Domestic Workers in a Private Household Visa (U.K.) – (Tier 1 or 2 or 5)

Everyone requires domestic help. Any person, who is moving to the U.K. and requires someone to rely on for the household help, may apply to bring their domestic helper under this category. The applicant is required to fulfill the specific conditions. The domestic helpers include cleaners, chauffeurs, cooks, nannies and those providing personal care for the employer and their families.

Specific Conditions:

Before making an application under this category following pre-conditions must be checked by the individual applicant to see whether he/she meets the criteria. The individual applicant must: Work as a domestic worker in a private household.

1. Must have an experience of at least one year with his/her employer who is bringing the domestic help to the U.K.
2. Must be from outside the European Economic Area (EEA), and Switzerland.
3. Must fulfill the eligibility requirements.

Visa Processing Time, Fees and Duration of Stay:

One can apply for a visa three months before the date of travel to the U.K. The fees for a visa is £516. The domestic helper can stay in U.K with his/her employer for six months or when the employer returns, whichever is sooner.

Eligibility Criteria

To apply under this category, both the individual applicant and the employer must fulfill the following eligibility criteria:

1. Individual Applicant under this category:
2. Must be 18years of age or above.
3. Must have one year experience with the employer with whom he is traveling to U.K.

• Plans to travel with the employer, their partner or children.

1. Must intend to work as a full-time domestic worker in the same house where the employer stays in the U.K.
2. Must leave the U.K at the end of six months or when his employer returns to the home country, whichever is earlier.
3. Must have sufficient funds to survive without recourse to the public funds.
4. For Employer of an individual applicant:
5. Should either be a British or a European Economic Area (EEA) national who usually lives outside U.K and does not wish to live in the U.K. for more than six months.
6. A foreign national and does not intend to stay in the U.K for more than six months.

Apart from fulfilling the eligibility criteria, the employer must at least pay a national minimum wage of £5.90 to the domestic helper. In the event, the employer breaks any immigration law while in U.K, then the domestic help may lose their visa and may be deported back to their home country.

Required Documents

The individual applicant must provide the following documents along with the application:

1. An unexpired passport, i.e., the current passport or any other valid travel identification
2. Proof of funds to support oneself during the stay in U.K, i.e., payslips or bank statements of the last six months.

• The details of the accommodation in the U.K and the return travel booking

1. There should be a blank page in the passport for visa.
2. The applicant must also provide the following information about the job:
3. Experience letter from employer confirming the continued work with them for at least one year.
4. Complete and duly signed terms and conditions of the employment (Employment Agreement)
5. A statement from the employer that they shall pay at least the national minimum wage for the term of employment in the U.K.

In addition to the above-listed documents, the individual applicant is also required to submit one of the following documents to substantiate the employment with the employer: Bank statements or pay slips depicting the payment of salary.

1. Income tax returns (if any)
2. Health insurance paid (if any)
3. Contract of employment
4. Any previous work visa, residence permit or equivalent passport endorsement of the country where the individual applicant is currently working with the employer.
5. Visas or passport or any equivalent travel identification which shows that earlier also, such a person has traveled with the employer.

Extension of Visa

The domestic worker visa is granted for a six- month duration. However, in the event, the visa is for a lesser duration, the same can be extended before the current visa expires. To extend the visa the application form FLR (IR) can be downloaded from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-extend-stay-in-the-uk-flrir. The duly filled application form can be sent by post. The address is given on the form.

Fees and Time Period of Extension

The fee for extension of visa is £1,033 if the application is through a post. In case an application is made in person than the fees will be £1,643. A decision on the extension will be made

1. within 8 weeks for postal applications
2. same day for premium service

In case of any doubt, the visa office will contact the person –

1. For verifying the supporting documents.
2. One may need to attend an interview.
3. Explanation of any personal circumstances (conviction for criminal matters)

After the application for extension, the applicant can remain in the U.K. until the decision on his application.

Requirements for the English Language

The applicant is required to satisfy the English language Requirement. To prove the knowledge of English the applicant may provide any of the following:

1. Document of passing an approved English language test with at least CEFR level B1 in reading, writing, speaking and listening.
2.  Proof if Academic qualification was taught in English is recognized by U.K NARIC as being equivalent to a U.K’s bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or Ph.D.

However, there is no need to prove the knowledge of English if the person applying for the work visa as a domestic worker is from the following countries –

Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, U.S.A.

Domestic Workers applied before 5^th April 2012

The domestic workers who applied for entry before 5^th April 2012 are eligible to extend their stay in U.K after every 12 months. Such a person can also apply for a permanent settlement after five years in U.K. Such a person can her/his partner and children under the age of 18 years. Such a person can even move to a similar job in U.K.

Conclusion

The domestic worker can stay in the U.K even if the employer takes a short trip to another country for any purpose. The domestic worker may travel abroad and then return to U.K to complete the stay. However, the person should prove that he/she still working with his/her employer. One can change the employer only if the applicant does not stay longer than 6 months. It must be noted that the applicant cannot change the nature of the job and bring their family members. Furthermore, the applicant does not have recourse to public funds.

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