is a work visa still valid during renewal period?

Dear Forum,

My tier 1 exceptional talent visa is expiring in September and I was hoping to go on holidays in August. I have a few questions for you:

When do people normally send in their passports and applications for a Tier 1 renewal?

If my visa expires while the visa is being renewed do I still have the right to work?

Is it possible to send in the application very early (more than 3 months before the expiration of the visa) if someone has to have access to their passport for travel in the months before the renewal date?


My employer is very strict about checking the visa to make sure it is valid so I am especially curious to know the answer to the second question.

Many thanks!!

Don't apply too early - it may fall for refusal. Yes, your status is counted as valid after you apply, if they take until past the expiry date to deal with the application. In other words if you make an in-time application your status is treated as being extant until they say otherwise.

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?

I wouldn't leave it until the day before it expires but in theory, yes. I believe if you apply more than 6 weeks before expiry they can refuse it. That used to be the case anyway; maybe someone else could confirm?

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.