Tier 2 (General) Biometrics Residence Permit

[UKBA's got me down]

Hi all,

After going through quite a nasty ordeal, I've finally received my Tier 2 (general) visa and biometrics residence permit (just yesterday in fact). To my dismay, I found that on the BRP the 'Valid Until' date is April 19th of this year.

As far as I know the Tier2 General visa is good for up to 3 years. I assume the April 19th date is referring to the fact that the unrestricted certificate of sponsorship which my company issued to me expires on April 5th and they need to reallocate a new one at that point, with a 2 week grace period (hence April 19th). I'm confused, however, about what I need to do come April, since my BRP will no longer be valid. Do I need to resubmit some kind of extension application at that point? I can't imagine I'd have to submit my passport and go through the hole biometrics thing at the Post Office again a couple months after having done it. I feel like I must be missing something here, and I can't find the answer anywhere on the UKBA website. Can anyone clear this up for me?

Thanks in advance for your response,

[UKBA's got me down]

OK so actually it would appear I need to apply for an 'extension of leave' using the T2(W) form and go through the whole biometrics ordeal again. Only comfort being that at least there is no application fee. Is this correct?

[jibri]

your expiry date of Visa should be the end date on your COS plus 14 days
it has nothing to do with COS expiry date.

I would advice you to check what end date you cos had and contact UKBA I believe its printing mistake you don't have to submit the extension application for that

[UKBA's got me down]

Sorry but I'm confused by your response, you say it's determined by the end date of the CoS but also that it has nothing to do with the CoS expiry date, isn't that the same thing?

My current CoS expires on April 5th, so my biometrics permit is valid until April 19th (2 weeks later). I will contact UKBA to confirm this in any case.

[jibri]

expiry of COS means every year unused COS expired on 5 April and end date on COS can be three years so I think better to contact UKBA

[UKBA's got me down]

I think I found the answer on the UKBA website:

You can remain in the UK for a maximum of 3 years plus 14 days, or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter if you were already in the UK and you previously held leave granted under the Rules in place before 6 April 2011, as a:

Tier 2 (General) migrant;
Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) migrant;
Tier 2 (Sportsperson) migrant;
Jewish agency employee;
member of the Operational Ground Staff of an Overseas-owned Airline;(6) a Minister of Religion, Missionary or Member of a Religious Order;
qualifying work permit holder; or
representative of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation.

It's poorly written sentence in my opinion but I would interpret the IF as the key word there, meaning whichever is shorter ONLY IF transferring from one of the below categories. As I transferred from Tier 1 PSW, I believe that entitles me to the 3 year maximum, and therefore they have assigned me the shorter duration by mistake.

I sent an email on Friday afternoon to the special error reporting email address that was given with my BRP, so I hope to get a response at some point today.

Can anyone back up my theory here?

[UKBA's got me down]

Update: Got a reply to my email, UKBA is claiming the expiry date is correct according to their records. They've given me the contact details of my caseworker and advised to get in touch with him if I still believe there is a problem.

[UKBA's got me down]

Has anyone else on this forum transferred from Tier 1 Post-study Work to Tier 2 (General), and can confirm that the visa expiry date should be 3 years + 14 days after the date of issue? If someone could confirm this it would really give me the peace of mind to know I'm not going to have to apply for another visa next month.

[jibri]

Has anyone else on this forum transferred from Tier 1 Post-study Work to Tier 2 (General), and can confirm that the visa expiry date should be 3 years + 14 days after the date of issue? If someone could confirm this it would really give me the peace of mind to know I'm not going to have to apply for another visa next month.

I have just received my BRP yesterday and I switched from PSW my Visa expiry date is 3 years plus 14 days

[chin1605]

Hello,

I picked up my BRP last Saturday after having received my documents and Approval letter on Monday 11 March – after close to 5 months wait!!!

I also switched from PSW to T2(G). Although the Date of Issue on the BRP was 04 March, the 3 years plus 14 day validity was calculated from the End Date of my previous visa.

My advise is that you reiterate to the CW that you ARE SWITCHING from PSW to T2(G) and that you had not been granted visa before in the T2(G) category.

I hope this helps.

[UKBA's got me down]

Thanks for your replies guys, very reassuring. I wrote to my caseworker now to have a look and I specified about how I was switching from PSW, and that I believe the visa should be for 3 years + 14 days. I imagine everything will be sorted out in the end.

[godistrue]

Hello,

I picked up my BRP last Saturday after having received my documents and Approval letter on Monday 11 March – after close to 5 months wait!!!

I also switched from PSW to T2(G). Although the Date of Issue on the BRP was 04 March, the 3 years plus 14 day validity was calculated from the End Date of my previous visa.

My advise is that you reiterate to the CW that you ARE SWITCHING from PSW to T2(G) and that you had not been granted visa before in the T2(G) category.

I hope this helps.

Hi. My company got license last week. they are waiting for the username. If my company assigns me unrestricted COS in next week, will it expire before april. I am on PSW visa and visa valid till August 2013. So shall i ask my boss to allocate COS now or shall i wait until april as the COS will be allocated from april 2013 to april 2014. any help pls