Passport Expires in May09 & applying Tier1 visa in Aug08

[maybe]

Hi,

I am in UK, presently on a work permit sponsored by my company.

My passport is expiring in May 2009. I am planning to apply for Tier1 (General) visa in 1st week of August 08. Would that be an issue?

Is there any minimum duration (specified anywhere) for which the passport should be valid, before applying for Tier 1 Visa.

Thanks,

[geriatrix]

It won't be an issue.

regards

[CoolestGuyC]

It won't be an issue.

regards

Is it? I had the idea that you needed a Passport valid atleast for six months. Or is the above thing valid for applying from India only?

I found this on VFS website for India

provide a passport (or other travel documents where specified by UKVisas)
- for all applicants travelling to the UK
- which correspond to data in the VAF (name, passport number, expiry date)
- which have not expired
- which have at least one page free in the visa pages for the insertion of a vignette

Couldn't find a similar thing for applying for FLR from within UK

[geriatrix]

In this particular case, by OPs own admission his passport is expiring in May '09 and he plans to file the Tier 1 application in August '08 - that means passport is valid for approx 8-9 months at the time of application - so the 6 month passport validity condition (if there is one) doesn't come into play.

AFAIK the requirement that the passport must be valid for at least 6 months is usually applicable when applying for the standard short-term visas e.g. - 6 month visitor/business visa (to ensure that the passport doesn't expire while the traveller is in a foreign country, 'coz being a visitor he will not be able to renew his passport in that country under normal circumstances). This is my personal understanding.

In context of Tier 1, I have not been able to find any instruction / condition from UKBA that the applicant's passport must be valid for at least 6 months at the time of initial application or extension. Or is it that I haven't looked properly?

regards