How to move to the UK with your family
You’ve got the perfect job, or are ready to start a business in the UK. The change would mean great things for your family; however, it also means hiring a UK immigration lawyer to help with the legal process. Read on to learn about the current business routes you need to know for moving your family overseas.
Business Routes for UK Immigration
The UK offers a range of immigration routes for people needing to conduct business in the UK. Keep in mind that each of these routes has its own validity, suitability, and eligibility requirements and is subject to application fees, which are regularly reviewed and with little notice. Note that most UK visa routes allow dependant partners and children under 18 years old to join the main applicant and enable work and study in the UK. A UK immigration lawyer can help you understand these requirements. Here are the latest updates on these routes for the main applicant and dependants:
Investor visa
Start-up visa
Innovator visa
Global Talent visa
Representative of an overseas business (‘sole representative’) visa
Skilled Worker visa
Health and Care Worker visa
Intra-Company Transfer visa
Intra-Company Graduate Trainee visa
T2 Sportsperson visa
T2 Minister of Religion visa
T5 Temporary Worker Visas: Seasonal Worker, Youth Mobility Scheme visa, Creative or Sporting Worker, Religious Worker, Charity Worker, International Agreement, and Government Authorized Exchange Worker.
The most straight-forward route to settle in the UK is usually by working as a sponsored Skilled Worker for five years. This means that a company needs to offer you a job and be willing to sponsor you for the visa. Note that the sponsored individual must usually make at least £25,600 annually, subject to certain exceptions (e.g. PhD level or shortage occupations, or ‘new entrants’ to the labour market). Of particular note is that a sponsored Intra-Company Transfer visa does not lead to settlement in the UK - instead, this visa is subject to a maximum validity of five years in any six year period, or nine years in any 10 year period (depending on your salary level in the UK). So if you and your family are choosing between a Skilled Worker visa versus an Intra-Company Transfer visa, this is one major consideration to keep in mind.
UK Visa Fees 2021
Filing fees range from £152 upwards of £1,220 for applications made from outside the UK. Additional fees also apply, including the Immigration Health Surcharge of £624 per year for most applicants. UK visa fees apply to initial entry clearance applications, in-country switching applications, and applications for permission to stay in the UK. For settlement in the above immigration categories, the filing fee currently runs at £2,389 per applicant. An application to naturalize as a British citizen is £1,330 per applicant. These numbers are current as of 31 January 2021.
Learn More from Our UK Immigration Lawyers
To ensure you understand the visa requirements for the UK, please get in touch with us at Eversage Associates. Our UK immigration lawyers are well-versed in the relevant law and procedural requirements, and will walk you through everything you need to know. We take complete ownership in the immigration process so you don’t have to worry. Contact us today!