UK International Sportsperson Visa

The UK International Sportsperson Visa formerly known as the Tier 2 Sportsperson visa, is a UK Work Visa under the UK Points-Based System. Football professionals frequently obtain visas through the Tier 2 sportsperson category. International athletes and competent coaches who can show that their sport’s governing body has recognized them as elite practitioners are eligible for it.

Who is eligible for UK International Sportsperson Visa?

The applicant must meet the requirements listed below to be eligible for a Tier 2 sportsperson visa:

They must be a professional athlete or trained coach who has achieved the pinnacle of worldwide recognition from their sport’s regulatory organization.
They must be aged 16 or above
They must be from outside the EEA
The governing authority for the sport must approve of their application.

How Do I Apply for UK International Sportsperson Visa in the UK?

The application process to get a UK Sportsperson Visa is not complicated as it may sound. The application process consists of several steps which you need to complete. If you follow these steps in the given order, you will have a higher chance of getting a positive answer on your application.

Below find a step-by-step guide on how to apply for a UK Sportsperson Visa:

Obtain a sponsorship certificate: This certificate should be obtained from the organization that approved your application.
Visit the UK Government website and complete the application form online.
Pay the application fee for your visa: Online access will allow you to achieve that.
Get tested for tuberculosis: This only applies if you reside in a nation where a TB test is required.
Present your biometrics at a visa application center (fingerprints and a facial photograph).
The remaining necessary paperwork is sent to the embassy or visa application center.

Keep in mind that after finishing, you should wait for a response to your application. You may go to the UK if a favorable decision is made in your case. You must pick up your biometric residence permit within 10 days of your anticipated arrival in the UK.

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When Should I Apply for UK International Sportsperson Visa?

You have up to 3 months before your anticipated trip to the UK to apply for a UK Sportsperson visa. However, because of the time it takes to process visas, the latest you can apply is three weeks before your scheduled departure for the UK.

Documentation Needed for a UK International Sportsperson Visa

Gathering the necessary paperwork for a UK International Sportsperson Visa is a crucial component of your visa application. These records are essential for receiving a favorable answer to your application.

The required documents for a UK Sportsperson Visa are as follows:

Valid Passport: Make sure your passport has at least one blank page for the visa sticker before you apply.
Certificate of a Sponsorship reference number: Your personal information and details about the position offered to you are contained in this electronic document. Keep in mind that your certificate can only be used once.
Evidence of English proficiency
Evidence that you have sufficient personal funds.
Travel history of the past five years: includes older and expired passports or travel documents.

Fees for a UK sports visa

A UK Sportsperson fee for a UK Sportsperson Visa is £600. But if you are a citizen of either Turkey or North Macedonia, the cost is only £550.

You must pay a charge of £704 when requesting to extend your UK Sportsperson Visa or to switch from one type of visa to another. However, you must pay £700 if you are a Turkish or North Macedonian applicant.

Processing of UK Sportsperson Visas

The UK authorities decide on a UK Sportsperson Visa application within 3 weeks.

Validity of UK Sportsperson Visa

The maximum duration of a Tier 2 UK Sportsperson Visa is three years. You can get a visa extension for up to three more years before your current one expires. You can only stay in the UK for six years with a sportsperson visa.

UK Visa Usage

The main things you can do in the UK with this visa are:

Have a second job: in a few specific situations, such as volunteering or broadcasting sports. Remember that until you begin working for your sponsor, you cannot apply for a second job.
Study
After leaving the country, return to the UK.
Work for your sponsor.
Bring your immediate family to the UK.
Play in the UK for your national team.

However, there are some things you cannot do, such as obtaining public funding or establishing or operating a corporation.

Family Visits to the UK with a Sportsperson Visa

You can seek to bring your family over as your dependents if you have a UK Sportsperson Visa. The following relatives are eligible:

If your child is above 18 and residing in the UK as a dependent
Your spouse or companion
Your child under 18

Remember that in addition to the fees you must pay, you must also provide evidence that you have an additional £630 for each dependent you intend to bring to the UK.

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Switching to the UK International Sportsperson Visa

You can switch to the International Sportsperson visa, if you are in the UK already on another visa. However, you must apply before the expiration of your current visa. Your dependents must apply separately if they wish to switch to the international sportsperson visa. You must submit an online application via the UK government website if you want to switch to the international sportsperson visa. You must pay the application fee and the healthcare surcharge when submitting an online application.

When applying online, you must also make an appointment at a UKVCAS. If you do not have a BRP, you will need to produce your biometrics at a UKVCAS service site. You can provide any additional documents that were requested at the appointment.

Meanwhile, you cannot switch to this visa if you are in the UK with the following visas below:

Visit visa – unless you’ve been doing permitted activities as a sportsperson
Short-term Student visa
Parent of a Child Student visa
Seasonal Worker visa
Domestic Worker in a private household visa
Because you are on immigration bail
Because you were given permission to stay outside the immigration rules, for example on compassionate grounds

UK International Sportsperson Visa Extension

You can apply to extend your stay in the UK under an International Sportsperson visa. You can apply to extend your stay in the UK with an International Sportsperson visa for up to 3 years at a time. Moreover, you will also need to extend your partner or child’s visa if you extend yours. If they do not extend their visa, it will be valid until its original end date. They can either apply at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires.