UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa

To qualify for the Intra-Company Transfer visa, you must meet specific requirements. These include;

1. You must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from your employer. The UK office of your company must issue you a sponsorship certificate. The CoS is an electronic document that provides a unique reference number that you will use for your visa application. You must apply for the Intra-Company Transfer visa within three months of getting your CoS.
2. You must be employed by the overseas branch of the same company you are being transferred to in the UK. If you earn more than £73,900/year, there is no minimum time before you can make a transfer. However, if you earn less than that amount, you must have worked with your employer for at least 12 months. If you’re applying for a graduate trainee visa, you must have worked for the company for at least three months.
3. The job offer or job must be on the UK list of eligible occupations.
4. You must be paid a salary that is eligible for the role.
5. You must prove that you have enough money to care for yourself in the UK.
   Before applying for the visa, you must provide evidence that you have a minimum of £1,270 in your bank account for 28 consecutive days.

The end of the 28 days must be at least 31 days before the date you apply for your Intra-Company Transfer.
However, if your sponsor agrees to support you with £1,270  to cover your costs for a month when you arrive in the UK, you will not need to show your financial records.

Applicants can apply for their ICT visa from within by switching or extending their leave or applying from outside the UK for entry clearance. The application is online, and the specific process depends on where you are applying.

If applying from outside the UK, you’ll need to prove your identity as part of your application. To verify your identity, you will either;

• visit a visa application centre to get your fingerprints and photograph taken to get a biometric residence permit; or
• use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document

After completing your online application, you must pay the application fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge. After completing your online application, you must submit your supporting documents to the visa application centre.

As with all UK visa applications, there are certain documents that you must submit as part of your application for the Intra-Company Transfer visa. These documents include;

• A valid passport with at least one blank page or other identity documents that show your identity and nationality
• Documents showing details of your job title and salary
• Certificate of a Sponsorship reference number
• Your job’s occupation code
• The name of your employer and their sponsor license number
• Evidence that you have enough personal savings to support yourself in the UK. This is not required if your sponsor has agreed to support your living expenses for the first month of your stay in the UK.
• Evidence that you work for your employer overseas.
• If you are applying for the Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa, you must provide details of the training programme.
• Your tuberculosis test results if you are from a TB endemic country
• If your job involves researching a sensitive subject at a PhD level or higher, you may be asked for a valid ATAS certificate.

All of your documents must be original copies and in English or Welsh. You must translate documents not in English and submit the certified translation along with originals.

You will need to pay several fees when applying for the ICT visa. The standard application fee depends on where you are applying and how long you intend to stay.

If you’re applying from outside the UK, the application fee is

• £625 if you intend to stay in the UK for less than three years; or
• £1,235 if you want to stay for more than three years.

If you’re applying from inside the UK to extend, switch or update your visa, the application fee is;

• £719 if you intend to stay in the UK for less than three years; or
• £1,423 if you want to stay for more than three years.

You will also be required to pay the Healthcare Surcharge each year you stay in the UK.

This fee is usually £624 per year but may be reviewed. Ensure to check the Home Office website for details of the healthcare surcharge.

The Home Office typically takes about three weeks to process ICT visa applications once you complete all the processes. The Home Ofice will contact you if you need to provide further information or have any issues with your application.

You can pay for priority service processing if you need a decision faster than the standard three weeks. This will cost £500 if you wish to get the decision within five working days or £800 if you want to get the decision within one working day.

Under current rules, the period you will be entitled to live and work in the UK depends on your sponsorship. The ICT visa expires;

• Upon expiration of your work contract plus two weeks; or
• A maximum period of five years if you earn less than £73,900 and nine years if you earn £73,900.
• Upon one calendar year, if you are a graduate trainee.

Whichever of the above times is shorter is considered the allowed period of stay in the UK.

You can apply for an extension on your ICT visa from inside the UK, provided you have not spent the maximum time allowed in the UK.

You must also meet the following conditions before applying for an extension;

• You are still employed by the same organisation that assigned your previous CoS
• You are still in the same job as when you made the original ICT visa application
• The same occupation code still applies to the job

You cannot extend an Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa from inside the UK but can make an extension application from outside the UK

If you wish to bring your family members to the UK as your dependents, you can do so through the ICT visa. For a family member to be considered your dependent, they must either be;

• Your legally recognised spouse or civil partner, proven through a valid marriage certificate or certificate of civil partnership;
• Dependent children under 18 proven through birth certificates or adoption papers

You must be able to demonstrate that you have been living together with a said family member for at least two years at the time of your application. You must also show that you have enough money to care for your dependents. For your partner, you will need an additional £285, while you will need £315 for one child and £200 for each additional child.

If your dependents are outside of the UK, each one must apply for a visa separately and pay the required fees. If they are inside of the UK and wish to extend or switch their visa, they can do this either at the same time as you apply to extend or switch your visa or at any time before their current visa expires.