UK Expansion Worker Visa
What is UK Expansion Worker Visa?
The UK Expansion Worker Visa is designed for individuals who are being assigned to the UK as part of a business expansion. It allows companies to send key employees to the UK to set up a branch or subsidiary of an overseas business that has not yet started trading in the UK.
Benefits of the UK Expansion Worker Visa
To be eligible for a UK Expansion Worker visa you want to:
- You must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from a licensed sponsor in the UK.
- You should have been employed by the overseas business for a certain period.
- Your role must be at an appropriate skill level, and you must be paid a minimum salary.
- Demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the English language.
- Provide evidence that you can support yourself and your dependents financially during your stay in the UK.
How long you can stay in the UK?
With a UK Expansion Worker Visa, you can stay in the United Kingdom for the following durations:
- Initial Stay: 365 days after the start date of the job as indicated on your Certificate of Sponsorship.
- Extended Stay: The duration specified on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus an additional 14 days.
- Maximum Duration: You can extend your visa within 12 months. The maximum duration you can stay in the UK on a UK Expansion Worker Visa is 2 years.
Restrictions on Stay:
- However, if you have previously spent time in the UK on this or another visa, you may not be able to stay on a UK Expansion Worker Visa for the full duration. You can stay in the UK for a maximum of 5 years in any 6-year period if you have held any of the following visas:
- Graduate Trainee Visa (Global Business Mobility)
- Secondment Worker Visa (Global Business Mobility)
- Senior or Specialist Worker Visa (Global Business Mobility)
- Service Supplier Visa (Global Business Mobility)
UK Expansion Worker Visa (Global Business Mobility)
How long does it take?
- You may apply for a visa up to 90 days before the day you are scheduled to begin work in the United Kingdom. This date is listed on your Certificate of Sponsorship.
- As part of your application, you will need to prove your identity and provide your official documents.
- You may need to allow extra time if you require an appointment to complete these steps. You will find out if you need an appointment when you start your application.
Visa Decision Timeline
After you have applied online, proven your identity, and furnished your documents, you will typically receive a decision on your visa within:
- Three weeks if you are outside the United Kingdom.
- Eight weeks if you are within the United Kingdom.
Expedited Processing
If you need to attend an appointment, you may be able to pay for a faster decision. The process for this depends on whether you are outside or inside the United Kingdom. Regardless of your location, after proving your identity and submitting your documents, you will generally receive a decision on your visa within:
- Three weeks if you are outside the UK.
- Two months if you are inside the UK
Fast Track Your Appointments
What you can and cannot do?
With a UK Expansion Worker visa, you are permitted to:
- Work for Your Sponsor: You can work for your sponsor in the job described in your Certificate of Sponsorship.
- Study: You are allowed to undertake studies while in the UK.
- Bring Your Dependents: You can bring your partner and children with you to the UK as your dependents, provided they meet the eligibility requirements.
- Do Voluntary Work: You are permitted to engage in voluntary work.
- Travel Abroad and Return to the UK: You can travel overseas and return to the UK during the validity period of your visa.
There are certain restrictions with a UK Expansion Worker visa. You cannot:
- Apply for Public Funds: You are not eligible to apply for most benefits or the State Pension.
- Change Jobs: You cannot change jobs unless you update your visa to reflect the new employment and meet the eligibility requirements.
- Have a Second Job: You are not permitted to take on a second job.
- Apply for Settlement: This visa does not lead directly to settlement or Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK
How Can Chisty Law Chambers Help You?
- With a powerful team of dedicated professionals and trained counselors, we are capable to meet the benchmarks set by the organisations while ensuring the provision of the best services.
- The highly committed and diligent immigration advisory team efficiently performs the whole corporate drafting and business plan development after having a detailed assessment of the client’s circumstances.
- We provide complete guidelines regarding the whole documentation requirement in addition to other criteria required for the successful grant of a UK Sole Representative of an Overseas Business Visa.
- We prepare our client’s cases in a fully customised manner depending on the individual situation of the clients and truly facilitate our clients by giving the best possible solutions for any sort of problem in the quickest way.
- Our skillful immigration lawyers provide ultimate consultation to our clients from the beginning of application till completion meanwhile keeping them updated with their application processing.
- We duly complete the submission of our client’s application and keep communicating with the immigration authorities until the successful results are accomplished.