How to Apply for UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa

The UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa category permits multinational corporations to transfer staff from their foreign operations to a UK branch. The foreign firm and the UK business must share ownership or control.

If a member of staff is not fluent in English, this may be a better choice than the Skilled Worker visa path for transferring them to the UK. The worker must have a guaranteed job in the United Kingdom and a sponsorship certificate from their employer, who must have a valid Intra-company sponsor license.

This category is far less common than the Skilled Worker visa category since it does not provide indefinite authorization to remain.

Since the conclusion of the resident labor market test on December 1, 2020, which removed the necessity to establish that you can’t fill the position locally, many businesses and employees are opting for the Intra-Company visa over the Skilled Worker visa.

The purpose of this post is to inform you about the criteria and requirements for a UK Intra-Company transfer visa, as well as how to apply for it.

An Overview of the UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa

There are no English language requirements, and a Defined CoS is not required. The Intra-Company visa category, like the Skilled Worker visa category, has no restrictions on shareholdings held by the applicant.

Therefore businessmen with any number of shares in a UK company can enter. Your occupation must also be on the list of approved occupations for intra-company visas.

The Intra-Company visa, unlike the Skilled Worker visa category, does not provide indefinite leave to remain after five years in the UK.

If you are presently on an Intra-Company visa and believe you may want to petition for indefinite leave to remain in the future, it is generally preferable to move to a Skilled Worker visa when the amendments take effect on December 1, 2020.

In most circumstances, a minimum UK income of £41,500 per year or the current rate for employment is required. This is more than the minimum criteria for the Skilled Worker visa category, which may be as low as £20,480 per year in some situations and as high as £25,600 per year in others.

Supporting documents for the UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa

The ICT Visa application, like all other UK visa applications, requires the production of a supporting proof portfolio. Having all of the relevant documents in order will increase your chances of success.

The documentation listed below must be provided to the Home Office:

• Passports and other travel documents
• Any passports that have run out of validity
• A unique reference number is assigned to each Certificate of Sponsorship.
• Bank papers demonstrating that you have sufficient money to support yourself
• Test results for tuberculosis (if from a listed country)

The particular documentation you’ll need will depend on your unique situation. Original copies of all papers must be supplied; photocopies are unlikely to be approved.

Any papers that are not in English or Welsh must be translated by a certified translator. Your submission must include both the original copies and the translations.

Requirements for the UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa

The ICT Visa is for foreign nationals who have obtained an employment offer from their company’s UK office.

When applying for this visa, you must meet several qualifying conditions, including getting an employment offer from a sponsoring firm.

The following are the most important requirements:

• The wage you’ve been offered must fulfill the minimum requirements.
• You must have received a valid sponsorship certificate.
• You must have sufficient personal savings to sustain yourself while in the United Kingdom.
• You must be able to demonstrate your travel history during the last five years.
• You must be able to demonstrate that you worked for your non-UK employer for a minimum of 12 months.
• If you are from a specified nation, you must be able to produce Tuberculosis test results.

Note: Long-Term Staff and Graduate Trainee Visas are the two categories of Intra-Company Transfer Visas now available.

Intra-Company Transfer Visa for Long-Term Staff

This visa is for people who are being moved to their company’s UK branch. You must have worked at your current job for at least 12 months to be eligible. This need will be eliminated, though, if your job pays you more than £73,900 each year.

Intra-Company Transfer Visa for Graduate Trainees

This visa is designed for graduates who want to join a graduate trainee program in the United Kingdom and work in a specialized or professional capacity.

Having at least three months of experience in your present position outside of the United States qualifies you for this program. It is also necessary for you to be a recent graduate.

How to Apply for a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa

If you want to enter the UK from a country outside the EEA for a cause approved under the visa’s regulations, you should apply for an entrance Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) visa from abroad.

The Tier 2 Intra Company Transfer visa application process is comparable to those of other UK visas. If you are applying from outside the UK, you must use the Home Office’s online facility. You must also send the supporting documentation to the address indicated in the online form.

You must apply for this visa within three months of getting the Certificate of Sponsorship and within three months of the start date of the work.

If you’re asking for a Tier 2 ICT Visa extension or to move to Tier 2 ICT, you must submit your application well before your existing visa expires.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are they Specific Requirements for Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer Visa Extention?

Yes, and they are as follows:

• For an extension, a new Certificate of Sponsorship is required.
• Working for the same employer as to when you got your last visa (it has to be either a Tier 2
• Intra-Company Transfer – Long Term Staff or a Visa as a Foreign Business Representative).
• Make a police registration (if you qualify).

How Long Does It Take for a UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa Application to Be Decided?

The processing time for a Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer Visa application submitted from outside the United States is normally three months.

A decision on an application to move into/extend a Tier 2 ICT visa can take up to 8 weeks; if you use the priority service, it can take up to 10 weeks; and if you use the premium service, you’ll get a decision the same day you apply.

The Home Office will determine your application for a settlement permit (ILR) in Tier 2 ICT within 6 months of the day you submit it.

Can an Intra Company Transfer visa applicant be accompanied by his/her Dependents?

You can accompany a Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer applicant/holder during their time of engagement in the UK as a dependent family member. If you have any of the following relationships with your family members, they can apply as your dependents:

• Your partner/spouse.
• Your long-term relationship’s unmarried/same-sex partner.
• When applying for LR or ILR from the UK, your kid must be under the age of 18 or must be 18 or older.

Can I extend my Intra-Company Transfer(ICT) Visa?

It is possible to extend your ICT Visa if you intend to continue working in the United Kingdom. Graduate trainees and those on long-term visas are both eligible for extensions.

You must fulfill the following requirements for your extension to be granted:

• Your Certificate of Sponsorship must have been obtained by your company.
• Your compensation must remain at a reasonable level;
• You must be based in the United Kingdom;
• Your occupation must be the same as when your visa was obtained.

If you have dependents on your existing visa, you must mention them in your application for an extension.

If you have a Long-Term ICT Visa, you will be given an extension for the shorter of the following periods:

• 5 years; 9 years if you earn more than £120,000;
• The maximum duration of stay allowed in your category; is + 14 days from the expiration date of your Certificate of Sponsorship.
• If you are a graduate trainee, you can extend your visa for another 12 months if it was issued for less than that.

If you did not provide your biometric information when you applied for your original ICT Visa, you will need to do so when you apply for an extension. These details can be submitted at a UKVCAS service site.

Conclusion

Workers on this visa who want to leave their employment and work for a different employer will need to apply for a new UK visa. Most visa applicants will most likely seek a Skilled Worker visa now that you may switch to one.

In most circumstances, the twelve-month cooling-off period before applying for another Intra-Company visa is unlikely to be significant.

We hope this article has exhaustively answered all your unanswered questions and explained everything you needed to know about the UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa as you can now proceed confidently with your application.