Greetings!
I have been living in the UK, first on a Work Permit Visa then under an HSMP visa, since March 2006. In March 2010, my current visa expires and I would like to renew under the Tier 1 (General) programme.
I assume that I will have the requisite number of points. I believe that, out of seventy five required, I have ninety or ninety-five. My problem is this: In April, I was stopped whilst driving. I have now been summoned to the Magistrate's Court for two offenses: Driving without insurance and Driving with an inappropriate license.
In the first case, I was negligent and am to blame. In the second, I was given false information by a DVLA clerk about how long I could continue to drive on my US license. However, regardless of fault, I did commit both offenses and plan to plead guilty. I accept and will pay whatever fine is levied and whatever points go on my license.
What I am concerned about is this: I know that I need to report these convictions when I reapply for my Tier 1 (General) Visa. Will this stop me from being approved? Other than this one incident, I have no other marks against me. I have been employed by prestigious institutions -- first by Oxford University and now by Imperial College London -- since I arrived in the UK. I have had no other trouble with the law. I have good earnings (about £35K) and some savings (about £4K), which is quite sufficient to live on.
Does anyone else have any experience with this sort of situation? Although I can move back to the United States relatively easily, I would very much prefer to continue living here. Thus, I would be quite grateful for any advice that anyone could give.
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