Priority Visa and CoS questions!

[taddypole31]

Hello! I am in the process of switching my Tier 4 Student Visa to a Tier 2 General visa this month. I generally have a good idea of what needs to be done, but I have a few questions that I am hoping someone could answer for me.

1. I am currently working for the employer under the Tier 4 rules (20 hours per week during term time and full time when term is over), so when my employer applied for my CoS, he did not know what to put as the "start date". He arbitrarily put 1 November as the start date. My question is: If I apply for my Tier 2 visa on 2 November, will the UKVI not be happy about that because it is after my start date or does it not matter? I want to apply ASAP, but I am waiting on a document to come through for my supporting docs.

2. I am planning on applying for priority service. I know that I need to request to be included via email, but I am unsure about where the biometrics comes into play. Is this the process?
-Request inclusion
-Get tier 2 visa link to application via email
-Apply online and pay for application and NHS surcharge
-Send application via postage
-Receive biometrics letter asking me to take my biometrics AFTER the UKVI has received my application through the mail???
-Get letter of acceptance or rejection

I suppose my real question here is whether or not that timeline of events is true, and whether or not the "ten working days" for a decision begins after they receive my biometrics or after they receive my application, regardless of biometrics? Also, how do they receive my biometrics? Do I need to mail a letter that shows I have done my biometrics or is it automatically sent?

3. Can I take my biometrics at any old post office in the UK?

Sorry for the long post!

[Djsuccess]

Hello! I am in the process of switching my Tier 4 Student Visa to a Tier 2 General visa this month. I generally have a good idea of what needs to be done, but I have a few questions that I am hoping someone could answer for me.

1. I am currently working for the employer under the Tier 4 rules (20 hours per week during term time and full time when term is over), so when my employer applied for my CoS, he did not know what to put as the "start date". He arbitrarily put 1 November as the start date. My question is: If I apply for my Tier 2 visa on 2 November, will the UKVI not be happy about that because it is after my start date or does it not matter? I want to apply ASAP, but I am waiting on a document to come through for my supporting docs.

2. I am planning on applying for priority service. I know that I need to request to be included via email, but I am unsure about where the biometrics comes into play. Is this the process?
-Request inclusion
-Get tier 2 visa link to application via email
-Apply online and pay for application and NHS surcharge
-Send application via postage
-Receive biometrics letter asking me to take my biometrics AFTER the UKVI has received my application through the mail???
-Get letter of acceptance or rejection

I suppose my real question here is whether or not that timeline of events is true, and whether or not the "ten working days" for a decision begins after they receive my biometrics or after they receive my application, regardless of biometrics? Also, how do they receive my biometrics? Do I need to mail a letter that shows I have done my biometrics or is it automatically sent?

3. Can I take my biometrics at any old post office in the UK?

Sorry for the long post!

1 "The start date cannot be in the past. If the migrant is already working for you and you are assigning the CoS so that they can apply to extend their stay, you should enter a start date no later than the day after the last day of leave given on their current visa". according to this https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... s-guide-8a

My take on this is NO. You can not apply on NOv 2 if your start date is Nov 1.

2. The priority service only guarantees that your get a decision in 10 days your BRP might arrive much latter.

3. Not all post office have biometrics facility. You can search for post offices that offer biometrics service arround you. You dont have to do anything after your biometrics data have been captured in the post office as the data is transfered to UKVI automatically

[iworker]

start date on cos has nothing to do with you working there.. it is not the start date of employment.
They are asking for start date of sponsoring.
They can put a date 3 months in future. Best to put 1 dec if you are applying in Nov

[taddypole31]

Thanks guys. I plan on applying on 26 October, but I am waiting for a document to come through.

If I apply on October 31st, it technically is before the "start date" of 1 Nov on my CoS...Would that be alright?

Theres nothing I can do about the start date on my CoS now unfortunately. It has been assigned for 1 November.

[taddypole31]

Someone please help?

[ShrutiBlue]

The general rule with start date is that it has to fall within 3 months of the date of issue of your CoS, and you have to apply for the visa within those 3 months as well. So if you apply on the 31st you should be okay, but maybe you should apply earlier if possible.