Graduate Visa

What is a Graduate Visa

A Graduate visa allows you to legally remain in the UK for at least 2 years after a course is completed in the UK. You have to be in the UK at the time of the application.

Job Requirements

You can apply for a Graduate visa if all of the following are true:

·        You’re in the UK

·        Your current visa is a student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa

·        British degree, postgraduate, or other qualifying course for a certain time with the student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa.

·        Your education provider (such as your university or college) has informed the Home Office that you passed your course

·        If you do not know whether your education provider has informed the Home Office that you have completed your course, simply ask your education provider

Duration of Stay

A Graduate visa has a validity of 2 years. If one possesses a PHD or any other doctoral qualification the period of such qualification shall be for three (3) years.Your visa will commence from the day when you apply for the visa and get approved.

Extending Your Stay

Your Graduate visa cannot be extended. However, It is possible to transfer to another visa, for instance, the Skilled Worker visa.

Application Process

• You must apply online.
• Your partner and children can also apply for leave to enter the UK if they too meet the requirements.
• You have to apply before your visa to study as a student in the UK expires or before your Tier 4 (General) student visa expires.
• You can apply after your education provider where you studied (university or college) informs the Home Office that you completed the course that you undertook with your student or Tier 4 (General) student visa. You don’t need to wait until you complete the course or one has been issued to you.
• When applying for a loan, identity will be required alongside other documents that may be required.
• Your application may take longer if an appointment is required to do this. It will be declared when you begin your application for the loan, whether you need it or not.

Decision Timeline

• 8 weeks after application if you’re inside the UK.

Permitted and Restricted Activities

What You Can Do

• Work in most jobs
• Look for work
• Be self-employed
• Stay and reside in the UK with your partner and children if at all they are qualified
• Do voluntary work
• International travel and coming back to the UK

What You Cannot Do

• Entitle you to most things (public money), or the State Pension.
• Function as a professional athlete

If your application gets approved, you will receive a detailed list of activities that are permitted by people holding Graduate visas.

Studying with a Graduate visa

Graduate visa is applicable if the selected course does not fall under the criteria for a student visa only. If your course is a student visa course then yes, otherwise you will have to get a new visa.

ATAS might be required if you are studying or doing research on topics that are deemed sensitive.

Checking Job Eligibility

You usually must have one of the following to apply

• A UK bachelor’s degree
• A UK master’s degree
• A PhD or doctorate from a reputable University in the United Kingdom

You can also apply if you completed any of the following:

• A law conversion course approved by the Solicitors Regulation Authority
• The Legal Practice Course in England and Wales, the Solicitors Course in Northern Ireland, or a Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in Scotland
• The Bar Practice Course in England and Wales, or the Bar Course in Northern Ireland
• A foundation program in medicine or dentistry
• A Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
• A Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)

You may also be able to apply if passing your course made you meet the requirements for a job as dictated by UK law and/or a UK public authority. Your education provider can let you know if your course is eligible for these payments.

If you’re on a Student visa because you are a Student Union Sabbatical Officer

If you are on your current Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa because you are a Student Union Sabbatical Officer, you can apply for a Graduate visa.

To be eligible for it, one has to have completed one of them in the UK, immediately before the start of their current visa.

Costs

How much it costs

A non-refundable £822 as the application fee. If applicable, pay the fee for the healthcare surcharge – this is £1,035 each year you will be in the UK

HealthCare Fee

This fee is required during the application

For 2 years eligibility - £2,070

For 3 years eligibility - £3,105

It is also possible to claim a refund if, subsequently, you obtain a job with an employer that pays into the public sector healthcare scheme once you have paid the healthcare surcharge.

Required Documents

When you apply you’ll need to provide:

• A passport or any other globally recognized identification issued by the state acknowledging an individual’s identity and citizenship.
• Your BRP, if you were provided with one when you applied for your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa
• The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number which you used when applying for your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa
• Your CAS reference number was provided to you by the education provider who offered you a place on the course completed with your Student visa. Should it not be available, inquire from your education provider about what it is.

Other documents you might need depending on your circumstances

• Preferably, originals of documents that show your immigration relationship with your spouse or children if they are applying
• A document from your scholarship or sponsorship giver to confirm the approval of your application if they funded both tuition fees and maintenance for the previous year.

If the documents are in a language other than English or Welsh, a certified translation of the said document is required as well.

Proving your identity With Supporting documents

Among the requirements presented in the application, the applicant has to prove his or her identity.

• You usually do this by scanning your biometric residence permit (BRP) with the ‘UK Immigration: commonly known as by launching ‘The ID Check’ app. If you come from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein please scan your passport’s barcode on the photo page.
• To use it, people will have to log into an existing account with the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) or create a new one.
• If you are unable to use your BRP or passport’s barcode to scan the application, you will be required to provide your fingerprints and photograph at a UKVCAS service point.

Detailed information about the obligations of an applicant is given when one applies.

However, if, in any case, you require an appointment, it might be necessary that the center take your passport and documents before processing the application.

You are prohibited by law from leaving the UK, Ireland, the Channel Island, or the Isle of Man until you are provided with a decision. It will be withdrawn if you do so 

Long Application Time

You’ll be contacted if your application will take longer, for example, because: You’ll be contacted if your application will take longer, for example, because:

• Your supporting documents have to be credentialed
• Concerning your personal affairs like whether or not you have a criminal record.

After Application

You can request to be excused from the application. You will only get your fee refunded if, UKVI has not begun to process your application.

The decision about your application will be sent to your email. This should detail what is now required to be done.

Proving immigration status with a Graduate visa

If your application is approved you get a digital status that can confirm your right to work and reside in the UK online.In addition, if you are issued a BRP upon approval of your application, you can use the BRP as a document that proves your right to reside and work in the United Kingdom.

Dependents

If your partner and children came to the UK with you as ‘dependents’ on your current Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa, they can apply for a Graduate visa as dependents of you. If your child was born in the UK and during your stay with a current student visa, he/she can also apply.

A dependent partner or child can be, your husband, wife, civil partner, unmarried partner, child under eighteen years of age who was born in the UK during your stay, or a child over eighteen years of age who is currently living in the United Kingdom as your dependent.

To apply you have to show that you are still in a relationship with your partner and want to continue being so.

Your Child

These have placed conditions where your child must live with you, not be married or in a civil partnership.

You have to, in addition, provide proof of your address such as

• Bank statements
• Credit card bills
• Driving licenses
• The registration documents of NHS, letters from the university/college they attend, or any other official correspondence.

If your child is a minor, generally, they must be your dependent on your student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa. If both apply you don’t necessarily have to be a dependent if both were born while you were in the UK on your current student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa.

To apply

your partner and children must either apply online as your partner or online as your child.

They will need

• Passport or any other legal identification document containing their photo and nationality, their biometric residence permit (BRP), and UAN.
• If the scholarship or sponsorship provider contributed to your partner or child’s living expenses in the previous 12 months, the provider must write an approval letter for the Graduate visa application.

Proving identity

The partner and children must prove their identity through the 'UK Immigration: ID Check’ app, or their biometric residence permit (BRP). Downloading and/or updating the app requires them to log into a current UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account or create a new one. If they cannot upload a scan of their passport or BRP, they will have to go for fingerprints and photographs at a fee at a UKVCAS service point.

The partner and children cannot leave the territories of the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Channel Island, or the Isle of Man until they are given the decision of the application. This typically takes 8 weeks.

Thus, it is critical to understand that, for example, if a child was born in the UK, he or she is not a British citizen. To accompany them, the partner has to obtain their child’s dependent visa which entails the full birth certificate from the UK including the parents. All in all, the application process normally lasts about 8 weeks.

Contact Visa Nexa for Immigration Assistance

Need Canadian immigration assistance for Graduate Visa? Visa Nexa Inc. is here to help. We can assess your eligibility and submit your application to the UK Governement. With over 10 years of expertise, Visa Nexa in Mississauga, Ontario has been helping clients achieve their dream of becoming Canadians. Our head offices are in Delhi (VISAWALK) and Chandigarh (The Mentors). Reach out to us today and take the first step toward your new life in Canada!

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