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High Potential Individual visa for Indian applicants
Direct answer
Reviewed by UK Visa Desk counselling team, Visa counsellors, Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, Patiala. Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024. Last verified .
Home Office fee
£880
about ₹1,16,450 at 132.33 INR/GBP, effective 8 April 2026
Verified 8 October 2026 · source
Health surcharge
£2,070
Immigration Health Surcharge, 2 years at £1,035 a year; about ₹2,73,923
Verified 8 October 2026 · source
Processing time from India
3 weeks
Priority 5 working days, super priority 1
Verified 8 October 2026
Our filing price
Information only
Referral to a regulated adviser for applicants in the UK
Verified 8 October 2026
Summary
In short
The High Potential Individual visa costs £880 for applications from 8 April 2026, plus an ECCTIS check of £210 and the health surcharge of £1,035 a year, £2,070 for the 2-year grant. The core test is a degree awarded within the last 5 years by a university on the Global Universities List for that award year, English at CEFR B2 for applications from 8 January 2026, and £1,270 held for 28 days. ECCTIS takes 2 to 4 weeks and the visa decision 3 weeks from biometrics. The mistake Indian applicants make most is checking the list for the current year rather than the year the degree was awarded.
Step by step
Timeline
From the first document to the decision, in the order Indian applicants actually do it.
Step 1: Check the Global Universities List for your award year
Before anything elseThe university must appear on the list published for the year your degree was awarded, and the award must be within the last 5 years. No Indian university is listed, so this is for Indians who graduated abroad.
Step 2: ECCTIS statement
Allow 2 to 4 weeksApply for the statement of comparability confirming the degree equals a UK bachelor's, master's or PhD, and ask for the English proficiency confirmation if the degree was taught in English. The fee is £210.
Step 3: English at B2
If ECCTIS does not confirm EnglishBook a SELT at B2 in all four skills, which is IELTS for UKVI 5.5 in each component or PTE Academic UKVI 59. The requirement rose from B1 to B2 for applications made on or after 8 January 2026.
Step 4: 28-day funds window
Ending no more than 31 days before you applyHold £1,270 in your own account for 28 consecutive days, with more for each dependant. The exemption applies only to people already in the UK for 12 months.
Step 5: Tuberculosis test
Within 6 months before applyingAttend an approved clinic in India; the certificate lasts 6 months.
Step 6: Online application, fee and surcharge
Once the ECCTIS statement is in handPay £880, £880 per dependant, and the surcharge at £1,035 a year for 2 years, or 3 years for a PhD, which is £2,070 or £3,105. Declare any previous Graduate or Doctorate Extension Scheme visa, which bars this route.
Step 7: Biometrics and decision
3 weeks from biometrics at VFSPriority at £500 aims for 5 working days. Most applicants file this one themselves; we provide the information.
Step 8: Travel and the 2 or 3 years
Grant onwardEnter inside the vignette dates, set up the eVisa and work for any employer or yourself. The visa cannot be extended and does not count towards settlement, so plan any switch early with a regulated UK adviser.
Home Office data
How Indian applicants fare
No Indian university is on the Global Universities List, so this route mostly suits Indians who graduated from a listed university in the US, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong or Europe within the last 5 years. The university must be on the list for the year the degree was awarded. We give information; it is not a route we file, and a person already in the UK should use an adviser regulated there.
The rules
Eligibility
- Degree from a university on the Global Universities List for the year it was awarded, within the last 5 years
- The degree verified by ECCTIS as equivalent to a UK bachelor's, master's or PhD
- English at CEFR B2 for applications from 8 January 2026, raised from B1
- £1,270 held for 28 days unless in the UK for 12 months
- Not previously held a High Potential Individual, Graduate or Doctorate Extension Scheme visa
- Partner and children can apply as dependants
Checklist
Documents, named the Indian way
- Degree certificate and transcript
- ECCTIS statement of comparability and English proficiency, where applicable
- English test at B2 if the degree was not taught in English
- Bank statement for maintenance funds
- Tuberculosis certificate
In rupees
Cost from India, in rupees
| Charge | GBP | INR |
|---|---|---|
| High Potential Individual, main applicant application fee | £880 | ₹1,16,450 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge, 2 years at £1,035 a yearCharged for the full grant length up front; refunded only if the visa is refused. | £2,070 | ₹2,73,923 |
| Required Home Office charges | £2,950 | ₹3,90,374 |
Fees from the Home Office table effective 8 April 2026, verified 8 October 2026; converted at 132.33 INR per GBP (8 October 2026). Pass-through charges paid on gov.uk; card and bank margins extra. Optional lines are not in the total.
Risk
Why Indian applications are refused
- University on the list in a different year from the award year
- English evidence at B1 only, after the 8 January 2026 change
- Degree awarded more than 5 years before the application
- ECCTIS statement missing or not covering English
Exclusion or deportation order in force
A mandatory refusal: you were deported from the UK or formally excluded, and that order is still in force. No visa can be granted until the order is revoked.
What to fix: apply for revocation of the deportation order (normally after 10 years, earlier only in exceptional cases) with a UK regulated adviser; do not submit new visa applications while the order stands; each refusal adds to the record.
Decode 9.2.1Presence not conducive to the public good
The officer considers your behaviour, character or associations make you unsuitable, for example extremism, serious dishonesty not covered by other paragraphs, or a pattern of conduct abroad. Used rarely but it is mandatory.
What to fix: obtain the full reasons (ask for the decision notice and consider a Subject Access Request); character evidence and clearance certificates; this ground usually needs legal representation.
Decode 9.3.1Criminality: custodial sentence of 12 months or more, persistent offender, serious harm
A mandatory refusal for a prison sentence of 12 months or more anywhere in the world, or for repeat offending or serious-harm offences. Sentences under 12 months are considered under 9.4.2 to 9.4.5 (discretionary, with time limits for visitors).
What to fix: always declare convictions; non-disclosure leads to a 9.7.1 deception finding on top; for shorter sentences, show the time elapsed and rehabilitation evidence; get the court record and sentence length in English.
Decode 9.4.1Free tools
Tools for this route
Questions
Questions Indian applicants ask
Is IIT or IIM on the list?ShowHide
No. The list takes universities ranked in the top 50 of at least two global rankings, and no Indian institution has qualified so far. Check the list for your award year on gov.uk.
Can I apply from India?ShowHide
Yes, this is an entry clearance route. It is simple enough that most applicants file it themselves, so we provide information rather than a service.
Does it lead to settlement?ShowHide
No. The 2 or 3 years do not count, and it cannot be extended. People usually switch to a sponsored route from inside the UK.
What is the English requirement now?ShowHide
CEFR B2 for applications made on or after 8 January 2026, which is IELTS 5.5 in each component or the equivalent in another SELT, or a degree taught in English confirmed by ECCTIS.
Can my spouse work?ShowHide
Yes. Dependant partners have full work rights.
What does it cost?ShowHide
The visa fee plus the health surcharge at £1,035 a year for 2 or 3 years. The fee calculator gives the rupee total.
- Punjab licence: 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024valid to 22 July 2029
- CIN: U52291PB2024PTC060508Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd
Dataset dates: fees 8 October 2026. This page is information, not advice.