Verify Your Certificate of Sponsorship Before You Apply.
Before you pay anyone. Before you submit your visa. Verify your Certificate of Sponsorship against the UK government's official records. Fraudulent or invalid sponsorship documents remain common, especially in informal recruitment channels.
Before you receive a CoS
Check if your employer is licensed
UKVI register + Companies House · Takes about 10 seconds · Free
This employer appears to be a licensed UK sponsor. No concerns identified.
Checked against GOV.UK UKVI Register · Companies House · 30 April 2025
GOV.UK UKVI
Live sponsor register
Companies House
Real-time company status
ONS SOC Database
Salary & role codes
Data sources
Verification based on official UK records.
SponsorShield cross-checks your information against official UK government and public records before you commit to a job offer or visa application.
UKVI Sponsor Register
The official GOV.UK register of licensed UK sponsors. Updated by UK Visas and Immigration.
View official sourceCompanies House
The UK government register of all incorporated companies. Registration status, filing history, and trading activity.
View official sourceONS SOC Database
Office for National Statistics Standard Occupational Classification. Used to validate job role codes and salary thresholds.
View official sourceDocument Structure Review
Internal consistency checks against known Certificate of Sponsorship formats. Structure, fields, and reference number validation.
What to expect
Verification at a glance.
Independent checks against official UK government records.
Free
First check at no cost
< 60s
Results delivered quickly
Live
Official government data
Employer Verification
Don't have your CoS yet?
Check if your employer is licensed first.
Before a company can issue a Certificate of Sponsorship, they need a valid UK sponsor licence. We verify this against the official government register and Companies House simultaneously.
Check Employer
UKVI licence + CH status
Receive CoS
Get document from employer
Verify CoS
Full check and result
Live UKVI Register Check
Checks the GOV.UK Register of Licensed Sponsors in real time. Active status only, not just whether a company with that name exists.
Companies House Verification
Confirms the company is registered and actively trading. Fraudsters often use names of recently dissolved or phantom companies.
Takes About 10 Seconds
Just type the employer name. No document needed. Safe to run before you have received anything from the employer.
What we check
Independent verification.
Results in 60 seconds.
We verify your document against official UK government records and provide a clear, independent assessment you can trust before making any commitments.
Official Government Register
Employer verified against the live UKVI Register of Licensed Sponsors
Independent Salary Review
Stated salary reviewed against current UKVI requirements
Role Eligibility Confirmation
Occupation code confirmed against Skilled Worker route eligibility
Document Structure Review
Document structure reviewed against genuine UKVI certificate standards
Company Registration Check
Employer verified as registered and actively trading
Sample result
Certificate of Sponsorship
No concerns identified
We checked your document against official UK government records. The employer holds an active sponsor licence and all key details are consistent.
Checks passed
- ✓Employer licence confirmed active
- ✓CoS reference number format valid
- ✓Salary meets UKVI threshold
- ✓Document consistent with genuine CoS
cos-document.pdf
Checked · Deleted immediately
✓ No concerns identified
Verification
What we check, and why it matters.
Every check draws from publicly available UK government data. We show you exactly what we found, not just a score.
Where our data comes from
GOV.UK UKVI Sponsor Register
Official register of licensed UK sponsors, maintained by UK Visas and Immigration.
Companies House API
Official UK company registration data: status, incorporation date, and trading activity.
ONS SOC Database
Used to validate job role eligibility and salary thresholds under Skilled Worker rules.
We are not affiliated with UKVI or the Home Office. Our results are a risk assessment, not legal advice.
Employer licence status
Verified against the live UKVI Register of Licensed Sponsors.
Companies House registration
Confirms the company is registered and actively trading.
Reference number validation
Independent validation of the CoS reference against official formats.
Salary threshold review
Reviewed against current UKVI minimum and going-rate requirements.
Date consistency
Issue dates, start dates, and validity periods reviewed for consistency.
Document assessment
General document characteristics reviewed as part of the overall verification.
When to verify
Why people verify
Verification is appropriate whenever you are considering a UK sponsorship offer and need independent confirmation.
Before paying money to an employer
A genuine UK employer will never ask you to pay for sponsorship. Any request for payment is a significant warning sign.
Before submitting a visa application
A UK visa application costs hundreds of pounds and is non-refundable. Verify your CoS first to avoid a costly refusal.
When contacted through social media
Fraudsters frequently use WhatsApp, Facebook, and informal channels. A legitimate employer uses official channels.
When using a recruitment agent
Agents may not verify the employer themselves. Independent confirmation protects you from misrepresentation.
When the employer is unfamiliar
If you have not heard of the company, or cannot verify their presence independently, check before committing.
What you receive
A clear, independent assessment.
Every verification produces a straightforward report you can review before making any decisions. No internal methodology is revealed. Only the outcomes and what they mean for you.
Outcome-based reporting
Clear results, not technical detail.
Delivered to your inbox
Keep a permanent record of the verification.
Actionable guidance
Plain English on what to do next.
Sample report
Verification Report
Independent assessment
Employer Status
Company confirmed as registered and active on Companies House.
Sponsor Status
Employer found on the UKVI Register of Licensed Sponsors with active status.
Public Record Review
Company details consistent across UKVI register and Companies House.
Eligibility Review
Salary and occupation code meet current UKVI threshold requirements.
Risk Indicators
No concerns identified during independent verification.
Final Assessment
No concerns identified. Employer holds an active sponsor licence and key details are consistent across official records.
Sample for illustration. Actual report contents may vary.
Documented risk patterns
These patterns are reported regularly.
Based on documented patterns reported to UK authorities. Verification could have identified each issue before any payment or visa application.
Candidates report being asked to pay between £3,000 and £15,000 in "sponsorship fees" or "visa deposits" before receiving a CoS. The employer is not found on the UKVI Register of Licensed Sponsors.
Outcome: Visa refused. Money not recovered.
How verification helps: An employer licence check against the official UKVI register would immediately show whether the company is authorised to sponsor workers.
UKVI has revoked or suspended hundreds of sponsor licences across the care sector since 2023. Workers issued CoS by these employers face automatic visa refusal.
Outcome: CoS invalid. Visa application rejected.
How verification helps: The UKVI Register is updated in real time. A current licence check confirms the employer remains authorised at the time of application.
Fraudsters use the names of real, licensed companies on forged CoS documents. The documents often have correct formatting but the reference numbers do not exist in UKVI systems.
Outcome: Visa refused at submission. Employer unaware of misuse.
How verification helps: Independent reference number validation and direct employer contact confirm whether a CoS was genuinely issued.
Common warning signs: Requests for upfront payment, employers not found on the UKVI register, CoS reference numbers that do not match official formats, salaries below UKVI thresholds for the stated role, and documents with inconsistent dates or missing required fields.
Pricing
Start with a free check.
No credit card. No account. Your first check covers the key checks at no cost.
Start with a free check covering the key verification points. Upgrade to a full report for a complete independent review against official UK records.
Free
- Employer licence check (UKVI Register)
- Companies House registration check
- CoS reference number format
- Clear result: no concerns, or do not proceed
- Document deleted immediately after check
Full Report
- Everything in Free
- Full explanation of every check run
- Salary and job role compliance check
- Document consistency review
- What to do next: clear, specific guidance
- Report delivered to your email
Complete independent verification against official UK government records.
Get Complete Verification (£9.99)Immigration consultant or adviser?
Professional plan at £49/month: unlimited checks, bulk upload, CSV export, priority support.
Verify before you commit.
Independent verification against official UK government records. No account required. Your document is deleted immediately after analysis.
Not affiliated with UKVI or the Home Office. Independent verification only.