Tier 2 visa - Viginette transfer

Hi

I have a query with regards to the viginette short term entry period in relation to a Tier 5 YM visa (although guess this can apply for all other visas whereby a short term viginette is granted).

My visa is valid for 2 years, although ST viginette gives me a 30 day window for the purposes of getting in & collecting my biometric permit.

As a NZ citizen I can get a visa anyway for 90 days as a tourist, therefore if I enter outside the viginette 30 day period will I still need to apply for a new viginette transfer?

i don't see why i couldn't get in on a 90 day visa, then pick up my BRP (which I would obviously have to request the post office to hold in advance given a late planned entry) & be entitled for the remainder of the 2 years.

Is this possible? I realize I would lose a few months of my 2 years.

Thanks for your reply in advance

You cannot enter UK using an expired vignette.

If you enter the UK as a visitor, then your PBS status may be cancelled. Moreover, you cannot switch from a visitor to PBS in the UK.

Televators51 wrote:i don't see why i couldn't get in on a 90 day visa, then pick up my BRP (which I would obviously have to request the post office to hold in advance given a late planned entry) & be entitled for the remainder of the 2 years.

That would have been more reasonable for applicants. Unfortunately, it's not the way they had set it up.

Thanks for the reply, appreciate it.

I'm guessing you cannot apply for a viginette transfer on arrival either, therefore if you tried to enter with an expired viginette the course of action would most likely be they would not let you in & you would have to exit UK (i.e. somewhere in Europe) to apply for a transfer before re-entering?

Main thing I am concerned with really is travelling before hand & if want to go for more than couple of months its not really the place I would feel comfortable sending off my passport to wait for the new sticker & then get returned...

Did they issue the vignette in line with your stated intended date of travel?

I'm pretty flexible on my date to enter the UK, but they can't date it forward by more than 3 months.

Which in my case means I have around 3 months in total to travel beforehand (2 months of my intended travel date left plus 30 day viginette window). Wouldn't mind extending that by a month or so if money permits though!

Thanks