How to Use Your CoS Number for Family Applications

Main applicants receive a unique CoS reference upon assignment from their sponsoring employer. Partners enter this exact number in their dependant form section to ensure correct linking. Home Office matches applications instantly, ensuring linked processing within standard timelines for families. Correct entry avoids separate queues and potential refusals, streamlining the entire process. Families benefit significantly from unified decision letters post-submission, simplifying their immigration journey.

Sponsors record start dates precisely on the CoS, ensuring its validity for up to five years maximum. Dependants must apply within three months of this assignment date to avoid issues. Invalid links trigger rejections if the CoS withdraws before its intended use. An A-rated sponsor status allows maintenance certification, covering partners fully and simplifying financial requirements.

Financial thresholds apply unless your sponsor certifies maintenance on the CoS for dependants. Workers must show £1,270 in personal funds or provide sponsor endorsement. Partners add £285 maintenance proof if uncertified by the employer. Children require £315 for the first and £200 for each further child under Appendix Finance rules.

Sponsors assign CoS via SMS, confirming SOC 2020 codes and salary details exceeding the £41,700 general threshold from 2025 updates. Workers must check the reference validity, lasting three months from issuance, for dependant use. Home Office rejects applications if the CoS cancels or the sponsor downgrades to a B-rating post-assignment. Pre-verify A-rating status for maintenance certification benefits.

Partners gather marriage certificates or civil partnership proofs early in the application process. Children supply birth certificates, clearly linking parentage to the main applicant. Funds evidence follows if no sponsor certification appears on the CoS record. Applications sync via a shared reference, avoiding individual scrutiny delays.

Biometrics appointments align for the entire family post-link confirmation online. Processing typically takes three weeks for linked in-country switches eligible under current rules. Priority service adds fees but cuts waits to five working days reliably.

Out-of-country entries demand Defined CoS types, which sponsors must assign within 90 days of allocation.

A-rated sponsors declare maintenance on the CoS, covering workers and dependants fully under Appendix Finance. This waives the £1,270 personal funds proof for main applicants inside the UK for over one year. Partners avoid separate £285 showings with certification active. Health and Care visa roles demand extra NHS contract notes on CoS summaries.

B-rated sponsors force full funds evidence from all family members applying for their visas. Scholarship recipients must supply agency consent letters if they received an award within 12 months prior. CoS end dates cap at four years for new entrants, including prior Graduate route time.

Pre-registration nurses limit to eight months sponsorship with specific NMC confirmation clauses. Sponsors must halt support post-eight months without full registration achieved. Client contracts detailing on the CoS prevent third-party routine work violations. PAYE references confirm tax compliance, which is essential for all assignments.

Mismatched CoS numbers cause instant mismatches in Home Office systems, leading to significant delays. Families often resubmit, wasting £490 partner fees plus Immigration Health Surcharge losses. Sponsors must update their SMS promptly if job details shift post-assignment. Track expiry dates rigorously, avoiding three-month lapses.

In-country switches demand prior non-visitor status for eligibility checks. Out-country Defined CoS lock salary fields, unchangeable except for points-equivalent hikes. Health and Care applicants must add criteria summaries in the job description fields, which is mandatory.

Defined CoS suit out-country workers needing pre-allocation applications via the SMS. Undefined versions serve in-UK extensions without Defined mandates strictly. Sponsors avoid mixing types, risking licence revocations entirely under compliance rules. New entrants cap four years total across routes seamlessly.

Pre-assignment checks ensure workers meet genuine vacancy intents fully. Skilled Worker visa application timelines hinge on CoS validity periods observed. NMC clauses protect short-term nurse sponsorships, limited to eight months precisely. Agent details record transparently if recruitment intermediaries assist. ATAS certificates flag for sensitive tech roles additionally.

Home Office notifies via email if links process successfully together, providing peace of mind. Families track a single reference across all applicant accounts online for unified updates. Delays can hit eight weeks standard, but priority cuts to five days with additional £500 fees. Sponsors must report changes like absences within ten days, which is mandatory. Retain Appendix D records for audits lasting six years.

Refusals cite invalid CoS most frequently across dependant cases, highlighting the importance of accuracy. Successful links grant conditions matching the principal applicant, valid for up to five years. ILR paths open after five years of continuous sponsorship, provided all conditions remain unbroken.

CoS references bridge main and dependant applications seamlessly under 2026 rules, ensuring a smooth process. A-rated certifications slash funds burdens, hitting £285 partner thresholds directly, easing financial stress. RQF6 compliance ensures eligibility post-2025 shifts, critically observed for all applicants. Families thrive with precise three-month windows maximised effectively for timely submissions.

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