Since PLAB 2 is held only in the UK, you might need a visa before you appear in the PLAB 2 exam. Therefore, unlike PLAB 1, your preparation for PLAB 2 might require more than just studying. If you need a visa, you’ll have to do a little homework for that.
If you refer to my post Road Map for PLAB, I asked you to begin preparation for your visa even before you take IELTS. I explained this in detail in my post Homework for PLAB 2 Visa. This included four things.
A) Being employed
B) Getting your bank balance in a proper order.
C) Saving your salary.
D) Avoiding big transactions.
If you’ve done all of the above, you’re ready to begin your process for PLAB 2.
This was my line of action and I would advise the same to others:
1. Choose a Rough Date for Exam At this point, you just need to decide which month you wish to take the exam in, you can finalize this date later on. 2. Visa Application Start filling out your visa application as soon as possible. 3. Cover Letter You might write and rewrite a lot of information. So starting early is important. Just prepare a rough skeleton. You can edit the finer details as time goes on. 4. Choose an Academy Choose an academy based on recent reviews. 5. Choose a Definite Exam Date Make sure your exam date is 90 days from the date on which you submit your visa application. So you have a good amount of time on your hands. 6. Choose the Academy Course Date It’s ideal to have 4-5 weeks of practice after your course ends. I’ve seen people take their exam a day after the course and pass. But for decent practice at 6-8 hours per day, 4 weeks is ideal. If you can study 12-15 hours per day, even two weeks will be enough. 7. Get in Touch with the Academy Email the academy, asking for a place in the course. Tell them that you would confirm your booking only after your leave has been approved and you’ve booked the exam. Give them a rough estimate of when you would confirm your booking. 8. Ask the Academy in Advance About a Refund Ask your academy in writing if they would return your money if you do not get your visa. 9. Discuss all Dates with Seniors, Friends and Family to See If It Works for You It’s always better to take other people’s perspective, specially if they’ve gone through the same road. 10. Book your Accommodation Make a booking for your accommodation for your visa application. This will be provisional and you will not pay anything for it. You can make this booking via http://www.booking.com. The earlier you book, the cheaper this will be. It is important to get a cheaper booking, to keep the total cost of your trip as low as possible. 11. Take an Unpaid Leave of Absence from Work Do not book your exam before this. Because if you do not get a leave, your plan might not work. 12. Book Your Exam as Soon as Your Leave is Approved If you plan things well ahead of time, like I’m suggesting, your exam date should be available by this time. But get it booked ASAP because sometimes dates get booked really early and really quickly. 13. Book Your Academy Course Book your course only after you’ve paid for the exam. 14. Airline Booking Make an airline ticket reservation, matching the dates you specified in your visa application. Make sure you reserve a return ticket, to show your intention of leaving the UK. You do not need to pay anything for this. You can get this reservation from http://www.emirates.com 15. Assemble All Your Documents This might take time. Go through the list of documents that I attached along with my visa application, to have a better idea of this. 16. Submit Your Visa Application Online Submit your application only after you’re 100% sure about your plan. 17. Submit Your Visa Application, Along With All Documents at the Visa Office Be prepared for a surprise interview when you go to the visa office.
May I commend you on this highly beneficial blog. I pray you achieve your goals.
I heard from several sources that (provisional)flight booking is not necessary. How will it be relevant when unconfirmed status of the booking will be clearly stated on the notification and that it will be cancelled moslty within 48hrs.
thanks
Thank you so much for reading my blog and for your kinds words! 🙂 You are right. The airline booking is only a formality and it would’ve expired by the time you apply for your visa. But it is only to show your INTENTION of booking a return ticket. Yes, it is not necessary to attach it. But having an airline ticket just makes your case more safe.
Hello Dr naseer i have a query regarding visa…if we apply for a visa of 2 weeks for Plab 2 …do we still have to show 3000GBP as i saw in your blog..as you mentioned you showed it for 6 month visa …so for a 2 weeks visa ..do the same rules apply and do we still have to give details of our father’s employment etc…?awaiting ur kind reply.
I showed a 4-day trip and I had 5,000 GBP in my account. I decided to play it very safe.
So yes, for a two-week visa, you need to show more than 3,000 GBP in your account.
And yes, you still have to give details of your father’s finances, to have financial backing and to prove that the details you’ve mentioned about your father, are true.
Assalamualaikum
I’m planning for one month stay. I roughly have 5000 GBP saved in my account. An agent here said that it’s not enough. Any idea how much should I show for one month.
And whether to declare attending the academy or not in the cover letter.
It depends on your cost of trip. Kindly check my cover letter to read details about this. And I did not mention academy stay, but it’s a personal choice.
These links might help:
https://naseersjourney.wordpress.com/2017/02/20/duration-of-stay-for-plab-2-visa/
https://naseersjourney.wordpress.com/2017/02/20/finances-for-plab-2-visa/
https://naseersjourney.wordpress.com/2017/02/07/my-cover-letter-for-plab-visa-application/
There is anothet query ..that if we apply for a 6 month plab 2 visa then …ususally candidates come back after exam..then go again for id check….so how will i convince them that to grant it for 6 months…as how will i justify it?
Most candidates do not apply for a 6-month visa. As you need a huge amount of money to apply for a 6-month visa. And you need a good excuse as well, which would make sense to the ECO.
PLAB visa is, however, almost always issued for 6 months.
This post might help: Duration of Stay for PLAB 2 Visa
And also u have mentioned in your cover letter that u will stay for 4 days and return but then if the visa is granted for 6 months. ..how did u stay there as u mentioned a 4 day stay ..do w have to inforn any 1 there that we are staying longer?
No, you do not have to inform them that you would stay for longer. As long as you are granted a 6-month visa, you are legally allowed to stay in the UK for 6 months.
Thank you so very much Dr naseer. …God Bless you always
Dear Dr Nasser ,
Thanks for your valuable post on PLAB 2 , Well as you have mentioned that you have given duration of your stay of 4 days only.However, one need to have some time for preparation for PLAB 2 once in the UK.Hence, how it is possible to apply for a Visa for 4 days without preparing for PLAB 2 ? Kindly share your experience .As I have booked my exam on 5 June 17 and as mentioned earlier in FB post I wish to travel by 25 April so that I can prepare for my exam and then appear for it . Besides , as i have already mentioned I do provide some support to my dependent children but they are not with me at the moment as they stay abroad with my wife and she is taking care of them while I am preparing for my exam.
Please go through my post Duration of Stay for PLAB 2 Visa.
https://naseersjourney.wordpress.com/2017/02/20/duration-of-stay-for-plab-2-visa/
Good day Dr Nasser. Please how important is it to apply for the visa 100-120 days before the exam. How long on the average after application, is the visa usually approved?. from my personal calculations, my bank account will accumulate enough cash, only about a month prior to my intended date of PLAB2 booking.
It depends on your calculations. Kindly go through my timeline. This might help you in figuring out your answer:
https://naseersjourney.com/2017/03/30/my-timeline-for-plab-2-planning/
In point number 5 you state that you should submit your visa application 100-120 days before the date of your exam. Why is that? Is it a problem if we apply for the visa 90 days before the exam date?
There is no problem if you apply for the visa 90 days before the exam. And recently they have changed the rules. Now you can only apply for visa 90 days or less before the exam date. I applied very early because I like to play it very safe.
Thanks for your useful blog.
Can I apply for the visa from a country other than the country I will be traveling from?
I’m in unpaid maternity leave for one year which will end 2 months after the proposed exam date, my husband will be my sponsor, does this diminish my opportunity to get the visa?
When is the visa issued? When I mention that I will stay about 10 days , while I’m planning to stay for a longer period before the exam,is there a possibility that the start date of the visa doesn’t cover the duration I’m planning to stay?
Thanks so much.
Thank you for this very helpful information.
One que Dr, how long do i need to show in my unpaid leave if my intended stay in my visa application is 4 month?
Long enough to cover your stay.
Hello sir
Wana know if my stay is for 5 days for plab 1 as per my cover letter but m issued a 6 month visa then can i return home and go back for plab 2 on that visa only?? Do i need to apply for visa again??