High Potential Individual Visa

High Potential Individual (HPI) visa

 

Simply put, a High Potential Individual (HPI) visa allows you to reside in the UK for 2 years. A qualification from an eligible university must have been awarded to you in the last 5 years before you can apply for this visa.

Duration of Stay

HPI visa lasts for 2 years. however, if you have a PhD or other forms of doctoral qualifications, you can have the visa for three years.

 

Extending Your Stay

 

An extension of your HPI visa is not possible. you can however switch to another visa such as the Skilled Worker visa. 

See if you are eligible to apply for another type of visa in the UK

Decision Timeline

·        3 weeks, if you’re outside the UK

·        8 weeks, if you’re inside the UK

Application Process

The application is online. 

The application depends on whether your 

·        outside the UK and are coming to the UK

·        inside the UK and switching from a different visa

Dependents can also apply to stay with you in the UK if they meet eligibility

Permitted and Restricted Activities

What you can do:

·        work in most eligible jobs

·        Search for employment

·        Be an entrepreneur

·        If eligible, live in the UK with dependents (partner and children)

·        Volunteer for jobs

·        Travel to a foreign land and return to the UK

What You cannot do:

·        Get public funds

·        Act as a professional sportsperson, for example, as a trainer

·        Extend your HPI visa

·        Apply to settle permanently in the UK

A concise list of permitted and restricted activities will be sent to you after the application is successful.

 

Studying with an HPI visa

 

They can only use an HPI visa if the preferred course cannot be enrolled in using a Student visa. 

If your course is Student visa eligible then you can apply for the Student visa or if you have a Student visa already, you can extend it.

 

If you are undertaking a subject, that is deemed as falling in the sensitive area, you may require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) clearance certificate.

 

Checking Job Eligibility

To qualify for High Potential Individual (HPI) visa one has to have received a qualification from a University which is on the list of approved universities.

 

Place of study

 

The list of eligible universities is mainly derived from the list of universities that are recognized globally in terms of their ranking.

Check the list of eligible universities for the month and year you were awarded your qualification

·        1 November 2023 to 31 October 2024

·        1 November 2022 to 31 October 2023

·        1 November 2021 to 31 October 2022

·        1 November 2020 to 31 October 2021

·        1 November 2019 to 31 October 2020

·        1 November 2018 to 31 October 2019

UK universities are not eligible for this visa. If you’re already in the UK on a student visa, it is possible to apply for a graduate visa.

 

Job Criteria 

 

You should have qualifications on the same level as:

·        a UK bachelor’s degree

·        a UK postgraduate degree

·        a UK PhD or doctorate

Application to Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) to check if your qualifications are valid and at the right level. Ecctis will not check if your university is eligible.

Qualifications must have been awarded in the last 5 years

Other eligibility criteria

To qualify for an HPI visa, you ought to:

·        Show proof of English knowledge

·        Show that you have a lump sum of money to support yourself in the UK unless you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months

A job is not required for this application.

Application for an HPI visa can be done inside or outside the UK.

The application can be carried out only once.

Application is not possible if : 

·        You already possess a graduate visa

·        You are already in the UK as a Doctorate Extension Scheme student

 

English Proficiency

You are often required to prove your English proficiency when applying if you have not done this in a previous successful application.

English Proficiency Level

You must prove you can at least read, write, and understand English to at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.

Proof of English knowledge can be done by: 

·        Scaling through a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an authorized provider

·        Obtain a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English, which should be obtained through study at a UK school that you carried under the age of 18.

·        Possessing a degree-level academic qualification that was taught in English - if you studied abroad, you’ll need to apply through Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) to confirm that your qualification is on the same level as a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctorate.

Countries that do not need an English proficiency test

English proficiency test is not required if you are a national of the following countries:

·        Antigua and Barbuda

·        Australia

·        the Bahamas

·        Barbados

·        Belize

·        the British Overseas Territories

·        Canada

·        Dominica

·        Grenada

·        Guyana

·        Jamaica

·        Malta

·        New Zealand

·        St Kitts and Nevis

·        St Lucia

·        St Vincent and the Grenadines

·        Trinidad and Tobago

·        USA

Costs

When applying for an HPI visa, you ought to:

·        Pay £210 for Ecctis to confirm valid qualifications (£252 if you’re applying from the UK)

·        Deposit the £822 application fee

·        Pay the healthcare extra fee- £1,035 per annum of your stay in the UK

·        Have financial support when you arrive in the UK - you’ll usually need to have at least £1,270 available (unless you’re exempt)

More details of payment will be revealed during the application.

Healthcare Extra Fee

You’ll have to pay the healthcare extra fee during application:

If you’re eligible for an HPI visa for:

·        2 years - fee is £2,070

·        3 years - fee is £3,105

Public sector candidates

 

You are eligible for a refund of the healthcare surcharge if you get a job in the public sector

 

Money to support yourself

 

Applicants must have £2,530 in their bank accounts to prove to the authorities that the applicant has the essence to support herself/himself in the UK. 

 

The money must have been available to you for not less than 28 consecutive days in the past. 

 

The date on which the day 28 will have to be should preferably fall within 31 days of applying for this visa.

Proof of this will be required when applying.

Dependents should also be able to prove that they can sustain themselves while they are in the UK. 

Read the guidelines for financial evidence for more information on the amount of money that is required and how to show proof of funds

Required Documents

Before application, you are required to pay for Ecctis to confirm valid qualifications

Provide the following:

·        a valid passport or supporting documents to prove identity and nationality

·        proof of English proficiency

It is important to provide the statement Ecctis will send to you when they’ve checked the necessary qualifications.

If you had to apply to Ecctis to confirm that your qualification was taught in English, the statement is called an ‘Academic Qualification Level Statement and English Language Proficiency Statement’. If not, it’s called an ‘Academic Qualification Level Statement’.

Supporting documents

Depending on your circumstances, you might be asked to provide:

·        your biometric residence permit (BRP) or online proof of your immigration status, if switching to another visa.

·        Proof of relationship with listed dependents.

·        Tuberculosis test results, if required.

If your documents not be in English or Welsh you will be required to provide a certified translation of the documents.

 

If You Are Outside The UK

 

Apply online for a High Potential Individual (HPI) visa.

Check for required documents for application.

A separate process is required if you are already in the UK switching to the HPI visa from another visa.

 

When to Apply

 

The application should be carried out within 5 years of being qualified from an eligible university.

 

Proof of Identity with Supporting documents

 

When filling out the application, you have to justify your identity as part of the requirements. As to how you do this, this will depend on your nationality and the type of passport that you hold.

 

You’ll either:

• go for fingerprinting and photograph at a visa application center - this is where you are issued with a biometric residence permit.
• use the ‘UK Immigration: ‘ID Check’ application to capture your identity document – you will also set up or log in to your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account

 

The requirements will be stated to you when you apply.

If an appointment is needed:

• Your passport and documents may be with the center for some time as they sort out your application.
• you may have to travel to get to your nearest visa application center (this may be in another country)

Dependents

 

Your partner and children will also be able to apply to come to join you or remain in the UK as your ‘dependents’ if they meet the requirements.

 

If your partners or child has applied for the visa, his or her visa will normally expire on the same date that your visa expires. If the parents of the child have visas of different validity, then the visa of the child will expire on the date specified first.

A dependent partner or child may include:

·        your husband, wife, civil partner, or unmarried partner

·        your child under 18 - including if they were born in the UK during your stay

·        your child over 18 if they’re currently in the UK as your dependent

Applicants will need to show proof of evidence of relationship with the dependent when they apply.

 

Your Partner

 

You must be able to prove one of the following:

•  you are in a Civil Partnership or marriage recognized under the law of the UK 
•  you have been in a recognized relationship for at least 2 years when you fill out the application. 
•  You apply when you have been dating for at least two years but you do not share residence for example because you have a job or school in different residences, or your culture does not allow that. 

 

 If you’re not living together, you’ll need to prove that you have an ongoing commitment to each other, for example by providing evidence that you:

•  interact strongly and frequently with the other 
•  support each other financially 
•  support any child that you both have. 
•  dating time when a man and a woman who are in a relationship are together for example on a holiday or occasion. 

Your Child

They must:

• These have placed conditions where your child must live with you, except they live the the boarding school.
• 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.

Money for Dependents Financial Support

 

Dependents should have a sustainable amount of money while in the UK

You - or your partner or child - will need:

·        £285 for your partner

·        £315 for one child

·        £200 for each additional child

 Example 

 

You, or your partner or a child, would need £600 to bring your partner and one child to the UK with you (£285 for your partner, £315 for a child). 

 

You would also need to have £1,270 stowed to support yourself for your application. 

 

For example, if you or your partner or child wanted to buy something, for spending to count, you’d need to have had the money to do so for 28 days straight. 

 

Day 28 must be within 31 days of you or them making the application for this visa. 

 

 You’ll usually need to show proof of this when they apply, unless either:

•  all of you have been in the United Kingdom with a legal permit for attaining a minimum period of 12 months. 
•  your employer can meet the costs of your dependents during your first month in the UK this should be stated in the certificate of sponsorship 

 

 If your partner or your child intends to apply at a different time than you, then you will only require proof of having £750 or equivalent in foreign currency in the last month only if the applicant has been in the UK for less than 1 year.

 

Healthcare Surcharge

 

Each family member will have to pay the healthcare extra cost of their application 

For applicants eligible for a High Potential Individual (HPI) visa for 2 years, it will cost:

·        £2,070 for each adult family member 

·        £1,552 for each child aged under 18 at the time of application

If eligible for an HPI visa for 3 years, it will cost:

·        £3,105 for each adult family member

·        £2,328 for each child aged under 18 at the time you apply

If dependents work in public sector healthcare

Dependents are eligible for a refund of the healthcare surcharge if you get a job in the public sector

 

Application Outside The UK

 

Your dependents must either:

 

·        apply online as your partner

·        apply online as your child 

The member of the family who intends to travel will have to fill out a form and also pay for the visa fee individually. Applicants have to apply before they visit the United Kingdom. 

 

They will also require the application number; this is available once you submit your application. This number is referred to as either a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN). 

You get to see it being used in emails and letters from the Home Office concerning your application. 

 

Proving their identity

 

The ID will be required provided that the dependents will be required to prove their identity especially if applying for an application. 

They must:

• Need to provide their fingerprints and a photograph at a visa application center – this is getting a biometric residence permit 
• Use the ‘UK Immigration: the applicant can also use the ‘ID Check’ app to scan their identity document while signing up for a new or existent UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account 

The requirements will be stated to you when you apply.

If an appointment is needed:

• During the application of the visa, the visa application center may require the bearer to surrender their passport and or other legal documents. 
• They may have to travel to go to the nearest one and this could be in another country. 

Decision Timeline

• Usually, 3 weeks after online application.

Apply From Inside The UK (switch their visa)

 

In case of a visa switch, your dependent's current visa remains valid until its expiring date. your dependents will need to switch visas either

·        at the same time as you

·        at any time before their current visa expires

This includes children who have turned 18 during your stay.

Your dependents will not be able to switch to your HPI visa if they are currently in the UK:

·        on a visit visa

·        on a short-term student visa

·        on a Parent of a Child Student visa

·        on a seasonal worker visa

·        on a domestic worker in a private household visa

·        on immigration bail

·        because they were permitted to stay outside the immigration rules, for example on grounds of mercy

If your partner or child is currently in the UK on a Student visa, they can switch only if:

·        completed the course they were sponsored to study

·        studied for a PhD for at least 24 months

Application Process

 

Through the application form, the applicants shall be informed whether they can apply as a family with the partner and children included or whether they should apply separately. 

 

If your partner or child apply separately, they’ll need to either:

·        switch to your HPI visa as your partner

·        Switch to your HPI visa as your partner

They will require your application number; you will obtain this when applying. The reference number is termed a Global Web Form Number abbreviated as GWF or Unique Application Number abbreviated as UAN. 

It is used in emails and letters from the Home Office concerning your application.

 

Proving their identity

 

To process the documents, your partner and children will be required to show their identification. They’ll either: 

·        Ensure their fingerprints and photographs are taken at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point - to acquire a biometric residence permit

·        use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan their identity document - they’ll also create or sign in to their UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account

 They will be informed of what is required of them at the time of applying.

 

They cannot go to any other country in the world other than the United Kingdom, Eire, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man without a decision. It will be withdrawn if they do:

 

Decision Timeline

 

Usually, 8 weeks after online application.

 

Children Born in the UK

 

Note that children born in the UK do not automatically become British citizens.

Make sure you apply for your child's dependent visa if you want to travel in and out of the UK with them

The form you fill in depends on if:

·        your child is inside the UK

·        your child is outside the UK

Make sure to provide necessary documents such as a UK birth certificate that shows both names of parents. 

You must apply for their dependant visa before they turn 18 if they want to stay in the UK.

 

Restricted and Permitted Activities for Dependents

 

What they can do:

·        work, except as a sportsperson or coach

·        study

·        travel abroad and return to the UK

They cannot apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension.

A concise list of permitted and restricted activities will be sent to you after the application is successful.

 

Switch To This visa

 

You can apply to alter (‘switch’) to a High Potential Individual (HPI) visa if you are present in the UK on another type of visa. 

 

This implies if your partner or child has another visa, it does not change to this visa just because you change yours. They can either apply concurrently with you, or any time before the existing visa is due to expire. 

 

 You or any person who depends on you must not leave the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man until a decision is made. This is your warning: if you do, your application will be withdrawn.

 

When to Apply

 

The application must be carried out within 5 years of being awarded a qualification from an eligible university.

If you’re currently in the UK on a Student visa, you must also have either:

·        completed the course you were sponsored to study

·        studied for a PhD for at least 24 months

Who Cannot Apply to Switch to This visa?

 

Those in the UK cannot apply to switch to this visa:

·        on a visit visa

·        on a short-term student visa

·        on a Parent of a Child Student visa

·        on a seasonal worker visa

·        on a domestic worker in a private household visa

·        on immigration bail

·        because you were permitted to stay outside the immigration rules, for example on compassionate grounds

If you are under the categories above, you must leave the UK and apply for an HPI visa from abroad.

You cannot switch to this visa if you’re on a Graduate visa.

 

Costs

 

Each applicant will need to pay

·        the visa application fee

·        the healthcare extra cost for each year of their stay - check how much you’ll have to pay

Biometrics information such as fingerprints and a photo should be in your arsenal. You don't have to pay for this.

Additionally, you have to show proof of savings if you have been in the UK for less than one year.

 

Proof Of Identity with Documents

 

Proof of identity is required during application. However, this depends on where you're from and the type of passport.

You ought to:

• Fingerprint yourself and provide a photograph (biometric details) at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point – this is for a biometric residence permit. 
• Use the ‘UK Immigration: ‘ID Check’ application to capture a photo of your identity document – you will also need to sign in to or create, a UK Visas and Immigration account

More information will be given when you fill out the application.

 

Apply to switch to an HPI Visa

 

Before your current visa expires you must apply online. You can save your form and complete it once you've started your application.

 

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