Premium vs Postal Visa Applications (Tier 2 General)

If you are based in the UK and you are looking to extend you visa, switch into a new immigration category or change employer you will need to submit a Tier 2 General visa application. Depending upon timeframes and how much you have to spend you can choose either the Premium or Postal route.

Do you need to book a ‘Premium’ Submission Slot with the UK Border Agency in Croydon? If so call Commonwealth Contractors now! We work with OISC registered Immigration partners who have submission slots available. To find out more call now on 0330 390 9021 or Submit your Details!

Premium Tier 2 General Submissions

Premium submissions are the quickest way to gain an approval however they are also the costliest. If you are planning on applying in Croydon not only will you have to pay the Government submission fee but you will also need to engage an OISC registered immigration courier at a price of £1,000 – £2,000. The Croydon office is by far the busiest and at present (in practice) it is only accepting applications from OISC registered organisations.

General Process for Croydon:

1. Slot booked by an OISC Registered Immigration Advisor at least 2 weeks before the application is due to be submitted. Please note that the Public Enquiry Office in Croydon is by far the busiest office and bookings are only accepted at least 2 weeks before the expected submission date
2. Professional representation fee paid to the OISC Advisor
3. Tier 2 Application Documents provided to the OISC Advisor for checking in advance of the submission
4. Slot date confirmed by the UK Border Agency
5. Day of the Application
   1. OISC Immigration Courier and applicant(s) meet in Croydon at least 30 minutes in advance of the Biometric Submission
   2. OISC Courier guides the applicant(s) through the Biometric Process
   3. OISC Courier submits the application to the UKBA with the applicant(s) present
   4. Applicants return home after the submission (normally by around 11am)
   5. Immigration Courier returns to Croydon either later that day or the following morning to pick up the application documents and approval letter
   6. 3-4 working days later Biometric Residence Permits arrive from the UKBA

Postal Tier 2 General Submissions

If you have a few weeks to spare a postal application may be a far better choice than submitting a premium application. For an individual the approval term is around 3-4 weeks (potentially significantly longer if you have dependents) and if you are extending an existing visa this is a good option. If you are looking to ‘switch’ employers however the postal route may simply take too long.

General Postal Application Process:

1. Tier 2 General Visa Application fully prepared and submitted by Special Delivery to the UK Border Agency in Sheffield
2. UKBA receive the application and post out a confirmation of receipt letter and also an initiation to provide biometrics to the applicant
3. The applicant arranges an appointment at a Biometric Submission location (including the post office) and gains a letter to confirm the submission process has been completed
4. The UK Border Agency case work the application once Biometrics have been provided
5. The approved application (along with Biometric Residence Permits) is returned to the applicant by special delivery

Find out More

To find out more about our solutions call now on 0330 390 9021 or Submit your Details and we will get right back to you!