Tier 2 work visa process

Could anyone tell me the timeline process of getting the Tier 2 general work visa?

My husband has been offered a job in the UK, the company has posted the job for the required 28 day period and have applied for the CoS this week.
I have been trying to look at what happens next, how long it's going to take from now and what we need to prepare, so we can do it as soon as we can. I can't find this kind of information on the UKBA website. I found what needs to be done, but can't see in what order and who does what when it comes to him or the company.

Oh some other info, if its needed...We are in the US, I'm the UKC and he is the USC. We have already been waiting an extra 3 weeks on the timeframe (end of Feb) the company told us, due to them not keeping on top of things. So if I get some idea of what happens next, we may be able to keep reminding them. I have a job offer too, and will probably have to move ahead of him due to these delays.

What I'm after is a step by step as to what happens from this point on. Can anyone help me with that?

Thank you! 

Looking back at your previous posts, I'm assuming you're applying for a Tier 2 visa for him instead of a spousal visa because you don't currently meet the minimum income requirement (just to clear that up in case anyone else wonders why you are not applying directly for a spousal visa).

In terms of the Tier 2 visa, The first step is to receive the Certificate of Sponsorship from the company. I'm not sure how long it will take to get that, as that is the company's responsibility, but you can't do anything else until you have it.

Once you have it, though, you can move on to the next step of the process: applying for the visa (he will need to apply for his visa himself through UKBA).

It will involve him filling out the online application form (http://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/), then submitting it and paying for it online (current visa cost is £480, but this will increase to £494 from April 6th).

When he does this, he will be prompted to book a biometrics appointment to have his fingerprints and photo taken at a local USCIS application support center in the US. Most people manage to get a biometrics appointment within a few days of submitting the online application.

After the biometrics appointment, he will need to collect the printed application form and all his supporting documents together and mail them to the UKBA consulate in NYC. They must arrive at the consulate within 14 calendar days of the biometrics appointment (and no later than 30 days after the online application date - whichever is sooner).

From there, he just has to wait for the visa to be processed. There is an option to pay for priority processing on the Worldbridge website on the day he mails the documents to NYC. This costs $150 on top of the visa fee, but if should get him 48-hour processing once the application has been received by the consulate.

Once the visa has been processed, it will be sent back to you, and it just needs checking for errors before you book flights and move to the UK.

So, as a general idea, once he has the Certificate of Sponsorship from the company, it's then your actions that determine how long it will take to get the visa. If you are on top of things and have all the paperwork ready to go, you could be looking at it only taking maybe a couple of weeks from them, but if you take a while to sort out the online application, do the biometrics and send the application in (and don't pay for priority processing), it could take a bit longer.

Current processing times for Tier 2 visas in the US, from the application documents being received in NYC are:

Tier 2 Applications decided in January 2013 (246 applications):
 0% in 2 working days
47% in 3 working days
71% in 5 working days
95% in 10 working days    
98%  in 15 working days
100% in 40 working days.

If you want to get the ball rolling on the actual application, you could start filling it out online (just log in at least every 7 days and re-save otherwise it will be deleted).

You can also start getting the documents together for the visa now.  I'm not sure what's required for the Tier 2, but if there are things he doesn't have now or would take a while to get, you could start now. 

DH and I started collecting documents and filling out the online form  for my Fiance Visa over a month before we intended to apply.  It was nice to have plenty of time to get stuff together and not have to rush. 

we are here on a tier 2 and like previous posters said you can start collecting everything you will need for documents.  We had to wait for our CoS because they only do them once a month now.  Once we got that approved they sent HR had to send it to us so we could include it with the application.  I think we pretty much had everything ready to submit when it arrived. 

As far as getting the visa I think it was about 15 working days.  As soon as it was done we got an email so then started looking at flights etc so we could book something as it came.  I didn't want to book until it was actually in my hands and I could check it for mistakes.  As far as a timeline I think we got everything done in Aug and moved over mid/ late Sept.  I also think they used a date 2 weeks before DH contract started as the first day of the visa.

Looking back at your previous posts, I'm assuming you're applying for a Tier 2 visa for him instead of a spousal visa because you don't currently meet the minimum income requirement (just to clear that up in case anyone else wonders why you are not applying directly for a spousal visa).

In terms of the Tier 2 visa, The first step is to receive the Certificate of Sponsorship from the company. I'm not sure how long it will take to get that, as that is the company's responsibility, but you can't do anything else until you have it.

Once you have it, though, you can move on to the next step of the process: applying for the visa (he will need to apply for his visa himself through UKBA).

It will involve him filling out the online application form (http://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/), then submitting it and paying for it online (current visa cost is £480, but this will increase to £494 from April 6th).

When he does this, he will be prompted to book a biometrics appointment to have his fingerprints and photo taken at a local USCIS application support center in the US. Most people manage to get a biometrics appointment within a few days of submitting the online application.

After the biometrics appointment, he will need to collect the printed application form and all his supporting documents together and mail them to the UKBA consulate in NYC. They must arrive at the consulate within 14 calendar days of the biometrics appointment (and no later than 30 days after the online application date - whichever is sooner).

From there, he just has to wait for the visa to be processed. There is an option to pay for priority processing on the Worldbridge website on the day he mails the documents to NYC. This costs $150 on top of the visa fee, but if should get him 48-hour processing once the application has been received by the consulate.

Once the visa has been processed, it will be sent back to you, and it just needs checking for errors before you book flights and move to the UK.

So, as a general idea, once he has the Certificate of Sponsorship from the company, it's then your actions that determine how long it will take to get the visa. If you are on top of things and have all the paperwork ready to go, you could be looking at it only taking maybe a couple of weeks from them, but if you take a while to sort out the online application, do the biometrics and send the application in (and don't pay for priority processing), it could take a bit longer.

Current processing times for Tier 2 visas in the US, from the application documents being received in NYC are:

Tier 2 Applications decided in January 2013 (246 applications):
 0% in 2 working days
47% in 3 working days
71% in 5 working days
95% in 10 working days    
98%  in 15 working days
100% in 40 working days.

Yes, you are correct. I haven't earned enough to sponsor him, but luckily his company was willing to.

Thank you so much for your detailed response, this was just what we were after! 

His company actually responded to him today and told him that their 'visa guy' will do all the processing for him and he won't need to do anything. This is why I was confused. I saw that you have to apply online, but they have said that this guy will be doing it on my husbands behalf. Is this a done thing? It seems a bit odd to me for someone else to be able to fill out his application. 

If you want to get the ball rolling on the actual application, you could start filling it out online (just log in at least every 7 days and re-save otherwise it will be deleted).

You can also start getting the documents together for the visa now.  I'm not sure what's required for the Tier 2, but if there are things he doesn't have now or would take a while to get, you could start now. 

DH and I started collecting documents and filling out the online form  for my Fiance Visa over a month before we intended to apply.  It was nice to have plenty of time to get stuff together and not have to rush. 

Thank you very much 

we are here on a tier 2 and like previous posters said you can start collecting everything you will need for documents.  We had to wait for our CoS because they only do them once a month now.  Once we got that approved they sent HR had to send it to us so we could include it with the application.  I think we pretty much had everything ready to submit when it arrived. 

As far as getting the visa I think it was about 15 working days.  As soon as it was done we got an email so then started looking at flights etc so we could book something as it came.  I didn't want to book until it was actually in my hands and I could check it for mistakes.  As far as a timeline I think we got everything done in Aug and moved over mid/ late Sept.  I also think they used a date 2 weeks before DH contract started as the first day of the visa.

This is very helpful, thank you!

His company actually responded to him today and told him that their 'visa guy' will do all the processing for him and he won't need to do anything. This is why I was confused. I saw that you have to apply online, but they have said that this guy will be doing it on my husbands behalf. Is this a done thing? It seems a bit odd to me for someone else to be able to fill out his application. 

I'm not sure how they expect to do it all for him, because he has to enter his personal details on the application form, including things like home address and phone number, his date of birth, passport details,  your details (as his wife) and your childrens' details, his parents' details, previous UK immigration history, any previous criminal convictions, travel history throughout his life etc.

Also, he is the one who has to attend the biometrics appointment, and mail the application to NYC.

As far as I am aware, the only thing the company should be doing is sorting out the sponsorship paperwork and job contract. Then, the actual visa application process is his responsibility. It could be that the company's 'visa guy' is just doing the sponsorship paperwork, rather than the whole thing.

Is is a Tier 2 Intra Company Transfer visa (i.e. his US company is transferring him to a UK branch of the company) or a Tier 2 General visa (i.e. a UK company he does not yet work for is sponsoring him for a visa)?

The application forms are the same (he will need to fill out the online application, plus the printed Tier 2 Appendix form), but the information about how to apply for a Tier 2 General is here: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/working/tier2/general/outsideuk/ and Tier 2 ICT is here: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/working/tier2/ict/outsideuk/

I'm not sure how they expect to do it all for him, because he has to enter his personal details on the application form, including things like home address and phone number, his date of birth, passport details,  your details (as his wife) and your childrens' details, his parents' details, previous UK immigration history, any previous criminal convictions, travel history throughout his life etc.

Also, he is the one who has to attend the biometrics appointment, and mail the application to NYC.

As far as I am aware, the only thing the company should be doing is sorting out the sponsorship paperwork and job contract. Then, the actual visa application process is his responsibility. It could be that the company's 'visa guy' is just doing the sponsorship paperwork, rather than the whole thing.

Is is a Tier 2 Intra Company Transfer visa (i.e. his US company is transferring him to a UK branch of the company) or a Tier 2 General visa (i.e. a UK company he does not yet work for is sponsoring him for a visa)?

The application forms are the same (he will need to fill out the online application, plus the printed Tier 2 Appendix form), but the information about how to apply for a Tier 2 General is here: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/working/tier2/general/outsideuk/ and Tier 2 ICT is here: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/working/tier2/ict/outsideuk/

Brilliant, thanks! This was what I was thinking. The HR guy he is dealing with is very unreliable so far and doesn't seem to know much. He is the middle man between my husband and this visa guy they have too, so it's hard to get actual facts out of him.
It's a Tier 2 general visa.

Thank you very much for your help, really appreciate it. We will get on to sorting stuff out now so when the CoS is approved, hubby can get straight on it, so no more time is wasted.