# Work Visa Renewal/Extension - Inter-company Transfer



## nexuss02 (Jan 10, 2011)

Hello, I have a 5 year inter-company transfer work visa which will expire in January 2012. Will I be able to extend my work visa? If so, for how many years will I be able to extend my work visa? Will the new immigration regulations effect me as I am an in-country application who is already in the UK.

Any advise or feedback would be appreciated.

Thank you.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

nexuss02 said:


> Hello, I have a 5 year inter-company transfer work visa which will expire in January 2012. Will I be able to extend my work visa? If so, for how many years will I be able to extend my work visa? Will the new immigration regulations effect me as I am an in-country application who is already in the UK.
> 
> Any advise or feedback would be appreciated.


After working in UK for five years, you are eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain, after which you will be able to take any job you like and live in UK permanently. And after a further year you can apply for naturalisation as British citizen, or straightaway if you are married to or are in civil partnership with a Brit.
Have you lived in UK (other than holidays and short busines trips abroad) for most of your time?


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## nexuss02 (Jan 10, 2011)

Joppa, thanks for your feedback. Yes, I have lived in the UK most of the 4 years only leaving the UK for vacation and business trips.

If I do decide the apply for indefinite leave to remain, wouldn't I still need to extend my work visa to bridge the gap between the time my work visa expires (at 5 years) to the time my indefinite leave to remain is approved (after 5 years)?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

nexuss02 said:


> Joppa, thanks for your feedback. Yes, I have lived in the UK most of the 4 years only leaving the UK for vacation and business trips.
> 
> If I do decide the apply for indefinite leave to remain, wouldn't I still need to extend my work visa to bridge the gap between the time my work visa expires (at 5 years) to the time my indefinite leave to remain is approved (after 5 years)?


Provided you apply before your work visa expires, you can stay on until your ILR is approved. The earliest you can apply is four weeks before expiry. I'd be inclined to pay for same-day premium service so that your application is processed ahead of others.
You will need a letter from your employer stating that you are still needed, or a new certificatye of sponsorship.
The only circumstance when you have to extend your work visa first is if you won't have lived in UK for the full five years as you have arrived in UK weeks after the starting date of your visa. So check your first date of arrival carefully.
Remember you have to take and pass Life in the UK test, and I'd do it now - just go to Life in the UK Test website. When you pass, you are given a pass notification letter from the test supervisor, which you should enclose with your ILR application.
See http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/tier2/ict/settlement/


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## ccabb (Feb 13, 2012)

Joppa said:


> Provided you apply before your work visa expires, you can stay on until your ILR is approved. The earliest you can apply is four weeks before expiry. I'd be inclined to pay for same-day premium service so that your application is processed ahead of others.
> You will need a letter from your employer stating that you are still needed, or a new certificatye of sponsorship.
> The only circumstance when you have to extend your work visa first is if you won't have lived in UK for the full five years as you have arrived in UK weeks after the starting date of your visa. So check your first date of arrival carefully.


Joppa - just to clarify, my work permit runs out on 7th August 2012, but I entered the UK 1 week after the visa was granted, so I will complete 5 years only on 14th August 2012. Does this mean I can apply in mid July 2012 (roughly 28 days before my 5 years is complete) without applying for an extension?


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