Visas

Can Move Up check my documents before I apply?

Move Up gets asked this question often.

The reality though is that each case has unique complications. We have previously looked into discounted rates to facilitate a document checking service but it hasnt worked out in the end.

We realize that offering a full (and complete) service, with guarantee, is in the applicants best interest. We can be held accountable and we can have a avested interest in the case.

Partial investment generates partial results unfortunately.

We are left to conclude that Move Up offers full representation or no document checking service. Either or.

Move Up's fees are very industry competitive and therefore we encourage applicants to make contact so that we can follow through with further assistance.

I was born in UK, how do I apply in SA?

This is a very rare case. We find that there are two scenarios that this applies in.

Either the applicant has parents that were in the UK with working visas, when they gave birth to the applicant or the applicant was born in the UK with British parents.

In the first scenario, we need to present evidence of the parent(s) permission to be in the UK at the time of birth.

The second scenario is a little more straight forward. Evidence of parent(s) nationality(s) is required.

Either scenario, Move Up can help.

My parent was born in UK, how do I apply in SA?

These are most frequent type of British passport claims that Move Up experiences.

We can gladly help.

Yes, Move Up can help i your British passport renewal. Definitely.

Can Move Up help renew my expired British passport?

Move Up can definitely help.

Do I need the original birth certificate again?

In cases of expired British passports, yes.

In cases of valid British passports, no.

Can Move Up check my documents before I apply?

We have tried this approach. Understandably, a large part of what we do is reassure our clients that their application is in order.

The complication though is if things go wrong. Who is accountable for the error?

We have concluded that we offer an all or nothing service. Either Move Up offers full representation in a case, or we can't assist in the case.

We have deliberately made our prices market related, to compete with larger firms. A lot of the time, we come in much cheaper.

Am I already a British national? I am not sure.

We have been told that there are scenarios where applicants are granted British citizenship automatically.

The automatic passing of British citizenship is usually through descent (ie. applicant has a UK born parent).

I was born in the UK, do I qualify?

Being born in the UK (alone) doesn't entitle one to a British passport.

The passport officials will need to assess the status that the applicants' parent(s) held in the UK.

A common misunderstanding is that a 6-month pregnant mother can fly to the UK, make use of public health care (not freely), and give birth in the UK. The hope is that the child would get a British passport.

The reality is that the parent needs to have held permanent resident status in order to pass down British citizenship to their UK born child.

What is good to know is that the British government allows for cases where the parent earns permanent residence after the child's' birth.

At the time of birth though, if the parent(s) do not hold permanent residence status, the child is granted the citizenship that their parent holds.

My parent was born in the UK, do I qualify for a British passport?

In most cases, the answer is yes.

The complication is that there might be an additional step in the request for a British passport. One might have to request a certificate of registration first.

Factors such as applicant date of birth and applicant parent marital status need to be considered.

My grandparent was born in the UK, do I qualify for a British passport?

By default, having a UK born grandparent grants UK Ancestry working rights.

In some cases, there is provision for South Africans with grandfather UK born, to claim British citizenship through double descent.

I have a certificate of nationalisation. Now what?

What's important to note is that their is a difference between certificate of registration and certificate of naturalisation.

Naturalisation comes from continued UK residence.

If applicants hold either certificate, Move Up can help in requesting a British passport.

What happens if my birth was registered with the British government?

Having one's birth registered with the British government means that the British government can issue a record of registered birth. Commonly known as a birth certificate.

Having a UK registered birth (alone) is not sufficient grounds to qualify for a British passport. The passport officials will need to assess the status that the applicants' parent(s) held in the UK.

A common misunderstanding is that a 6-month pregnant mother can fly to the UK, make use of public health care (not freely), and give birth in the UK. The hope is that the child would get a British passport.

The reality is that the parent needs to have held permanent resident status to pass down British citizenship to their UK born child.

What is good to know is that the British government allows for cases where the parent earns permanent residence after the child's' birth.

At the time of birth though, if the parent(s) do not hold permanent residence status, the child is granted the citizenship that their parent holds.

Can Move Up check my eligibility?

Gladly so.

Actually Move Up offers free assessments.

Please complete the form below. That way we can begin the application process.

Do I need a UK job offer to qualify?

The answer to this question is subject to your circumstances.

If you have UK born relatives, a job offer is not needed.

If you are in a married like relationship with an EU/British passport holder, marriage rights might be applicable. Subject to financial standings.

If birth and marriage rights are not available, a UK job offer will help the case yes.

What happens if I have a UK job offer?

The next step is to identify which UK visa you can apply for?

If you have a UK born grandparent or are married to a British passport holder, you can consider lodging independent working rights.

If birth or marriage rights do not apply, you will need to find out if your prospective employer is willing to offer Tier 2 sponsorship.

For more information, please complete the form below and we can give you written confirmation of the above. This confirmation can be forwarded to your prospective employer (quicker way to explain yourself).

Does Move Up help with placements?

Effective December 2021, we do! Please take a look at our recruitment page for more information.

Move Up also specializes in UK visas and dealing with the British government. That's how we started and how we continue to primarily help South Africans.

Please complete the form below. That way we can begin the application process.

How does the UK work permit operate?

The British government grants permission for foreigners to work in their country. This permission is given in the form of a visa.

Different UK visas grant different types of permission.

The Skilled Worker visa replaced the old work permit. It is a point-based system that still requires a UK job offer from a UK based firm.

The UK job, however, needs to be a minimum of GBP 25 600 per year.

Which UK visas grant working rights for long term assignments?

The UK's Skilled Worker visa comes to mind. It requires UK employers to offer visa sponsorship, given in the form of a certificate.

The above Skilled Worker visa applies to cases where applicants do not have UK born grandparents and are not in a married like relationship with EU passport holders.

What type of UK visas are available for short term assignments?

At first glance, the UK's business visitor visa comes to mind.

There are quite a few technicalities that need to be addressed. It is best to send us your contact details and we can begin addressing visas best applicable to your intent.

What is the difference between "work" and "business" intent?

Work intent is seen as a South African being paid in Pounds for work done in the UK, paid by a UK based employer.

Business intent is seen as a South African being paid in Rands for work done in the UK on behalf of a SA based employer.

Yes, the UK based company has to pay the SA based company (from Pounds to Rands). The SA company then pays the applicant in Rands. That meets the definition of SA employment.

When a Border Official asks: "Are you here to work?", they are asking are you here to be employed by a UK company. If you are working for a SA company, the answer to that question is no. Instead, you are visiting the UK for business purposes.

Can one change from short term visa to long term visas whilst in the UK?

In most cases, unfortnately not.

Short term commitments (less than 6 months) will require applicants to return to their country of residence in order to change over to longer term commitments.

How much does the visa cost?

There are different types of UK visas and each have their own costs.

To best answer this question, we need to find out more about which UK visa you are looking to apply for?

More information about all UK visas can be found on our fees page:

How quick does it take to process?

Majority of UK visas are processed within 15 working days from the date of submission. Seen as standard processing times.

Different visas have diferrent processing times.

There are value added services that enable aplicants to pay to expedite the process.

How long is the visa issued for?

Different visas have different sets of validity.

Also, how you structure that short term commitment plays a factor.

If you structure the "job" to be conducted by SA based company, of which you are employed, you can get away with the UK's 6-month business visitor visa.

From my perspective, South Africans (usually without dependents) tend to naturally want to make a small commitment, to test out the overseas market. Reduce their risk and "make a quick buck".

The reality though, is that UK companies need to see that the applicant can get independent working rights. If applicants do have this, the UK employers are a lot more open to short term commitments.

South Africans without independent working rights will need to make longer-term commitments (minimum three years) to make the sponsorship process more appealing.

Our role in the relocation process is to navigate the visa protocol. Please complete the form below if you would like to begin a free visa assessment.

What types of jobs are available for South Africans?

To better understand the UK's opportunities, we recommend taking a look at Recruitment Page. This is the best way to see the types of jobs available for South Africans.

This recruitment offering is a new provision Move Up has in place. We have UK employers looking to sponsor South African work force.

Move Up also specializes in UK immigration and getting visas awarded first time round.

How do I get a UK work permit? Is this feasible?

We have two suggestions for those South Africans in the initial stages of considering a move to the UK.

The first suggestion is that they conduct market-related research for their skillset.

This market-related research allows for South Africans to gain two sets of key insights. The first is to see what the average wage in the UK is. This helps manage what you can expect to earn in the UK.

The second key insight is the number of positions available. This reveals the demand for your skillset. If there are a lot of positions available, it is a good sign that you will find work easily.

The second recommendation is applicants assess their visa eligibility. If birthrights and marriage rights do not apply, the applicant needs to assess if Skilled Worker sponsorship is being offered along with a minimum salary of GBP 25 600 per year.

Our recruitment department has jobs lined with UK companies offering Skilled Worker visa sponsorship.

Do I need a UK job offer?

The answer to this question depends on your immigration route.

Those entitled to Ancestry visas do not require a UK job offer to qualify for their visa.

Major majority of South Africans with Ancestry visas go over without jobs lined up. It's a risk, but South Africans make it work.

Some cases of Settlement visas (which caters for dependents on British passport holders) require UK job offers to qualify.

The Skilled Worker (Work Permit) does require a UK job offer to qualify.

Move Up has setup key relationships with some UK employers. For more information, please take a look at our recruitment page.

What happens if I currently have a UK job offer?

The next step, after receiving a UK job offer, is to get the British governments permission to work in their country.

This permission is given to South Africans in the form of a visa (sticker placed inside a South Africans passport).

The UK government have many variations of work permits. A job offer alone is no longer the only qualifying factor. There are additional requirements that the British government have put in place.

What happens if I receive a UK job offer whilst visiting?

The visitor visa allows for South Africans to attend interviews whilst in the UK. Should the interview go well, it is expected that applicants should receive a UK job offer whilst in the UK.

The complication though is that the visitor visa does not permit a change of visa status whilst in the UK. The expectation is that South Africans have to return to their country of residence to change visa status.

It is recommended that South Africans assess their visa eligibility before attending the interview.

If birth-rights and marriage-rights do not apply, the applicant needs to create awareness that Tier 2 visa sponsorship is required.

Too often we get contacted by South Africans that say "I have a UK job offer, now what?"

Most UK job offers come with the assumption that the applicant has independent working rights (Ancestry visa or dual nationality).

Skilled Worker sponsorship requires a minimum offer of employment with a salary of GBP25 600 per year.

If your job offer is above GBP25 600 per year, you can consider the Skilled Worker visa feasible.

Which visas grant working rights in the UK?

Ancestry visa, UK Settlement visa, Sole Representative visa and the Skilled Worker visa are the top UK visas that come to mind.

If you are looking for more information on UK visas, please take a look at our service offering page.

What other work visas are available?

The British government offer working rights through the following routes:

- Birth rights (for those that have UK born parent or grandparent(s).
- Marriage rights (for those in married like relationships with EU passport holders).
- Point based visas (for those that don't have birth or marriage ties).
- Non-point based visas (applicable in rare circumstances).

What types of visas are available for our children?

Different case have different options available to them.

Generally speaking though, majority of UK work permits allow for family dependents to join the main applicant. This means that minors (below 18 years of age at time of submission) can easily join their parent in relocation to the UK.

If you send through a query on the form below, and clarify which work permit you are considering, we can further advise in terms of qualifying requirements for family dependents.

Why are sole custody cases more difficult that minors joining both parents?

Step child dependents have a higher risk of refusal than cases where the child joins both boilogical parents in the relocation.

The reason for this is simple, the UK government does not want to held responsible for "tearing families apart".

To avoid bad publicity of "separating families", the UK government would rather refuse the step child's case than grant permission to enter their country (with further complex ramifications later down the line).

Move Up has been presented with cases where the parents visas are awarded and the step child cases are not.

To reduce risk, we encourage families with children from previous relationships, to reach out and contact us. Move Up offers free assessments. Let us help identify the strength of the case before you make any paid for commitments.

How does family dependency work in terms of visas?

When family members are granted permission to join the main applicant/sponsor, the permission usually comes with settlement rights.

Settlement rights grant the applicant (minor or married like partner) permission to live, work and study in the UK. Settlement rights also grant the applicant a chance to earn British nationality through 6 years of continued UK residence.

To find out more, please complete the form below. That way we can begin communication.

Which visas allow minors to join as dependents?

There is quite a range of visas that allow for minors to join.

The most common is the Ancestry, Settlement and majority of point based visas.

For more information, please complete the form below. Let us know your question and let us see how we can help.

What happens if family in the UK offer sponsorship?

It dependents on which family and what type of sponsorship.

Please can you clarify which family you are referring to and what your relationship is to said family member.

What happens if the applicant has family that was born in the UK?

This is seen as UK birth rights.

Factor such as date of birth, place of birth and country of birth (for each generation) needs to be considered.

What happens if the applicant has family that live in the UK?

This is usually seen as a contributing factor, not a qualifying one.

The British governments likes to know that the applicant will have acces to support system in the UK but having this access to support does not mean that they will qualify. Hence contributing but not qualifying factor.

What type of relationship is legally recognized for visa purposes?

At the of the day, the visa officials need to assess if a relationship is legally recognised as "married-like".

Married-like relationships generally share living costs (like married couples do).

In Move Up's visa terms, we have two types of cases that we present to the British government. Either a married couple (with evidence of marriage certificate) or an unmarried couple (that can present evidence of 2 years married like co-habitation).

We get many couples to approach us with long-distance relationships, or couples that still live with their parents. In both scenarios, not living under the same roof (independently) is seen as "not married like".

How does the "Spousal" visa work?

Move Up has resisted the publics term of "spousal" visa for quite some time now. You will note that the British government does not make use of this term.

The reason why Move Up and the British government do not refer to spouse dependency visas as "spousal visas" is because the term is too vague.

South Africans can be married to (or in a marriage-like relationship) with an EU passport holder, an Ancestry visa holder, a Tier 2 work permit holder, a British national and a Tier 4 student visa.

All of the above have different provisions, costs, qualifying requirements and conditions.

To say "spousal" doesn't clarify "spouse of what".

To answer the question though, the British government make provision for married like dependents to join main applicants (or EU/British sponsors) to live and work in the UK.

Move Up refers to this as a family dependency. It covers married like partners and minor dependents.

How much does the visa cost?

We get asked this question a lot. That is why I have taken the liberty to help create this quick answer form.

There are more than one UK work permit. Move Up has identified 150 variations of UK visas. Rather than bore you with a full list of the 150 variations, we have put together a fees page that has a list of frequent visas that South Africans apply for:

Hopefully this answers your question about visa fees.

To continue with a free assessment, please complete the form below. That wayn we can begin the application process.

Which visa is better: Spousal or Ancestry?

We have been asking this question for a long time. Factors constantly change.

Our latest answer can be found here.

What options are there if both applicants are South Africans?

For relocation/work purposes, our standard operating procedure is to assess if birth rights apply (to see if either applciant has a UK born parent or grandparent).

If birth rights do not apply, the next option is to address the UK's point based visa system.

Is it possible for couples, that one studies and the other works?

Let's be honest, when you started clicking on these questions, you were not originally thinking about student visa being an alternative to work in the UK.

The point of this quick travel assessment (and this question specifically) is to help identify solutions or questions that applicants have yet to come up with.

Getting back to the question though, yes, it is possible. One student can apply as the main applicant, and study full time in the UK. While the other applicant (partner) can join as a visa dependent (and work full time in the UK).

For further assistance, please complete the form below. That way, we can begin the application process.

Let's get talking.

What happens if my parent was born in the UK?

Generally speaking, British nationality should be on the cards.

Factors such as date of birth and parent marital status does play a qualifying factor.

What happens if my grandparent was born in the UK?

A lot of things can happen. The real question relates to your intent.

If you intend to visit the UK, there is no need to worry about where your grandparents were born (or need to mention any of this).

If you are looking to relocate and have no family members joining you (like a partner or minors), then let us freely assess your eligibility for British nationality or Ancestry working rights.

If you are looking to relocate and have family members joining you, let us help assess the feasibility of the case and identify the areas of risk.

Either way, MoveUp can help.

What happens if the applicant was born in the UK?

This query only gets asked in two scenarios.

Scenario 1: Applicant is born in the UK and parent(s) held permanent resident status or in cases where parent is a British passport holder.

Scenario 2: Applicant is born in the UK and parent(s) held entry clearance or visa extension (and was not a permanent resident or British passport holder).

In scenario 1, the default answer is yes, you (the applicant) are British. Let us help you with your British passport application.

In scenario 2, we neeed to find out if the applicants' parent has since claimed permanent resident status. If so, we can help in the British passport application.

Reading between the lines, hopefully you can see that being born in the UK (alone) is not sufficient to qualify for British citizenship. Applicants need to evidence their parent(s) permanent resident status (ILR) or British nationality to qualify.

What happens if my great grandparent was born in the UK?

In terms of UK birth rights, the applicant (with great grandparent born in the UK), can only benefit if they are a minor relocating with their parent (that has a UK born grandparent).

Otherwise, adult applicants can not benefit from having a UK born great grandparent. Not easily/automatically.

What happens if other family members were born in the UK?

This is a better question to ask, when comapred to asking about family that live in the UK.

There are different rules applicable to diferrent family members.

If parent(s) are born in the UK, the doors to British citizenship open. If grandparent(s) are UK born, doors to Ancestry work rights or in some cases, British natioanlity are opened.

For further assistance, please complete the form below. That way, we can begin the application process.

What happens if other family members live in the UK?

Having close family members [sibling(s) or parent(s)] is not a qualifying factor unfortunately. Distant family members also continue not to be a qualifying factor.

We understand that family in the UK naturally want to help family abroad. Often the offer of help/sponsorship is given to gap year students or those matriculating and needing to gain some work experience.

Having family that lives in the UK doesn't open up the doors to UK immigration. The UK's visa system is not like the USA visa system, in that regard.

In visa terms, having family in the UK is a contributing factor and not a qualifying factor. It helps the British government to know that an applicant has family support in the UK. It answers the question: "will the applicant be able to accommodate themselves in the UK?"

In summary, having family in the UK does not mean that an applicant can qualify to relocate (based on families UK residence). The applicant will need to qualify to work in the UK independently.

What happens if my family in the UK offers sponsorship?

It's a good question. One that we get asked often.

Family in the UK naturally want to help family abroad. Often the offer of help is given to gap year students or those matriculating and needing to gain some work experience.

Having family that lives in the UK doesn't open up the doors to UK immigration. The UK's visa system is not like the USA visa system, in that regard.

In visa terms, having family in the UK is a contributing factor and not a qualifying factor. It helps the British government to know that an applicant has family support in the UK. It answers the question: "will the applicant be able to accommodate themselves in the UK?"

In summary, having family in the UK does not mean that an applicant can qualify to relocate (based on families UK residence). The applicant will need to qualify to work in the UK independently.