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Domestic workers in private households

Domestic worker preparing food

Applying to extend your stay

This page explains how you should apply to extend your stay if you are currently in the UK as a domestic worker in a private household and applied on or before 5 April 2012 for your visa to come to the UK under that category.

This information is for migrants who are already in the UK as domestic workers. If you are here in a different immigration category, you cannot apply to 'switch' into the domestic worker category.

The requirements you must meet

You must intend to work full-time in the UK as a domestic worker:

  • in the house that your employer is living in; or
  • in a household that the employer uses regularly, if you can show that there is a clear connection between you and the employer.

You must also:

  • be aged between 18 and 65; and
  • not intend to work in the UK except as a domestic worker; and
  • be able to support yourself and any dependants without the need for public funds.

Before you apply, you should read:

  • the Can you apply? page to check that you meet the requirements; and
  • the Documents required page to find out which documents you should provide with your application.

To apply for an extension of your stay (also known as 'further leave to remain'), you must use application form FLR(O).

You must enrol your biometric information (fingerprints and facial image) and obtain a biometric residence permit as part of your application. For more information, see the Biometric information page.

Family members

You can include your partner and any dependent children aged under 18 on application form FLR(O). You should also provide the relevant supporting documents for each dependant. You can pay a reduced application fee for any dependants included on your form.

If you have dependent children aged 18 or over, they must make their own application to extend their stay in the UK. They should use application form FLR(O), and will need to pay the full application fee.

Making your application

You can download application form FLR(O) and the detailed guidance notes from the right side of this page. You should read the guidance notes before you complete the form. You will need to pay a fee when you make your application, and we will not refund your fee if we refuse your application or if you withdraw it.

You should also read the photo guidance for details of the type of photograph that we will accept.

The application form gives details of the documents you must send with the form. You should send the original documents, not copies. In exceptional circumstances, we may accept a photocopy that is certified as an accurate copy by the body or authority that issued the original, or by a notary. You must include a letter explaining why you are providing a certified copy rather than the original document.

You must be in the UK to apply, and you must apply at least 4 weeks before your permission to stay in the UK ends.

You can make your application by post or in person. If you apply by post, you must send your application to the address given on the cover of the application form. To apply in person, you must make an appointment at one of our public enquiry offices - this is a same-day service available at a premium fee, and is only suitable for straightforward applications.

You must complete the form in block capitals using a black pen. Please enter all dates as dd-mm-yyyy (for example, 29-04-2000).

More information

  • Application fees for extending your stay using form FLR(O)

     

    Fee if you are applying by post Fee if you are applying in person
    Main applicant £578 £953
    Partner or child aged under 18 (if they are applying at the same time as the main applicant in a category that allows dependants to be included) £433 for each family member included on the main applicant's application form £808 for each family member included on the main applicant's application form
     Partner or child aged under 18 (if they apply later) in a category that allows dependants to be included)  £578  £953


  • What is the date of your application? (Applying by post or courier from inside the UK)

    If you send your application form and application fee by post, the date of application is the date of posting. This is decided by the postmark. If the postmark is illegible or missing, the date of postage is taken as being at least 1 day before it is received by us.

    If you send your application form and application fee by courier, the date of application is the date when it is delivered to our payment handling service.
  • What is the date of your application? (Applying in person inside the UK)

    If you are applying in person at one of our public enquiry offices, your application date will be the date when you attend the public enquiry office to make your application and pay your application fee.
  • How to pay your application fee if you are inside the UK

    If you are applying online, you must pay your fee online as part of your application.

    If you are applying by post or courier, you can choose how to pay your application fee:

    • By cheque in sterling on a UK bank account. The application form will tell you who to make the cheque payable to, you should write your full name and date of birth on the back, and attach the cheque to the front of the completed application form. 
    • With a UK postal order. You should write your full name and date of birth on the back, and attach the postal order to the front of the completed application form. 
    • With a credit or debit card - American Express, MasterCard, Visa (including Electron), Delta or Maestro (including Solo). For postal and courier payments, we accept only Maestro cards issued in the UK. You must include the card number, the amount paid, the payer's name as it appears on the card, the 'valid from' and expiry dates, the card verification value (CVV) code, the cardholder's signature and the date. The issue number is also needed for Maestro cards.

    If you are applying and paying in person at a public enquiry office, you can choose how to pay your application fee. For applications made in person at a public enquiry office, the total fee includes an additional fee of £375 for each person. This includes a £100 appointment fee, which may be retained should the applicant fail to attend their appointment without good reason.  Please check the relevant application form to find out if you can make an application in person.

    • With a UK postal order (except at our Glasgow and Cardiff offices). You should write your full name and date of birth on the back.
    • By banker's draft (except at our Glasgow and Cardiff offices). 
    • With a credit or debit card - American Express, MasterCard, Visa (including Electron), Delta or Maestro (including Solo). We can accept any Maestro card for payments at a public enquiry office. You must include the card number, the amount paid, the payer's name as it appears on the card, the 'valid from' and expiry dates, the card verification value (CVV) code, the cardholder's signature and the date. The issue number is also needed for Maestro cards. The cardholder must be present for the payment to be taken.

    Payment by any other method is not accepted.

    You must send the full amount to cover the total cost of your application. If you do not do this, your application will be invalid and will not be considered. We will return your application and part payment to you.

    We start considering the application when the payment has cleared. Payments are cleared:

    • after 5 working days for cheques
    • after 1 working day for credit or debit cards
    • immediately for postal orders

    Please note that, if you are making numerous payments using your credit card, the anti-fraud measures that banks operate sometimes stop payment being taken. This may be because you have exceeded the maximum limit on a single transaction or the number of transactions allowed in a given period of time. You must ensure that you contact your bank in advance, so that the bank will allow the full payment to be taken without any problems when you submit your applications.

    Payment information on the application form

    It is very important that you complete the payment section of the application form correctly. If this section contains errors, we will not be able to process your payment. This will mean that your application is invalid.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is my immigration status while my application is being decided? If you make an application before your authorised stay ends, your existing immigration status will continue until your application is decided, even if the decision is not made until after the end of your permitted stay. You can continue to work until your case is decided if the conditions of your existing leave allows you to do so.

Application forms

Application for an extension of stay in the UK (other categories)

Choose a different form

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