Early Extension - Tier 1 (General)

[PK001]

Hi friends,

Just want to share you my experience regarding Tier-1 (General) extension which I successfully received this week.

I entered in UK on work permit in Sep 2006 and then changed my visa to Tier-1 (General) in 2008. My Tier-1 visa was valid till July 2011 while I was short of 2 months to complete my 5 years. Now I have to apply visa for my new born baby and I intended to apply early extension instead of making my baby’s application.

I sent my documents on Sep 11, 2010 and got my passports back on Sep 28, 2010. My new visa date is starting from the date when the decision is made instead the date when my previous visa was expiring (I am okay with this as I require only 2 months extension).

I submitted following documents to support my application:


1. Passports
2. Bank statements – current account (original) to show salary transfer.
3. Bank statements – saving account (original) to show maintenance fund.
4. Salary slips (original)
5. P60 (year 2009 / 10) (original)
6. Marriage certificate to support my wife’s application.
7. Birth certificate dependant (original)
8. Home office letter received for my previous Tier-1 application
9. Pre-paid self addressed envelope.

I did not provide the following documents and briefly discussed in the cover letter.

• Degree Certificate – I provided my certificates during my initial application and only refer previous application number.
• UK Naric Letter (same reason as above)
• IELTS test result for English language requirement (same reason as above).

Hope this will help who intending to apply for (early) extension.

Good Luck!

[letmec2006]

congrats on your visa.

it is getting bad I think, since they dont consider even 2 months early extension. There are genuine reasons why folks may apply 2 months early like, bank statements, being on the safer side and so on...not particularly using the "loophole"

[mtuckersa]

PK001

The reference number that you refer to on your previous application. Which number is that? Is it the reference number on the form from the Home Office , ie the form HSMP approval letter?

Congrats, and again for other forum members there are now several posts now that confirm that if you apply early you will get your visa extended from the DATE they APPROVE your visa NOT your visa expiry date.

Its just one way for them to cut down on the number of visas they have to issue as I think some people would have less points for age if they had to wait till 28 days before visa expires. In addition I think they realised they can make more money out of this as people will be short of the 5 year ILR criteria and would need to fork out another £800 or so but any dependent fees as well. Who knows they probably read all the immigration forums themselves to close all the loop holes.

[mtuckersa]

Just gone through a couple of the latest postings for extensions and it seems pretty standard now that your START DATE for your extension is approximately 14-16 DAYS AFTER you posted you application.

So to make sure you get 5 years ILR,

Take the date your posted your application for extension and add 2 years and 2 weeks (3 years and 2 weeks if you got initial 2 year visa) and get a final date.

Subtract this final date from your first Tier 1 visa start date(stamped in your passport, not the HSMP letter) and check if you got more than 4 years and 337 days(1797 days) for ILR. If you have less than this, you gonna have to do another extension.

By the way the 1797 days is 5 years - 28 days(which they allow as leeway)

[mtuckersa]

A good way to determine how early you can apply is to use what I have mentioned in the post above but do it in EXCEL

In excel

- Put the start date of your Tier 1 visa(STAMPED in your passport when you entered UK, 3 year visa) eg. 15/11/2007
- On next line, put the date you posted your extension application, eg. today 03/10/2010
- Next line say '=date above +744', this is your expiry date of extension visa(2 years visa)
- Then in the column next to these 3 dates say '=' those 3 dates so you have a duplicate column, then format this column as a 'number'
- Then take last number and subtract first number
- If this is less than 1797 you will need extension

This example gives you exactly 1797 days, so you can change the date in the middle(your extension application date) until you get 1797.

[PK001]

PK001

The reference number that you refer to on your previous application. Which number is that? Is it the reference number on the form from the Home Office , ie the form HSMP approval letter?

Once you submit your application, you will get acknowledgement letter from HO where your case number/ reference number is mentioned. For your initial application, you already have that number.

[mtuckersa]

I went through Workpermit.com on my first application, dont remember an acknowledgement letter, think workpermit.com may have that. Would it be the same reference number as the one on the HSMP approval letter? Its a 6 digit reference number

[Avi693]

Hi friends,

Just want to share you my experience regarding Tier-1 (General) extension which I successfully received this week.

I entered in UK on work permit in Sep 2006 and then changed my visa to Tier-1 (General) in 2008. My Tier-1 visa was valid till July 2011 while I was short of 2 months to complete my 5 years. Now I have to apply visa for my new born baby and I intended to apply early extension instead of making my baby’s application.

I sent my documents on Sep 11, 2010 and got my passports back on Sep 28, 2010. My new visa date is starting from the date when the decision is made instead the date when my previous visa was expiring (I am okay with this as I require only 2 months extension).

I submitted following documents to support my application:


1. Passports
2. Bank statements – current account (original) to show salary transfer.
3. Bank statements – saving account (original) to show maintenance fund.
4. Salary slips (original)
5. P60 (year 2009 / 10) (original)
6. Marriage certificate to support my wife’s application.
7. Birth certificate dependant (original)
8. Home office letter received for my previous Tier-1 application
9. Pre-paid self addressed envelope.

I did not provide the following documents and briefly discussed in the cover letter.

• Degree Certificate – I provided my certificates during my initial application and only refer previous application number.
• UK Naric Letter (same reason as above)
• IELTS test result for English language requirement (same reason as above).

Hope this will help who intending to apply for (early) extension.

Good Luck!

Hi

I have all the documents you mentioned above for the extension apart from number 8 which is "Home office letter received for my previous Tier-1 application" as me and my friend we applied together for Tier 1 and we both got the visa. He got the above letter stating granting of visa and about point system but I havent got that.
Is this letter is mandatory for extension ?
Please guide.

[punjabimunda80]

Hello PK001,

Congratulations for visa extension..

I am also planning to apply for early extension, can you please share your extension COVER LETTER on my email id - tirlok79@yahoo.com

Thanks in advance.

Tirlok Rajora

Hi friends,

Just want to share you my experience regarding Tier-1 (General) extension which I successfully received this week.

I entered in UK on work permit in Sep 2006 and then changed my visa to Tier-1 (General) in 2008. My Tier-1 visa was valid till July 2011 while I was short of 2 months to complete my 5 years. Now I have to apply visa for my new born baby and I intended to apply early extension instead of making my baby’s application.

I sent my documents on Sep 11, 2010 and got my passports back on Sep 28, 2010. My new visa date is starting from the date when the decision is made instead the date when my previous visa was expiring (I am okay with this as I require only 2 months extension).

I submitted following documents to support my application:


1. Passports
2. Bank statements – current account (original) to show salary transfer.
3. Bank statements – saving account (original) to show maintenance fund.
4. Salary slips (original)
5. P60 (year 2009 / 10) (original)
6. Marriage certificate to support my wife’s application.
7. Birth certificate dependant (original)
8. Home office letter received for my previous Tier-1 application
9. Pre-paid self addressed envelope.

I did not provide the following documents and briefly discussed in the cover letter.

• Degree Certificate – I provided my certificates during my initial application and only refer previous application number.
• UK Naric Letter (same reason as above)
• IELTS test result for English language requirement (same reason as above).

Hope this will help who intending to apply for (early) extension.

Good Luck!

[Deepak M]

Hi,

Please advice, If I can apply for visa early. My Tier 1 visa is expiring on 10th April 2011. Is there any way if I can apply early.

Thanks

[T1_Mainframe]

Yes you can.

[geriatrix]

Hi,

Please advice, If I can apply for visa early. My Tier 1 visa is expiring on 10th April 2011. Is there any way if I can apply early.

Thanks

See also Early Extensions: Tightening the noose


regards