This week we received the wonderful news that our client has been granted leave to remain under the new Graduate visa route, enabling him to stay in the UK after completing his studies.
Our client’s circumstances were not straight forward as his university results were due to be released at a later date than the rest of his cohort. This prohibited the client from making a successful application as his Student visa permission was due to expire before receiving his results.
Under these conditions, our client was not eligible to apply, as applicants must hold a Student or Tier 4 visa and prove that they have successfully completed their studies at the time of the application.
Our solicitors liaised with the client’s university on his behalf and negotiated an early release of the client’s marks before his Student permission expired.
The university were then able to submit a notification to UKVI that our client had been awarded his degree, thus ensuring that our client now met all the requirements of the visa route. As a result, our client achieved a successful outcome on his application and can now remain in the UK to use his skills and qualifications to seek work.
What is the graduate route visa?
The Graduate visa is a new visa route that gives international students who have successfully completed their studies in the UK permission to stay in the UK for 2 to 3 years without the need for sponsorship. It forms part of the government’s policy to retain the best international talent and make the UK an attractive place to develop your career.
The route offers greater flexibility to international students as it allows graduates to work at any skill level for a period of two years. Graduates under this route can switch to the Skilled Worker route once they have found a suitable job.
What are the requirements for the graduate visa?
To be eligible for the Graduate route, international students must meet the following requirements:
- Have successfully completed an eligible course at a higher education provider.
- You must hold a Student or Tier 4 visa at the time of the application.
- You must be in the UK at the time of the application.
How can we help?
Our immigration solicitors can help you prepare your Graduate visa application, our expert team can assist you with the following services:
- A consultation in via Skype or telephone with an experienced immigration solicitor who can advise on whether you meet the eligibility requirements and the merits of your application.
- Tailored legal advice which will assist you in collating the documents required for an application.
- Preparation of the relevant application forms and legal representations.
If you wish to have your documents checked by an expert immigration solicitor, please contact us so we can explore your options.
We are a UK law firm based in Middle Temple, London and our solicitors are fully authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Contact our professional personal immigration team today and we can offer you a consultation in person or via telephone or Skype so we can explore your options. You can leave us a message on our Contact Form or give us a call on 02030110276.