How do I apply for further leave to remain if I am a work permit holder?

This page explains how you can apply for further leave to remain if you are a work permit holder and your employer has already applied for a further work permit to employ you.

You can apply for an extension of your stay in the United Kingdom (called 'further leave to remain') once we have told your employer that we have granted you approval for an immigration employment document (IED). This is your approval to work under one of the following categories:

• work permit arrangements (including sports and entertainments); or
• the training and work experience scheme (TWES).

Your employer should tell you when this approval has been granted.

If your existing leave is due to expire, you should submit a leave to remain application before that date. However, if your IED application has not been decided before you submit your leave to remain application, you should be aware that we will refuse your leave to remain application if the IED application is unsuccessful and no refund will be possible.

If your employer did not apply before 27 November 2008 for a further work permit to employ you, you will need to apply for further leave to remain under the relevant category of the points-based system.

You may exceptionally apply for an extension if you are a training work permit holder and you need to re-sit an examination or a module of the training programme for which your training work permit was issued. For further information on how to do this, see the page on extensions for TWES training work permit holders.

Making an application

To apply for further leave to remain in the United Kingdom, you must to use application form FLR(IED) for yourself and your dependants, if they are applying at the same time as you.

Dependant children aged 18 or over will need to apply separately for further leave to remain. They will need to use application form FLR(O), and pay the appropriate fee.

If you are applying to extend an existing TWES or work permits IED, you should apply using the FLR(IED) application form no more than five weeks before your existing leave expires.

Applications for leave to remain should be made before your existing leave expires, and within six months of you or your employer receiving confirmation of your approval for IED.

You can download application forms FLR(IED) and FLR(O), and the detailed guides that accompany them, from the right side of this page. You must read the guidance notes before filling in the application forms.

Where to send your application form

Completed FLR(IED) application forms can be sent by post to:

UK Border Agency - FLR(IED)
PO Box 498
Durham
DH99 1WN

We recommend that you use recorded or special delivery, so that we can record the receipt of your application. Please make sure that you keep a record of the recorded or special delivery number.

Completed FLR(IED) application forms can be sent by courier to:

UK Border Agency - FLR(IED)
Millburngate House
Durham
DH99 1SA

If you want to apply in person, you must visit the Croydon public enquiry office. For more information, see the public enquiry offices section.

Urgent decisions for further leave to remain

If you need to travel urgently and you need your passport, you can complete an urgent treatment form. You can download this form from the right side of this page. You will need to fax the completed form to 0114 207 2884, once you have received confirmation that your payment has been processed. The team dealing with your application for further leave to remain will aim to process your application before your date of travel, but we cannot guarantee that they will be able to do so.

If you only want your passport and not your decision for further leave to remain, please fax a letter to the relevant leave to remain team asking them to return your passport. This may delay your application.

You will not receive a refund of the application fee if you withdraw your application or if you travel outside the common travel area whilst your leave to remain is pending.

Supporting documents

There is a document checklist at the end of the application form. All documents should be originals - we will accept a certified photocopy for the purpose of validating your application, but we will need the original to grant the application.

If you are in the United Kingdom as a student, you will need to provide your original certificate confirming you have a degree level qualification from a United Kingdom higher or further educational establishment.

If all the documents requested are not supplied or additional documents are required, we will contact you to tell you where to send these documents.

You will need to provide two passport-sized (45mm x 35mm) colour photographs for yourself and any dependants. For more information, see the photo guidance which you can download from the right side of this page.

Supporting documents for dependants

When you apply for dependants, you will need to provide some supporting documents as evidence of your relationship. These documents are listed in the FLR(IED) guide, which you can download from the right side of this page.