Can I send my EC application while I am in UK ?

[TonyT]

I am currently working in UK on a Holidaymaker visa and I wish to apply for the Tier 1 (General) Visa in a few months. From my understanding, I have to do my application from my home country (Canada) and it’s done in 3 steps:

1. Tier 1 (General) Online Application and payment.
2. Appointment at a WorldBridge Visa Application Centre to have my fingerscans and digital photographs taken.
3. Entry Clearance Application.

Once my fingerscans and digital photographs have been taken, can I come back in UK under my holidaymaker visa and send my Entry Clearance application (with all documents required + passport) from UK ?

I know that I’ll have to go out of the country again to get my passport stamp by the Border Agency when I will receive my Entry Clearance, but at least I could continue working almost normally during that time.

Please, can you advise me if this is a safe option to obtain my Tier 1 Visa without leaving UK for too long ? Thank you !

[vinny]

Safe option is to be in the same country as your passport.

[geriatrix]

There is no concept of (separate) EC application in Tier 1. You will have to send your passport along with the other Tier 1 documentation when you aply for Tier 1.

Assuming you hold a Canadian passport, unless your govt. can issue a temporary / emergency travel document to you while your passport is with the BHC office in Canaa, you will not be able to return to UK while your Tier 1 application is being processed.

regards

[TonyT]

Thanks sushdmehta,

I now understand that the visa application and the entry clearance are process at the same time after I enrolled for biometrics at a Visa Application Center. From the Canadian section of the Visa Info Services web site they mentioned that I am responsible to for mailing my application and document (with passport) to the BHC within 2 weeks after I enrolled for biometrics.
https://www.visainfoservices.com/Pages/ ... viceVACs[i]
“When you attend your appointment at the VAC, staff will check to make sure that you have completed and paid for your online application accurately and that you have the required documents.
The Application Centre staff will then enroll your fingerscan biometric data using an electronic scanner and take a digital photograph. These will be sent by encrypted link to the UK for comparison to immigration and other databases.
When your appointment is complete you are responsible for mailing your completed application and documents to the British High Commission for processing.
Please note that the application must reach the High Commission within 2 weeks after your appointment at the VAC.
You should not mail your application and documents to the High Commission until you have enrolled biometrics at a VAC.â€