Tier 5 Visa application

When to apply

A Tier 5 Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) once issued is valid for 3 months. A visa application must be submitted before the date of expiry on the CoS. After this date the CoS will no longer be valid and cannot be used.

A visa application must also not be submitted more than 3 months before the start date listed on the CoS.

Dependants can apply at the same time as the main applicant, though each dependant will need to submit a separate application. Dependants cannot apply before the main applicant: they must either submit their application at the same time as the main applicant, after the main applicant has submitted their application, or after the main applicant’s visa has been granted.

How to apply

Visa applications are submitted online. Applicants should ensure that they check the Tier 5 visa requirements before applying, as well as the Home Office guidance for submitting a UK visa application in their country of residence.

Step 1: apply online

The applicant will need to complete an online application form. Guidance and a link to the online application can be found on the Home Office Tier 5 'Apply' page.  

Any dependants must apply separately, and submit an individual application. Guidance and a link to the online application can be found on the Home Office Tier 5 'Family members' page.

The online application forms should be intuitive, and only ask for information relevant to the application being made. The Staff Immigration Team is happy to provide guidance on the completion of the application, and encourages applicants to email a downloaded PDF of the drafted application to be checked before submission. An application cannot be amended once the ‘Declaration’ section has been completed, so a draft PDF should be downloaded once the applicant reaches the ‘Document’ section.

Once they have carefully checked the details and submitted their application, the applicant will need to pay the visa application fee.

If their Certificate of Sponsorship is for more than 6 months, the applicant and their dependants will also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. This is a one-off payment that allows access to the National Health Service for the duration of the visa.

When the visa application, and immigration health surcharge fees have been paid, two PDF documents are generated: the completed application form and a supporting evidence checklist.

These two PDFs should be sent to the Staff Immigration Team for future reference, and to help the team provide assistance if any issue with the application arises after submission.

Step 2: book a biometrics appointment

Once they have submitted their application, the applicant should be automatically directed to book a biometrics appointment at a Visa Application Centre in their country of residence. At this appointment, the applicant will enrol their biometrics (photographs and fingerprints), and submit their documents.

EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland nationals holding a biometric passport can you the 'UK Immigration: ID Check' app rather than attending an appointment.

The exact process may differ depending on country, so applicants are encouraged to check the Home Office guidance on how to apply for a UK visa in their country of residence.

Costs and how long it takes

Costs

Applicants and each of their dependents will incur a visa application fee, immigration health surcharge fee, and any additional fees for priority services.

Visa application fees will be the same regardless of the duration of the Certificate of Sponsorship. For more information about the costs of the Tier 5 visa, please see our Tier 5 costs page. 

The Priority service is paid in addition to the visa application fee, and Priority service fees may vary according to country.

Applicants should note that many application fees, including the visa application fee and immigration health surcharge, are paid in US dollars, and they will be liable for any currency exchange fees.

How long it takes

A Standard Tier 5 visa application should be decided within 3 weeks of the application being submitted online and registering their biometric details. It may take longer to receive a decision if the applicant has had a prior visa refusal, or if the Home Office needs to request more information.

A Priority service visa application should be decided within 5 working days of the biometrics appointment.

Please note that the Home Office generally does not recommend that applicants with previous visa refusals use the Priority service.

What happens next

Once their Tier 5 application has been granted, the applicant should receive an Entry Clearance vignette (visa sticker) in their passport as well as a decision email.

The visa sticker will be valid for around 90 days, and will allow the applicant to enter the UK within that period.

The decision letter will confirm the full dates for which the Tier 5 visa has been granted and a UKVI account will need to be created to access the full digital immigration status, called an eVisa.

EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland

EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland nationals, who have a biometric passport and used the 'UK Immigration: ID Check' app will instead have a digital immigration status, and will not receive a vignette.

Important points to note

The Staff Immigration Team cannot guarantee the successful outcome of any Tier 5 visa application since this decision is made by the Home Office and not by the University.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that they provide the correct supporting documents when submitting their visa application. Should the applicant submit their visa application after their Certificate of Sponsorship has expired, or fail to supply the correct supporting documents, their application will be refused, and their CoS can no longer be used.

If this is the case, the University will need to issue another Certificate of Sponsorship.
 

Delayed start date

The Tier 5 Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) lists a start date when the Tier 5 sponsored researcher is going to start their visit. If there are any delays, the Tier 5 visa applicant must inform their host department or college at University of Oxford of this as soon as possible. SIT can only make amendments to a CoS before the visa application has been submitted to the Home Office. However, even if the visa application has already been submitted, any delays or changes should be communicated to the Staff Immigration Team.

Visa length

If the CoS is for a 2 year period, the applicant will be granted with a visa length of exactly 2 years, based on the arrival date entered on the visa application. Applicants should think carefully about the arrival date entered. Entering this significantly earlier than the CoS start date may mean the visit has to be cut short.

If the CoS is issued for less than 2 years, the applicant will be granted a visa that is for the period specified plus 14 days before and after.

Travelling to the UK as a Visitor

Applicants should note that, once they have submitted their Tier 5 visa application, or after their Tier 5 visa has been granted, they must not enter the UK as a Visitor (e.g. as a tourist). If they do, their Tier 5 visa will no longer be valid, and they will not be able to start their employment. Any travel plans should be communicated to the Staff Immigration Team.

Applicants with children

The Home Office has strict requirements for dependant children applicants (i.e. those under the age of 18). Please see the Home Office Guidance for dependant visas for more information.  

Who can apply for a Tier 5 visa from within the UK? 

1.Current Tier 5 visa holders 

An individual may apply to extend their Tier 5 visa in the UK for up to a maximum of 2 years if they stay with the same sponsor. 2 years is the maximum time that can be spent on a Tier 5 visa in the UK. 

This means a Tier 5 visa holder whose visa was initially valid for one year can apply for for another Tier 5 extension valid for another year. However, a Tier 5 visa holder whose visa was valid for 2 years, and who wishes to continue staying in the UK, must leave the UK and submit a Tier 5 visa application from overseas. 

2. Student (Tier 4) visa holders 

A student, student nurse, postgraduate doctor/dentist or student union sabbatical officer may apply for a Tier 5 visa from within the UK. They must have completed a UK bachelor’s or postgraduate degree during their last grant of leave in order to do this.

When to apply

The application for Tier 5 visa (permission to stay) in the UK must be submitted before the expiry of their current visa. In order to apply for a Tier 5 permission to stay, a Tier 5 Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) must be requested and issued by the Staff Immigration team.
 

A Tier 5 visa holder who wishes to extend their Tier 5 visa will need to provide their host department or college with an updated research project plan and updated funding confirmation letter. This will be included in a new Tier 5 CoS request and SIT will issue a new Tier 5 CoS once the necessary requirements have been met. 

Once it has been issued, a Tier 5 CoS is valid for 3 months, and an applicant must submit their application during this period. If an applicant does not submit their application during this 3 month period, the CoS will no longer be valid and cannot be used.

Dependants in the UK can apply at the same time, and they can be included in the same application form as the main applicant. If the dependants wish to apply at a different time, or they are outside the UK, they must apply using a different application form, and should only apply once the main applicant has submitted their own application or their application has been granted.

How to apply

Tier 5 permission to stay applications must be made from within the UK, and are submitted online on the UK Government website. Applicants should ensure that they check the Tier 5 visa requirements before applying, and inform their Department or College of any travel plans that may impact their visa application.

Step 1: apply online

The applicant will need to complete an online application form.

For extension applications guidance and a link to the online application can be found on the Home Office Tier 5 ‘Extend your visa’ page.

For switching applications (for example, a Tier 4 student switching to Tier 5), guidance and the online application form can be found on the Home Office Tier 5 ‘Switch to this visa’ page.

Dependants already in the UK can be included on the main applicant’s application. Dependants applying at a different time, or applying to join the main applicant in the UK, must apply separately, and submit an individual application. Guidance and a link to the online application can be found on the Home Office Tier 5 'Family members' page.

The online application forms should be intuitive, and only ask for information relevant to the application being made. The Staff Immigration Team is happy to provide guidance on the completion of the application, and encourages applicants to email a downloaded PDF of the drafted application to be checked before submission. An application cannot be amended once the ‘Declaration’ section has been completed, so a draft PDF should be downloaded once the applicant reaches the ‘Document’ section.

Once they have carefully checked the details and submitted their application, the applicant will need to pay the visa application fee.

When the visa application and immigration health surcharge fees have been paid, two PDF documents are generated: the completed application form and a supporting evidence checklist.

These two PDFs should be sent to the Staff Immigration Team for future reference, and to help the team provide assistance if any issue with the application arises after submission.

Step 2: upload documents and book a biometrics appointment

Applicants will either;

• provide their biometric details by being using the 'UK Immigration: ID Check' app, or
• be automatically directed to set up an account with a UK Visas and Citizenship Application Services Centre (UKVCAS). At their appointment, the applicant will enrol their biometrics (photographs and fingerprints), and submit their documents.

Children under the age of 16 attending a UKVCAS centre must be accompanied by the responsible adult named in the child's application.

Applicants will be told what they need to take to the appointment when making the booking, which should include

• Appointment confirmation
• Passport or travel document
• Supporting evidence (even if scanned and uploaded in advance, it is advisable to take these documents to the appointment in case they need to be reviewed or re-scanned)

Additional information can be found on the UKVCAS website.

Costs

Applicants and each of their dependents will incur a visa application fee, immigration health surcharge fee, and any additional fees for Priority or Super Priority services. 

A full table of costs can be found on the cost and payment of applications page.

Timescales

A standard in-country Tier 5 visa application should be decided within 8 weeks of the application being submitted online. It may take longer to receive a decision if the applicant has had a prior visa refusal, or if the Home Office needs to request more information.

Applicants and their dependants can select the following Priority services to accelerate the processing time of the application from the standard 8 weeks. When the application is submitted online, the cost is paid in addition to the visa application fee.

The Home Office generally does not recommend that applicants with previous visa refusals use the Priority service.

What happens next

An applicant should be notified by email of the outcome of their visa application.

A digital immigration status will be issued and the individual will need a UKVI account to access the eVisa.

The department or college can use the Employer Checking Service to secure the visa holder's right to work while the application is pending. Please contact SIT, or use the Employer Checking Service guidance for more information. 

Important points to note

Please note that the Staff Immigration Team cannot guarantee the successful outcome of any permission to stay application, since this decision is made by the Home Office and not by the University.

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that they provide the correct supporting documents when submitting their visa application. Should the applicant submit their visa application late, or fail to supply the correct supporting documents, their application will be refused, and their Certificate of Sponsorship can no longer be used.

Travel with a pending application

Please note that applicants must not travel outside of the UK until they have received a decision on their application. If an applicant travels outside of the UK or the Common Travel Area (Ireland, Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey) before a decision is made on their application, their application will be treated as automatically withdrawn.

Applicants should therefore allow around 10 weeks from submitting the online application to receive their new digital immigration status, during which time they must not travel outside of the UK or the Common Travel Area.

Applicants who have urgent travel plans may need to consider the Priority services available.