Questions on renewal

[atier2guy]

Dear community,

I have a couple questions pertaining to T2G visa renewal:

1- I've read here that the visa can be renewed at any time before expiry, not necessarily within the last 3 months of its validity.
If that is the case, can you please provide a link to an official gov.uk page that confirms that?
The reason I ask is because my employer is likely to need me to go on a couple business trips during these 3 months prior to visa expiry. They are weighing an early renewal but need to read it on an official website.

2- Not sure if this is relevant but my tax code for the year is below the full amount, due to an underpayment relating to an employment benefit. So basically HMRC is taking the amount I owe through the tax code.
Is that an issue at renewal? Should I call HMRC and pay the underpayment so that the tax code is back to 1000L?
The reason I ask is because I read elsewhere on this forum about Tier 1 self-employed members having issues due to tax underpayment.
But in this case, I'm tier 2 and hence only have one job with tax automatically paid every month via PAYE. It's just an underpayment of a benefit that is taken from the tax code for this year and next?

Thank you

[atier2guy]

Any feedback please?

[atier2guy]

Feedback appreciated please

[moonlight55]

1. Guidance does not list down all the possible scenarios when you can apply for extension. That would be meaningless. It states 2 general rule (a) Once a COS is assigned, you should apply for the visa within 3 months. (b) You cannot apply more than 3 months before the start date mentioned in the COS. If these 2 conditions are met, you should be fine.

2. Change in tax code should not matter. Its a genuine change as per HMRC guideline.

[aplinhar]

Hello moonlight55,

I've got this part from Tiers 2 and 5: guidance for sponsors

23.8Once you have assigned a CoS, it can be used by the migrant you have assigned it to,
to support their application at any time during the 3 month period from the date it was
assigned. During this period a migrant cannot be assigned another CoS by any other
sponsor. If the migrant does not use the CoS within this 3 month period to make an
application, it will expire and will show as ‘expired’ in your SMS account. Please note,
that a migrant cannot apply for Tier 2 or Tier 5 leave more than 3 months in advance of
the start date stated on their CoS.

That last part made me confuse: can the CoS be issued to a date in the future?

Example: the company generates the CoS today but with start date defined in the CoS around August. So, even before the CoS start date...I would have send my application.

[moonlight55]

It says "......3 months in advance....". So, Aug start in COS is fine. It is within 3 months if you apply today.