Intra Company Visas
The Intra Company visas are for employees of multinational companies who are being transferred by their overseas employer to a UK branch of the organisation on the basis of a transfer or secondment. There are 2 sub-categories: -
Intra-company Transfer visa
This route is for established workers of multinational companies who are being transferred by their overseas company to do a skilled role for a linked entity in the UK.Applicant should be currently working with their employer overseas for more than 12 months, unless they're going to pay you £73,900 (high earners) a year or more to work in the UK.
Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa
This route is for workers taking part in a structured graduate training programme who are being transferred by the overseas entity to a role in the UK. The trainee must have worked outside the UK for the sponsor group for a continuous period of at least 3 months immediately before the date of their application.To be eligible for an Intra-company visa, an applicant must need to meet the following requirements: -
- be an existing employee of an organisation that's been approved by the Home Office as a licensed sponsor
- have a 'certificate of sponsorship' from their employer with information about the role they've been offered in the UK
- Job at an appropriate skill level set at RQF Level 6
- be paid at least £41,500 for an Intra-company Transfer visa or at least £23,000 for an Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa.
Financial requirement (previously known as maintenance)
Applicants under Intra Company visa category who is applying for entry clearance, or has been in the UK for less than 12 months on the date of application must have held funds equalling £1,270 for 28 days as at the date of application.If the applicant applying for permission to stay and has been in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer on the date of the application then they do not have to meet this requirement.
A-rated sponsor, can also certify this requirement is met when they assign a CoS to the applicants (also known as 'certifying maintenance').
Visa Entitlements
Successful applicants under Intra Company Visa will be granted entry clearance or permission to stay for a period ending on whichever is the earliest of the following:
- 5 years after the start date of the job detailed on their CoS (if applying on the Intra-Company Transfer route)
- 1 year after the start date of the job detailed on their CoS (if applying on the Intra-Company Graduate Trainee route)
FAQ
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Can I apply for settlement?v
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Applicants under the Intra-Company routes are not eligible to apply for settlement (indefinite leave to remain) in the UK. They can, however, switch to an eligible visa category to be eligible for settlement.
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How long can I stay in the UK?v
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The maximum total stay allowed for an Intra-company Transfer visa is:
- 5 years in any 6 year period if an applicant is paid less than £73,900 a year;
- 9 years in any 10 year period if an applicant is paid £73,900 a year or more
The maximum total stay allowed for an applicant under Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa is 5 years in any 6 year period. If they have already been in the UK with an Intra-company visa before your application, that time will be included in their total stay.
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Can I switch to a Skilled Worker visa within the UK?v
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Under the new Skilled Worker Route in the new Points Based System, which came into effect on 1 December 2020, the Tier 2 Intra-company Transfer (ICT) Migrants are able to switch into the Skilled Worker route.
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- Rights of Dependantsv
Dependants (including children under 18 years of age) or (husband, wife, civil partner, unmarried partner or same-sex partner) will be eligible to live and stay in the UK with the main applicant. They can live and work in the UK without any restrictions. They will be granted leave in line with the expiry date of the PBS migrant’s or main applicant’s leave.
- Conditions of Stayv
Applicants will have the following conditions attached to their leave:
- No recourse to public funds;
- Registration with the police, if applicable;
- Not be allowed to start up or run a business;
- Applicant cannot take employment, except:
- working for the sponsor in the job recorded on your Certificate of Sponsorship; and
- for an extra job in the same sector and at the same level or in a job on the shortage occupation list, provided that you do not work more than 20 hours per week in that job; and
- voluntary work.
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Biometric Requirementv
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Non-EEA nationals applying under Intra Company visa have to apply for a biometric residence permit.
The biometric residence permit is a residence permit which holds a migrant's biographic details (name, date and place of birth) and biometric information (facial image and fingerprints), and shows their immigration status and entitlements while they remain in the UK. This also means that a UK visa will no longer be stamped in the applicant's passport and all applicants will be issued one of the new Biometric visa cards instead. These cards look very similar to a (pink) UK driving license, except they have a microchip in the back.
Once the application for Intra Company visa is submitted online, applicants are required to attend their biometric appointment at one of the Visa Application Centers to provide their fingerprints, photo and signature.
Successful offshore applicants will receive a 30 day' vignette sticker' in their passport instead of a vignette with the full grant of leave. This 30-day visa will be the date they indicated as their intended travel date in their visa application. Applicants under Skilled worker visa will be required to collect their BRP from the Post Office branch detailed in their decision letter within ten days of arrival in the UK. The Post Office branch is linked to the postcode that they submitted in their visa application. The BRP card can then be used as proof of right to work, study and access public services in the UK.Digital Status
EEA nationals making an application under the Skilled worker visa using the UK Immigration: ID Check app will be given digital status if their application is successful.
EEA applicants as a part of the Skilled worker visa application process can use the UK Immigration: ID Check app to complete the identity stage of their visa application. Using the app, they should confirm their identity, verify their documents and take a picture.
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Immigration Health Surchargev
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The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) was introduced by the Home Office on 6 April 2015. People coming to the UK for more than six months have to pay this health surcharge as a part of their immigration application towards the National Health Service (healthcare in the UK). Offshore applicants will have to pay the health surcharge if they are applying for a visa for a period of longer than six months, and onshore applicant will have to pay the health charge for any length of visa.
Applicants will have to pay £470 per year as a student, or as a Youth Mobility Scheme or applicant who is under 18 years. For all other visa and immigration applications, they have to pay 624 per year. Dependants will usually need to pay the same amount as the main applicant. The exact amount they have to pay depends on how much leave they are granted. They can calculate how much they will have to pay before you apply. If the period of grant applied for is less than 6 months, then half of the yearly amount to be paid and if the period of grant applied for is more than 6 months, then whole year amount is to be paid.
Visa application will not be granted if applicants do not pay the healthcare surcharge or application will be delayed if the right amount is not paid.
Following persons are exempted from paying the IHS:
- diplomats or a members of a visiting armed forces and not subject to immigration control
- dependants of a member of the UK's armed forces
- dependants of a member of another country's armed forces who is exempt from immigration control
- applicants for a visa for the Isle of Man or Channel Islands
- British Overseas Territory citizens resident in the Falkland Islands
- asylum seekers and applicants for humanitarian protection, and their dependants
- domestic workers who have been identified as victims of slavery or human trafficking
- those applying for discretionary leave to remain in the UK as someone who has been identified as a victim of slavery or human trafficking, and their dependants
- those applying for permission to remain as the victim of domestic abuse, and their dependants
- those claiming that being made to leave the UK would be against their rights under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and their dependants
- Applicants and their dependants applying for Health and Care Worker visa
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Government Feesv
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Home Office fees for Intra Company Visas Application Postal or Standard Application Super Priority Service Overseas Main Appplicant £482 - £1,408* £1,282 - £2,208* £482 - £1,220* Partner & Child (<18years), applying together £482 - £1,408* £1,282 - £2,208* £482 - £1,220* Partner & Child, applying later £482 - £1,408* £1,282 - £2,208* £482 - £1,220* *The visa fees depends on the duration of the visas and the Intra Company sub category
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Our Feesv
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Service Fees (GBP) Manage your application £150 Standard or Postal- Full representation service £600 Super Priority Service - Minus Representation £850 Super Priority Service- Full Representation £1,000 Document Verification Service £150 Telephone Consultation £100 per/hour Face to Face consultation £100 per/hour Form Filling Service £150 per application * For full description of the services, please refer to our 'Services' section on our website.
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- Processing Timesv
