T2 Extension - CoS start date more than 3 months ahead

[neb]

Hi all,
I am currently under Tier 2 (G) visa which valid until 25/07/2016
For personal reasons I would like to extend my leave more than 3 months ahead and I have got a new CoS from my employer yesterday.
However the start date on this CoS is 24/07/2016, and expiry date is 20/04/2016. I have also got an appointment booked for 27/01/2016 which is next week.

From what I've understood so far reading this board is that I will not be able to apply for extension more than 3 months before the start date, which would be 24/04/2016 the earliest, and by which the CoS will no longer be valid. However when I was switching from T1 PSW to T2G 3 years ago, I have made my application in February using a CoS with the start date in July successfully and was granted leave until July 3 years later, and someone mentioned in another post that there are people successfully extended their leaves more than 90 days ahead of the start date.

Can someone confirm that this could be the case? Or is it better to cancel my current application and ask for my employer for a different CoS with a start date within 3 months? Thanks

[moonlight55]

You cannot apply now with a COS start of 24/07/2016. The COS start date should be within 3 months from the date of application.

[bholo]

Please don't apply more than 3 months before.

I am now on tier 2 but my application was once refused because of this reason.

They gave me 0 points because i applied 4 months advance.

Either change date or either apply later.

[neb]

Just an update on this:
I've attended the appointment today as it was not possible to change the start date on CoS once it's assigned.
So I'm making the application using the CoS with a start date 6 months away from the appointment.

The application has been approved and I was granted leave until Feb 2019 (6 years after my initial T2 application)

So I can confirm that it is possible to apply for extension using a CoS with start date more than 3 months ahead, but obviously it's better to avoid doing so if it can be helped.

[moonlight55]

Congratulations. You are indeed one of the luckier ones around!

Would be helpful to post what was the Work start and end date mentioned in your CoS. I have a feeling the officer ignored the work start date and granted you the visa from the date of application for 3 years.

You also mentioned that you were granted your initial T2 visa until July 2016. What was the start date of this visa?

[neb]

First time round (PSW -> T2): CoS 11/07/2013 - 11/07/2016, applied on 13/02/2013, granted 13/02/2013 - 25/07/2016
This time (T2 extension): CoS 26/07/2016 - 26/07/2019, applied on 27/01/2016, granted 27/01/2016 - 13/02/2019

It looks like as I'm working for the same employer already both times, the caseworks just ignored the start date on CoS and granted leave based on application date and either end date on CoS or the 6 years limit instead

[iworker]

quite surprising actually. Previously, while issuing a cos, the system will not let you assign a date more than 90 days in future. probably a change in rules?

[neb]

I don't think so - my first CoS for July 2013 was issued in Dec 2012, which was why I had to apply in Feb
I have checked the policy guidance at that point, it did state that you cannot apply 3 months ahead of the start date as well so I believe it's all down to how the caseworker interpret this rule when you are working for the same employer already.

Both times I applied in person in Sheffield premium service centre