Sportsperson Visa
UK Sportsperson visa (Tier 2) is the right choice for you if:
- you are an elite and qualified sportsperson or coach, and you are recognized by your sport’s governing body as the professional of the highest level in your field (internationally);
- your sport’s governing body is endorsing your application for a UK Sportsperson visa (Tier 2);
- your employment will develop your sport in the UK at the highest level possible;
- you are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland and you meet all the other UK visa eligibility requirements.
To apply for a Sportsperson Visa, you need your sponsor to assign you a certificate of sponsorship to prove they are sponsoring you. It is the governing body, endorsing your application that is your sponsor. You are allowed to apply for a visa up to three months before the day you are due to start work in the UK and this date will be written on your certificate of sponsorship. Typically, you will get a decision on your visa within three weeks if you apply from outside the UK. Also, you can pay for a faster visa decision, if your visa application center provides this service.
The fee you have to pay for a Sportsperson visa depends on where you are – nationals of Macedonia and Turkey pay £555 for visa application and £649 when they want to extend or switch their visa in the UK. All the other applicants must pay £610 for a visa application outside the UK and £704 for visa extension or switch, their dependants must also cover £610 and £704 correspondently. Healthcare surcharge is another obligatory payment that is a part of your application. You can check how much you will have to pay even before you apply. When applying to extend or switch your Sportsperson visa (Tier 2) in the UK, you will also need to pay £19.20 for your biometric information.
Your Sportsperson visa (Tier 2) allows you to come to the UK for up to three years. Also, you are allowed to apply to extend this visa for up to another three years to a maximum stay of six years.
Firstly, a Sportsperson visa (Tier 2) permits you to work for your sponsor (of course, in the job mentioned in your certificate of sponsorship) and do a second job in certain circumstances. You can play for your national team in the UK and work as a sports broadcaster. Voluntary work and study as long as it does not interfere with the job you are sponsored for are also permitted. You can travel abroad and return to the UK, and you can bring family members with you to the UK.
A sportsperson visa (Tier 2) does not allow you to receive public funds, start or run a business. Also, you can not apply for a second job until you have started working for your sponsor.
To be eligible for a UK Sportsperson visa (Tier 2) you need to have a valid certificate of sponsorship for your job and prove your knowledge of English. It is also important to have personal savings so you can support yourself when you arrive in the UK. Your travel history over the last five years and the results of the tuberculosis test, if you are from a listed country, will be needed during the application process.
A certificate of sponsorship holds your personal details and information about the job you have been offered by your sponsor in the UK. It is an electronic record, not a paper document that has a reference number to add to your visa application. You can only use the reference number of your certificate of sponsorship once and not later then three months after getting it.
Before the date you apply, you must have at least £945 in your bank account for the previous 90 days. You will not need to show this money if you have a fully approved (‘A-rated’) sponsor who can cover your costs for a month if you need it or you already have a Tier 2 visa and you are applying from within the UK.
According to a Sportsperson visa (Tier 2) application requirements, you will also need to prove your knowledge of the English language by either passing an approved English language test (at least CEFR level A1 in speaking and listening) or showing an academic qualification that was taught in English and is recognized by UK NARIC. It is worth mentioning, that there are other ways to meet the English language requirement, detailed information on this question can be found on the UK official webpages and in visa application centers.
Documents you will need to provide when applying for a UK Sportsperson visa (Tier 2) include the reference number of your certificate of sponsorship; proof of your knowledge of English; a valid passport or travel document; proof you have enough personal savings (if needed); expired passports or travel documents (to show your travel history); tuberculosis test results; a letter of endorsement from your sport’s governing body. You need to provide a certified translation for all the documents that are not in English or Welsh. Sometimes, you might need to provide more documents depending on your individual circumstances.
For a Sportsperson visa (Tier 2) you must start your application process online. Then you will need to have your fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application center for a biometric residence permit. You will have to collect it within ten days of when you said you would arrive in the UK.
You can apply to extend your stay in the UK under a Sportsperson visa (Tier 2). If you have any dependants who are on your current visa, you must include them when you apply for an extension. They will also need to submit a separate visa application. To apply for Sportsperson visa extension you must have your endorsement by your sport’s governing body renewed, also you need to get a new certificate of sponsorship reference number. You are allowed to apply to extend your stay in the UK for up to three years and 14 days with a Sportsperson visa.
You can also apply to change to a Sportsperson visa (Tier 2) if you are already in the UK under a Tier 1 visa, Tier 2 (General, Minister of Religion or Intra-company Transfer visas), Tier 4 visa (if you have an eligible qualification), Tier 5 (Temporary Worker – Creative and Sporting for a job as a professional footballer), Start-up visa and Innovator visa. You are also allowed to switch to a Sportsperson visa if you are a dependent partner of someone with a Tier 4 visa or a representative of an overseas business in the UK.
UK Sportsperson visa holders can take one more job on this visa if they are working up to 20 hours a week in the same profession as their main job or professions on the shortage occupation list, or do unpaid voluntary work.
Regards,
SmartImmigrant
