Frustrated with Tier 2 issue

[Andy1111]

Hi,

In need of some urgent advice. Any help much appreciated.

I am an Indian citizen currently on a Tier 4 student visa about to expire in 10 days. I have been made at least 3 to 4 offers paying good salary in the UK. But every time HR will reject me purely because of visa; they say it's too difficult. These are international companies in the UK employing staff from America and other international countries so I am really surprised.

Finally I have managed to secure an offer where I am told visa will be done by the company. But now person in charge of visa is on vacation!

They are asking me to return to India before my student visa runs out. I am then supposed to make an application from there. But by then my current student visa will be expired.

I have gone through many posts here but not getting answers. How possible is it to get a visa done from India as quickly? My company won't like it if it is 12 weeks. UKBA delays applications even with all documents so I am worried really.

There is a very slight chance I can get visa application sent from UK before my current student visa runs out. But I have some extremely important engagement to attend in India next month. How can I go there if my passport is with UKBA?

Thanks

[eduleal]

As I understand it, to get it processed quickly you need to do it from inside the Uk, because it is the only way they will be able to get an exemption from the 3-month labour market test (where they have to advertise the position to EU candidates).

Applying from India will mean they will have to go trhough this (unless it is a job on the shortage list), which will take minimum 3 months.

If they have a Tier 2 licence, you can apply straightaway from the UK as soon as they allocate an unrestricted Certificate of Sponsorship to you (as you're switching from Tier 4 to Tier 2). You need to ring them up and check availability of their "express" service, which costs about 400 pounds but you get it processed very quickly.

If you apply after your Tier 4 visa expires, you will lose all your exemptions and it will make it much more difficult for anyone to sponsor you.