How to fill in key questions

You must read the following as it gives important advice on the information we need for certain questions in the online application. 

Under what category is your organisation applying to become a sponsor? 

You must choose all the tiers, categories and sub-categories you want to be licensed to employ migrants or to bring students to the United Kingdom under.

If you are applying for tier 4 - students, you should show in the reasons box, under the number of confirmations of acceptance for studies, whether you are registering under the general student category and/or the child student category. 

Is your organisation registering as a head office, a United Kingdom branch, a single body or another type of body?

If you are registering with any branches or subsidiaries, you must list all the branches that you wish to include in this registration and give their addresses. Where necessary, use a separate sheet and send this in with your submission sheet. 

If you are registering as 'other', please give details of who will be included in this registration. Where necessary, use a separate sheet and send this in with your submission sheet.

If your organisation is a charity in England, Scotland or Wales, select whether you are registered, excepted or exempt according to the legislation in your country. Select the Northern Ireland option if you are based in Northern Ireland.

• If you are registered charity, give your charity registration number in the box.
• If you are excepted, exempt or none of the above, please give reasons why.
• If you are based in Northern Ireland, give details of charitable status from HMRC.
• If you are an ecclesiastical corporation (either corporation sole or body corporate) established for charitable purposes, give details.

Select the sector your organisation works in.  Choose the one that explains your organisation's main economic activity.

If you are unsure which sector to select please see the UK Statistics authority website.

For  the tier 2 - sports people category, select your sport and then the appropriate sporting body that you are endorsed by. For tier 5, select other if not applicable.

Please read full guidance for the tier 2 - sports people category and the tier 5 - creative and sporting category before you submit your application.

You can only select one sport on the online application. For example, if you want to sponsor migrants under football and rugby, you must select one sport on the online application and when giving reasons for the number of certificates of sponsorship needed, you must list the other sports to be covered in that licence and give the appropriate governing body endorsement for each of these sports.

If you are registering for the tier 2 - sports people category and the tier 5 - creative and sporting category using the same application, please fill in the details of your sport for tier 2 in the online application and for and the tier 5 - creative and sporting category, please use a separate sheet to give us the name of your sport, and send in with your submission sheet.

If you cannot find your sport in the drop-down list, you should contact the employers helpline which you can find on the right side of this page.

If your sport does not have a sports council governing body, you should contact us at PBSsportpolicy@ukba.gsi.gov.uk.

Select the faith that you are a member of

Please read full guidance for the tier 2 - ministers of religion category and the tier 5 - religious worker category before you submit your application.

If you select 'other', give details your faith in the reasons for the number of certificates of sponsorship.

If you are registering for the tier 2 - ministers of religion category and the tier 5 - religious worker category using the same application, please fill in the details of your faith for tier 2 on the online form and for the tier 5 - religious worker category. Where there is a set hierarchy within your faith, you must send in, as one of your mandatory documents, a letter of support from the head of your organisation (or their nominated legal representative) to confirm that you are part of that organisation. More information on this is in Appendix A of the sponsorship guidance.

Supporting documents

When completing the online application form, you may find that the list of documents to submit with your application is incorrect. We are aware of this and will put this problem right as soon as we can. In the mean time, you should always check Appendix A of the sponsorship guidance to make sure you are sending the right documents. This is the most up-to-date list of required documents for your type of organisation.

Submission sheet

After you have submitted your application, you are taken to the submission sheet page, which you must print, fill in, and send with your payment and documents selected earlier for your supporting evidence. You must send it all to the address on the submission sheet. We advise you to keep a copy for your records.

If the list of documents on your submission sheet is incorrect, please cross out any documents that do not apply to you, and add the ones you are substituting. Do not forget that all applications must include at least four documents from Appendix A.
If you have a specific query about your particular application, contact the Sponsor Licensing Unit on sponsorlicensing@ukba.gsi.gov.uk. For general advice on sponsorship, contact the Sponsorship and Employers' Helpline, which you can find on the right of this page.

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