Extension of Stay - How many times can you extend?

[Nona]

If one has a Tier 1 (Gen) visa, how many times can one extend the stay? In order to apply for ILR, you need to have lived in UK for 5 years. Validity of Tier 1 initial visa is 3 years, then you can extend for 2 years.

After the first extension, can you apply for the 2nd extension again? And for the 3rd extension and so on and so forth?

If one can only apply for extension once, then the applicant has to ensure that the entry is within 28 days of visa start date, right?

Nona

[cheshiregoan]

If one has a Tier 1 (Gen) visa, how many times can one extend the stay? In order to apply for ILR, you need to have lived in UK for 5 years. Validity of Tier 1 initial visa is 3 years, then you can extend for 2 years.

After the first extension, can you apply for the 2nd extension again? And for the 3rd extension and so on and so forth?

If one can only apply for extension once, then the applicant has to ensure that the entry is within 28 days of visa start date, right?

Nona

You can apply for extension till you are eligible to get the ILR.

You are eligible to apply for ILR 5 years after first entry into the UK on HSMP/Tier 1 General.

[Nona]

You can apply for extension till you are eligible to get the ILR.

You are eligible to apply for ILR 5 years after first entry into the UK on HSMP/Tier 1 General.

Thanks. That's interesting. Do you know if this multiple extension is listed anywhere in the Policy Guidance doc or any place on UKBA website?

[fahadz1]

i also have same queries !!! if one is out of UK for more than 6 months in 5 years of HSMP how 2nd extension works ?
still now sure what is counter reset ?
how it works ?

[flytouknida]

What happens if I don't have a job for one year (in the period of 5 years), still am I eligible for ILR?

THanks
Nida

[fahadz1]

Nida, u have to be economically active when applying for ILR. it does not affect ILR if u r without a job for a year.

[Nona]

To interested readers on this topic,

Hope this is helpful to those having the same confusion that I did! Thanks also to Push_hsmp and others for providing their inputs on this.

Good luck to you,
Nona

Find below the correspondence dated early Oct'09 from Immigration Group of UK Border Agency quoted verbatim:-
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Please be advised there is no limit as to how many times you may extend your visa.
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Please be advised that you under the immigration rules you are able to apply for an extension for Tier 1 (General) at any time, however, we recommend that extension applicants should wait until 28 days before their leave expires, although it is not an absolute requirement. The grants of leave under the Tier 1 (General) is 3 years and 2 years.
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Please be advised that there is no minimum time for extending the Tier 1 Visa although we advise that this should be done 28 days before the expiry date. Any extension should be made before the expiry date of the visa. The grant of leave under Tier 1 is 3 years and then 2 years. If you wanted to extend the visa beyond this then you are able to make an application.
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