Thanks -- really I'm sure that I can't break the absences into two 12 month periods, I've tried that. I'll be absent for 8 months in one of the 12 month periods!

THanks -- I should have said I am going to miss 180 days in the 12 month cycle. I'm not going to qualify for permanent residency so the question is whether I could leave and come back in the same way.

Dear Forum, I entered the UK with an exceptional talent visa and extended it once, but I will have stayed away from the UK for more than 180 days in 5 years so in the time I have left on the visa I can't apply for permanent residency. I've been told that I can't extend my current exceptional talent ...

Hello, I phoned today and was told that applications should be made 28 days or less before the expiry of the visa and processing times are 3 weeks at the moment. They said that work visas are valid throughout the application process.

Thanks very much for this helpful reply. So if my visa expires on Sept 15 I could in theory apply on Sept 14. And that would be a better strategy than applying three or four months before it expires?

Thank you that helps a lot and it what I hoped I would hear!

Thank you... and does the period of residency for ILR begin when I enter?

Hi everyone, I applied for a Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa and was (thank goodness) successful. I just received it valid from last week or so. However, I applied really early since there were a limited number of these available and since I wanted to pursue other options in case I was turned down ...

THat's really depressing -- where are you getting these statistics? however, the visa was only introduced in September 2011 so I imagine there weren't many issued last year.

Has ANYONE been successful with this visa? How long did it take you?? My application and my passport have been gone almost three months now!!

Thanks very much for that helpful reply. I do know all about the review process by the academies and have worked very hard on a fully developed application for them. What you have written about getting the visa before you need it is a big relief and that's what I'll do. We used a lawyer b/c we had a ...

Hi Forum, I have a question for everyone out there. I wanted to apply for a Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa b/c I was offered an academic job in the UK. I'd like to make this application as soon as possible because the Exceptional Talent visas are limited in number and no one seems to know what will ...

I think he would be away from the UK for more than 6 months, but how would anyone know if he has freedom of movement? I am wondering if he has to submit a tax declaration with too much Swiss income they might question his residency, but do the tax authorities communicate with the immigration ...

Hello Forum, I have a question -- I am a non-EU national hoping to take a job in the UK as my EU husband exercises treaty rights (as a self-sufficient person, based in part on my employment). My question is, can he continue to work Monday to Thursday in Switzerland and come to the UK on the weekends ...

Thanks a million Jrge. Now we're starting the process with the intention that my husband will set up a residence in the UK (bank account, insurance number, etc) and come there on the weekends but still continue to work during the week in his native EU country. Does anyone have any insight into the ...

Dear Forum, I've benefitted so much from reading this forum, so thanks to all of you for reading and posting. I am a non-EU citizen married to an EU citizen and we both live elsewhere in the EU. We have a son who is both an EU and US citizen. Now I've just landed a good job in the UK. Our plan is to ...