Tier 2 ICT Long Term - Long Break time

[madhuraveendran]

I have Tier 2 ICT Long term staff migrant Visa. I first got the COS on Jul 2013 and travelled to UK in August 2013. I got the visa initially for 1 year and 1 month. I applied for a extension and got it for next two years(Valid until July 2016). I traveled to india during Jan 2015 and could not return due to seious medical illness. I returned only on end of June 2016 after one and half years. After coming to UK I extended my Visa for 2 more years and it will end in July 2018.

I know for every Tier 2 ICT visa there will be cooling period for one year after working for full 5 years during the visa time.

1. I would like to know whether my one and a half year break(Jan 2015 - Jun 2016) will be considered as a cooling off period and it will be treated as a new visa utilised for 2 years as it is already extended till July 2018.
2. If not, can I claim those unused period(Jan 2015 to Jun 2016)

I could not find any details about taking long break between the visa period in UK Visa and Immigration website. Please advise on this.

[CR001]

1. I would like to know whether my one and a half year break(Jan 2015 - Jun 2016) will be considered as a cooling off period and it will be treated as a new visa utilised for 2 years as it is already extended till July 2018.

Cooling off applies to changing to Tier 2 General. You returned when you still had a valid visa and extended within the UK so this would be irrelevant to you.

2. If not, can I claim those unused period(Jan 2015 to Jun 2016)

Claim it for what purpose??

[madhuraveendran]

Claim the unused time to work in UK

[CR001]

Your visa was clearly not curtailed so no, you cannot claim the time spent away before returning on the same visa that was still valid and then applied for an extension.

12 month cooling off means applying for a new entry clearance Tier 2 General visa.