporary Worker)?

Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) has five categories:

  • Creative and sporting - for people coming to the United Kingdom to work or perform as sportspeople, entertainers or creative artists for up to 12 months.
  • Charity worker - for people coming to the United Kingdom to do voluntary, unpaid work for a charity.
  • Religious worker – for people coming to the United Kingdom to work as religious workers.  Duties may include preaching, pastoral and non-pastoral work.
  • Government authorised exchange – for people coming to the United Kingdom through approved schemes that aim to share knowledge, experience and best practice.
  • International agreement – for people coming to the United Kingdom under contract to provide a service that is covered under international law.

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Do I need a sponsor?

Yes.  All applicants under Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) need a sponsor.  The sponsor is a United Kingdom based organisation who wishes to employ you in the United Kingdom.  In order to sponsor applicants, an employer will need to have registered as a licensed sponsor. The sponsor will need to meet the requirements for the particular category within Tier 5, and accept certain responsibilities to help with immigration control. More information is available on the Sponsorship under the points based system webpage. The sponsor will need to assign a Certificate of Sponsorship before you can apply for a visa under Tier 5.  The Certificate of Sponsorship will act as an assurance that you are able to undertake a particular job and intend to do so.

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What is a Certificate of Sponsorship?

The Certificate of Sponsorship is not an actual certificate or paper document but is a virtual document similar to a database record.  Each Certificate of Sponsorship has a unique reference number and contains information about the job for which the Certificate of Sponsorship is being issued, as well as your personal details. Your sponsor may also need to provide you with some of the information declared when the Certificate of Sponsorship was assigned, for example, your wage.  You may need this information to accurately complete the points-based calculator and the application form.

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Where can I find out more about sponsorship?

The Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Guidance contains information about:

  • A ‘live’ Certificate of Sponsorship;
  • A ‘valid’ Certificate of Sponsorship;
  • Sponsorship duties;

and what to do if:

  • Your sponsor’s licence is suspended;
  • The UK Border Agency is taking action against your sponsor;
  • Your sponsor’s licence is withdrawn;
  • Your sponsor is taken over by another organisation and/or your employment is transferred;
  • Your Certificate of Sponsorship is withdrawn/cancelled;
  • Your sponsor does not renew his/her licence; or
  • Your employment ends before your leave to enter expires.

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Do I still need a visa if I have a Certificate of Sponsorship?

Yes.  All applicants wanting to travel to the United Kingdom under Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) will need prior entry clearance.  You will then be able to enter the United Kingdom up to 14 days before the start date for the job shown on your Certificate of Sponsorship.   

The exception to this will be non visa nationals seeking entry to the United Kingdom for periods of less than three months in the Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Creative and Sporting category.

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How do I apply for a visa?

First access the Self Assessment Points Calculator in order to see whether you have enough points to make a successful application. The tool will enable you to understand how you can score points and what documentary evidence you require.  If you decide to make an application, you should complete application form VAF9 with your personal details.  Depending on which country you are making your application from, you may be able to complete this on-line.  You will also need to complete Appendix 6 using the points scoring information obtained from the Self-Assessment Points Calculator. This is only available as a PDF document and must be completed manually and sent in with your supporting documents. Check our visa application centres overseas page to see if you need to apply through a visa application centre (VAC) or the British mission in your country. 

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What do I need to make my application?

  • Your passport or travel document;
  • The application forms VAF9 and Appendix 6 with all mandatory sections completed;
  • The fee as published on this website. This cannot be refunded and you must pay it in local currency;
  • Your biometric details (see below);
  • A recent passport sized photograph (if the application is successful, the photographs provided will be reproduced on the visa vignette)
    (please note - photographs should measure 45mm x 35mm and be:
    • in colour taken against a white background;
    • clear and of good quality and not framed or backed;
    • printed on normal photographic paper;
    • full face and without sunglasses, hat or head covering (unless it is worn for cultural or religious reasons but the face must not be covered).
  • All documents as specified in the Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Guidance as stated in the Immigration Rules.  If you do not submit relevant documents, your application is likely to be refused as we will be unable to award the relevant points.

Important!
You must be able to demonstrate that you have funds to support yourself and any dependants.  For the main applicant this is £800 which can either be your own funds, or your A-rated sponsor can certify that he/she will be responsible for your maintenance in a letter. If you are using your own funds the money must be held in your personal bank account for a minimum period of 3 months for which you must show bank statements/other evidence immediately preceding and dated no more than 1 month prior to the date you submit your application.  You will need a further £533 for each dependant accompanying you.  The balance should not fall below the required minimum at any time during the 3 month period.  If your sponsor is certifying your maintenance, you need to provide written evidence of this. Your sponsor cannot certify maintenance for your dependants.

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What are my biometric details?

Biometric details are scans of all 10 fingers and a full-face digital photograph. You will need to provide your biometric details in person. The whole procedure should take no more than 5 minutes to complete. Your visa application will not be processed until you have met this requirement. More information about biometrics is available on the Biometric data collection for visa applicants page on this website.


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What are Visa Application Centres (VACs)?

In some countries we are working with commercial companies to run Visa Application Centres. The VACs are in largely populated areas making it easier and more convenient for people to apply for a UK visa. Trained staff at each VAC deals with all visa enquiries and applications. They collect your biometric information along with the relevant fees and provide unbiased advice on the application process, including whether or not you have included all the necessary documents. Entry clearance staff at the British mission will then consider your application and decide whether to issue or refuse your visa. VAC staff will have no say in this decision.


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How are the points calculated?

Points are awarded for possessing a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for which you score 30 points (Appendix A of the Immigration Rules).  See below for how to qualify under the separate categories. 

In addition 10 points are awarded for the availability of funds for maintenance or if your A-rated sponsor is certifying that he/she will be responsible for your maintenance and accommodation (Appendix C of the Immigration Rules).  Entry Clearance Officers will only award points for the sections for which you have indicated that you wish to claim, and for which you have supplied the required supporting evidence. 

Tier 5 (Creative and Sporting)
This category is for applicants in the creative and sporting sector who are entering the United Kingdom for short term engagements.

For a sportsperson, you must be internationally established at the highest level in your sport and/or your employment will make a significant contribution to the development and operation of your sport in the United Kingdom, and if you are a coach you must be suitably qualified to fulfil the role in question.

For a Certificate of Sponsorship to be issued, the sponsor will need an endorsement for you from the appropriate governing body for your sport that will confirm that:

  1. you are internationally established at the highest level, and
  2. will make a significant contribution to the development of the sport at the highest level in the UK; and
  3. the post could not be filled by a suitable European Economic Area national.

The endorsement will be obtained on your behalf by your sponsor.   

A list of all approved governing bodies is available on our Temporary workers: Sportspeople webpage.

For a creative worker and your entourage operating in dance, theatre, or film and television, the sponsor must commit to following the specified code of practice, which includes taking account of the resident labour market in that area.  

In issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship, the sponsor will have guaranteed that you:

  1. are seeking entry to the UK to work or perform in the relevant sector;
  2. are not intending to base yourself in business in the UK;
  3. pose no threat to the resident labour force; and
  4. will comply with the conditions of your permission to stay and leave the UK when it expires.

As a creative worker or sportsperson you can apply for entry clearance from a country that is not your normal place of residence if you are in that country for a similar role to the one you want to do in the UK.

You can bring your entourage using a group Certificate of Sponsorship.  An entourage can include people whose work is directly related to the employment of an entertainer, cultural artist, sportsperson or a dramatic production. The person should have proven technical or other specialist skills. 

You may need to perform a number of engagements at several venues.  If you have a single sponsor, and there is no more than a maximum of fourteen calendar days between each engagement, that sponsor can issue a single Certificate of Sponsorship to cover the whole period.  If you are sponsored by individual venues, producers or promoters, it is possible for each sponsor to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship to cover its own show.  The periods of work stated on the Certificates of Sponsorship must not overlap.  If there is no more than a maximum of fourteen calendar days between each engagement, then entry clearance will be granted to cover the whole period.  If there is a gap of more than fourteen calendar days, then you will have to leave the United Kingdom and apply for entry clearance again, as a new application. 

If you are a non visa national seeking to enter the UK under the Creative and Sporting category for less than 3 months you do not need entry clearance but do need a Certificate of Sponsorship.  You should refer to the Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Guidance for information on how to proceed. 

The Creative and Sporting category is not for people who currently enter the UK under the permit-free concessions for entertainers, including permit-free festivals, and sportspeople.  These concessions will be brought within the Immigration Rules under the revised visitor categories. 

Tier 5 (Charity worker)

 This category is for migrants to undertake unpaid voluntary work in line with the aims of a sponsor in the UK.

If you are coming to work temporarily in the UK as a charity worker you should only be doing voluntary activities and not paid work.  You should intend to carry out fieldwork directly related to the purpose of the sponsoring organisation.

In issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship, the sponsor will have guaranteed that you:

  1. intend to undertake voluntary fieldwork directly related to the purpose of the charity;
  2. will not be paid or receive other payment  for your work (except reasonable expenses outlined in section 44 of the National Minimum Wage Act;
  3. will not take up a permanent position; and
  4. will comply with the conditions of your permission to stay and leave the UK when it expires.

Tier 5 (Religious worker)

This category is for applicants coming to work temporarily in the United Kingdom as a religious worker.  Duties may include preaching, pastoral work and non pastoral work.  For examples of the duties we expect applicants coming in under Tier 5 (Religious worker) to undertake, please see Guidance for Sponsor Application Tier 2, Tier 4 and Tier 5 of the Points Based System.

In issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship, the sponsor will have guaranteed that you:

  1. are qualified to do the job in question;
  2. do not intend to take employment for the sponsor except as a visiting religious worker or a religious worker in a non-pastoral role;
  3. will only work at the specified location(s), except where working under the supplementary employment provisions;
  4. will not be displacing or denying an employment opportunity to a suitably qualified member of the resident labour force; and
  5. will comply with the conditions of your permission to stay and will leave the United Kingdom when it expires:

    and that they will:
  6. accept the responsibilities of sponsorship for you;
  7. as applicable, support you with funds and/or accommodation that are sufficient for you to maintain yourself throughout the duration of the Certificate of Sponsorship. (Applicants who are unable to support themselves could face financial hardship because they will not have access to most state benefits). 

Tier 5 (Government authorised exchange)

This category is for applicants coming to the United Kingdom through approved schemes that aim to share knowledge, experience and best practice through work placements, whilst experiencing the wider social and cultural setting of the United Kingdom.  It cannot be used to fill job vacancies or provide a way to bring unskilled labour to the United Kingdom.

Individual employers and organisations will not be allowed to sponsor migrants, even if they are licensed as sponsors under other tiers or categories of Tier 5.  There will be an overarching body to manage the scheme, which will be the sponsor, who will issue Certificates of Sponsorship.  Any work you undertake must be skilled.  Skilled work is defined in the Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Guidance.

When the overarching body assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship, it will have guaranteed that you:

  1. are seeking entry to the United Kingdom to work or train temporarily here through an approved exchange scheme;
  2. do not intend to establish a business in the United Kingdom; and
  3. meet the requirements of the individual exchange scheme.  

Tier 5 (International agreement)

This category is for migrants who are coming to the United Kingdom under contract to provide a service that is covered under international law, including:

  1. private servants in diplomatic households;
  2. employees of overseas governments and international organisations;
  3. the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS); and
  4. similar agreements between the United Kingdom and another country.  

In issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship to private servants in diplomatic households, the sponsor will have guaranteed that you:

  1. are aged 18 years or over;
  2. will be employed as a private servant in the household of:

    • a member of staff of a diplomatic or consular mission who has diplomatic privileges and immunity as defined by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations; or
    • an official employed by an international organisation with certain privileges and immunities under United Kingdom or international law;
  3. intend to work full-time in domestic employment;
  4. will not take up any other form of job for the sponsor other than as a private servant in the specified household; and
  5. will leave the United Kingdom when your permission to stay has expired.  

Domestic workers in private households will remain outside the Points Based System, and such applicants should continue to apply as they do now.

In issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship to employees of overseas governments and international organisations, the sponsor will have guaranteed that you will:

  1. be under a contract of employment with the overseas government or international organisation;
  2. not take up any job for the sponsor other than that for which the Certificate of Sponsorship was issued; and
  3. not try to avoid immigration controls by changing to a different category of worker within the international agreements category after entering the United Kingdom.

In issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship for migrants under GATS or other international agreements, the sponsor will have guaranteed that you:

  1. work for an employer or organisation, of a country that:

    • is a member of the World Trade Organisation and has signed up to the agreement; or
    • has a bilateral agreement with the United Kingdom or the European Union; or
    • is a member of the European Union;
  2. will be engaged in work that meets the terms and conditions of the relevant international agreement; and
  3. where relevant, work for the employer that was awarded the contract or will provide services to the United Kingdom client.  

Maintenance (Funds)

ALL applicants to Tier 5 must be able to meet the Maintenance (Funds) requirement.  Please refer to Appendix C of the Immigration Rules.

One of the requirements of this tier is that an applicant coming to the United Kingdom must be able to support himself/herself for the entire duration of his/her stay in the United Kingdom without use of public funds (that is, benefits provided by the state). An applicant who is unable to support himself/herself could face financial hardship because he/she will not have access to most state benefits. Even if you have attained the pass mark of 30 for your Certificate of Sponsorship, your application will be refused if you do not pass this requirement, for which10 points are available.

In order to qualify you must be able to demonstrate that you have funds to support yourself and any dependants.  For the main applicant this can be either £800 of your own funds or a written certification from an A-rated sponsor that he/she will be responsible for your maintenance and accommodation.

Your sponsor will not be able to certify that he/she is responsible for the maintenance of your dependants.

  1. If you are using your own funds the money must be held in your personal bank account for a minimum period of 3 months for which you must show bank statements/other evidence immediately preceding and dated no more than 1 month prior to the date you submit your application.  You will need a further £533 for each dependant accompanying you.  The balance should not fall below the required minimum at any time during the 3 month period. 
  2. If your sponsor is certifying that he/she will be responsible for your maintenance, you need to provide evidence of this (see below). You should also confirm with your sponsor that he/she has certified your maintenance on the Certificate of Sponsorship.  Only A-rated sponsors will be able to certify your maintenance.

 

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What supporting documents should I include with my application?

You should include originals of all documents specified and also a copy of each document. Where a document is not in English or Welsh, the original must be accompanied by a fully certified translation by a professional translator.  This translation must include details of the translator’s credentials and confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the original document.  It must also be dated and include the original signature of the translator.  If you do not provide the specified documents, we will not contact you to ask for them.  Therefore, if you fail to send the correct documents we may refuse the application.

Certificate of Sponsorship
You will need to enter your Certificate of Sponsorship reference number on Appendix 6, the self-assessment points scoring part of the application form.

Maintenance (Funds)

If you are relying on your own funds

 The evidence to support personal savings of £800 for at least three months must be original on the official letter-headed paper or stationery of the organisation and have the official stamp of that organisation.  It must have been issued by an authorised official of that organisation. Evidence must be in the form of cash funds. Other accounts or financial instruments such as shares, bonds, pension funds etc, regardless of notice period are not acceptable.  If you wish to rely on a joint account as evidence of available funds, you must be named on the account along with one or more other named individual.  All evidence must be dated no more than 1 month before the application is submitted. Appendix C of the Immigration Rules states that only specified documents will be accepted as evidence of this requirement.

You should provide one or more of the following:

  1. building society/savings account pass book/s covering a period of 3 months ending with a date no more than 1 month prior to the date you submit your application.  The balance should not fall below the required minimum at any time during the 3 month period;
  2. personal bank or building society statements covering a period of 3 months, dated no more than 1 month prior to the date you submit your application.  The balance should not fall below the required minimum at any time during the 3 month period;
  3. letter from your bank or building society confirming level of funds and that they have been held in the  account for at least 3 months ending with a date no more than 1 month prior to the date you submit your application.  The balance should not fall below the required minimum at any time during the 3 month period. This must be an original document, on the official letter-headed paper or stationery of the organisation and bear the official stamp of that organisation;
  4. letter from a financial institution regulated by the home regulator (official regulatory body for the country in which the institution operates) confirming funds and covering a 3 month period.  The letter must be dated no more than 1 month prior to the date you submit your application.  This must be an original document, on the official letter-headed paper or stationery of the organisation and bear the official stamp of that organisation.

 Building Society/Savings Account pass books
These should clearly show:

  1. your name;
  2. your account number;
  3. the financial institution’s name and logo;
  4. transactions covering a three month period ending with a date no more than 1 month prior to the date you submit your application;
  5. that there are enough funds present in the account (the balance must always be at least £800 –plus £533 for each accompanying dependant).  The funds should not fall below the required minimum at any time during the 3 month period. 

 Personal bank or Building Society statements covering the 3 month period immediately before the application
These should clearly show:

  1. your name;
  2. your account number;
  3. the date of the statement (dated no more than 1 month prior to the date you submit your application);
  4. the financial institution’s name and logo;
  5. transactions covering a three month period;
  6. that there are sufficient funds present in the account  (the balance must always be at least £800 –plus £533 for each accompanying dependant).  The funds should not fall below the required minimum at any time during the 3 month period. 

Ad hoc bank statements printed on the bank’s letterhead are admissible as evidence (this excludes mini-statements from cash points).

If you wish to submit electronic bank statements from an online account these must contain all of the details listed above. In addition, you will need to provide a supporting letter from your bank, on company headed paper, confirming the authenticity of the statements provided. Alternatively, an electronic bank statement bearing the official stamp of the bank in question will be accepted.  This stamp should appear on every page of the statement.

We will not accept statements which show the balance in the account on a particular day as these documents do not show that you hold enough funds for the full period needed .

 Letters from a bank/building society or regulated financial institution
These should clearly show:

  1. your name;
  2. your account number;
  3. the date of the letter;
  4. the financial institution’s name and logo;
  5. the amount of funds held in your account;
  6. that the funds of £800 have been in the bank/building society for at least three months – plus £533 for each accompanying dependant.  The funds should not fall below the required minimum at any time during the three month period.

We will not accept letters which show the balance in the account on a particular day as these documents do not show that you hold enough funds for the full period needed.

If your sponsor is certifying your maintenance

You must provide a letter from your A-rated sponsor.  This must be on official letter-headed paper or stationery of the organisation and have the official stamp of that organisation and must show:

  1. your name;
  2. your Certificate of Sponsorship reference number;
  3. the sponsor’s name and logo; and
  4. confirmation that the sponsor has certified the maintenance.

Your sponsor will not be able to certify maintenance for your dependants.

We will also consider your application under the General Grounds for Refusal. We will refuse your application if we find any documents are false.

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How long will I be able to stay in the UK?

If you are in either the Creative and Sporting or Charity worker category, entry clearance will be issued for a maximum of 12 months or the time given in your Certificate of Sponsorship, plus one month, whichever is shorter.  Creative workers can apply for an extension of stay for a maximum of 12 months at a time up to a total of 24 months.

If you are in either the Religious worker, Government authorised exchange or International agreement category entry clearance will be issued for a maximum period of 24 months, or the time given in your Certificate of Sponsorship plus one month, whichever is shorter.  Private servants in diplomatic households or employees of overseas governments and international organisations can apply for an extension for a maximum of 12 months at a time, up to a total of six years.

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Can I appeal if my application is refused?

Outside the United Kingdom a refusal of entry clearance under PBS does not attract a full right of appeal.  You can appeal only on one or more of the following grounds referred to in Section 84(1)(b) and (c) of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002:

  • that the decision is unlawful by virtue of Section 19B of the Race Relations Act 1976 (c.74) (discrimination by public authorities), and/or
  • that the decision is unlawful under Section 6 of the Human rights Act 1998 (c.42) (public authority not to act contrary to Human Rights Convention) as being incompatible with the appellant’s Convention rights.

However, all applicants can apply for an Administrative Review, which is a mechanism for reviewing refusal decisions.

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What is Administrative Review?

If we refuse an application for entry clearance and you think that an error has been made, you can ask us to check our decision. This is known as an Administrative Review.

The Administrative Review is free of charge.  You must ask for an Administrative Review within 28 days from the date you receive the refusal notice (GV51).  You will receive an Administrative Review Request Notice with the Refusal Notice.  You must complete this in full and send it directly to the address stated on the Request Notice.

You MUST NOT send any additional documents such as passport or supporting documents with the Administrative Review Request Notice.  If the refusal is subsequently overturned, you will be asked to send in your passport. You may request only ONE Administrative Review per refusal decision.  Any further review requests for the same refusal decision will not be accepted and will be returned to you.  However, where the Administrative Reviewer upholds the refusal but with different refusal grounds, you may request a Review limited to these new refusal grounds.

If you are already in the United Kingdom you cannot apply for an Administrative Review.  

The Administrative Review will be completed within 28 days and you will be notified of the result in writing.  The result of the Review may be sent from a different Post to where the original decision was made, to ensure that the Review is independent.

For more information about this you should refer to the Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) guidance.

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Can I do supplementary work whilst I am in the UK?

You should consult the Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) guidance for information about supplementary employment, secondary employment, change of employment whilst in the United Kingdom and information on multiple entry Certificates of Sponsorship.

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Can my dependants join me in the UK?

Your husband, wife, civil partner or eligible partner and children under 18 can join you as your dependants in the UK if:

  • they have a visa for this purpose and
  • you can support them without any help from public funds.  You need £533 for each dependant accompanying or joining you in the United Kingdom, and that money will need to be in your, or their personal  bank account for a minimum of three months before the date of their application.

Partners (married, unmarried, same sex) must intend to live together and the relationship must be subsisting.  They must be maintained and accommodated in accordance with the section on Maintenance (Funds) and your partner must not intend to stay beyond any period of leave granted to you.

If your dependent child is working full-time or earning enough money to support himself/herself, it is unlikely that he/she will qualify for entry to the UK as a dependant.  Dependent children must also be able to demonstrate that they have not formed their own independent family, are unmarried and not leading an independent life.  If a dependent child has previously been married or formed a civil partnership, or lived in a relationship that is similar to marriage or civil partnership, he/she will usually be considered to have formed an independent family and will not be eligible to enter the UK as the dependant of their parents. Although dependent children may seek employment whilst in the UK they must remain financially dependent on their parent to qualify as dependants.

 

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What do my dependants need to make an application?

Your dependants will need entry clearance but will not themselves be entering the UK under the Points Based System. They will need to satisfy similar conditions to those in Paragraphs 194-199 of the Immigration Rules which can be found on the UK Border Agency website. They will need to make their application using form VAF10 either online or on paper depending upon the facilities available in the country in which they are applying. They will also need the following:

  • their passport or travel document;
  • a recent passport sized photograph (if the application is successful, the photographs provided will be reproduced on the visa vignette)
    please note - photographs should measure 45mm x 35mm and be:
    • in colour taken against a white background;
    • clear and of good quality and not framed or backed;
    • printed on normal photographic paper;
    • full face and without sunglasses, hat or other head covering (unless it is worn for cultural or religious reasons but the face must not be covered)
  • the visa fee. This cannot be refunded and they must normally pay it in the local currency of the country where they are applying;
  • their biometric details;
  • supporting documents relevant to their application.

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What supporting documents should my dependants include with their application?

Your dependants should include all the documents necessary to show that they qualify for entry to the UK as your dependants.  If they do not, we may refuse their application.

As a guide your dependants should include:

  • evidence of their relationship to you;
  • evidence that you can support them and live without needing any help from public funds, and
  • a copy of the pages from your passport showing your permission to stay, if you are already in the UK.

We will also consider their application/s under the General Grounds for Refusal. We will refuse their application/s if we find any documents are false.

 

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What fee will my dependants pay?

They will pay the same fee as you.


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What are public funds?

Under the Immigration Rules, if you want to travel to the UK, you must be able to support yourself and any dependants without claiming certain benefits.

You can find more information about public funds in the Immigration Rules on the UK Border Agency website.

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Check your visa

Please check your visa when you get it. You should make sure that:

  • your personal details are correct
  • it correctly states the purpose for which you want to come to the UK, and
  • it is valid for the date on which you want to travel. (You can ask for it to be post-dated up to three months if you do not plan to travel immediately).

If you think there is anything wrong with your visa, contact the visa application centre or visa section immediately.

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More advice and information

Please read other guidance available on this website. The full list is accessible through links on the left hand side of this page.

Full information about the Points Based System is available on the UK Border Agency website.

If you are outside the UK please contact your nearest visa application centre (VAC) or where no VAC is in operation, your nearest British mission where there is a visa section.

Where can I get immigration advice?

If you need help with your application or advice about the UK’s immigration rules and requirements, you should seek advice from a qualified immigration adviser.  In the UK these are immigration advisers regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC – www.oisc.gov.uk) or legally qualified professionals regulated by designated professional bodies.  The Law Societies of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and the Insititute of Legal Executives can provide a list of Law Firms who can advise on immigration matters.  Their websites are:

Law Society of England and Wales

Law Society of Scotland

Law Society of Northern Ireland

Institute of Legal Executives

For more advice and information about extending your stay once you are in the UK:

The UK Border Agency
Croydon Public Caller Unit
Lunar House
40 Wellesley Road
Croydon CR9 2BY
Phone: (+44) (0)870 606 7766 (general enquiries)
Phone: (+44) (0)870 241 0645 (application forms)
Email: indpublicenquiries@ind.homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Website: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

For advice on bringing personal belongings and goods into the UK contact:

HM Revenue & Customs
Dorset House
Stamford Street
London SE1 9PY
Phone: (+44) (0)845 010 9000
Website: www.hmrc.gov.uk

Drugs warning
Anyone found smuggling drugs into the UK will face serious penalties. Drug traffickers may try to bribe travellers. If you are travelling to the UK, avoid any involvement with drugs.

False documents
It is better to explain why you do not have a document than to submit a false document with an application. Applicants will be automatically refused and may be banned from coming to the UK for 10 years if they use a false document, lie or withhold relevant information.  They may also be banned if they have breached immigration laws in the UK.

Travellers to the UK who produce a false travel document or passport to the UK immigration authorities for themselves and/or their children are committing an offence. People found guilty of this offence face up to two years in prison or a fine (or both).

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The official British Government website for visa services

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