My UK HSMP Visa

Giving below details of my HSMP application and UK visa application.
Warning: HSMP UK process changes frequently. I followed the procedure of Nov-Dec 2007. www.workingintheuk.gov.uk will have latest process to be followed.

Salient features of HSMP UK

• Entry to work in UK without having prior offer of employment.
• Spouse can work legally
• Can open your own Business
• Can sponsor anyone
• At the end of 5 years get Permanent Residence (PR)
  

The process

1. Apply for HSMP
2. Apply for HSMP Visa (a.k.a Entry Clearance)
   

1. Apply for HSMP

Eligibility

It is assessed based on point system. Your eligibility is based on your Education, Past Earnings. If you are less than 32 years you will get bonus points. If you have MBA more bonus points. And if you have worked in UK still more. Altogether you will have to earn 75 points to qualify for HSMP. In addition you should prove that you are good in English.

There are several websites that helps you check your eligibility for HSMP. Your mail box and phone will be spammed soon. So be careful Once you know you are eligible for HSMP, you have to prove the same to the HSMP team. Each document should be independently verifiable. If your documents are proper and have provided all proper information, your HSMP will be approved just like that. But if the HSMP team have any doubt in the document submitted they will not contact you. If they are not convinced with your application, they will reject your application.

Even if you go through an agent, you yourself will have to get the documents required. So I suggest to do it yourself. It is true that they can verify your documents and comment about it. But you can use your common sense and save money. I was insisted to go for IELTS by many agents whereas the HSMP team is very much open to the certificate provided by the University. Most of the agents charge about 40-50K rupees. This is apart from the HSMP fees. There are some high end consultants also like, whose name derived from 'Greek winged horse'. Their advertisement will be for job openings and will mention that they should have HSMP visa. If not they will do the generous thing file HSMP application for you for the cost of 3 lacs rupees. I had contacted them before applying for HSMP myself. After receiving my HSMP application approval, I happened to see their new advertisement and I contacted them to consider me for the opportunity where my profile was very well matching. It is a number of weeks now and till the time of writing this blog, I haven't received a single response from them.

How did I apply for HSMP
Before giving you my application details. Let me tell you about myself in HSMP perspective.

1. I hold B.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering degree. - I claimed 30 points
   
2. My salary after tax comes to around 7.75 lacs (£ 9560) - I claimed 45 points
   
3. I completed 31 years on XX Feb 1976. - I claimed 5 points
   
4. I did my B.Tech. in a university where they medium of instruction is officially English. This certificate is very important and should have :
1. Your name
2. Name of the degree awarded
3. Date of the degree awarded
4. The statement that the medium of instruction for the Degree is English.
   
5. If your registration number is also there, it is good. (I didn't have registration number in my certificate)
   

My covering letter:
Apart what is marked with X, rest all are original.
(click on it to see bigger pic)


My HSMP Application form:































You might have noticed the documents submitted with my application. Since I dont have a scaneer, I am writing below the wordings in the letter given by the University for the English Language certificate. The certificate is a A4 size paper on University letter head:

==================================================================

UNIVERSITY OF CXXXX

25.10.2007

No. Blah..Blah..

TO WHOMSOEVER IT MAY CONCERN

This is to certify that Sri. XXXXXXX was awarded the Degree of Bachelor of Technology in Engineering (B. Tech) in Branch Computer Science and Engineering by the University of CXXX on XX.04.2000. The medium of instruction for B.Tech Degree of this University is English.

REGISTRAR

==================================================================

How did I send my application?

I sent my through UPS. Their office is there in St Mark's road, Bangalore. Since my certificates were bigger, I was charged around Rs. 2000 for this. I sent it on 5th and I got the acknowledgement from the Home Office on 8th.

How did I received my decision letter?

Normally Home office will return your documents with the decision letter in the normal snail mail. Many of my friends received it sucessfully. There are missing incidents reported in many websites. If you are scared about this, there is an agency named Mail Boxes Extra. Their url is www.mbe.com. They will collect your document from Home office and courier it. They will charge for this service. Home office will not agree to send your document to your office address. For this reason, I had to use mbe service and the total cost was around Rs. 5000.
PS. Home office will not let you know the decision over email or phone.

2. VISA (Entry clearance)

Once you have your HSMP application approved, you will have to apply for VISA.
Things that you will have to prove the British Embassy while applying for EC.

1. You are eligible for a good job. If you have got offer already, you are very safe to go. Atleast few reponses from UK consultants will make a difference. You can provide print out of these reponses and write about them in the last big column in your visa application.
   
2. You have enough money in the bank account to survive without using public funds while searching for a job. The embassy is more interested in the bank balance rather than the assets you hold. Dont show a balance lower than 3.5 lacs.
   
3. Prove that you have fair idea about where to stay after reaching UK. There are so many hostels in UK for people like us. Shortlist a few, contact them and collect more details and provide the relevent information in your EC application. You need not have to really book the rooms if you think that you are not 100% sure that you will reach UK on that date. I gave web urls and their contact numbers of two hostels in UK without confirmed booking. I mentioned in my visa application that I'll book the room as soon as I get the visa confirmation. The visa officer seems to be satisfied with this.
   

I dont have a scanner. So I am not able to post my visa application here.
I'll try to keep updating this page with more info, which might be useful for you.

Best of luck and cheers!