Immigration Law

UK Tier 4 Student Visa Application

Students wishing to study in the UK should take advantage of the excellent courses available and with the added bonus of a Post Study Work Visa.

International students who have studied a bachelor’s or master’s course in the UK will be eligible for a two-year Post-Study Work Visa.

Current post-study work options only let foreign students stay for four months after they graduate. After this time, the individual must return to their home country or switch to a permanent role and Work Visa.

The Post-Study Work Visa will allow students to assess their options moving forward.

All UK Visa applications, regardless of visa category have to meet the very stringent guidelines set by the UK Immigration Directorate. What that means is, one small error in your UK Tier 4 Student Visa application will result in your visa being refused by the Home Office. Which will mean time and money wasted. Maybe then you will have to re-apply or even appeal, which will cost even more money. Get it right in the first place.

Please contact us and allow our experts to make a success of your Student Visa application.

UK Tier 4 Student Visa Minimum Requirements & Guidelines:

It is important to remember that to apply for a UK Tier 4 Student visa you will need to meet the minimum requirements of the UK Immigration Directorate below. Any discrepancy will result in your application being refused. Our UK Student Visa Immigration Solicitors are experts in preparing and submitting the UK Tier 4 Student visa applications.

Guidelines are as follows.

Your must have

• an unconditional offer of a place on a course with a licensed Tier 4 sponsor
• enough money to support yourself and pay for your course – the amount will vary depending on your circumstances

You can do a course that’s one of the following:

• full-time leading to a qualification that’s at least level 6 on the Ofqual register
• part-time leading to a qualification that’s at least level 7 on the Ofqual register
• an overseas course of degree level study that’s equal to a UK higher education course and is being run by an overseas higher education institution
• full-time, with at least 15 hours per week of organised daytime study, leading to a qualification which is at least level 3 on the Ofqual register
• a recognized foundation programme as a postgraduate doctor or dentist
• an English language course at level B2 or above on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

Tier 2 Visa

The Tier 2 Visa is the immigration route which enables UK-based employers to hire foreign workers to fill jobs that cannot be filled by British nationals or settled workers.

To be eligible for a Tier 2 Visa, you must score a minimum of:

• 50 points for Attributes, including having a sponsor with a valid Certificate of Sponsorship;
• 10 points for English language skills (except for Intra-Company Transfer);
• 10 point for Maintenance, which is your available funds.

It must be noted that scoring the required 70 points does not make your application automatically approved. Your case will still be considered against the General Grounds for Refusal criteria, and your application may be refused.

You can be eligible for a Tier 2 Visa if you:

• Have a job offer from a UK-based company
• Hold a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) issued by a licensed sponsor
• Will be earning an appropriate salary for the job
• Meet specific English language requirements
• Are over the age of 16 on the date of your application
• Pass the “genuine vacancy test”, meaning that your skills must be appropriate for your role in the UK
• Can support yourself and your family without relying on public funds.

Innovator Visa or Start-up visa in the UK and gain residency

If you're looking to move yourself, your family or your business to the UK, we can help you apply for the right visa. More than that, our comprehensive service will ensure that every aspect of your move is taken care of.

The UK has always been popular for investors and entrepreneurs

The UK has long been an attractor of long-term foreign direct investment. A stable economic, political and social environment has helped the UK position itself at the centre of most of the world’s trade.

With a Tier 1 visa, you and your family can move to this dynamic country and begin furthering your business and residency ambitions.

UK immigration for investors has never been easier

In the current climate, the UK is keener than ever to attract new entrepreneurs and investors and this route has the option of eventual gaining nationality.

Innovator visa or Start-Up Visa

You can no longer apply for the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Visa. As of 2019, it has been replaced by the Innovator Visa or Start-Up Visa.

You must meet either of following criteria to apply for an Entrepreneur visa:

1. You have access to at least £50,000 in investment funds, which are:
   • Held in one or more regulated financial institutions
   • Free to spend (“disposable”) on business in the UK
2. You have access to £200,000 investment funds and can prove that the money is either:

• Your own
• Made available to you by a third party, for example, husband, wife, partner or investor
• Held in a joint account with your spouse or partner, but only if they aren’t applying for the same visa

In addition to having access to investment funds, you must be at least 16 years old, capable of supporting yourself during your stay in the UK and meet the English language requirements.

This visa falls under UKVI’s points-based applications; you must score at least 95 points on their calculator to be eligible.

Successful applicants are able to bring a partner, children under 18 or children over the age of 18 if they are already in the UK as dependants.

All successful applicants and associated dependants must pay a “health surcharge” to access the National Health Service (NHS). This is currently £200 for all applicants except students, who pay £150 per year.

Length of stay on a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa

You can stay in the UK for a maximum of three years and four months on this visa. If the relevant requirements are met, it can be extended for a further two years. If you currently hold another visa type and intend to switch to this visa, you are able to extend it for three years.

Once you have legally lived in the UK for five years, you are able to apply for permanent settlement, also known as indefinite leave to remain.

Our professional solicitors ensure that your application has the greatest chance of success, letting you focus on the more important aspects of building a business in the UK.

LMD Law can offer a range of compliance reviews and audits of your employment and human resources arrangements to ensure that you are up to date with current legislation and best practice and that you can keep any issues or problems to a minimum. In addition, LMD Law can also assist with:

• • Providing advice on recruitment
• • Employee management
• • Restructuring and redundancy (including Settlement Agreements)
• • Dealing with disciplinary & dismissal issues
• • Advice on performance & capability issues
• • Dealing with grievances

LMD Law also offer more comprehensive services to help you to reach the best possible outcome and efficiently manage your immigration case. For a no obligation discussion of your circumstances with a solicitor then contact LMD Law on 0800 689 3037.

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