UK Tier 1 visas issued again from 1 November

The UK Border Agency has started issuing Tier 1 (General) Visas again from 1 November 2010.
On 19 July 2010, the UK Government introduced an interim limit on the number of initial Tier 1 (General) Visa applications that can be issued each month; On 20 October 2010 the monthly limit had been reached and the UK Government stopped issuing Tier 1 (General) Visas.

As of 01 November, the Government is again issuing Tier 1 General Visas. Applicants who were put on hold due to the limit will now be processed in the order in which their visa application was received.

Tier 1 (General) is part of the UK's points-based immigration system. Applicants are scored on criteria such as age, past earnings, and qualifications. If you are a highly skilled individual, you may be eligible to receive a visa which will allow you to work for any employer in the UK or be self-employed. A job-offer from a UK employer is not required under the Tier 1 (General) visa.

Due to the new interim limit on Tier 1 (General) Visa applications, Tier 1 General Visa processing times are likely to go up in future. If you wish to avoid future delays in the processing of your visa application it would advisable to apply sooner rather than later.