How many days am I allowed to stay outside of the UK to apply for ILR?

In order to meet the continuous residency requirement, applicants under the Skilled Worker visa category (leave granted before 11 January 2018) should not be outside the UK for more than 180 whole days in any of the five consecutive 12-month periods, preceding the date of the application for indefinite leave to remain (ILR).

For absences from the UK during the period of leave granted on or after 11 January, 2018 are considered on a rolling basis, instead of in fixed blocks. Applicants under the Skilled Worker visa category should not be outside the UK for more than 180 whole days in any consecutive 12-month period.

Settlement visa or Indefinite Leave to Remain visa?

Applicants under the Skilled worker visa category must have spent a continuous period of 5 years in the UK and the five-year continuous period must consist of time with permission on any of, or any combination of, the following routes: An applicant will still be required to be employed by the sponsor for the 'foreseeable future' to be granted ILR. In addition, the minimum income threshold for indefinite leave to remain has been reduced from its current level of £35,800. There is instead a general provision that an applicant must be earning at least £25,600, and the going rate for the job, when they come to apply for ILR. If they are working in a shortage occupation, they will need to be paid above £20,480 and the going rate for the job.

Rights of Dependents?

Dependants of a Skilled Worker visa applicant (including children under 18 years of age) or (husband, wife, civil partner, unmarried partner or same-sex partner) will be eligible to live and stay in the UK with the main applicant. They can live and work in the UK without any restrictions. Dependants of a Skilled Worker visa applicant will be granted leave in line with the expiry date of the PBS migrant's (or main applicant's) leave. Dependants of a Skilled Worker visa applicant will have the following conditions attached to their leave:

• No recourse to public funds;
• Registration with the police, if applicable;
• No Employment as a Doctor or Dentist in Training, unless:
• They have obtained a primary degree in medicine or dentistry from a recognised UK
• They do not have any condition restricting such employment.

Conditions of stay?

Applicants under the Tier 2 (General) visa will have the following conditions attached to their leave: No recourse to public funds Registration with the police, if applicable You must not own more than 10% of your sponsor’s shares, if the sponsor is a limited company, unless you are applying under Tier 2 (Intra-Company Transfer) The applicant cannot take employment, except: Working for the sponsor in the job recorded on your Certificate of Sponsorship; and supplementary employment; and voluntary work The applicant can study, provided this does not interfere with the job they have been sponsored to do.

Digital Status?

EEA nationals making an application under the Skilled worker visa using the UK Immigration: ID Check app will be given digital status if their application is successful.

EEA applicants as a part of the Skilled worker visa application process can use the UK Immigration: ID Check app to complete the identity stage of their visa application. Using the app, they should confirm their identity, verify their documents and take a picture.

Biometric Requirement?

Non-EEA nationals applying under Skilled worker visa have to apply for a biometric residence permit.

The biometric residence permit is a residence permit which holds a migrant's biographic details (name, date and place of birth) and biometric information (facial image and fingerprints), and shows their immigration status and entitlements while they remain in the UK. This also means that a UK visa will no longer be stamped in the applicant's passport and all applicants will be issued one of the new Biometric visa cards instead. These cards look very similar to a (pink) UK driving license, except they have a microchip in the back.

Once the application for Skilled worker visa is submitted online, applicants are required to attend their biometric appointment at one of the Visa Application Centers to provide their fingerprints, photo and signature.

Successful offshore applicants will receive a 30-day' vignette sticker' in their passport instead of a vignette with the full grant of leave. This 30-day visa will be the date they indicated as their intended travel date in their visa application. Applicants under Skilled worker visa will be required to collect their BRP from the Post Office branch detailed in their decision letter within ten days of arrival in the UK. The Post Office branch is linked to the postcode that they submitted in their visa application. The BRP card can then be used as proof of right to work, study and access public services in the UK.

What is my immigration status while my application is pending?

If Skilled Worker visa applicant submits their application before their authorised stay ends, their existing immigration status will continue until their application is decided, even if the decision is not made until after the end of their permitted stay. An applicant under Skilled Worker visa can continue to work until their case is decided if the conditions of their existing leave allow them to do so.

Processing Times?

In line with the Home Office service standards for processing UK visa applications for Skilled Worker visa, they decide within 3 weeks if applying from outside UK and within 8 weeks, if applying within UK.

Applicants applying for Skilled Worker visa using the Super Priority Service in the UK; the application is normally decided on 24 hours.

Government Fees?

Immigration Health Surcharge?

The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) was introduced by the Home Office on 6 April 2015. People coming to the UK for more than six months have to pay this health surcharge as a part of their immigration application towards the National Health Service (healthcare in the UK). Offshore applicants will have to pay the health surcharge if they are applying for a visa for a period of longer than six months, and onshore applicant will have to pay the health charge for any length of visa.

Applicants will have to pay £470 per year as a student, or as a Youth Mobility Scheme or applicant who is under 18 years. For all other visa and immigration applications, they have to pay 624 per year. Dependants will usually need to pay the same amount as the main applicant. The exact amount they have to pay depends on how much leave they are granted. They can calculate how much they will have to pay before you apply. If the period of grant applied for is less than 6 months, then half of the yearly amount to be paid and if the period of grant applied for is more than 6 months, then whole year amount is to be paid.

Visa application will not be granted if applicants do not pay the healthcare surcharge or application will be delayed if the right amount is not paid.

Following persons are exempted from paying the IHS:

• Diplomats or a members of a visiting armed forces and not subject to immigration control