what's a (US) JD degree equivalent, in immigration 'points'?

wnchips · Joined: 03 Aug 2009 Posts: 3

Hi,

This should be a simple question, but apparently not so much. I am using the UK Home Office 'points' calculator to see if I qualify under Tier 1 as a skilled migrant. I hold an American JD (juris doctor) degree, and I don't know if that translates as a Master's (35 points) or a PhD (50), or nothing.

Would be most grateful if anyone knows this ...

Paul

ggalin · Joined: 06 Aug 2008 Posts: 148

I dont know and nobody else here will know either. I'm an American but I don't think anyone else here is. Ask one of the British embassies in the US.

From what I recall, you might have to call a premium rate phone number but shop around. There's a number of British embassies and they have different policies. Some might not require you calling some $3/minute phone number to get answers. Maybe even try British embassies in Canada, for example.

I ended up calling an Irish embassy when I had a question about whether or not I could move to the UK (I told them Ireland, though). This was just a general EU question that I had, however. So that wouldn't work for you.

General Accident · Joined: 11 Jun 2009 Posts: 179

wnchips · Joined: 03 Aug 2009 Posts: 3

Thanks for the replies!

Unfortunately, while http://www.naric.org.uk/ is the right place to go, they charge for their services. Not all that much - 40 quid or so - but significant to some folks (I work in a particularly low-paid field of law).

On the other hand, NARIC has the advantage that when they do issue a report, the Home Office agrees to take it as binding. So if you pay them, you can count on the answer.

Still interested, if anyone knows the quick answer to "how many point for a J.D."

Paul

cdneedham · Joined: 15 Oct 2009 Posts: 1

Hi,

I was wondering if you ever got an answer to how many immigration points (for tier 1) you get for a JD? My partner is planning to move to the UK from the US and were not sure which visa route is going to be the best to take. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Caroline.

wnchips · Joined: 03 Aug 2009 Posts: 3

Hi Caroline,

I never got a formal reply, and even after talking to a couple UK solicitors specialising in immigration, there seems to be no known answer. However, there is a strong impression that the JD is, to put it bluntly, worthless in terms of UK immigration.

There may be another route, which I haven't investigated. If you're a member of a U.S. state bar, there is - I am told - a way to "bar in," i.e. do something akin to a waiver from one U.S. state to another. But the friend who told me about the concept doesn't know how it works.

Sorry I don't have any more for you. Would appreciate it if you hear anything definite.

Paul