UK immigration FAQ
The questions we are asked most often about sponsor licences, Skilled Worker visas, partner visas, settlement, study routes and refusals, answered in one place by IAA-regulated advisers.
- 418 answers
- Covering sponsorship, work, family, settlement, study and visitor routes
- IAA-regulated
- Written by regulated immigration advisers
- Free tools
- Calculators and checkers for fees, salaries and residence
- London-based
- Advice by phone, video or in person
Start here
If your question is about one route, the route page usually goes deeper.
Every answer below is taken from the relevant service or route page on this site. Where an answer depends on your own circumstances — salary, occupation code, absences, relationship evidence — use the linked calculator first, then bring the result to a consultation so an adviser is working from your actual figures.
Sponsor licences
Eligibility, fees, key personnel, compliance duties and refusals.
Sponsor licenceSkilled Worker visas
Salary thresholds, occupation codes, certificates and dependants.
Skilled WorkerPartner and family visas
Financial requirement, relationship evidence, extensions and switching.
Spouse and partnerSettlement and citizenship
ILR qualifying periods, absences, and naturalisation.
SettlementStudy routes
Student visa applications, extensions, switching and dependants.
Student visasAfter a refusal
Appeal rights, administrative review and reapplying.
Appeals and reviewsSponsorship: detailed questions
Route-by-route questions for sponsorship, each answered from the page it links to.
Skilled Worker sponsor licence
Full skilled worker sponsor licence guideSkilled Worker sponsor licence (alias)
Full skilled worker sponsor licence (alias) guideGlobal Business Mobility routes
Full global business mobility routes guideUK Expansion Worker route
Full uk expansion worker route guideSenior or Specialist Worker route
Full senior or specialist worker route guideGraduate Trainee route
Full graduate trainee route guideSecondment Worker route
Full secondment worker route guideService Supplier route
Full service supplier route guideTemporary Worker sponsor licence routes
Full temporary worker sponsor licence routes guideScale-up sponsor licence
Full scale-up sponsor licence guideReligious Worker sponsor licence routes
Full religious worker sponsor licence routes guideInternational Sportsperson sponsor licence
Full international sportsperson sponsor licence guideWork visas: detailed questions
Route-by-route questions for work visas, each answered from the page it links to.
Skilled Worker visa
Full skilled worker visa guideHealth and Care Worker visa
Full health and care worker visa guideGlobal Talent visa
Full global talent visa guideGraduate visa
Full graduate visa guideHigh Potential Individual visa
Full high potential individual visa guideScale-up visa
Full scale-up visa guideTemporary work visas: detailed questions
Route-by-route questions for temporary work visas, each answered from the page it links to.
Charity Worker visa
Full charity worker visa guideCreative Worker visa
Full creative worker visa guideReligious Worker visa
Full religious worker visa guideSeasonal Worker visa
Full seasonal worker visa guideInternational Agreement visa
Full international agreement visa guideFamily visas: detailed questions
Route-by-route questions for family visas, each answered from the page it links to.
Spouse and partner visa
Full spouse and partner visa guideFiancé(e) visa
Full fiancé(e) visa guideChild of a British parent visa
Full child of a british parent visa guideParent of a British child visa
Full parent of a british child visa guideUK Ancestry visa
Full uk ancestry visa guideSettlement and citizenship: detailed questions
Route-by-route questions for settlement and citizenship, each answered from the page it links to.
Indefinite leave to remain
Full indefinite leave to remain guideBritish citizenship
Full british citizenship guideBritish passport
Full british passport guideStudy visas: detailed questions
Route-by-route questions for study visas, each answered from the page it links to.
UK Student Visa
Full uk student visa guideMasters Study Visa
Full masters study visa guidePhD Student Visa
Full phd student visa guidePhD Student Visa (alternative URL)
Full phd student visa (alternative url) guideShort-term Study Visa
Full short-term study visa guideVisitor visas: detailed questions
Route-by-route questions for visitor visas, each answered from the page it links to.
Standard Visitor visa
Full standard visitor visa guideMarriage Visitor visa
Full marriage visitor visa guideUK Transit visa
Full uk transit visa guideBusiness visas: detailed questions
Route-by-route questions for business visas, each answered from the page it links to.
Innovator Founder Visa
Full innovator founder visa guideRelated
Other routes worth checking
Free immigration tools
Fee, salary, residence and eligibility calculators you can use before booking anything.
Read moreSponsor licence application service
What a managed sponsor licence application covers and what the Home Office charges.
Read moreBook a consultation
Fixed-fee advice with a regulated adviser, with prices shown before you book.
Read moreReady when you are
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