High Potential Individual

What is a High Potential Individual visa

The High Potential Individual route is designed for international students who have recently completed their undergraduate or postgraduate degrees from top global universities. Successful applicants on this route will be able to stay in the UK for 2 or 3 years to work, or look for work, without the need of a sponsor.

You must have a qualification awarded by a top global university at the same level as one of the followings:

• a UK bachelor’s degree
• a UK master’s degree
• a UK PhD or doctorate

The institution which awarded your degree must appear on the Home Office Global Universities List in respect of the date when you were awarded your degree. The Home Office list specifies eligible overseas institutions from ranking systems including the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings and The Academic Ranking of World Universities.

You must apply to Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) to check your qualification is valid and at the right level. Ecctis will not check if your university is eligible.

General requirements

In order to qualify for a High Potential Individual visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration the following requirements:

• You are aged 18 or over;
• You have, in the last 5 years, been awarded an overseas degree level academic qualification from an institution which appears on the Global Universities List;
• You are competent in English language to at least CEFR Level B1 (equivalent to IELTS 4.0);
• You have enough money to support yourself without relying on public funds;
• You have not previously held permission on the Doctorate Extension Scheme (DES), or the Graduate route;
• You do not fall for refusal on grounds of suitability;
• You have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.

The exact requirements you will need to satisfy may vary depending on your circumstances. You may want to speak to an immigration specialist for expert advice.

How long can you stay in the UK

If successful, you will be granted a 2-year visa, or a 3-year visa if you have completed a PhD degree or other doctoral qualification. You cannot extend your stay under this route and will only be admitted to this route once.   

The High Potential Individual route does not lead to settlement. However, at the end of your HPI visa. you may apply to switch into other work-related routes, such as Skilled Worker route, Global Talent route and Innovator route, which may lead to settlement after completing the respective qualifying period. 

Dependants

Your family members (spouse/partner and any children under 18) can come with you. They will need to apply for a Dependant visa and if successful, will be granted a visa in line with yours.

Processing time and application fees 

The current standard application fee will be £715. You also need to pay for Ecctis to check your qualification is valid, which is currently £210 if applying from outside the UK, or £252 if applying from within the UK.

Applicants will also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge as part of the application, set at £624 per year (or £470 per year for Student / Youth Mobility Scheme / applicant under 18). 

Applications from outside of the UK usually take 3 weeks to process, while from within the UK it usually takes 8 weeks.

How we can help

Our knowledgeable and experienced immigration team can:

• Assess your case and advise whether you are eligible to apply
• Provide you with a tailored & comprehensive document list
• Review all your documents and advise on necessary amendments
• Suggest on how to improve your application
• Complete your application forms in accordance with the UKVI requirements
• Assist you to complete the application submission process
• Provide our representation letter to support your application with necessary legal arguments
• Liaise with UKVI on your behalf

Depending on your need and budget, we have different levels of services that you may choose from. Check out Our Services to see which one is for you. 

Want to discuss your case with an immigration specialist? Contact Us now.