Q: I received a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a UK company for a work visa application, but due to personal circumstances, I need to delay my start date by a few months. Can the already issued CoS be cancelled and reissued? What action should I take in this situation?
A: Once a CoS has been issued, it cannot be cancelled and reissued. A CoS is a one-time document; if it cannot be used after issuance, it will automatically expire once its validity date passes. Below is a guide on how to handle CoS issuance and work start date changes for a UK work visa.
- CoS Issuance and Nature: To apply for a UK work visa, you must be issued a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) by your employer. The UK company (sponsor) must provide information to the UK Home Office and pay the relevant fees to issue it. A CoS is valid for only 3 months, meaning if you do not apply for the work visa within 3 months, it automatically loses its validity. In response to whether an issued CoS can be cancelled and reissued to you: it cannot. Once an issued CoS is cancelled, it is discarded, and it is impossible to reuse it for reissuance. Therefore, for the employer to issue a new CoS to the same person, the employer must apply for a new CoS allocation from the Home Office and receive approval for an additional allocation before issuing it to you.
- Amending the CoS and Visa Application Timing: Even if a CoS has already been issued, if your entry date changes within a 6-month window, you can technically use that CoS to apply for a work visa by adjusting the dates without cancelling it. For example, the sponsor can add a sponsor note to the already issued CoS to record the change in the start date, allowing the start and end dates to be reset. Note that for a 3-year CoS, the period can be adjusted within the 3-year range, and for a 5-year CoS, the range can be reset accordingly. Since a CoS is valid for a maximum of 90 days once finalized, you must apply for the work visa before that expiration date.
- Adjusting the Entry Date: When applying for a work visa, you must state your intended date of entry, which can be up to 90 days from the visa application date. Once the work visa is approved, your eVisa will show the visa starting from your stated intended entry date. You can then enter the UK on or after that eVisa start date. This means it is possible to enter the UK up to 6 months after the CoS start date.
- Significant Adjustments to the Entry Date: If a CoS has already been issued, but your entry date needs to be delayed by 12 months or more from the originally intended entry date, the unused CoS will automatically expire. In this case, it is best for the employer to apply for a new CoS allocation from the Home Office, receive a new CoS, issue it, and then proceed with the work visa application.
John Suh
UK Regulated Immigration Legal Adviser
25+ Years of Experience in UK Visa & Immigration Services
OISC / IAA Registration Number: F200500022
Director, ilong Global Ltd & UK Immigration Centre Ltd
User Question Translation:
Hello,
I got a job at a UK company and received my CoS. However, due to a family issue, I want to delay my work start date by about 4 months, and I’m wondering what I should do. If it’s possible to cancel and reissue it, I would like to do that. If not, are there any other options?
I would appreciate your guidance.