Urgent help! Entering UK before VISA validity date

[aah1988]

Hi, I've just been granted entry clearance under Tier-2 visa. The validity starts from 26/12/16 but I have a non-refundable ticket booked on the 24/12/16 which is 2 days before my VISA start date.

I am from Malaysia and usually does not need a visitor VISA for stays up to 6 months. This ticket was bought ages ago for the purpose of visiting my wife who is working in the UK.

Now my question is, will I be able to enter the UK on my booked flight? Do I have to leave the country (maybe to France) and re-enter to get my VISA stamped?

Please advise as I am really stuck here and cannot find a definite answer anywhere.

Thank you.

[aah1988]

A friend of mine did the same. She entered the UK from Malaysia 30days before her student VISA starts and she claimed to have no problem at all. She did not travel anywhere other that within UK before uni starts. Can anyone confirm?

[Frontier Mole]

Technically you can't activate your tier 2 entry visa - the 30 day one before the start date. So if you come in on a visitor visa waiver as you suggest then that is what you are - a visitor.
If you do not activate the tier 2 entry visa then you can't get your full visa. A trip to France a back might be a solution...

[aah1988]

Technically you can't activate your tier 2 entry visa - the 30 day one before the start date. So if you come in on a visitor visa waiver as you suggest then that is what you are - a visitor.
If you do not activate the tier 2 entry visa then you can't get your full visa. A trip to France a back might be a solution...

Thank you!

[vinny]

Be careful.

[aah1988]