Immigration and Visas

Contact HR Immigration.
For any staff or academic visitor related immigration queries, please email the HR Immigration shared inbox HR.immigration@warwick.ac.uk

Latest Home Office immigration news for visa holders affected by the Coronavirus Pandemic updated on 28 April 2020.

The Home Office has published updated immigration guidance for visa holders affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. Please click on the link HERE to see the latest information. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-temporary-uk-residents

Right to Work checks

UPDATED GUIDANCE ON RIGHT TO WORK CHECKS DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC @ 30 MARCH 2020

Please see the guidance on the links below.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/temporary-changes-to-right-to-rent-and-right-to-work-checks

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-right-to-work-checks

How should departments conduct a right to work check during the temporary Coronavirus measures?
The Home Office have adapted right to work checks to make it easier for employers to carry them out during the coronavirus outbreak. The changes, effective from 30 March 2020 will mean the Home Office will not require employers to see original documents but accept scanned documents and will allow checks to be undertaken over video calls.

The adapted process for performing right to work checks at the University is below:

Checks must still be carried out before the first day of employment. Allow sufficient time for this to be done and emailed to HR Services for the person’s HR record to be set up.
Departments should ask the new starter who is yet to start work to submit a scanned copy or a photo of their original documents via email or using a mobile app.
Check the document is on the list of acceptable documents for right to work in the UK. If unsure, check with HR Immigration. Some checks may be able to be carried out online (see point 10 below).

For those that cannot be checked online arrange a video call with the worker and ask them to have their original documents with them for the call.
On the video call, ask them to hold up the original documents to the camera and check them against the digital copy of the documents you have been sent.
After the call you need to record the date you made the check.
As departments will not be able to use the right to work template for this purpose or print the copy to sign and date it, there is an adapted process for this too.
Instead please type in the following declaration on the Ask HR Ticket description box or in the body of an email “adjusted check undertaken by (name of checker) on (insert date) for (name of new starter) due to COVID-19”.
Attach the copy of the document and send the Ask HR ticket or the email to HR Services. Email this before the person starts work before the first day as this will be date and time stamped and act as proof the check was undertaken before work started.
If the worker has a current Biometric Residence Permit or Biometric Residence Card or has obtained status under the EU Settlement Scheme you can use the Home Office online right to work checking servicewhile doing a video call - the applicant must give you permission to view their details . Note online checks are not available for UK nationals or EEA nationals who have yet to apply for settled status.
As online checks count as full checks, wherever possible arrange for the online check where applicable. Contact HR Immigration for conducting an online check. The online must still be carried out before the first day the person starts work, so allow enough time for this to be done.

Usual right to work process

All workers and employees must have the legal right to work in the UK and departments must carry out checks against original acceptable documents as evidence of this before the person starts work using The 'Right to Work Copying Template and Checklist'. This form and copies of documents are sent to HR Administration team with the Request to Appoint (or Request to Engage a Temporary/Occasional Worker or Part-time Teacher for the variable payroll).

For more detailed guidance there is a 'How to check right to work in the UK' guide produced by HR which details how checks should be carried out. The link to this document is here. Anyone who is responsible for undertaking Right to Work checks must read this guide to ensure checks are carried out correctly as there are serious penalities for the University for non-compliance.

Information for EEA Nationals

Information about the EU Settlement scheme which opens in March 2019 for those currently living in the UK can be found here .

Information about Brexit on the University web pages with links to the Gov.uk website can be found here.

Points Based Immigration System visas

Nationals from outside of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland are subject to immigration control. This is administered by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

For those nationals coming to work or study in the UK, the most common route through which to gain the right to work in the UK is through the points-based immigration system, although there are other relevant routes depending on family or ancestral links the person may have with the UK.

The points based immigration system has five routes called Tiers, although Tier 3 is not used. Some of the Tiers require the individual to be sponsored by their sponsoring organisation to be able to apply for permission to work or study in the UK.

Links to information about the Tiers and the sub-categories within the Tiers for are the most common routes for employees and students at the University are listed below.

For those employees or students who have a family member or partner who is a non EEA national who wish to join them in the UK, the visa applied for depends on their own situation. For non EEA family members of non EEA nationals who are working or studying in the UK, it is possible for to apply as a ‘dependant’ of the family member’s visa category. For non EEA family members of EEA nationals, they can apply for a family permit to join their family or a partner for a short or long stay if they’re living in the UK. For further details see the gov.uk website.

Visitors to the UK

For visitors to the UK who will not be working for the University (for example academic visitors), the standard visitor visa route should be used. Please see the box below for further information.

HR Immigration Updates

Regular Immigration and Right to Work updates are produced by HR Shared services and these can be found under 'Recent Updates' here

Information about Visa Routes for non EEA nationals

HR Immigration updates

For recent updates click here.

Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa

Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa

Information about EU and EEA Nationals right to work in the UK

Tier 2 (General) visa

EU and EEA Nationals including information about the EU Settlement Scheme which opens in March 2019.

Tier 4 (Student) visa

Tier 4 (Doctorate Extension scheme) visa