Global Talent ILR vs Extension

An old client contacted me, enquiring whether I could help her GT extension application.

Extension? But hasn’t it already been 5 years for you? (Meaning, why not ILR?)

Yeah, but I don’t think I have the wear withal to sit and pass the Life in the UK Test in time for my visa expiry.

What?! 😳 Are you sure? LIUK shouldn’t be that hard, especially people who have already lived and worked here. Don’t fear it. At least have a go, if you fail you can then decide to extend and of course do the text again.

Oh, do you think so? Maybe I’ve been too fearful. Maybe it’s better to try LIUK and settlement application.

🤔 🤨 🧐

At this point, I began to wonder if they knew of the cost difference between the two routes, you know, between extending even for just one year to give yourself that time to study for and sit the LIUK exam vs. forging ahead with it now, with some grit, and so apply for ILR - be done and dusted with visas.

Here’s what went through my mind:

Global Talent Extension:

• required evidence of income earned in the endorsement field - just like an application for ILR. Same level of evidence and efforts are needed as ILR. If self employed and filed Self Assessment tax forms, would most likely need help from an accountant to confirm your UK income.

• Sure, you could apply for an extension from outside the UK, as well as inside it. But with the application fee of - as at Jan 2024 - is £716 and the health surcharge that is currently £624 for each year of visa and js due to increase to £1,035 for each year of visa at some point in “Spring 2024”, the total fee for extending for even just one year stands currently at £1,751. And don’t forget, a year later you would either repeat the extension at similar fee or apply for ILR which is £2,885. Add £1,000 for super priority service for quicker decisions = £3,885.

• £1,751 at extension + £3,885 at ILR = £5,636.

So, it’s simple maths at this point:

£5,626 or £3,885?

Do you see what I mean? Which would you choose?

🤔 🧐 🕵️