International Sportsperson Visa

International Sportsperson visa

 

Eligibility Criteria

You can apply for an International Sportsperson visa if you meet the eligibility requirements and your sport’s governing body endorses your application, confirming:

• you are a current elite sportsperson or a qualified coach.
• you’re internationally established
• Your employment will nurture your sport in this country to the highest extent.

This visa replaced the Sportsperson (T2) visa as well as the sporting component of the Temporary Worker – Creative and Sporting visa (T5).

 

Sponsorship

 

The sponsor in this context is your employer. Concerning certificates, they will provide you with a certificate of sponsorship to show that they are indeed sponsoring you.

Duration of Stay

 Your visa can last for up to 3 years. As long as you are still qualified, you can extend it.

If you have at least one valid visa that lasts longer than 12 months, you might be eligible to settle permanently in the UK after 5 years.

Application Timeline

The start date of work in the UK is indicated on the sponsorship certificate, and visa applications can be filed up to three months in advance of that date.

Proof of identity, along with supporting documents, is required for your application.

Extra time may be granted if you require an appointment to do so.

Once you start your application, you get more details of this.

Decision Timeline

Once an online application is done, your identity proven, and your documents provided, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within the:

• 3 weeks, if you’re outside the UK
• 8 weeks, if you’re inside the UK

Making a decision more quickly has an additional cost.

Costs

You, your partner, or your children will each need to:

·        • Send in the application cost.

·        Pay the healthcare surcharge, which is usually £1,035 per year; you can check how much you’ll have to pay.

·        Prove you have enough personal savings—check how much in the eligibility requirements.

Application Fee

A fee of £298 must be paid by each applicant individually.

The cost varies depending on whether you are staying for more than a year if you are:

·        applying outside the UK: £719 per person

·        applying inside the UK to extend or switch: £827 per person

 

Permitted and Restricted Activities

What You Can Do:

• Work as an employee for your sponsor in the role stated on the sponsorship certificate.
• Get a second job in certain circumstances.
•  Participate in UK national team sports
• Serve as a sportscaster
• do voluntary work
• Study as long as it does not interfere with the job you’re sponsored for.
• travel outside of the UK and back
• Bring dependents if they are eligible.

What You Cannot Do:

• Get public funds.
• Become self-employed.
• Put in an application for a second job before beginning work with your sponsor.

Job Criteria 

You need all of the following to be eligible for the sportsperson:

• must hold a valid certificate of sponsorship for your job
• often confirm your ability to speak and comprehend English, for those who want to keep staying for more than one year.
• have personal savings so that when you get there in the UK you can be able to fend for yourself.
• prove to you that you can travel and your traveling history within the last five years.
• If you are from one of the listed countries, you should have a tuberculosis test result.

It is the responsibility of your employer to make sure that your job meets the UK employment law; otherwise, your application will be refused.

 

Certificate of sponsorship

 

A sponsorship certificate therefore can be described as a reference number that has incorporated work information and holder’s information. No, this is not a printed document or certificate of any type.

When your sponsor gives you your sponsorship certificate this reference will be given to you.

When completing the visa application form, you have to use the reference number from the certificate of sponsorship; it can only be used once.

The sponsorship certificate that you’ve been allocated is active for three months.

 

Money For Self-Sustenance

 

The applicant should have at least £1,270 in the savings accounts as proof of sustenance that one can fend for themselves in the United Kingdom.

For instance, you need to have possessed the money for not less than 28 calendar days at some point. The day the applicant mentions ‘Day 28’ must not be more than 31 days from the day on which the application for this visa was lodged.

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

• You have lived in the United Kingdom legally with a permit for a year or more
• Your sponsor can fund your expenses in the first month upon arrival to the UK, a maximum of £1,270.

Your partner and children will also have to demonstrate that they can fend for themselves when you are in the UK. This should be cross-checked with how much they shall require.

Turn to the guidelines for financial resources for more information on the money that is considered necessary and the ways to prove its necessity.

Sponsor Support

Your certificate of sponsorship has to state this. The ‘sponsor certifies maintenance’ part on your certificate will need to be filled by your sponsor. This falls under ‘Additional data’

 

English Proficiency Level

 

You must prove you can at least read, write, and understand English if you're staying for more than 12 months.

Proof of English knowledge can be done by: 

• 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.
• 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

An 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

Other circumstances may require you not to have an English proficiency test

Required Documents

It is important to provide the following when applying:

• Your certificate of the sponsorship reference number should be given to you by your sponsor.
• You must prove you can at least read, write, and understand English if you are staying for more than 12 months(unless exempt)
•   a valid passport or other document that proves your identity and nationality
•   evidence that you have enough personal savings for self-sustenance in the UK, this could be in the form of, bank statements (unless your certificate of sponsorship shows your sponsor can support you)
• A recommendation letter from the organization that oversees your sport
• Tuberculosis test results, if required.
• expired passports or travel documents if you need them to show your travel history

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

After application, additional documents may need to be needed.

 

Apply from outside the UK

 

Apply online for an International Sportsperson visa.

Confirm necessary documents for application

Your dependents will also need to apply

 

Proving identity with supporting documents

 

As part of your application process, you need to prove your identity with supporting documents. This however depends on your type of passport

 

You’ll either:

• go for fingerprinting and photograph at a visa application center - this is where you are issued with a biometric residence permit.
• Make ample use of 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.

Apply for an International Sportsperson visa

 

Once you’ve started your application you can save your form and complete it later.

 

Decision Timeline

 

 Once all applications have been done online, it takes about 3 weeks to get a decision

 

However, you can pay to get a faster decision.

 

After Application

 

You can request to be excused from the application. You will only get your fee refunded if your application has not been processed yet.

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

 

 

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

 

If your child is 16 or over. They must:

• These have imposed requirements that require your child to live with you except they are attending boarding school.
• not be married or in a civil partnership or have kids.
• Get monetary support from you

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.
• Official letter from the university

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.

 

Apply from 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, 8 weeks after online application.

Getting a faster decision will come at an additional cost.

 

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

Ensure to provide the necessary documents such as a UK birth certificate that shows both parents' names. 

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 an International Sportsperson visa 

 

This implies if your partner or child has another visa, it does not change to this visa just because you change yours. If they don't switch their visa it will remain valid until its expiration date

 

 

Requirements

 

 

You should:

·        meet the International Sportsperson visa eligibility requirements

·        be in the UK on an eligible visa - most visas are eligible

 

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

·        The start of your job is after the conclusion of your course.

Who Cannot Apply to Switch to This Visa?

 

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

·        on a visit visa—except you've been doing permitted activities as a sportsperson.

·        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

·         Due to compassionate grounds, for example, you were allowed to remain outside of the immigration regulations.

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

 

Costs

 

Each applicant will need to pay

·        the visa application fee

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

 

Apply to switch to an International Sportsperson Visa

 

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

 

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.

Your dependents 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

 

The outcomes of the application will be determined within 8 weeks from the date on which you applied in case of standard service. 

 There is often an option to pay for a faster decision. 

 Working days are from Monday to Friday and do not include any bank holidays. 

 Once you receive your decision letter, your biometric residence permit will take up to 10 working days to be delivered. 

 You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example: 

•  if the papers you are submitting as support require authentication 
•  if there is a need to go for an interview 
•  due to certain circumstances (for instance, you have a criminal record). 

Taking A Second Job

 

You can take a second job on this visa if you’re working up to 20 hours a week in either

• the same type of job as your core employment
• a position on the Skilled Worker immigration salary list

You can also engage in volunteer work without pay.

Otherwise, they will have to go apply for a new visa to be allowed into the country they seek to visit. In the second employment, you will need a sponsor and a new certificate of sponsorship.

 

When to apply for a new visa

 

You will not be able to apply for a new visa unless you have commenced the offered job with the first sponsor.

You cannot begin working with your second sponsor until you get a visa.

 

How to apply

 

You must apply online

It means you have to live in the UK to apply for the scholarship.

 

Documents that you will be required to submit

 

While filling out the application, certain documents have to be submitted by you.

You also have to write a letter stating that you wish to have a change in your current permission to stay mentioning the date of the creation of the original permission to stay.

Your letter must state:

• your name
• your date of birth
• The current certificate reference number of your sponsorship the expiry date of the permission to stay you currently hold

 

Contact Visa Nexa for Immigration Assistance

Need UK immigration Assistance for an International Sportsperson visa? Visa Nexa Inc. is here to help. We can assess your eligibility and submit your application to the UK government. 

With 10 solid years of experience, Visa Nexa located 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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