Overview

A Tier1 Extension Visa application is the process of extending your stay in the UK for a certain period granting you Limited Leave to remain in the UK.
A person upon his /her first entrance to the UK will initially be granted an entry clearance from the British Diplomatic Post in their home country for a certain period. To change the visa or extend the visa the applicant will have to make an application for Tier1 Extension Visa.
There are different types of leave to remain such as student, work permit holder, highly skilled migrant, spouse and dependent. The different forms for different categories of people to extend their further leave application are:

• Further Leave to Remain (HSMP/Tier 1 Visa extension)
• Further Leave application (BUS)
• Further Leave application (BID)
• Further Leave application (O)
• Further Leave application (M)
• Further Leave application (IED)

An applicant cannot overstay, the application for further leave to remain should be made before their visa expires. An application can be made either by post or in person; an appointment should be taken for applications that are submitted in person. Furthermore, foreign nationals require an identity card.
There are specific rules to change the Limited Leave to Remain from one category to another. We will advice on you the right visa application, visa extension and settling down in the UK.

Highly Skilled Worker Visa / Tier 1 Extension

An applicant who is already in the United Kingdom under Tier 1 (General) / HSMP must apply for extension of their visa by lodging this visa application. This is known as Further Leave to Remain in UK.
The applicant needs to score 95/100 points, similar to the criteria when making their initial application.

Eligibility

1. Age

Points granted for age differ for applicants extending their Tier1 HSW visa and those switching from the HSMP.

a. If the applicant is under Tier 1 visa (Rules after 5th April 2010)

Under 32	20
32 to 36	10
37 to 41	5

b. If the applicant is under Tier 1 visa (Rules before 6th April 2010)

Under 31	20
31 to 32	10
33 to 34	5

c. If the applicant is under HSMP visa

Age: If the applicant is under HSMP visa

Under 30	20
30 to 31	10
32 to 33	5

2. Education

The points system remains the for education (rules in place before 31st March 2009)

Phd	50
Masters Degree *	35
Bachelors degree	30

The points system remains the for education (rules in place between 31st March 2009 & 5th April 2010)

Phd	50
Masters Degree *	35

The points system remains the for education (rules in place after 5th April 2010)

Phd	45
Masters Degree *	35
Bachelors degree	30

Points for education will only be granted if the following requirements are met:

• The applicant is currently in the United Kingdom under Tier 1 (General) or the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme.
• The applicant is applying on the same qualification for which points were previously awarded in this area.
• The applicant's qualification was proved equivalent to a higher level of qualification in an assessment done earlier, than is now shown by the points based calculator; and
• There is no evidence that the applicant used deception to obtain the earlier decision.

Applicants do not need to send evidence of their qualification again, if they were granted permission to stay in the United Kingdom under Tier 1 (General) or the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, and previously scored points for the same qualification for which points are claimed in the current application.

3. Past Earnings

Earnings are calculated on any consecutive 12 month period within the previous 15 months that you worked in the UK before applying for an extension.
Extension applications- Applications for leave to remain where the applicant has, or last had, leave as a Highly Skilled Migrant, as a Writer, Composer or Artist, Self-employed Lawyer, or as a Tier 1 (General) Migrant under the rules in place before 31 March 2009.

Earnings	Points available
£16,000-£17,999	5 points
£18,000-£19,999	10 points
£20,000-£22,999	15 points
£23,000-£25,999	20 points
£26,000-£28,999	25 points
£29,000-£31,999	30 points
£32,000-£34,999	35 points
£35,000-£39,999	40 points
£40,000 or more	45 points

Extension applications- Applications for leave to remain where the applicant has, or last had, leave as a Tier 1 (General) Migrant under the rules in place between 31 March 2009 and 05 April 2010.

Earnings	Points available
£20,000-£22,999	15 points
£23,000-£25,999	20 points
£26,000-£28,999	25 points
£29,000-£31,999	30 points
£32,000-£34,999	35 points
£35,000-£39,999	40 points
£40,000 or more	45 points

Extension applications- Applications for leave to remain where the applicant has, or last had, leave as a Tier 1 (General) Migrant under the rules in place after 5 April 2010 and including the rules in place after 19 July 2010.

Earnings	Points available
£25,000-£29,999	5 points
£30,000-£34,999	15 points
£35,000-£39,999	20 points
£40,000-£49,999	25 points
£50,000-£54,999	30 points
£55,000-£64,999	35 points
£65,000-£74,999	40 points
£75,000-£149,999	45 points
£150,000 or more	80 points

4. UK Experience

Applicants can also claim 5 points for UK Experience. To do so, however, the applicant should be able to claim points for Previous Earnings and have 16,000 GBP or GBP 25,000 of those earnings made in the UK during that period.

5. English Language

Applicants will need to demonstrate their proficiency in English through an English language test or documentary evidence of having completed their Bachelor's degree in English.

6. Maintenance Funds

Applicants in the United Kingdom seeking further leave to remain must have at least £800 (for the principal applicant) of personal savings which must have been held for at least three months prior to the date of application. Additional funds of GBP 533 per dependent should be shown, if the principal applicant has been in the UK for more than 12 months or GBP 1600 per dependent should be shown, if the principal has been in the UK for less than 12 months.

Fees

The application fee for applying for an extension of the Tier1 visa or switching from the HSMP

• Per applicant by post £ 850
• In person £ 1050 (including premium services)

If dependent's are making a separate application

• Per applicant by post £ 500
• per applicant applied in person £ 800

For those signing up for our Full Service, details of all fees / forms & processes are provided along with step by step consulting & documentation services.

Evaluation

Before Global Gateways accepts your case for processing, we must be certain that you earn enough points and are able to provide documentary evidence to make a successful application. Before you apply for it, you must be certain you actually qualify.
Our Processing Team does a detailed review of your profile & assesses your education, your institution, & personal finances to determine if you are eligible apply for the visa. If you score the necessary points your application is accepted for Full Service & Processing. Read more about Global Gateways Technical Evaluation.