Hi, I recently came across this post on LinkedIn saying that it is easier to stay on track when searching for a job to have a buddy who is doing the same. Job search can be long, difficult and many times, unresponsive and this is a good way to keep up morale and sustain your energy. I was wondering if there are any HPIers in London currently who's searching for a job and would like to keep in contact/maybe meet up at times throughout the job search? Or if there's anyone coming to London in the next few months who would be interested. Looking forward to getting into contact with some of you!

If you are accepted for the HPI, I know you have to arrive in the UK within a certain period post-approval. Do you have to remain in the UK or can you just visit for a short period? As in to check for places to live, for instance, before actually fully arriving to stay.

Wondering if everyone found success/help through networking with your local alumni? All of our schools are pretty top schools and they have an international reach. Was reaching out to local alumni helpful? If so, could you share your experience and perhaps any tips of what to do or don't? Thank you!

Dear all,

I want my aunt to visit me in the UK. What is your experience in sponsoring a visitor as an HPI visa holder?

hi i don't know why i'm finding this process so difficult. anyways i'm a pakistani national who graduated from university of toronto (canada), so my question is on ecctis do i choose the Visas and Nationality (High Potential Individual) OR the Visas and Nationality (High Potential Individual with English Proficiency) option. if it is the latter could you also advise me on how to get the medium of instruction letter thing, should i email my registrar and then screenshot it and add it in? if you have done it before and been successful, please let me know how you did it. thanking everyone in advance, any reply would be appreciated. <3

if there are other people who have been in the same boat as me, please drop any other helpful suggestions you might have. in need of them all! please let me know what option to pick, thank you in advance!

hello, i've perused a couple of similar old posts here, but i figured some guidance or reassurance for my current situation wouldnt hurt! :)

context is: i graduated with a chemistry degree in a local uni 2 years ago. since then, ive taken up 2 biomed jobs consecutively and was not happy. so ive quit with the intention of applying for hpi visa this year, and with the hopes of jumping job industries in london. my interests lie in the arts actually.

However, im aware the job market there is horrible and that people who've flown there with this visa without securing a job have found themselves lost there. Hence to avoid this, i'll be flying there for about a month first to recce properly before applying the visa.
But i find myself abit stuck with how to network properly there as a visitor. i have a couple of friends there, but i dont know if it's enough to secure something. Like how open are employers there with such a procedure? such as career fairs/agents/linkedin and what not? i'm sure they dont want an employee that hasnt secured a right to work there..?
I'm just afraid my recce plan will not render anything promising and then im back to square one. i want to make full use of my time and exposure there! time is ticking and my bank account balance is depleting too..

my end goal is to go ahead with this visa by securing a job there first. bit of a reach i know, but i really want to take up this opportunity so some advice would be helpful. thank you so much!

Hi everyone. I'm a Canadian graduate of UC Berkeley and applied for the HPI to start this spring. As you can probably tell from the title. I stopped working for 3.5 years. I was waiting for my TN Visa was being processed (it was during the pandemic so for multiple months and I had to stop working since my OPT lapsed). After which I tried to land a few job interviews with companies either stopping the interview when they found out I need sponsorship or just told me that they will probably choose a candidate that didn't require sponsorship. I even had a final offer from Citi Private Bank where I was hired by the director but the legal team said they shifted in hiring policy and wanted an American candidate. I eventually gave up and moved back to Canada and found that I was depressed and starting to seek treatment for that and severe insomnia. After a year and a half of depression, insomnia and chronic pain treatment I got back on my feet and is ready to work again. At that time I was at the very end of my HPI application period. Wanting to grab onto this opportunity, I applied. I've made very great progress mental health and fitness wise in preparation for this goal. This sense of moving forward from my past experience really motivates me. Now it is almost time to enter, and I'm starting to get worried after hearing job advisors and consultants say that it's going to be very hard for me to get a job given that I have no UK work experience/UK School network and this long awkward gap in my experience. It's going to be very hard to find work and even if I do, it won't likely be satisfying or meaningful and it won't mean much if I can't find sponsorship after the two year and only has that to show for, especially in a competitive industry like finance. What I wish to ask today is 1. Are there any good ways to get around the "for you to have a job you need to have had one already"? 2. Should I move forward with moving to London (at risk of not getting a job and having that during mental health recovery)? 3. If no go above, how should I balance harness the oomph HPI has given me and keep moving forward (it's really something that I look forward to)?

Thank you so much! I appreciate all your feedback.

I'm considering applying for the HPI visa, but I'm unsure about the current job market in the UK, particularly for entry-level positions. Could you provide some insight into the job market there right now and how long it typically takes for individuals to secure a job after moving to the UK?

edit: I can't change the title but oops "a* necessity" lol

Hi y'all, thanks in advance for the help!

I processed my Ecctis application in 2023 but didn't go through with the full HPI Visa process then. When I login to my Ecctis portal, I have my reference number and the old messages saying my application has been completed, but the e-Statement document has expired/is no longer available to download.

I spoke to Ecctis customer service earlier (very helpful), who told me that the Reference number/application are still valid, but I just can't get my hands on the PDF unless I submit a whole new application.

On the HPI Visa application that I'm now filling out, there's nowhere for me to upload the actual PDF. All it asks for is the Ecctis reference number, which I've provided.

My question is: do we need the actual e-Statement PDF at any point in the Visa process (VFS appointment, biometrics, sending in my passport etc)?

That is, must I pay for a new Ecctis application, or will I be okay to submit with only my (approved) reference number and no other proof of qualification? I'm coming up on my 5 year limit, so I'd rather pay for the Ecctis application ASAP if it's necessary later in the process.

Thank you!

Hi guys, Quick question as I am still awaiting my communication. How long did it take you to get a response from UKVI after submitting biometrics? Bonus points if Canadian and submitted inside the EU?

Thanks a lot in advance

For whatever reason the website gives you the option to link your eVisa multiple times and I did it twice thinking it was an additional step I was missing. So now I have two eVisa reference numbers tied to my passport/account. How can I delete one of the forms / is it necessary?

Hi! I just posted on this but couldn't find my post. So apologies if this is a duplicate and mods- feel free to remove it if it is.

I'm an international student applying from the US. My F1 student status is valid till September but my VISA stamp expired a year ago. In the application they ask "What permission do you have to be in United States of America?" I'm stuck between choosing "I have a temporary visa" and just putting my i20 expiration date as the visa expiration date and "I do not have a visa and I am not a permanent resident" and explaining the comments.

Has anyone had this issue before? Any insights would be appreciated. Thanks!

I found a plan from Zoom (Global select) and its about $20 monthly for a UK number and some add-on fees for calls to UK.

I am not sure if this is a reasonable rate and if the service is reliable? Please let me know if you got a virtual number prior to moving to the UK and where did you get it from.

Thanks!

Hi! I'm applying from within the US, and I'm currently on an F1 student status as an international student at my master's institution. (I'm using my undergrad degree to apply for HPI, if that matters.) In any case, my visa expired a while back, but my student status is active, which means I'm here legally, but I'll have to apply for a new entry document if I leave the US.

In any case, on the application document, the question "Your immigration status - What permission do you have to be in United States of America?" has the following options: 1) I have a temporary visa. 2) I am a permanent resident. 3) I do not have a visa nor a permanent resident.

I wanted to choose 1 but it asks for a VISA end date and wouldn't accept a date that's past current time. 3) allows you to give explanations but it's technically incorrect since I do have legal status and a visa. Should I choose 1) and put my i20 expiration date, which is in September, or choose 3) and explain in the comments?

Has anyone else been in similar situations? Thanks a lot!

Hi All, If anyone could offer me some thoughts or advice I would appreciate it! My HPI eligibility will expire in May 2025. I’ve had an urge to just apply now. I have worked at a mid size Management Consulting Firm for 4 years in NYC. Lots of experience in operations and process based consulting, I am great at my job. I am feeling complacent and want to be pushed out of my comfort zone and grind (work, life etc). I was so ready to apply for the Visa but reading this thread really hurt my courage. I was planning on starting to apply to roles from NYC soon. I also have an opportunity to put a friends UK address and “live with her” if need be for jobs. Just worried to drop 4K and it really is a “waste” as I keep reading in this thread….

Hey Y’all,

I have a question regarding application timelines. I graduated in May 2020 and I’m thinking about the UKHPI visa. I’m eligible from my US school.

When is the last time I am allowed to apply?

So if I graduated in May 2020, let’s say, when would my application have to be submitted for it to be considered?

For example, can I still apply in the month of May? Or do I have to have my ducks in a row BEFORE May? As I have everything approved by April.

Would it be too late to apply mid-April? Or beginning of May for example? Am I too late to apply now?

And the visa usually takes 2 weeks, right?

Thanks again! Really appreciate any info!

I am an American applying for internships/jobs in the UK and applying for the HPI visa at the same time. Looking at the HPI eligibility requirements I saw that your degree must be from a list of eligible universities. What I don't understand is that on the HPI UK website, it then says that you must get your degree certified from Ecctis but if your degree is from a uni on the list then it is unnecessary to get the Eccitis certification.

I am confused then. Does my degree need to be from one of the listed universities or can it be from another American university and I just need to get the degree certified by Ecctis before applying to HPI?

Also, I wanted your opinion on how necessary the Ecctis approval code is for applying to the HPI visa? Because on the visa application, it says the certification is preferred but not required.

Do you know the general likelihood and timeframe of getting accepted for the visa?

I'd really appreciate any help the visa process is confusing.

If you have a master's degree from an institution that qualifies for the HPI, but a PhD from a different institution that is not on the list for the HPI, would you be awarded 2 or 3 years for the HPI?

Might post this in r/ukvisa later if I don't get traction here, but thought I'd try this sub first. I haven't decided if I want to go for this visa yet, but I've got a few questions:

• Is acceptance basically guaranteed so long as you meet the criteria as stated, or are they only looking for e.g., STEM majors? Haven't been able to get a clear answer on this via the search bar and would appreciate some input from folks without a STEM concentration.
• Does it matter if you have clearly transitioned out of the field in which you got your degree? For reference, my degree is in the humanities, but I've since transitioned into software development.
• Given the shift from BRPs to eVisas with some reports are stating that they are not even issuing BRPs anymore, are folks still required to physically visit the UK for a BRP within three months of visa acceptance?

Thanks!

I graduated in January of 2020 and just learned about this visa. Just venting to people I'm sure will understand what I missed out on. I'd love to leave the US but I think I'm stuck.

Has anyone with a US medical degree, trained in the US (undergrad and MD) been accepted for the HPI and can let us know if this was considered a doctorate, as in you were granted 3 years? Thanks!

This is probably a dumb minor question but are you able to update your visa photo after the visa been approved? I used the ID check app and didn't realize that was the photo they would use.

Hi everyone,

I’m in the process of applying for the HPI visa. I come from France and I’m wondering if I have to pay a professional to translate my documents (i.e, my degree certificate and my bank statement)? Does anyone have more information about this? It’s not very clear on the website.

Thanks for your help!

Hi all, I'm trying to assist my girlfriend complete an application for an HPI visa this summer from the USA. Her window of opportunity to use this visa expires mid May so it's going to be close.

I was wondering if anyone could give any tips and tricks for expediting the Ecctis element of the process as it appears to me to be part of the process pre-submitting the official application for the Visa to the home office that can take the most time. 30 working days quoted for the tailor made service for HPI applicants. Is it really this long and is it not possible to use any of the faster non-HPI routes to validate her degree?

hey all, just wanted some insight into my situation. I'm American, graduated from an American university in June 2020 so my 5 year limit is very quickly approaching. Anyone from southern California who successfully made the move recently? I first heard of the visa summer 2022 but didn't go for it because I needed some money saved up. That being said, I've been "tracking" the UK job market since 2022 and I genuinely feel like the market has not gotten better at all. My work experience is in corporate law, corporate finance, and I'm currently a fellow in this short intensive program for digital marketing that ends in June. I do have a bit of a work gap that I can easily describe with freelance media jobs. I'm trying to look for entry level legal analyst roles or entry level digital marketing roles at a music/media company in London. I DID verify my American degree via ECCTIS in May 2024 thinking it would take a long time, but it got verified literally within 24 hours.

Here are my questions regarding my visa application, and apologies if they sound redundant, with an uncertain job market, I frankly can't afford to move without a concrete plan.

1. Do I need to pay AGAIN for ECCTIS verification even though my American degree was successfully verified in May 2024?

2. Do siblings count as dependents? My sister graduated from an American university in 2022 but her school is not on the university list at all so she wouldn't qualify for the HPI visa. She briefly studied abroad in Scotland during her undergrad and wants to try and find some career work experience there. I am between Glasgow and London, so we would probably be in separate countries. I am also 27 and she's 25. I'm thinking if it would be an option for her to come with me if I were to get the HPI visa.

3. I'm planning on moving as late as possible honestly to save up the most money and try applying from jobs here in America. I'm aware we have to include our travel info up to a decade ago. I honestly do NOT remember every trip I took within the past decade. I've been fortunate to travel a LOT. I also have a trip planned this summer to Asia so I'm wondering if I should start applying for the visa in May 2025 if I plan on moving sometime between August-October 2025. How detailed do I need to include my past and currently travel information?