Help! Government authorised exchange tier 5

[Nyvyas]

Dear fellow forum members and administrators, will greatly appreciate any help/advice on this.

I applied for a Tier 5 government authorised exchange visa, submitting a certificate of sponsorship number and supporting documents to demonstrate sufficient funds. I am not a Brazilian but I applied in Rio De Janeiro as I was traveling in South America these past few months. Now, I face a conundrum:

First, I submitted my application last Wednesday opting for the priority service as I have to return to my home country this weekend.

Second, I have since found out when calling the UK consulate in my home country that actually the scope of what I am doing in the UK can fall under the category of a "visit" for which I qualify for visa waiver.

But, having gone through the whole process, I thought just to be entirely safe I should still go through the application process and get the visa.

These are my concerns: initially the estimated processing time for Rio for tier 5 visas was 100% in 5 days (July 2012). This was updated just today to 56% in 5 days and 90+% in 10 days. Counting from last Wednesday when I submitted the application, this is the 4th day. Up to Friday (before I have to leave over the weekend) it falls on the 8th day. I received an email last week saying that my visa application has been received and is currently being processed. I plan to wait it out but am concerned that I may not get my documents and passport back in time to return to my home country.

Query: given that I received an email last week from the consulate informing me that my visa is currently being processed, should I be optimistic about receiving my documents before the end of this week?

In the event I hear of no news and need my passport back by Friday to fly off on the weekend, when should I withdraw my application to safely retrieve my passport? Can I just go down on Friday to the consulate and ask for my passport?

Thanks so much for any advice! Ive been really stressed and on the edge in this process!

[Lucapooka]

In your post you have made passing reference to your nationality and the scope of what you will be doing in the UK possibly being okay as a visitor, yet not actually stated what those two things are. You can work on Tier 5 visa (Govt. exchange) but you can't work as a visitor, so unless you say your intentions it's not possible to comment on the need for a T5.

Additionally, do you have a residence visa for Brazil or are you merely visiting? If you indeed don't, then I wonder how your application was accepted. The only T5 categories that can be made in countries where the applicant is not resident or a citizen are Youth Mobility, and Creative & Sporting - but not Govt Authorised.

[Nyvyas]

I think you are quite right about not being able to apply here! I am quite dismayed now. I misread the website which says that Tier 5 (sports and creative persons) may apply while in another country on a visitor status. I suppose this does not include tier 5 government authorised exchange. In the circumstances, I plan to withdraw my application.

Could I seek advice on whether I should go directly to the consulate to retrieve my documents or should I go to the worldbridge office? I hope to retrieve my passport as soon as possible so I can return home. Last, with regard to the need for a visa - I found out that under the programme I am in, I am mainly visiting my foreign counterparts´ office for observation purposes. I am neither working nor getting paid.

Last, will withdrawing an application/ refusal of visa because applied in non country of residence affect my entry to the uk as a normal visitor (my country requires no visa to enter the uk as a visitor).

Thanks so much for your help! really apprecfiate it - was feeling so lost!

[Lucapooka]

You'll will have to retrieve your passport via Worldbridge; The visa section does not operate a direct customer interface and all enquiries of this nature are handled by Worldbridge. You can try emailing the visa section directly but good luck with that!

The fact that you applied for a visa in error will have no negative impact. However, it's likely that the application is already in the system and, if so, be prepared for some questions when you arrive in the UK. If you stick to your story as described you should be fine but they may want to know the details of the nature of relationship you have with the entity in the UK and what you intend to do.