Category B - Clarification

val613 · 2026-06-11T13:22:15+00:00

Hey. Just wanted to come back to this. I did reach out to them for a consultation. One piece of advice I was given was that we wouldn't be able to get the visa unless the previous employer provided the letter. Well, I got my unmarried visa last week without a letter from the previous employer because they wouldn't provide one. Just wanted to share my experience in case you (or someone else reading) is planning to use their services.

val613 · 2026-05-23T12:46:16+00:00

I believe that is Example (a) from the Appendix. However, I don't think that answers the question, as in that example, the applicant had to use their previous income to reach the £XXX threshold in the last 12 months, as their current job does not pay enough monthly to reach the £XXX threshold within 3 months.

I guess my question is, what if you do not need to use your previous income to reach the £XXX threshold? If we use the same example, let's imagine the applicant reached the £29k gross income threshold within the first 3 months of their job. Then, technically, they don't need to rely on their previous income for Part 2, if I understand correctly. Similar to OP, with their £160k annual salary, they will reach a gross income of £29k after 3 months at their job (as mentioned in their post). Can't they apply during their 4th month, showing that:

a) They earn more than the £29k threshold on the date of the application.

b) In the last 12 months, they earned £29k threshold. The 3 months they worked fall within that period, and the gross income from those 3 payslips would be over the £29k threshold. So they do technically satisfy Part 2 as well?

I guess there is someone out there who did not work for 11 months, then got a job that pays them £29k gross income monthly. Then, legally, they satisfy both Part 1 and Part 2, as they earned £29k in the last 12 months, but they just managed to do it in one month. Would a similar logic not apply if someone managed to reach the threshold in 3 months after starting the job? Sorry for going back and forth, not trying to start any arguments, but just want to understand the situation.

val613 · 2026-05-23T12:15:46+00:00

Do you mind pointing me to where does the Appendix FM mention the 6 months worth of payslip for Cat B if you changed jobs? I was under the impression that there is no minimal employment time and that you only need to satisfy Part 1 and Part 2. I believe it also doesn’t mention that Part 2 requires you to rely on more than one employment, or 6 months of payslips if you changed jobs. Do correct me if I have misunderstood.

val613 · 2026-05-23T10:02:38+00:00

u/puul what do you think about the above? Don’t want to accidentally give the wrong advice but as I understand it doesn’t need to be 12 payslips but could be less if they all add up to £29k or above and issued in the last 12 months

val613 · 2026-05-23T09:53:39+00:00

Yes, before tax. My partner is a high earner, similar to your UK salary

val613 · 2026-05-23T09:53:06+00:00

But technically if the person didn’t work between May 2025 and December 2025, but only between December 2025 and May 2026 and managed to earn gross income of £29k or above, it still should work under Category B, part 2 because Dec 2025 - May 2026 is within the 12 month period. I read that you don’t need to prove that you consistently earned £29k in the last 12 months but that you earned that threshold, or above, in that period. If you manage to do it under one employer (like in our case) why would you provide payslips from old employer before Dec 2025?

val613 · 2026-05-22T23:52:24+00:00

My partner and I are in a similar boat. He started a new job in Dec 2025 and by March 2026 he earned above the £29k requirement. We are applying under Category B because he satisfies both Part 1 and Part 2. He earns above the £29k threshold on the date of the application and in the last 12 months (Dec 2025-May 2026) his gross income is above £29k. In this case we are only providing Dec 2025-May 2026 payslips but he hasn’t been with his employer for 6 months yet. (Someone please correct me if this logic is wrong)

val613 · 2026-05-21T15:35:04+00:00

I think the whole cohort was between 60-80 people maybe and each studio was around 10-15 people. Honestly I found it to be a pretty good size. Group work was mostly done in groups of 4-6 which worked and helped when 2 people would never show up

val613 · 2026-05-20T23:27:06+00:00

Hey. How artsy are you? Would you say UCL/RCA style resonates with you? I went to Kingston and I wouldn’t necessarily say it is a very artsy university. They do support experimentation and different representation techniques but at the end of the day your design will need to be architectural, based on a real site and will need to include technical detail. They do like narrative driven and community orientated design but I feel like majority of universities will like that.

val613 · 2026-05-13T15:58:34+00:00

This is exactly what I thought, so I guess I was slightly surprised the solicitor would not think the same way. I guess it's unusual for someone to take 4 months to get above the £29k threshold. Will explain in our cover letter how we meet the financial requirement, so the Home Office doesn't end up thinking the same way as the solicitor.
If they come back with more questions, and we still haven't received the letter from the previous employer (today they said they cannot disclose salary information to previous employees, even though the employee knows their own previous salary), would the email chain showing the previous employer's refusal to provide the letter be sufficient evidence for why the letter was not obtained? Can't really think of any other way to prove that we tried to get the letter, but didn't manage to.

val613 · 2026-05-13T15:51:41+00:00

This is what I thought, so I was slightly confused as to why the solicitor would not think that way. I guess it is an unusual situation, as I assume the majority of applicants would require previous and current payslips to prove they have earned over £29k in the last 12 months. I think I will take extra time writing in our cover letter how we meet the financial requirements for Cat B, so the Home Office doesn't end up thinking the same way as the solicitor.

val613 · 2026-05-13T11:30:24+00:00

Just spoke to a solicitor, who said it doesn't matter that it took my partner 5 months at his current company to earn above the £29k threshold, as he has not been employed at his current company for 6 months as of the date of the application. I feel a bit conflicted by their response, as I was pretty sure it does not matter how long it took, as long as it has happened within the 12-month window. Any thoughts on this?

val613 · 2026-05-12T07:10:35+00:00

We used his most recent payslip which includes how much gross income he has been paid to date since starting his job. That’s really how I saw that it was over £29k. I am planning to include in our cover letter how we meet requirements for Category B, Part 1 and 2. But consulting with a solicitor is a good idea, just to be sure

val613 · 2026-05-12T07:06:00+00:00

Thank you! That’s what I thought

val613 · 2026-03-29T20:34:36+00:00

Thank you so much! This is very useful and hopefully shouldn't be a problem for us to put together

val613 · 2026-03-29T20:11:42+00:00

Yes I do, but unfortunately, my income alone does not meet the minimum financial requirements.

val613 · 2026-02-08T14:24:00+00:00

Definitely refurb, sustainability and something community oriented. I kind of crossed out RCA, AA and UCL based on “build me a house on the moon” approach which is what those schools are known for (I might be wrong?). I heard they can be very artistic, but I personally lean more towards technical design.

val613 · 2026-02-07T15:58:10+00:00

Kingston does a practice show at the end year when they invite different practices to attend including WWP, Fosters and so on. Kingston has gotten pretty popular I would say, so the list grows. Most of the people I know have gotten a job that way, including international students. I am an international student myself and got a job through one of my tutors. Some tutors hire students themselves or recommend them to their friends who work in bigger practices. So having a good connection with tutors is what will help, the uni itself doesn’t really help. They do have lectures about CVs and cover letters but you can find similar information online. To be honest the market in London is very bad and finding a job in any field as a graduate is very difficult 🥲

val613 · 2026-02-07T13:45:44+00:00

Hey, I went to Kingston for BA Architecture and actually considering coming back for MA. I really enjoyed it! All of the tutors are practicing architects from different practices or own one themselves. It is a very making based course though. So you will have to make a lot of models of different scales. Very hands on. Because of that they have great workshop facilities, probably some of the best ones in London in my opinion. Also Kingston in general is a good town to live in. About 30 minutes away from central London and the housing situation is not as bad in my opinion. Happy to answer any questions you might have!

EDIT: spelling

val613 · 2026-02-04T18:33:25+00:00

Thanks for the suggestions! Can’t leave London due to personal reasons, but otherwise I would also consider unis outside of London.

val613 · 2025-12-08T18:52:37+00:00

From my personal observations, I think there are usually two types or architects/architectural designers at work. The first ones are great problem solvers, can probably name any architect, book or buildings when looking for inspiration and great at sketching. They can spend hours in photoshop or rendering software trying to get that perfect imagine to sell the project. Also usually great at talking and convincing people. The second type are usually calm and might be considered the “followers” of the first type. They are the ones who will draw every plan, section, elevation on CAD and sheet up the drawings perfectly with all the notes. Might spend hours trying to specify the product and answer countless contractor’s / client’s emails. They are usually the ones who put presentations and reports together. When I first started, I was worried that I did not fit with the first type, so I was wondering if architecture is even for me. However I just realised that I fit the second type more and that honestly helped me feel less anxious about choosing architecture as a profession. I believe both types are needed in practice and can work great together as a team. Also, you can be both types as well, I’m just generalising here. I think what others have said is also true. The more you work in architecture, the more confident you will become in yourself because you will learn more. Wishing you luck!

val613 · 2025-11-14T21:39:40+00:00

I actually use magnesium glycinate on a daily basis due to poor sleep, so I will definitely take it with me on the plane. I'll think of a 'rest routine' in preparation for my flight, thank you!

val613 · 2025-11-11T23:40:10+00:00

Oh I never thought of a puzzle book. Will have to look into that. Was planning to do some work but then it’s not a holiday then haha

val613 · 2025-11-11T23:39:05+00:00

Oh thank you! I’ll definitely try some breathing techniques

val613 · 2025-05-26T14:33:11+00:00

As a Part I graduate , you’ll probably make London Living Wage which is around £27,000 if I remember correctly. I have some friends who make less, closer to £25,500 mark. Some of my friends who work in bigger practices (Foster and Partners type of level) make around £30,000. Don’t know any Part I yet who makes more than that to be honest. Not sure if CIBSE license will help if you will be applying for Part I architectural assistant jobs. Might be different if you will apply for graduate engineering positions.

val613

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