Tier 2 Visa extension – Confusing inputs from Home Office

[ukgendep]

Hello All,

I intend to apply for Tier 2 visa extension. I shall be employed on the same role with the same company.

My visa runs out on 31st January, 2017.

I have called home office couple of times to confirm when I can apply for my visa extension and unfortunately every time I have got different answers.

For now, I have below things confirmed (I think),
• No RLMT required because I shall be on the same role with the same company
• Employer should assign me an Unrestricted Certificate of Sponsorship
• Minimum salary matched to Salary mentioned in https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... l_2015.pdf for my SOC code

Things I need clarification on are,
• What should be the ‘Work start date’ on my Unrestricted CoS?
• And accordingly when should I be applying for my extension Visa?

The confusing inputs (from different calls) I have got from the Home office are as below,
• You can only apply 28 days before your visa expires. If you apply before that you might get rejected
• You can apply only 90 days before your visa expires. If you apply before that your visa might get rejected
• You can apply only 90 days before your Work start date on your CoS

Request all board members to help me on this.

[ShrutiBlue]

The points you have confirmed are correct. Just make sure your salary is at the "experienced rate".

You can put any work start date, as long as its within 3 months of the issue date of your CoS.

You can also apply any time, doesn't have to be 28 days or 3 months before the expiry of your visa. Several people here have applied more than 6 months in advance. Just make sure that its within 3 months of your CoS issue date (before your Start Date).

[ukgendep]

Thank you ShrutiBlue.

The points you have confirmed are correct. Just make sure your salary is at the "experienced rate".

Yes, it is experienced rate.

Just make sure that its within 3 months of your CoS issue date (before your Start Date).

So I can ask my employer to issue an unrestricted CoS today with a Work start date of 15th December 2016 and then I can apply for the extension Visa anytime from today but before 15th December, 2016 ?

[ShrutiBlue]

That's right.