Hi, I am Shri, an NHS doctor and an IMG from India. I have recently received my UK Health and Care Worker visa, and I would like to share my experience with you. The visa process can be quite daunting, so I get some advice and guidance to help you prepare for the process.
'A Health and Care Worker visa allows medical professionals to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job with the NHS, an NHS supplier or in adult social care.' - gov.uk
UK health and care work visa is straightforward and quick as long as you have submitted the necessary documents that were asked for and your application is clear. The official governmental website has detailed guidance on this type of visa, please read here - Health and Care Worker visa.
What are the requirements?
In order to be able to apply for your visa, you require a Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) from the trust for which you will be working. It is important to note that, the time taken to receive the COS from the HR team might vary, it might take days, weeks or months, depending on how busy the HR team is.
Have sufficient savings in order to support yourself on arrival in the UK - you will usually need to have at least £1,270 in your bank account (unless you are exempt). Your employer can also cover your costs during your first month in the UK, in which case this amount of money can be lower. Your certificate of sponsorship must confirm this. Your employer will need to complete the ‘sponsor certifies maintenance’ section on your certificate.
Provide travel history for the past 5 years, this includes all the countries you have been in for any reason, tourism, work, study etc.
Police clearance certificate from countries you have lived in for 12 months or more within the last 10 years after you have turned 18. If in case you are not able to provide one due to reasons such as you had to flee the country due to humanitarian reasons or if simply the country does not provide a police clearance certificate, you should be prepared to provide a proper explanation and proof. You must have also tried to make other arrangements to produce a police clearance certificate such as contacting the country’s embassy in your country or through private agencies.
Valid tuberculosis test results if you are in a red-listed country. A list of accepted hospitals/clinics will be listed to you as you fill out the form. Ensure you undertake the test from those specified.
Your application
After you have received your COS, now it is time to start filling out the visa application on the official website following this link Health and Care Worker visa. Once you have completed the form and made your payment, you will be able to book an appointment to submit your documents and provide your biometrics at your nearest visa office. The standard visa application fee depends on how long your contract is for and how long you will be in the UK: £232 per person (up to 3 years) or £464 per person (more than 3 years). You will also be provided with a checklist of documents you will need to take with you on the day of your appointment.
On your appointment day, take your valid passport and any expired passport which may contain information about your travel history along with your needed documents.
After you have applied
Following your appointment, you will have to wait for a period of 3 weeks if you have picked the standard service from your visa office. There are also options to make the process faster for which you will need to make an additional payment. If any additional information or documents are required, you might receive an email from gov.uk after your appointment.
Once a decision has been made on your application, you can choose to have your passport delivered by post or collect it from your visa office. Please keep in mind that the only way to know if your visa application has been successful or not is by checking your passport for the visa vignette. Along with your passport, a letter stating when and where you will be able to collect your Biometric Resident Permit will be mentioned. If unfortunately, your visa has been rejected, you will be provided with a letter explaining why the outcome and advice on what your next possibilities are.
Would like to know more?
The official governmental website has detailed guidance on a Health and Care Worker visa, please read here - Health and Care Worker visa
If you have any questions feel free to ask on the TrewLink website, I would be happy to help.
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Good luck,
Dr Shri
Written by Shri
Edited by Julia
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