If you’ve been transferred into the UK by your company, you’ll need to apply for an intra company visa.

There are two types of intra company visas.

• Intra company transfer Visa: This is for anyone who has been transferred by their employer to the UK. To qualify, you must have worked for your employer for more than 12 months overseas unless they plan to pay you £73,900 a year or more to work in the UK.
• Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa: As the name suggests, this is for anyone transferring to the UK as part of a graduate training programme for a managerial or specialist role. You must have worked for your employer overseas for at least three months before you apply.

To qualify you must fulfil the following criteria:

• Skill level: NQE 3 (equivalent to an A level)
• Points Required: 70
• Minimum English level required: You must prove your ability to speak English by passing a secure English language test, having a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English?, or having a degree level qualification which was taught in English.
• Maintenance funds requirements: You must be able to afford the application fee and have at least £1,270 in your account to support yourself.
• Salary Requirements: At least £41,500 for an intra company transfer. For a graduate trainee via you’ll need to earn £23,000 or 70% of the going rate for your job, whichever is higher. You can check the going rates table to find out the rate for your job.

Length of stay

For an intra company transfer visa, you can stay in the UK for the time give on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, five years or the length of time it takes you to the maximum total allowed stay (whichever is shorter).

The maximum period of stay for an intra company transfer Visa is:

• 5 years in any 6-year period if you’re paid less than £73,900 a year.
• 9 years in any 10-year period if you’re paid £73,900 a year or more.

You can extend your Visa or apply for another one up to the maximum total stay. If you have already been in the UK with an intra company visa before your application, that time will be included in your total stay.

The maximum stay allowed is five years for a graduate trainee visa in any six-year period. You cannot extend a visa but you can apply for another or if you have been working for your sponsor outside the UK for three months.

If you are applying for another visa the time you have already spent will count towards your maximum period of stay.

Get in touch

To find out more about intra company visas, our team of expert immigration lawyers or immigration solicitors can help.

Minister of Religion visa

The UK has created a special visa for people coming to the UK to work in the faith community. You’ll have to have a licensed sponsor, but you may be able to pay more for a faster application.

• Skill level: NQE (roughly the equivalent of an A level).
• Points required: 70
• Minimum English level required: Unless you come from an exempt nation you must prove your knowledge of English by: passing an approved language test with at least CEFR level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening; having an academic qualification that was taught in English and is recognised by UK NARIC as being equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD.
• Maintenance funds requirements: You must be able to afford the application fee and have at least £1,270 in your account to support yourself.
• Length of stay: You can stay for a maximum of three years and one month or the time given by your sponsor plus 14 days (whichever is shorter). You may take a second job of up to 20 hours per week if it is related to your profession or if it is on the skilled worker shortage list. You can also do unpaid voluntary work. In other situations, you’ll need to apply for a new visa and you second employer will have to sponsor you.

Get in touch

To find out more, our team of expert immigration lawyers or immigration solicitors can help.