Visas you can apply for without a job offer in the UK
Visas you can apply for without a job offer
A work visa allows foreign citizens to live and work in the UK for a certain period of time. However, in order to apply for a British work visa, you must meet the requirements and provide the necessary documents. Find out more about the types and main requirements for obtaining work visas in the UK. In order to obtain permission to work in the UK, you need to meet a number of requirements for obtaining a work visa: Get a valid job offer. First of all, to obtain a visa, you need to find a British company willing to employ you and get a valid job offer from them. Your employer must also have a Sponsorship License to hire foreign personnel. Obtain a valid Sponsorship Certificate. You need to obtain a valid CoS from your employer. This virtual certificate specifies the position you plan to take, how long you intend to work, and so on. Be sufficiently qualified and have enough money. To be considered a skilled worker, you must have skills that at least meet level 3 RQF. You will also need to prove that you have enough money, at least at the initial stage. Have a good knowledge of the English language.
UK Immigration Services
British National (Overseas) visa
If you’re from Hong Kong and are a British national (overseas) you and your family members can apply for a British National (Overseas) visa. If you’re the child of a British national (overseas) aged 18 or older and born on or after 1 July 1997, you can apply separately from your parent. Your family members can also apply with you.
You can apply for a BNO visa if you’re 18 or older and either:
- a British national (overseas)
- the child of a British national (overseas) born on or after 1 July 1997
Your permanent home must be:
- in Hong Kong, if you’re applying from outside the UK
- in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Hong Kong if you’re applying in the UK
Your family members can apply for a BNO visa if they’re eligible. They must usually apply at the same time as you, unless they’re one of
the following:
- your partner
- your child under the age of 18
- an adult dependent relative
How long you can stay
You can apply to stay for either:
2 years and 6 months
5 years
You will be able to extend your visa once you’re in the UK if you want to stay longer. You can apply to extend your visa as many times as you want. After you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years, you can apply to live in the UK permanently. You can:
- work (except you cannot work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach)
- study (including at school, college or university)
You cannot usually get most benefits (public funds).
Once you have a BNO visa, you might be able to get access to benefits. You’ll be eligible for this in certain financial circumstances, for
example if you:
- do not have a place to live and cannot afford one
- have a place to live but cannot afford essential living costs like food or heating
- are at risk of losing your place to live or being unable to afford essential living costs
- have a very low income, and not having access to benefits would harm your child’s wellbeing
If you do get access to benefits, you can still apply to live in the UK permanently after 5 years.
Graduate visa
A Graduate visa gives you permission to stay in the UK for at least 2 years after successfully completing a course in the UK.
You must be in the UK when you apply.
You can apply for a Graduate visa if all of the following are true:
- you’re in the UK
- your current visa is a Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa
- you studied a UK bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree or other eligible course for a minimum period of time with your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa
- your education provider (such as your university or college) has told the Home Office you’ve successfully completed your course. You can ask your education provider if you’re not sure whether they’ve told the Home Office you’ve successfully completed your course
How long you can stay
A Graduate visa lasts for 2 years. If you have a PHD or other doctoral qualification, it will last for 3 years. Your visa will start from the day your application is approved.
If you want to stay longer in the UK
You cannot extend your Graduate visa.
You must apply before your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa expires.
You can apply after your education provider (such as your university or college) has told the Home Office that you’ve successfully
completed the course you took with your Student or Tier 4 (General) student visa. You do not have to wait until you’ve graduated or have been given a certificate. As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity and provide your documents.
Your application may take longer if you need an appointment to do this. You’ll find out if you need one when you start your application.
With a Graduate visa you can:
- work in most jobs
- look for work
- be self-employed
- continue living in the UK with your partner and children, if they’re eligible
- do voluntary work
- travel abroad and return to the UK
You cannot:
- apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension
- work as a professional sportsperson
Youth Mobility Scheme visa
You can apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa if you:
- want to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years
- are aged 18 to 30 or 18 to 35, depending on where you’re from
- have £2,530 in savings
- have certain types of British Nationality or are from certain countries or territories listed in the eligibility requirements
The earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you travel.
How long you can stay
You’ll be given a visa to live and work in the UK for up to 24 months.
You can enter the UK at any time while your visa is valid, and leave and come back at any time during your stay.
If you turn 31 after your visa is issued, you can stay in the UK for as long as your visa is valid.
If you’re from Australia, Canada or New Zealand, you’ll be able to extend your visa by one year after the 2-year period ends.
You can:
- study – for some courses you’ll need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate
- work in most jobs
- be self-employed and set up a company – as long as your premises are rented, your equipment is not worth more than £5,000 and you
- do not have any employees
You cannot:
- work as a professional sportsperson (for example as a coach)
- extend your stay unless you’re from Australia, Canada or New Zealand
- get public funds
- bring in family members on your application – they must apply separately
UK Ancestry visa
You can apply for a UK Ancestry visa if you’re one of the following:
- a Commonwealth citizen
- a British overseas citizen
- a British overseas territories citizen
- a British national (overseas)
- a citizen of Zimbabwe
You must also:
prove one of your grandparents was born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man meet the other eligibility requirements
You can stay in the UK for 5 years on this visa.
With a UK Ancestry visa you can:
- work
- study
- bring your partner or child
Your work can be:
- paid or voluntary
- full-time or part time
- in self-employment or in a job where you’re employed by someone else
You cannot:
- change (‘switch’) into this visa if you came to the UK on a different visa
- get public funds
High Potential Individual (HPI) visa
A High Potential Individual (HPI) visa gives you permission to stay in the UK for at least 2 years. To apply, you must have been awarded a
qualification by an eligible university in the last 5 years.An HPI visa usually lasts for 2 years. If you have a PhD or other doctoral
qualification, it will last for 3 years.
You cannot extend your HPI visa.
How you apply depends on whether you’re:
- outside the UK and are coming to the UK
- inside the UK and switching from a different visa
Your partner and children can apply to join you or stay in the UK as your ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible.
With an HPI visa you can:
- work in most jobs
- look for work
- be self-employed
- live in the UK with your partner and children, if they’re eligible\
- do voluntary work
- travel abroad and return to the UK
You cannot:
- apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension
- work as a professional sportsperson
- extend this visa
- apply to settle permanently in the UK
India Young Professionals Scheme visa
An India Young Professionals Scheme visa allows Indian citizens between 18 and 30 years old to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years.
You must be selected in the India Young Professionals Scheme ballot before you can apply for this visa. To be eligible for the visa, you must:
- be an Indian citizen
- be between 18 and 30 years old
- have an eligible qualification
- have £2,530 in savings
How to apply
- If you’re eligible, enter the India Young Professionals Scheme ballot.
- If you’re successful in the ballot, you’ll receive an invitation
to apply for the visa. - Prepare the documents that you need to apply.
- Apply for an India Young Professionals Scheme visa.
How long you can stay
You’ll be given a visa to live and work in the UK for up to 24 months. You can enter the UK at any time while your visa is valid, and leave and come back at any time during your stay. If you turn 31 after your visa is issued, you can stay in the UK for as long as your visa is valid.
You can:
- study – for some courses you’ll need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate
- work in most jobs
- be self-employed and set up a company – as long as your premises are rented, your equipment is not worth more than £5,000 and you
do not have any employees
You cannot:
- extend your stay
apply for most benefits (public funds) - include family members on your application – they must apply separately
- work as a professional sportsperson (for example as a coach)
The Global Talent visa
You can apply for a Global Talent visa to work in the UK if you’re a leader or potential leader in one of the following fields:
- academia or research
- arts and culture
- digital technology
You must also be at least 18 years old.
Before you apply for a visa
You can usually only apply for a Global Talent visa if you have successfully applied for an endorsement to prove that you are a leader or potential leader.
You can apply for the visa without an endorsement if you’ve won an eligible award.
Find out what you can do with a Global Talent visa and how to apply for an endorsement if you work in one of the following fields:
- academia or research
- arts and culture
- digital technology
You can live and work in the UK for up to 5 years at a time.
How you apply depends on whether you’re:
- outside the UK and are coming to the UK
- inside the UK and extending your current visa
- inside the UK and switching from a different visa
You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application