Query regarding Tier 2 ICT Short Term Cooling off period

Hi All,

I got my Tier 2 ICT short term visa in 2013 and it was valid from Feb 16th 2013 to Feb 15th 2014. I left UK on 14th Feb 2014 and i know that my cooling off period of one year starts from this date.

I have a requirement now to go to UK again under the same Tier 2 short term visa category. I know I can't enter UK before 14th Feb 2015 but am I eligible to start the visa process at least i.e. applying online via visa4uk site and appearing for biometric tests before 14th Feb? Or should I start the visa process itself after 14th Feb?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Logesh

Unfortulately, you cannot. The application date (which will be the date when the payment is done) has to be atleast 12 months from the day you left UK.

Btw, not sure if you are aware, ICT ST to ICT LT is not subject to the 12 month cool-off. You can apply for it now if your company agrees for it. Ofcourse, it has an additional criteria of a minimum salary that needs to be given. I think its somewhere ard 41K. So, it depends if your company agrees to go for it.

moonlight55 wrote:Unfortulately, you cannot. The application date (which will be the date when the payment is done) has to be atleast 12 months from the day you left UK.

Btw, not sure if you are aware, ICT ST to ICT LT is not subject to the 12 month cool-off. You can apply for it now if your company agrees for it. Ofcourse, it has an additional criteria of a minimum salary that needs to be given. I think its somewhere ard 41K. So, it depends if your company agrees to go for it.

Hi - Many thanks for your reply. Regarding the Long term visa, no I'm not allowed by my company to opt for that. That's fine thanks for your help

Have a nice day!

Regards,
Logesh T

Hello,

I have had a Tier 2 ICT Short Term Visa Validity from 31st Oct 2013 to 30th Oct 2014.
I have travelled to UK on this visa on 6th Nov 2013 and travelled back from UK on 15th June 2014.
I am not sure if my employer has sent a message to British Council about me leaving the UK. (Is there away to confirm the range of cooling off period)
Is it possible for me to apply for a Tier 2 General Visa with a salary around 25000 GBP before 30th Oct 2015.

It will be of great help if someone can answer my query.

Many Thanks,
Velma

Ideally, your employer should have notified the home office of your return from UK. If they have, your cooling off will start from the day you left UK and not from visa expiry date. You will also need to provide additional proof of it as part of the application. See the text below from the T2 guidance:

Where you left the UK before your last period of Tier 2 leave expired, the 12-month period can start earlier than the date your leave expired but only if you can provide evidence of you having not been in the UK for a period immediately prior to that date. Acceptable evidence may include, but is not limited to:
a) travel tickets or boarding card stubs, but only if you or your previous sponsor also submitted an SMS report at the time, confirming that your employment in the UK had ended;
b) exit or entry stamps in your passport which confirm that you were not in the UK;
c) a letter from the your overseas employer confirming the date you started work overseas, after returning from the UK;
d) any other evidence that shows you were not in the UK.

Thanks