# High Potential Individual visa: questions Indian applicants ask

Answers to the questions Indian applicants ask the desk about the High Potential Individual visa, from bank statements to reapplying after a refusal.

Source: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/high-potential-individual-visa/faq · 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.

**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.

Full guide: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/high-potential-individual-visa.md

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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.