DOCTOR INFORMATION

Applying for a UK Tier 2 VISA: PLAB.

 


Online application for Tier 2 visa 

 

Quick Summary:

Application steps:  

  1. Online application πŸ’»  
  2. Visa Application Centre (VAC) appointment πŸ€  
  3. Approval (your passport gets vignette sticker for you to travel in the UK) βœ… 
  4. British Resident Permit collection πŸ“„  


Tier 2 Health and Care visas: 

 For: doctors; nurses; health professionals; adult social care professional πŸ₯ 

 Introduced 4th August 2020 πŸ“… 

 For people from outside the European Economic Area or Switzerland πŸŒ  

 You need to have a job offer from the NHS, and your sponsor must prove your eligibility  

 

Online application steps: 

  1. Passport and travel documents πŸ“„  
  2. Personal details and travel history βœ  
  3. Family details (parents, spouse, children etc.) πŸ‘ͺ  
  4. Medical treatment (have you ever received medical treatment in the UK) πŸ₯ 
  5. Tier 2 skilled worker (job title, certificate of sponsorship, maintenance) 
  6. Additional information (sign a declarations, select BRP collection point, arrange VAC appointment, payment, register with a commercial partner, print your application) 

 

How can Inspire Medics help? 

 We offer UK VISA application and submission to the UK home office, via our legal team partners, based in the UK πŸŒ

 Follow this UK VISA for PLAB (Tier 2 and Visitor visa) link now! 

 Save yourself time and money πŸ’· 

 Reduce stress and the chance of visa rejection πŸ₯

 

Applying within UK: 

 

Quick Summary:

You will need a Tier 2 visa, a CoS, and to be present in the UK to make an application within the UK on the GovUK website. Costs vary depending on the length of visa required and the country you are coming from, and time taken for a decision to be made varies from 1 day to 3 weeks.


 Requirements: 

 Current Tier 2 visa πŸ“„ 

 Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) 

 Be in the UK πŸŒ  

 

When you need to apply: 

 Your current visa is about to expire β°  

 You are changing to a job in a different trust 

 You are moving between shortage and non-shortage occupations 

 

How to apply: 

  1. Follow this GovUK link to complete an online application πŸ’» 
  2. Attend an appointment at the visa application centre 
  3. If the application is approved, your passport will be returned with a vignette, allowing you to travel in the UK 
  4. Receive your Biometrics Resident Permit (BRP) in the mail πŸ“©  

 

Decisions: 

 Priority service: within 5 working days, costs an extra Β£500 πŸ“…  

 Super priority service: by the end of the next working day for weekday appointments, or 2 working days for weekend appointments, costs an extra Β£800 πŸ“… 

 Standard service: 3 weeks after providing biometric information πŸ“…  

 Biometric residence permit: will arrive via mail, up to 10 working days after receiving your decision letter πŸ“© 

 

How long can you stay?

 5 years and 14 days, or the time stated on your certificate of sponsorship (CoS) plus 1 month (whichever is shorter) 

 You can apply to extend this by up to 5 years, but your total stay must not exceed 6 years 

 You can arrive up to 14 days prior to the date stated on your CoS 

 As long as you apply before your previous visa expires, you can stay in the UK until you receive your decision πŸ“©  

 

Cost:  

 Visa for up to 3 years (within the UK or not): Β£232 πŸ’· 

 Visa for over 3 years (within the UK or not): Β£464 πŸ’· 

 This is the cost for both the migrant and dependants πŸ‘ͺ  

 Turkish/Macedonian citizens visa for up to 3 years: Β£177 πŸ’· 

 Turkish/Macedonian citizens visa for more than 3 years: Β£409 πŸ’· 

 Biometric information (fingerprints and photo) in the UK: Β£19.20 πŸ’· 

 

Dependants: 

 If the main migrant (you) changes employer and is given a new CoS and Tier 2 visa, dependants do not need to apply to renew their own.

 Dependants may stay in the UK until their current BRP/visa runs out, at which point they can apply for extensions πŸ‘ͺ  

 

Applying as a dependant: 

 

Quick Summary:

All dependants require their own visa, which they must apply for separately on the GovUK website. They must also provide relevant details and information required to gain their visa and are subject to conditions of their stay.


What is a dependant❓ 

 Spouse/partner πŸ‘«  

 Children under 18 πŸ€± 

 Children over 18 if they are currently in the UK as a dependant πŸ§‘ 

 

How to apply: 

  1. Follow this GovUK link to create a separate online application πŸ’»  
  2. Attend an appointment at the visa application centre πŸ€  
  3. If the application is approved, the dependant’s passport will be returned with a vignette (so apply for your dependant’s visa when you apply for your own) 
  4. Your dependant must collect their own BRP while in the UK πŸŒ  

 

Maintenance/savings: 

 If your CoS has β€˜Y’ ticked, you do not need any proof of savings πŸ’· 

 Otherwise, you need to demonstrate you have Β£945 in available funds for yourself, and Β£630 for each dependent πŸ’· 

 

Criminal Record: 

 All dependants must submit a criminal record certificate πŸ“„ 

 

Proof of partner: 

 Certificate of marriage or civil partnership πŸ‘« 

 Medical registration documents πŸ“„ 

 Bank statements πŸ“„  

 Utility bills πŸ“„  

 Council tax bills πŸ“„  

 Evidence you have been living in a serious relationship akin to marriage for 2+ years if not married/in a civil partnership πŸ‘« 

 

Proof of child: 

 Full birth certificate showing the names of both parents πŸ‘Ά  

 

Proof of engagement/ proposed civil partner: 

 Proof previous relationships have ended πŸ’”  

 Proof of intention to marry within 6 months of arriving in the UK 

 

TB Clearance Certificate: 

 You do not need this if you are coming to the UK from these exempt countries πŸŒ  

 Otherwise you need a certificate to show that you have been tested for TB, and are negative which is valid for 6 months πŸ“… 

 Not necessary if you are a UK diplomat, are a UK resident returning after less than 2 years, or you lived for 6 months or more in an exempt country within the last 6 months πŸ“… 

 You must take children to a clinician who will determine if they require a chest x-ray or will deem them TB free following questioning πŸ‘Ά  

 Pregnant women can either have an x-ray with a shield protecting the foetus/ a sputum test/ a test post-delivery πŸ€°  

 

Conditions of stay in the UK as a dependant: 

 No access to public funds πŸ’·  

 No employment as a professional sportsperson or coach 

 No employment as a Doctor or Dentist in training (there are certain exemptions) 

 

Children born in UK: 

 Apply for permission for them to stay in the UK βœ…  

 

Training on a dependant visa: 

 You cannot work in a training post 

 You must apply for your own migrant Tier 2 visa if you apply for a training post 

 

IELTS: 

 IELTS is not required for Tier 2 dependant visas 

 

Change of migrant visa: 

 Dependants do NOT need to change visa, they can stay in the UK until their current visa runs out, at which point they must apply for extension πŸ‘ͺ 

 

Biometric Residence Permits  

 

Quick Summary:

BRP is an identification card which provides evidence of your immigration permission and thus must be carried with you when travelling as proof of your right to return to the UK.


What is it❓ 

 BRPs provide evidence of your immigration permission βœ…  

 It is required when: applying to stay in the UK for more than 6 months/ extending your visa beyond 6 months/ applying to settle in the UK permanently πŸ“… 

 

BRP information: 

 Name 

 Date and place of birth πŸ€±  

 Fingerprints (children under 5 outside UK, and 6 inside UK are exempt) 

 Photo of face πŸ§”  

 Immigration status/ conditions 

 Access to public funds πŸ’·  

 National Insurance number (sometimes) 

 

Why a BRP is required: 

 Proof of identity 

 Proof of right to work βœ…  

 Proof of right to public services/funds πŸ’· 

 

Where to go to give biometric information: 

 Within the UK go to a Post Office branch or a premium service centre 

 Outside the UK go to a visa application centre πŸ’  

 

Collecting your BRP: 

 Applying within UK: delivered by courier πŸ“©  

 Applying outside UK: collect BRP once in UK from Post Office branch or your sponsor (bring your passport and vignette sticker) πŸ“„ 

 If you cannot collect it, tell the home office and they will inform you of next steps 

 

My BRP has not arrived: 

 You can report this online if: 

 You applied within the UK and your decision letter arrived over 10 days ago πŸ“…  

 You will need: full name, DOB, nationality, email/postal address, decision letter πŸ“„ 

 

Mistakes on your BRP: 

 Report any problems within 10 days πŸ“…  

 Contact the Home Office to do so 

 

Travelling on your BRP:  

 You MUST travel with your BRP as proof of your right to return to the UK βœ…  

 

What to show at immigration: 

 Passport 

 Visa 

 Decision letter πŸ“„  

 Evidence of funds (if required) πŸ’·  

 Evidence of TB clearance (if required) 

 

Supporting Documents 

 

Quick Summary:

There are some important documents which you may need in order to support your visa application, as they provide more information for a decision to be based on.


Documents needed to support Tier 2 visa application: 

 Cover letter πŸ“„ 

 Certificate of Sponsorship: sponsor details, start and end dates, job title, gross salary, maintenance certification πŸ“„  

 Criminal record certificate πŸ“„  

 TB clearance certificate πŸ“„  

 Additional documents:  

 Maintenance letter from sponsor/ bank statement showing you have Β£945 for 3 months unless fully-A rated sponsor πŸ“„  

 Certificate of full registration as a medical practitioner in the UK/ in your own country: can be useful in your cover letter πŸ“„  

 Tenancy agreement from previous UK stay: as proof of pervious stay in UK πŸ“„  

 Expired passports from the past 20 years: so that your travel can be checked  

 

Obtaining a criminal record certificate (CRC) 


Quick Summary:

A criminal record certificate is required to support your application, and must be provided for any countries in which you have spent a significant amount of time in over the past decade.

 

When you need to provide a CRC: 

 For any country you spent 12 months or more in over the last 10 years πŸ“…  

 This also applies to any adult partners πŸ‘«  

 For the last country you had residence, this must be issued within 6 months of the application being made πŸŒ  

 For previous countries of residence, this must be within 6 months before your stay ended πŸ“…  

 How to apply varies by country πŸŒ  

 If you cannot obtain a CRC, you should provide an explanation for this, including information about your attempts to do so and why it was not possible. Waiving the requirement will then be considered 


Summary:

  1. You will require a Tier 2 visa to practise medicine in the UK as an international doctor
  2. Use this GovUK link to start your application 
  3. Remember that dependants must apply for their own visa
  4. You will also need a BRP
  5. Make sure you have any supporting documentation that may be required
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