Useful Info · 22 guides
Immigration & Visas
Guides on visa types, applications, eVisas, extending and switching visas.
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- 5 visa routes to work and stay in the UK: what are Global Talent, Innovator Founder, Scale-up, Health and Care and "self-sponsorship"?4 reads
- Travelling to and from the UK with an eVisa: what is needed at the border and with the airline? Is a share code required?4 reads
- What is the Global Talent visa and who can apply? Endorsement, fees, family and settlement after 3 or 5 years2 reads
All guides on this topic (22)
Bringing your partner after ILR or citizenship: sponsor conditions, the £29,000 income requirement, visa fees, the health surcharge and the 5 years to ILR
GOV.UK: for a partner visa the sponsor can be a British or Irish citizen or settled (ILR). Combined income must be at least £29,000 a year. Fees are £2,064 from abroad and £1,407 from within the UK; the health surcharge is £5,175 per adult for 5 years. ILR needs 5 continuous years on a partner visa.
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How do you get a Student visa? CAS, the money requirement, English level, fees and the application steps
A Student visa needs a CAS from a licensed sponsor, course fees plus living costs of £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 elsewhere (up to 9 months), and B2 English at degree level. The visa fee is £558 and the health surcharge £776 a year. Decisions from outside the UK usually take 3 weeks.
Which visa do you need for an English language course in the UK? Visitor up to 6 months, Short-term study 6 to 11 months, Student beyond
The course length decides the visa: up to 6 months as a Standard Visitor, over 6 and up to 11 months the Short-term study visa (£228, no work, no extension), and longer courses at B2 or above need a Student visa. You cannot switch from the Short-term study visa to another visa inside the UK.
How many hours can you work on a Student visa? Bringing family, extending, and switching to Graduate or Skilled Worker
Full-time students at degree level and above can work 20 hours a week in term time, 10 below degree level, and full time in vacations. Self-employment is not allowed. Only PhD or research degree students, or government-sponsored students on courses over 6 months, can bring family.
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5 visa routes to work and stay in the UK: what are Global Talent, Innovator Founder, Scale-up, Health and Care and "self-sponsorship"?
None of these five routes, shared on social media as "no sponsor and guaranteed", is guaranteed. Global Talent and Innovator Founder need an authorised body's endorsement; Scale-up and Health and Care need an employer's sponsorship. There is no "self-sponsorship" visa.
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Can my own company sponsor me? The Skilled Worker route called "self-sponsorship", the sponsor licence and the costs
"Self-sponsorship" is not an official visa: it means a UK company getting a sponsor licence and employing its owner as a Skilled Worker. The normal sponsor and Skilled Worker rules apply and the job must be genuine. Licence, certificate, skills charge and visa costs are paid separately.
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What is the Global Talent visa and who can apply? Endorsement, fees, family and settlement after 3 or 5 years
Global Talent is for leaders or potential leaders in academia and research, arts and culture, or digital technology. No employer sponsor is needed; you need an endorsement or an eligible prize. The fee is £766 plus the health surcharge; settlement after 3 or 5 years.
What is the Health and Care Worker visa? Who can apply, salary, the health surcharge exemption and limits for care workers
The Health and Care Worker visa is for doctors, nurses and other health professionals with an eligible job in the NHS, an NHS supplier or adult social care. The fee is £324 or £628 and families pay no health surcharge. Care worker roles closed to overseas applicants in July 2025.
What is the Scale-up Worker visa? 6 months of sponsorship, a £39,100 salary, freedom to change jobs after 6 months and extension rules
Scale-up Worker is for people with a job offer of at least 6 months from an approved fast-growing company, paid at least £39,100 or the going rate. The first visa lasts 2 years; after 6 months you can change jobs freely, and extensions need no new sponsor but earnings rules apply.
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What is the Innovator Founder visa? Business endorsement, £1,270 savings, B2 English and the settlement requirements after 3 years
Innovator Founder is for people setting up a new, innovative and scalable business in the UK. A Home Office approved body endorses the idea; there is no minimum investment, but you need £1,270 savings and B2 English. The visa lasts 3 years; settlement after 3 years if the business meets set targets.
What should you look for when choosing an immigration adviser? How do you check they are registered?
GOV.UK says all immigration advisers must be registered with the IAA or belong to an approved professional body. You can check registration with the IAA Adviser Finder. Money paid to an unregulated adviser cannot be recovered. A recommendation in a group is not a check of the register.
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Travelling to and from the UK with an eVisa: what is needed at the border and with the airline? Is a share code required?
GOV.UK says your eVisa is checked when you leave and enter; you do not necessarily have to show it, but a carrier may ask for more proof. Your passport and UKVI account details must match what you give the airline exactly. A share code lasts 90 days and can be obtained before you travel.
What is the English language requirement for a partner visa? The A1 test, exemptions and A2 at extension
GOV.UK says that for a first family visa application you need at least CEFR A1. Proof: a UK degree, an Ecctis-assessed overseas degree, or a SELT from an approved provider. At the 2.5-year extension those who came on A1 must show at least A2 in speaking and listening.
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When do you apply for ILR (indefinite leave to remain)? How do the 28-day rule and the 180-day absence limit work?
The GOV.UK guidance says you can apply for ILR up to 28 days before you reach the required period. The absence ceiling is 180 whole days in any 12 months. The time between entry clearance being issued and entering the UK may count. Check the current guidance for your route.
Applying for a Schengen visa while living in the UK: how to find an appointment, which country to apply to, and how the cascade rule works
The Schengen country to apply to is the one of the main destination; if that cannot be determined, the country of first entry is responsible. Long multiple-entry visas are given in steps: 1 year, 2 years, 5 years. The length can be shortened. Appointment bots are not official.
UK visitor visa: what are the 6-month, 2, 5 and 10-year options, the fees and the decision time?
As of October 2026, GOV.UK: the 6-month visa is £135; long-term visas are £506 for 2 years, £903 for 5 years and £1,128 for 10 years. Each visit can last up to 6 months. A shorter visa than requested can be given and the fee is not refunded. A decision usually takes about 3 weeks.
A visa centre offers a paid "UKVI account creation" extra: is it required, and how does my family set up their eVisa?
As of October 2026, GOV.UK says you do not need to pay to set up a UKVI account. You need a passport, the application number and a smartphone; the person or someone helping them can set it up. If someone else opens it, the details must be updated later.
UK visitor visa for my family from Türkiye: which documents, translation, flight tickets, and is an adviser needed?
As of October 2026, GOV.UK: a passport, the details in the online form and biometrics at an appointment. Certified translations are required for documents not in English or Welsh. The page does not ask for flight or hotel bookings. An adviser is not required; you apply on GOV.UK.
What is Section 3C? If I apply to extend or for ILR before my visa expires, do my right to stay and work continue?
The GOV.UK guidance says that if you have limited leave, apply before it expires and the decision will come after it ends, Section 3C continues your leave until a decision. From 8 October 2026, changing route after a fee waiver request can affect 3C protection. Personal cases need an adviser.
Graduate visa: when and how do you apply, 2 years or 18 months, and can you leave the UK?
GOV.UK says that for a Graduate visa you must be in the UK, apply before your Student visa expires, and your provider must have reported your course as complete. Applications up to 31 Dec 2026 get 2 years, from 1 Jan 2027 get 18 months. A decision usually takes about 8 weeks.
What is an eVisa? My BRP has expired: how do I get a UKVI account and a share code?
As of October 2026, GOV.UK says an eVisa is a digital record of immigration status, viewed through a UKVI account. An expired BRP can be used to set one up for 24 months after its expiry date or until 31 Dec 2026, whichever is first. A share code lasts 90 days.
Is the Ankara Agreement (ECAA) visa open to new applications, and can an existing visa be extended?
As of October 2026, GOV.UK says new Turkish Businessperson applications are closed, and the Turkish Worker page covers extensions only. GOV.UK lists no fee to extend. This is general information, not personal advice.