Useful links for UK visas
- Sam Beckbessinger
- Jan 19, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 1, 2024
Roughly, if you want to become a UK citizen one day, this is the path many newcomers take:
You get a visa, giving you temporary rights to enter the UK. Different visas give you different rights. All visas have an expiry date. But with some types of visas (e.g. the skilled worker visa) you can apply for indefinite leave to remain after your visa expires.
When your visa expires, you apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR)/settled status/permanent residence. With this, you can live, work and study in the UK with no restrictions, but you can lose this status if you spend too long outside of the UK. Settled status and permanent residence apply to EU citizens and their family members, and ILR applies to other visa routes. Permanent residence, settled status and ILR are similar, but they’re not identical: for instance, ILR allows you to leave the UK for up to two years without losing your status, while settled status lets you leave the UK for five years. For most long-term visas (e.g. a work or spousal visa) you can apply for ILR after living in the UK for five years.
Finally, you apply for citizenship. This gives you full rights as a British citizen. You can vote, you can leave the country for as long as you like, you can run for prime minister, whatever. Usually, you can apply for British citizenship one year after being granted ILR, as long as you meet some other criteria, like passing a test about life in the UK and declaring that you are sexually attracted to King Charles.
There’s a very helpful wizard that will tell you what your options are, on the UK’s government website: go.newcomers-club.com/uk-visa-wizard
If one of your parents are a British citizen, you might be able to leapfrog the visa process and apply for UK citizenship directly:
Work visas
If you need to check whether your job qualifies you for a skilled worker visa, follow these steps:
Look up your job in the UK government's weird search tool and find its occupation code. You might need to try a few different wordings of your job title.
Look up that code on the skilled worker eligible occupations list to see if it’s eligible. More jobs are eligible than you might think, e.g. electricians, antiques dealers, web designers, nurses, librarians, food inspectors, youth workers, gym trainers, estate agents, personal assistants and welders.
Note that your job also needs to meet the income requirements (there are different salary rules if you work in education, healthcare or social care) and that you’ll need to find a job at an approved UK employer that offers visa sponsorship.
There are special rules for health and care workers (who don’t have to pay the NHS surcharge), religious leaders and elite sportspeople. If you’re a well-paid employee of a multinational, you might be eligible for a senior specialist work visa that lets you transfer to their UK branch (talk to your HR team).
Where to submit a visa application form
Submit your visa application form here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa
Special links for South Africans
List of approved clinics who offer TB tests: https://southafrica.iom.int/uk-tb-testing
Where to book a visa appointment: https://pos.tlscontact.com/south-africa - You’ll need to travel to an appointment centre in Cape Town, Jozi, Gqeberha, Pretoria or Durban.
Follow the guidance in your confirmation e-mail to self-upload your supporting documents: https://static.tlscontact.com/media/global/ww/uk/settlement_visa_applications_-_new_additional_process.pdf - this must be completed before attending your booked appointment at the visa application centre!
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