Immigration Rules Appendix High Potential Individual

HPI 1.1. A person applying for entry clearance or permission to stay as a High Potential Individual must apply online on the gov.uk website on the specified form as follows:

1. (a) for applicants outside the UK, form “High Potential Individual visa”; or
2. (b) for applicants inside the UK, form “High Potential Individual”.

HPI 1.2. An application for entry clearance or permission to stay as a High Potential Individual must meet all the following validity requirements:

1. (a) any fee and Immigration Health Charge must have been paid; and
2. (b) the applicant must have provided any required biometrics; and
3. (c) the applicant must have provided a passport or other travel document which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality.

HPI 1.3. The applicant must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.

HPI 1.4. If the applicant has in the last 12 months before the date of application received an award from a Government or international scholarship agency covering both fees and living costs for study in the UK, they must provide written consent to the application from that Government or agency.

HPI 1.5. An applicant who is applying for permission to stay must be in the UK on the date of application and must not have, or have last been granted, permission:

1. (a) as a Visitor; or
2. (b) as a Short-term Student; or
3. (c) as a Parent of a Child Student; or
4. (d) as a Seasonal Worker; or
5. (e) as a Domestic Worker in a Private Household; or
6. (f) outside the Immigration Rules.

HPI 1.6. The applicant must not have been previously granted permission under the Student Doctorate Extension Scheme, as a Graduate or as a High Potential Individual.

HPI 1.7 An application which does not meet all the validity requirements for a High Potential Individual is invalid and may be rejected and not considered.

HPI 2.1. The applicant must not fall for refusal under Part 9: grounds for refusal.

HPI 2.2. If applying for permission to stay the applicant must not be:

(a) in breach of immigration laws, except that where paragraph 39E applies, that period of overstaying will be disregarded; or

(b) on immigration bail.

Entry requirements for a High Potential Individual

HPI 3.1. A person seeking to come to the UK as a High Potential Individual must apply for and obtain entry clearance as a High Potential Individual before they arrive in the UK.

HPI 3.2. A person applying for entry clearance as a High Potential Individual must, if paragraph A39 and Appendix T of these rules apply, provide a valid medical certificate confirming that they have undergone screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis and that this tuberculosis is not present in them.

Points requirement for a High Potential Individual

HPI 4.1. The applicant must be awarded a total of 70 points based on the table below.

Global Universities List degree requirement

HPI 5.1. The applicant must, in the 5 years immediately before the date of the application, have been awarded an overseas degree level academic qualification which Ecctis confirms meets, or exceeds, the recognised standard of a UK bachelor’s or UK postgraduate degree.

HPI 5.2. The institution at which the applicant was awarded the degree in HPI 5.1 must appear on the Global Universities List in respect of the date the applicant was awarded the degree.

HPI 5.3 The date the applicant was awarded the degree will be the date as confirmed by Ecctis.

HPI 5.4. If the requirements in HPI 5.1. to HPI 5.3. are met, the applicant will be awarded 50 points.

English language requirement for High Potential Individual

HPI 6.1. Unless an exemption applies, the applicant must show English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in all 4 components (reading, writing, speaking and listening) of at least level B1.

HPI 6.2. The applicant must show they meet the English language requirement as specified in Appendix English Language.

HPI 6.3. If the requirements in HPI 6.1. and HPI 6.2. are met, the applicant will be awarded 10 points for meeting the English language requirement.

Financial requirement for High Potential Individual

HPI 7.1. If the applicant is applying for permission to stay and has been in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer on the date of application, they will meet the financial requirement and do not need to show funds.

HPI 7.2. An applicant who is applying for entry clearance, or who is applying for permission to stay and has been in the UK for less than 12 months at the date of application, must have funds of at least £1,270.

HPI 7.3. The applicant must show that they have held the required level of funds for a 28-day period and must show funds as specified in Appendix Finance.

HPI 7.4. If the requirements in HPI 7.1. to HPI 7.3. are met, the applicant will be awarded 10 points for meeting the Financial requirement.

HPI 8.1. If the decision maker is satisfied that all the suitability and the relevant eligibility requirements for a High Potential Individual are met, the application will be granted, otherwise the application will be refused.

HPI 8.2. If the application is refused the person can apply for an Administrative Review under Appendix AR: Administrative Review.

HPI 9.1. The applicant will be granted entry clearance or permission to stay for the period as set out in the table below based on the qualification relied on to meet the Global Universities List degree requirement.

HPI 9.2. The grant will be subject to all the following conditions:

1. (a) no access to public funds; and
2. (b) work (including self-employment and voluntary work) is permitted, apart from work as a professional sportsperson (including as a sports coach); and
3. (c) study is permitted, except study with an education provider which is a Student sponsor, and which would meet the approved qualification and level of study requirements of the Student route which are set out in Appendix Student; and
4. (d) study is subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS.
5. (e) DELETED

Validity requirements for a partner or child of a High Potential Individual

HPI 10.1. A person applying for entry clearance or permission to stay as a partner or child of a High Potential Individual must apply online on the gov.uk website on the specified form as follows:

HPI 10.2. An application for entry clearance or permission to stay as a partner or child of a High Potential Individual must meet all the following requirements:

1. (a) any fee and Immigration Health Charge must have been paid; and
2. (b) the applicant must have provided any required biometrics; and
3. (c) the applicant must have provided a passport or other travel document which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality; and
4. (d) the applicant must be applying as partner or child of a person who:
   1. (i) has made a valid application for entry clearance or permission to stay on the High Potential Individual route that has not been decided; or
   2. (ii) has entry clearance or permission on the High Potential Individual route.

HPI 10.3. A person applying as a partner must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.

HPI 10.4. A person applying for permission to stay as a partner or child of a person on the High Potential Individual route must be in the UK and must not have, or have last been granted, permission:

1. (a) as a Visitor; or
2. (b) as a Short-term Student; or
3. (c) as a Parent of a Child Student; or
4. (d) as a Seasonal Worker; or
5. (e) as a Domestic Worker in a Private Household; or
6. (f) outside the Immigration Rules.

HPI 10.5. An application which does not meet all the validity requirements is invalid and may be rejected and not considered.

Suitability requirements for a partner and child of a High Potential Individual

HPI 11.1. The applicant must not fall for refusal under Part 9: grounds for refusal.

HPI 11.2. If applying for permission to stay the applicant must not be: (a) in breach of immigration laws, except that where paragraph 39E applies, that period of overstaying will be disregarded; or (b) on immigration bail.

Entry requirement for a partner and child of a High Potential Individual

HPI 12.1. A person seeking to come to the UK as a partner or child of a High Potential Individual must apply for and obtain entry clearance as a partner or child of a High Potential Individual before they arrive in the UK.

HPI 12.2. A person applying for entry clearance as a partner or child of a High Potential Individual must, if paragraph A39 and Appendix T of these rules apply, provide a valid medical certificate confirming that they have undergone screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis and that this tuberculosis is not present in them.

Relationship requirements for a partner of a High Potential Individual

HPI 13.1. The applicant must be the partner of a person (P) and one of the following must apply:

1. (a) P has permission as a High Potential Individual; or
2. (b) P is, at the same time, applying for (and is granted) permission as a High Potential Individual.

HPI 13.2. If the applicant and their High Potential Individual partner are not married or in a civil partnership, all of the following requirements must be met:

1. (a) they must have been living together in a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least the two years before the date of application; and
2. (b) any previous relationship of the applicant or their High Potential Individual partner with another person must have permanently broken down; and
3. (c) the applicant and their High Potential Individual partner must not be so closely related that they would not be allowed to marry or form a civil partnership in the UK.

HPI 13.3. The relationship between the applicant and their High Potential Individual partner must be genuine and subsisting.

HPI 13.4. The applicant and their High Potential Individual partner must intend to live together throughout the applicant’s stay in the UK.

Relationship requirement for a child on the High Potential Individual route

HPI 14.1. The applicant must be the child of a person (P) and one of the following must apply:

1. (a) P has permission on the High Potential Individual route; or
2. (b) P is, at the same time, applying for (and is granted) entry clearance or permission on the High Potential Individual route.

HPI 14.2. The applicant’s parents must each be either applying at the same time as the applicant, or have permission to be in the UK (other than as a visitor) unless:

1. (a) the parent applying for or with entry clearance or permission to stay on the High Potential Individual route is the sole surviving parent; or
2. (b) the parent applying for or with entry clearance or permission to stay on the High Potential Individual route has sole responsibility for the child’s upbringing; or
3. (c) the parent who does not have permission on the High Potential Individual route:
   1. (i) is a British citizen or a person who has a right to enter or stay in the UK without restriction; and
   2. (ii) is or will be ordinarily resident in the UK; or
4. (d) the decision maker is satisfied that there are serious and compelling reasons to grant the child permission to come to, or stay in, the UK with the parent who has permission on the High Potential Individual route.

HPI 14.3. If the applicant is a child born in the UK to a High Potential Individual or their partner, the applicant must provide a full UK birth certificate showing the names of both parents.

Age requirement for a child on the High Potential Individual route

HPI 15.1. The child must be under the age of 18 at the date of application unless they were last granted permission as the child of their parent or parents.

HPI 15.2. If the applicant is aged 16 or over at the date of application, they must not be leading an independent life.

Care requirement for a child on the High Potential Individual route

HPI 16.1. If the applicant is under the age of 18 on the date of application, there must be suitable arrangements for the child’s care and accommodation in the UK, which must comply with relevant UK laws.

Financial requirement for a partner or child on the High Potential Individual route

HPI 17.1. If the applicant is applying for permission to stay and has been living in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer on the date of application, they will meet the financial requirement and do not need to show funds.

HPI 17.2. If the applicant is applying for entry clearance or has been in the UK for less than 12 months on the date of application, funds of at least the amount required in HPI 17.3 must be held collectively by one or more of the following: (a) the applicant; and (b) the High Potential Individual (P); and (c) if the applicant is applying as a child, their parent who is lawfully in the UK or being granted entry clearance.

HPI 17.3. The funds required are:

1. (a) at least £285 for a partner in the UK or applying to come to the UK; and
2. (b) at least £315 for the first child in the UK or applying to come to the UK; and
3. (c) at least £200 for each additional child in the UK or applying to come to the UK.

HPI 17.4. The funds held must be in addition to any funds required by the High Potential Individual to meet the financial requirement or any dependants in the UK or applying at the same time.

HPI. 17.5. The required level of funds must have been held for a 28-day period and as specified in Appendix Finance.

Decision on an application for a partner and child on the High Potential Individual route

HPI 18.1. If the decision maker is satisfied that all the suitability and eligibility requirements are met for a partner or child on the High Potential Individual route, the application will be granted, otherwise the application will be refused.

HPI 18.2. If the application is refused the person can apply for an Administrative Review under Appendix AR: Administrative Review.

Period and conditions of grant for a partner and child on the High Potential Individual route

HPI 19.1. A partner will be granted entry clearance or permission to stay which ends on the same date as their partner’s permission as a High Potential Individual.

HPI 19.2. A child will be granted entry clearance or permission to stay which ends on the same date as their parents’ permission.

HPI 19.3. The grant will be subject to all the following conditions:

1. (a) no access to public funds; and
2. (b) work (including self-employment and voluntary work) is permitted; except from work as a professional sportsperson (including as a sports coach); and
3. (c) study is permitted, subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS (if the study will commence when the person is aged over 18).
4. (d) DELETED                                                                                                                                                                                                  Source: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-high-potential-individual