Immigration Support for Mini Pupils

To apply for a Certificate of Sponsorship, you must be located outside the UK at the time of the application and be able to demonstrate that you:

• have an offer for pupillage within a set of chambers and are able to provide evidence of any applicable Bar Standards Board waiver; or
• have an offer for mini pupillage within a set of chambers; or
• are participating in one of the Bar Council’s exchange programmes; or
• have been granted a Fellowship in the UK by a Foundation or Association, such as the Inns of Court, whose fellowship programme is approved by the Bar Council; and
• have £1,270 of personal savings, held for at least 28 consecutive days. Day 28 must fall within 31 days of applying for the relevant visa; and
• are satisfied that you meet all other UKVI criteria for the Temporary Worker - Government Authorised Exchange visa. Please visit the UKVI website for further information.

Before making an application, you must check that you meet UKVI’s criteria for the Temporary Worker - Government Authorised Exchange and the Bar Council’s applicant criteria. You must also be able to provide the following documentation in support of your application:

• a signed letter from chambers, on headed paper, confirming the offer or pupillage or mini pupillage and specifying the offeree’s name, date of birth and passport number, the start and end date of the relevant placement, and detailing whether it is funded or unfunded;
• where applicable, a copy of any applicable Bar Standards Board funded pupillage waiver;
• a photocopy or scan of your passport photo page; and
• evidence that the application fee (as detailed under ‘Fees’ below) has been paid.

To make an application, please complete our Government Authorised Exchange Application Form and submit it to [email protected] or send it to Immigration Support, The General Council of the Bar, 289–293 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7HZ. Please ensure that you include any documentation in support of your application with your Form.

Once submitted, your application will be considered by the Bar Council, who will aim to inform you of the outcome within two weeks of satisfactory receipt of both the relevant payment and all supporting documentation. If successful, you will be sent a Certificate of Sponsorship by email, which you can then use to apply to UKVI for your Temporary Worker - Government Authorised Exchange.

You will need to quote the Certificate of Sponsorship number on your UKVI application form. A Certificate of Sponsorship is valid for three months from the date it is assigned. If you do not use the Certificate of Sponsorship within this period to apply for entry clearance or leave to remain, it automatically becomes invalid. During this period, a migrant intending to come to the UK under Temporary Worker - Government Authorised Exchange, you cannot be assigned another Certificate of Sponsorship by any other licensed sponsor.

The Bar Council charges a fee for this service, which varies according to the duration of the sponsorship period and the volume of administrative work required in order to support the application. Please consult the Immigration Payment Options Information document for further information.

The Bar Council can only assist individuals who fit within the applicant criteria. We are not authorised to assist individuals who wish to enter the UK for any other purpose and cannot respond to queries from such individuals.

The fact that a Certificate of Sponsorship has been issued does not guarantee that you will be successful in obtaining entry clearance or leave to remain from UKVI. It is your responsibility to ensure that you meet all the conditions required by them as the Bar Council cannot intervene on your behalf if there are problems with your application.

If granted leave to enter or remain, you must visit the Bar Council within a week of arriving in the UK and before your work placement start date in order to allow the Services Team to make a copy of your visa, passport, and where applicable your UK biometric card.

We are unable, nor allowed, to provide any sort of advice which could be construed as immigration advice. To that end, for specialist immigration advice, please contact a qualified immigration lawyer, or UKVI.