# High Potential Individual visa for Indian applicants

The High Potential Individual visa gives graduates of top-ranked overseas universities 2 years in the UK, or 3 years for PhD holders, without a job offer. From 8 January 2026 the English requirement is CEFR B2.

Source: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/high-potential-individual-visa · Updated 2026-10-08 · Reviewed by UK Visa Desk counselling team, licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024 · UK Visa Desk, a brand of Pro Lifeset Overseas Private Limited, Patiala, India. WhatsApp +91 91155 80911, Mon to Sat, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM IST.

## 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.

Information only: we do not file this route. Applicants in the UK are referred to a regulated adviser.

## Timeline
1. **Check the Global Universities List for your award year** (Before anything else): The 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.
2. **ECCTIS statement** (Allow 2 to 4 weeks): Apply 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.
3. **English at B2** (If ECCTIS does not confirm English): Book 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.
4. **28-day funds window** (Ending no more than 31 days before you apply): Hold £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.
5. **Tuberculosis test** (Within 6 months before applying): Attend an approved clinic in India; the certificate lasts 6 months.
6. **Online application, fee and surcharge** (Once the ECCTIS statement is in hand): Pay £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.
7. **Biometrics and decision** (3 weeks from biometrics at VFS): Priority at £500 aims for 5 working days. Most applicants file this one themselves; we provide the information.
8. **Travel and the 2 or 3 years** (Grant onward): Enter 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.

## 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.

## 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

## Documents
- 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

## Cost from India
| Charge | GBP | INR |
|---|---|---|
| High Potential Individual, main applicant application fee | £880 | ₹1,16,450 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge, 2 years at £1,035 a year | £2,070 | ₹2,73,923 |
| Each dependant: High Potential Individual dependant, each (optional) | £880 | ₹1,16,450 |
| Priority service (optional) (optional) | £500 | ₹66,165 |
| Super priority service (optional) (optional) | £1,000 | ₹1,32,330 |
| VFS user-pay centre appointment (optional) (optional) | £76.50 | ₹10,123 |
| Required Home Office charges | £2,950 | ₹3,90,374 |

Fees effective 8 April 2026, verified 2026-10-08; converted at 132.33 INR per GBP (2026-10-08). Pass-through charges paid on gov.uk.

## Processing time
Standard 3 weeks; priority 5 working days; super priority 1 working day(s). UKVI figures as of 2026-09-09, verified 2026-10-08. Ecctis qualification and English check must be obtained first (allow 2 to 4 weeks).

## Refusal reasons
- 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

## Refusal paragraphs decoded (verified 2026-10-08)
### 9.2.1: 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

### 9.3.1: Presence 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

### 9.4.1: Criminality: 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

### 9.7.1: False representations or documents, or failure to disclose (mandatory where deception used)
The Home Office says something in your application was false: a fake bank statement, an edited employer letter, an undisclosed previous refusal, or a document an agent made up without telling you. 'Whether or not to the applicant's knowledge' means you are refused even if the agent did it. Where deception is found, a 10-year ban under 9.8.4 usually follows.
What to fix: get your file: Subject Access Request to UKVI for the verification notes; if a document was genuine, obtain written confirmation from the issuer and a statement from them; if an agent submitted documents without your knowledge, gather the agent's receipts, messages and a police complaint; it does not remove the finding but can matter for later applications; declare every previous refusal anywhere in the world from now on

## FAQ
**Is IIT or IIM on the list?**
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?**
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?**
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?**
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?**
Yes. Dependant partners have full work rights.

**What does it cost?**
The visa fee plus the health surcharge at £1,035 a year for 2 or 3 years. The fee calculator gives the rupee total.

## In depth
- [Fees in rupees](https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/high-potential-individual-visa/fees.md)
- [Documents](https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/high-potential-individual-visa/documents.md)
- [Eligibility](https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/high-potential-individual-visa/eligibility.md)
- [Refusal reasons](https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/high-potential-individual-visa/refusal-reasons.md)
- [Processing time](https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/high-potential-individual-visa/processing-time.md)
- [Cost from India](https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/high-potential-individual-visa/cost-from-india.md)
- [FAQ](https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/high-potential-individual-visa/faq.md)

---
UK Visa Desk is a brand of Pro Lifeset Overseas Private Limited, a visa consultancy licensed by the Government of Punjab, India. We are a private company, not affiliated with the UK Government, and we are not regulated by the UK Immigration Advice Authority. We serve applicants who are in India; applicants already in the UK are referred to a regulated UK adviser. We do not handle work visas. Information here is general, not legal advice, and no visa outcome is guaranteed.
We do not handle UK work visas. Applicants already in the UK are referred to a regulated adviser.