Hi All, So glad to found such insightful information on this site. I registered hoping you can shed me some light in regards to my situation. I've never had anyone to talk to about this.. I'm a Filipino product designer at 22, I've been "hired" / "contracted" by a UK company ever since I graduated from college (BS IT - year 2012). Have been working with them for over a year and a half now. I signed them an open-ended contract and they pay well for my needs that I never looked for other opportunities locally. They invited me to come to the UK for 2-3 weeks to visit their workplace and see how I like it there for a possible settlement. They informed me that there are risks of me getting denied of entry even with proper visa. Can you guide me on how to avoid this from happening? and how can I apply for a visa and what type of visa I need to apply to? Cheers, Jon
Why did they seem to think you would get denied if you have the correct visa? What visa do/will you have?
I asked what visa you have and you're asking what visa you should have, sorry Is the employer advising/supporting with evidence your visa application?
Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure as to why, but it is their first time doing such arrangements. They do promised that they'll advise me for further details and specific steps I need to take, but It has been over two weeks and I just wanted some firsthand information or hear other users advice / experience regarding my case
Ah understood Jon and thanks for the background info. They might be right about refusal as most visa are refused do to overstaying due to people working illegally. If you're happy with them as an employer why not just accept the job anyhow? Getting employment here isnt so easy so might be worth grabbing the opportunity
I would suggest you get an invitation letter from your company in the UK stating the reasons for your visit and that they will be taking care of your expenses, its a business visa you need to apply for. If it is the first time the UK company has done this sort of thing then it may be a good idea for them to state in their letter that you are going for training, do not mention work, just my opinion. If you do decide to take them up on a permanent job offer then I suspect that it will be much more difficult to obtain the working visa as you are from outside the EU, I do not see any problems with you getting a business though to visit the UK for a few weeks.
I am happy with them as my employer, yes. I wanted to be in london to work too.. They actually offered me both, to either permanently settle in uk for work or visit for a few weeks and see how things are going. I picked the second option thinking it would be less hassle and how i can play tourist whilst visiting. This is also my first out of the country so Im quite excited. So are you somehow suggesting that it would be easier for me to go with the first option and settle in uk for work? Rather than "Visiting" the uk. As I understand each fall under a differnt types of visa. Btw they will be covering my expenses for the trip..
Thank you ! That's really helpful You mentioned that it might be difficult for me to obtain the working visa for a permanent job in london. Can you please elaborate more on this and the steps that I might take? Thanks
I think it should be possible for your employers to re-locate you to London. Within the Immigration Rules this is an "intra-company transfer". My employers have a number of non-EU citizens in the office. I will try to find out more for you next week.
Because you are a non EU citizen it is more difficult to obtain a working visa, this is not to say that your company cannot arrange it for you. My wife worked for a bank in the UAE and she was given the opportunity to transfer to the UK. You will need the company in the UK to sort everything out for you, if they want you in their employment then they will go to the effort of trying to obtain a visa for you. If it was easy to obtain a working visa for the UK then our island would have sunk by now with the weight of the people here
I u I understand completely. I'm pretty sure they have been doing the effort as I knew they have been posting job listings in the UK and Spain for my position. This was to prove that I am the only one suited for the position. So I think the next step now is to wait for my company for updates, eh ? What I wanted to know as well if I need to prepare some documents here in the philippines to support them getting me the visa? Do you have any tips?
I'm quite sure that your company in the UK will employ an immigration solicitor on your behalf who will advise you of any documents that are required for your work visa. I'm guessing that your visa requirements will be discussed at length when you visit the company in the UK, a meeting with a solicitor will be on the cards I presume. Let the company guide you. When you are advised of the documents required please post here on the forum as it could be very helpful for present and future members.
Hi All, just wanted to update and share with you how this went. So, my employer has been in touch with me and the UK immigration. They set me up for appointment and provided me some documents listed below : Letter of invitation - telling that they are inviting me for business meetings etc and that they are covering the expenses for the trip Booking Confirmation - flight information Online Application for Visa - you can fill this out on their website visa4uk.fco.gov.uk Appointment Confirmation Supporting documents of my activities here in the PH - Business Registration, ITR and Passport Photo make sure its UK sized 35mm x 45mm Going this September to October. It will be my first time in the UK Thanks a lot guys
I think that you can use a visitor visa if you are having meetings etc and are not employed within the UK which it sounds like you are not. You will be on your existing contract. You can go to interviews on a visitor visa as well.
