You can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as an overseas media representative by completing an online application form.

No, you cannot use Super Priority Service for ILR as an overseas media representative because Super Priority Service is not available for ILR as an overseas media representative. You can only use standard service for ILR as an overseas media representative.

You can apply for ILR as an overseas media representative 28 days before completing 5 years residence in the UK with leave to remain as an overseas media representative. Your qualifying period can include time from the date your initial application for entry clearance was approved.

You can apply for ILR as an overseas media representative if you meet the following eligibility criteria:

• You have completed 5 years in the UK with UK visa as an overseas media representative;
• You have met the requirements of an overseas media representative throughout the 5 year period and you should still meet all the requirements - this includes being employed throughout the period, for example by providing P60s for the last 5 years and pay slips for the last 3 months;
• You should provide evidence to show that your employer is still be actively trading and remains centred overseas;
• You have no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months (known as ‘continuous residence’);
• You provide proof that your employer still needs you to do your job;
• You must not be in breach of immigration laws, except that any period of overstaying allowed under the Immigration Rules will be disregarded.

You should also:

• pass the Life in the UK Test
• meet the English language requirements

You can re-apply for ILR as an overseas media representative after the refusal of your ILR application within 14 days of either the refusal of your ILR application or within 14 days of the Administrative Review (AR) decision against the refusal of your ILR application. Our expert team of immigration solicitors can help you prepare and file a fresh application for ILR as an overseas media representative after the refusal of your ILR application.

You cannot have had more than 180 days’ absences from the United Kingdom during any consecutive 12 month period within the 5 year period. You will need to list details of your absences from the United Kingdom, including the reasons for those absences, on your application form for ILR as an overseas media employee. You can include the time between your entry clearance being granted and you entering the United Kingdom as part of your continuous period. Absences between the date entry clearance is granted and the date you enter the United Kingdom are treated as an absence from the United Kingdom and will form part of the 180 days allowed within a continuous 12-month period. You do not need to provide evidence to demonstrate a period of absence between obtaining entry clearance and entering the United Kingdom.

For ILR application as an overseas media representative made after 11 January 2018, Home Office would consider absences from the UK on a rolling basis, rather than in separate consecutive 12-month periods. If your qualifying period includes leave granted before this date, any absences during that leave will be considered under the previous rules – in separate 12-month periods, ending on the same date as you make your ILR as a sole representative application.

For example, you apply for ILR as an overseas media representative on 30 June 2020. Your continuous period includes the following grants of leave:

• One grant of leave from 1 July 2015 to 28 July 2018 – Any absences during this grant of leave will be considered in separate 12 month periods, ending on 30 June each year.
• One grant of leave from 29 July 2018 to 30 June 2020 – Any absences during this grant of leave will be considered on a rolling basis. Home Office UKVI will not include any absences from the previous grant of leave when they assess this.

Work Related Absences Or Absences In Line With Annual Paid Leave

If any of your absences are in connection with employment or in line with annual paid leave you will need to provide a letter from the relevant employer detailing the purpose and period of absences, including periods of annual paid leave. You will need to provide this information for the full 5 year continuous period.

Absences Due To Serious Or Compelling Reasons

If any of your absences are due to a serious or compelling reasons, you must provide a personal letter which includes full details of the reason(s) for the absences and all relevant supporting documents in relation to those reasons - e.g. medical certificates, birth/death certificates, other information about the reasons which led to the absence from the United Kingdom.

Whatever the reason for absences from the United Kingdom, they will still be counted towards the maximum 180 days unless they fall under a specific exemption. This includes any absences for work reasons, or serious and compelling reasons.

Exemption Where Absences Are Not Considered

Your absences are not considered as part of the maximum 180 days where you have been absent from the United Kingdom assisting with a national or international humanitarian or environmental crisis.

According to the Home Office UKVI website, a decision on your ILR application as an overseas media representative will be made within 6 months.

You’ll be contacted if your ILR application is complex and will take longer, for example:

• if your supporting documents need to be verified
• if you need to attend an interview
• because of your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)

If your application for ILR as an overseas media representative has been refused by the Home Office, UKVI, you can file an Administrative Review (AR) of the Home Office refusal decision within 14 days of the refusal decision date. The Home Office UKVI will review the refusal decision and decide the Administrative Review (AR) request within 28 days of receiving the Administrative Review (AR) request.

You cannot switch into overseas media representative visa from inside the UK and the initial application can only be made through an entry clearance from outside the UK.

As a result of successful entry clearance for overseas media representative visa UK, you will be granted UK visa as a representative of an overseas media company for 3 years with an option to extend it for further 2 years to be eligible for ILR after 5 years.

Standard Service

An application for overseas media representative visa entry clearance made using standard service is normally granted within 3 to 4 weeks.

Priority Service

If the Prioirty Service is available in the country you’re applying from you can choose the ‘priority service’ when you apply. There will be an additional cost for this service. A decision will be made within 5 working days of your appointment at the visa application centre.

Check with your visa application centre to see if the priority visa service is available in the country you’re applying from. The priority visa service is available in most countries.

You might wait longer for a decision if your application is not straightforward and more information is required before a decision is made. If your application is delayed, you will be informed by the Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) within the standard timescales for your visa.

You can apply for UK visa entry clearance if you are a representative of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation and you are being posted by your overseas employer on a long-term assignment in the UK.

For you to make a successful application as a representative of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation, you must:

• be recruited and employed outside the UK by the employer you intend to represent in the UK
• intend to work full-time for the organisation
• not intend to take any other employment
• be based mainly in the UK and working on a UK long-term assignment
• obtain entry clearance in this category before arrival in the UK and present it to a border force officer on arrival
• provide evidence you can maintain and accommodate yourself and any dependants adequately without recourse to public funds
• meet the required standard in English language

Leave to enter or remain under this route is subject to the following conditions:

• no recourse to public funds;
• must register with the police, if required by paragraph 326 of the Immigration Rules;
• work only as a representative for the business which they have been admitted to represent;
• study (with no limit on the number of study hours if it doesn’t interfere with the job they have been sponsored to do).

You can sponsor your dependants (spouse/partner and children under the age of 18) to accompany you to the UK or to join you later in the UK as your dependants.

If you are already in the UK with an overseas media representative visa, you can apply for extension/renewal of your overseas media representative visa by completing online application form FLR (IR).

No, you cannot use Super Priority Service for renewal of your overseas media representative visa as Super Priority Service is not available for overseas media representative visa extension application. You can only use standard service for extension of your overseas media representative visa.

As a result of a successful application for renewal of your overseas media representative visa, you will be granted further leave to remain for 2 years as a representative of an overseas media organisation.

Yes, you will need a certification letter from your employer to support your application for renewal of your overseas media representative visa.

To succeed in your application for overseas media representative visa extension application, you must satisfy the following eligibility criteria:

• You must be in the UK as a representative an overseas business and working in the UK as an overseas media representative;
• You must still be working for the same employer as when you were issued your previous overseas media representative visa for UK. You must show that you are in receipt of a salary from your employer by evidence of the salary paid in the previous 12 months and confirmation of how that salary was paid - for example, whether it was paid as basic or commission and the numbers of hours paid;
• You are still required by your employer for the same job and this is certified by your employer way of a letter issued by your employer;
• You only intend to work for the same employer in the same job as your entry clearance was granted for;
• Your employer's principal place of business is still outside the UK;
• You can maintain and accommodate yourself and your dependants adequately without recourse to public funds;
• You must not be in breach of immigration laws, except that any periods of overstaying allowed by the Immigration Rules which will be disregarded.

If your application for renewal of overseas media representative visa is refused by the Home Office UKVI, you can file an Administrative Review (AR) of the Home Office refusal decision within 14 days of the refusal decision date. The Home Office UKVI will consider and decide your Administrative Review (AR) within 28 days of receiving the Administrative Review (AR).

You can re-apply for extension of your overseas media representative visa after the refusal of your renewal application within 14 days of either the refusal of your application or within 14 days of the Administrative Review (AR) decision against the refusal of your application. Our expert team of immigration solicitors can help you prepare and file a fresh application for overseas media representative visa extension after the refusal of your visa renewal application.

According to the Home Office UKVI website, a decision on your overseas media representative visa extension application will be made within 8 weeks.

You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example:

• if your supporting documents need to be verified
• if you need to attend an interview
• because of your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)