High Potential Individual (HPI) visa

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	High Potential Individual (HPI) visa
Stay duration	2 years; 3 years for PhD/doctorate
Application cost	£880 application fee plus £252 Ecctis assessment
Healthcare surcharge	£1,035 per year (£2,070 or £3,105)
Financial requirement	£1,270 held for 28 consecutive days
Eligibility timing	Within 5 years of qualifying degree
Application window	Earliest 3 months before travel
Processing time	3 weeks outside UK; 8 weeks inside
Work rights	Most jobs and self-employment allowed
Study rights	Allowed for courses ineligible for Student visas
Medicare / Healthcare	Paid via Healthcare Surcharge
Travel facility	Permitted to travel abroad and return
Path to citizenship	Does not count toward UK settlement
Family sponsorship	Partner and children eligible as dependants
Visa extensions	Cannot be extended; one-time grant only

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Purpose and Overview

The High Potential Individual (HPI) visa permits graduates from top-ranked global universities to work, seek employment, be self-employed, or do voluntary work in the UK. No job offer is required to apply.

There is an annual cap on HPI applications running from 1 November to 31 October. Applicants are notified during the online application if the limit has been reached.

Eligibility

To qualify for an HPI visa, you must meet the following criteria:

1. Overseas Qualification

• You must have been awarded an overseas qualification within the last 5 years from an institution on the Global Universities List for the year of your graduation:
  • 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026
  • 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2025
  • 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2024
  • 1 November 2022 to 31 October 2023
  • 1 November 2021 to 31 October 2022
  • 1 November 2020 to 31 October 2021
• The qualification must be equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree, or PhD/doctorate.
• You must verify your qualification through Ecctis before applying (Ecctis checks level and validity, not institutional eligibility).
• Note: UK universities are not eligible for this route. Graduates of UK institutions may consider the Graduate visa.

2. English Language Requirement

You must prove English proficiency to at least CEFR Level B2 (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) unless exempt. You can satisfy this requirement by:

• Providing an Ecctis certificate confirming a degree taught in English outside the UK.
• Holding a degree-level qualification taught in English from a UK institution.
• Holding eligible UK school qualifications (GCSE, A Level, Scottish National 4/5, or Scottish Higher/Advanced Higher) begun under age 18.
• Passing an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT).
• Holding nationality from an exempt majority-English-speaking country (e.g., Australia, Canada, New Zealand, USA, Caribbean nations).
• Having previously proven English proficiency on a successful UK visa application.

3. Exclusions

You cannot apply for an HPI visa if:

• You have previously held an HPI visa (it can only be granted once).
• You have held a Graduate visa.
• You have held leave under the Doctorate Extension Scheme.

Stay and Extension Rules

• Duration: 2 years (or 3 years for doctoral/PhD qualifications).
• Extensions: Not permitted.
• Switching: You may switch into another visa route (e.g., Skilled Worker visa) prior to expiry.
• Settlement: Time spent on an HPI visa does not count toward continuous residence for indefinite leave to remain (settlement).

Costs and Financial Requirements

Fee Category	Amount
Ecctis Qualification Check	£252 (including VAT)
Visa Application Fee	£880 per applicant
Healthcare Surcharge (2-Year Visa)	£2,070 per adult (£1,552 per child under 18)
Healthcare Surcharge (3-Year Visa)	£3,105 per adult (£2,328 per child under 18)
Personal Maintenance Funds	£1,270 (held for 28 consecutive days within 31 days of applying)

Maintenance Exemption: You do not need to show proof of personal savings if you have been living in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months.

Healthcare Refund: If you work in public sector healthcare after paying the surcharge, you may be eligible for a refund.

Rights and Conditions

Permitted Activities

• Working in most roles, including self-employment and freelance work.
• Job searching.
• Voluntary work.
• Studying courses that are not eligible for a Student visa (an ATAS certificate may be required for sensitive subjects).
• Bringing eligible family members.
• Traveling abroad and returning to the UK.

Prohibited Activities

• Working as a professional sportsperson or sports coach.
• Accessing public funds (benefits) or the State Pension.
• Extending the visa or settling directly from this route.

Family Provisions (Dependants)

Eligible partners and children can apply as dependants with leave ending on the same date as the main applicant’s visa.

Eligibility

• Partner: Recognised marriage/civil partnership, or proof of cohabitation/relationship for at least 2 years.
• Children: Under 18 (or over 18 if currently in the UK as your dependant), unmarried, and living with you (unless in full-time boarding education).
• UK-Born Children: Do not automatically acquire British citizenship; must apply for a dependant visa before age 18 to remain or travel.

Dependant Maintenance Funds

Unless exempt (e.g., living in the UK with valid permission for 12+ months or covered by an employer's sponsorship certificate), dependants require additional savings:

• Partner: £285
• First child: £315
• Each additional child: £200

Documents Required

• Valid passport or travel document proving nationality and identity.
• Ecctis reference number or assessment certificate.
• Evidence of English language proficiency.
• Proof of required personal savings (bank statements), if applicable.
• Tuberculosis test results (if applying from a listed country).
• Relationship evidence for dependants (e.g., marriage certificate, cohabitation proofs, full birth certificate).
• Current immigration status evidence if switching in the UK (eVisa share code or valid BRP).
• Certified translations for any non-English/non-Welsh documents.

Application Steps and Processing

1. Qualification Verification: Apply for an assessment via Ecctis.
2. Online Submission:
   • Apply from outside the UK (earliest 3 months before travel).
   • Apply to switch inside the UK (before current visa expires).
3. Identity Verification:
   • Scan your document using the UK Immigration: ID Check app; or
   • Book an appointment at a Visa Application Centre (outside UK) or UKVCAS point (inside UK) to submit biometric data.
4. Decisions:
   • Outside the UK: Usually within 3 weeks.
   • Inside the UK: Usually within 8 weeks.

Important In-Country Switching Rules and Warnings

• Travel Warning: Applicants applying from inside the UK must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man while the application is pending. Traveling will cause the application to be automatically withdrawn.
• Ineligible UK Visas: You cannot switch to an HPI visa from within the UK if you hold:
  • Visitor visa
  • Short-term student visa
  • Parent of a Child Student visa
  • Seasonal worker visa
  • Domestic worker in a private household visa
  • Immigration bail or leave granted outside the immigration rules
• Student Visa Switchers: If switching from a Student visa, you must have completed your course or completed at least 24 months of study toward a PhD.