Visa nationals are individuals who, due to their nationality, need a Visit Visa in order to enter the UK as a visitor. Visitors who require a visit visa must apply before they travel to the UK.

A list of nationalities that require a Visit Visa prior to visiting the UK as a visitor has been published by the Home Office. Some visa nationals may be able to enter the UK as a Visitor upon arrival under this list. Our expert team will be able to check and confirm whether you require a visa for your visit to the UK.

Non-visa nationals can normally apply for entry as Visitors upon arrival in the UK. Nonetheless, visitors without visas must meet the requirements for entry as Visitors, so upon arrival they should be prepared to explain, for example, the purpose of their trip and how they intend to be accommodated and maintained in the UK, as well as their travel plans for returning home. 

Non-visa nationals, including those from the EU or EEA, can enter the UK as a Visitor and do not need to apply for a Visit Visa.

Unsure about whether you require a visa? Speak to our expert team now to confirm if you are required to apply for a visit visa before being granted entry into the UK.

A Business Visit Visa is available provided that UK Visas & Immigration has been satisfied that you are genuinely seeking entry to the UK for a purpose that is permitted by the visitor routes, and you will not engage in prohibited activities.

The following activities are permissible for holders of a Business Visit Visa:

Your business activities are generally expected to be affiliated with your employment outside the United Kingdom in some way. Whenever possible, your business activities should last for fewer than six months and be planned in advance

Business Visa Visitors may also undertake other activities that are permitted under the Standard Visitor Visa because it is a sub-category of the Standard Visitor Visa.

Holders of a Business Visit Visa may engage in the following general business activities:

• Participate in meetings, conferences, seminars, and interviews; 
• Organize one-off events or short series of talks and speeches, provided that they are not intended to generate profits for the organizer; 
• Make deals and sign contracts;
• Participate in trade shows only for promotional purposes, if the visitor is not selling directly;
• Conduct site inspections and inspections; 
• Research and collect information for their employment overseas;
• If any work is done outside the UK, be briefed on the requirements of a UK-based customer.

In light of the activities, you wish to undertake during your stay, the Home Office will assess whether the period of leave requested is credible.

The employees of overseas-based companies collaborating with UK employees of the same group of companies on a specific internal project may apply for a Business Visit Visa to:

• Provide advice and consultation;
• Provide troubleshooting;
• Conduct training; 
• Exchange skills and knowledge;

The UK branch of the same group of companies as the Business Visitor’s employer overseas may be subject to regulatory or financial audits by internal auditors.

Activities conducted within the company should have a short duration, be tied to a specific project and should not involve working directly with or for clients.  It is expected that you will work mainly at the UK offices of your company, and not at client sites, except for meetings.

You may install, dismantle, repair, service or advise on machinery, equipment, computer software or hardware (or train UK-based workers to provide these services) if there is a contract of purchase, supply or lease with a UK company or organisation. There must be a formal contract between the overseas company and the overseas manufacturer or supplier to provide after sales services related to the sale or lease, including in a warranty or service contract associated with the sale or lease.

A contract between the overseas and UK-based companies that specifies the after-sales service arrangements may be requested by the Home Office.

It is generally expected that such visitors will stay in the UK for less than one month to conduct their business, as they are employed overseas.

It may be necessary for you to be seconded to a UK export company in order to oversee the requirements for goods and services provided under contract by the UK company or its subsidiary, provided that the two companies are not affiliated.

For the UK company to provide goods or services to the overseas company, the Home Office will expect a contract of service between the companies.

You are able to participate in these activities in relation to your employment overseas if you are employed outside the UK:

• As an employee of an enterprise located overseas, you can translate and/or interpret in the UK;
• As a personal assistant or bodyguard, you can support an overseas business person in carrying out permitted activities provided you are employed by the person outside the UK and will attend the same events as the business person. Personal or domestic services must not be provided to the business person;
• It is permissible to enter and depart the UK with a tour group organized by your company if you are contracted to a company with its headquarters overseas;
• You may visit the UK to gather information for an overseas publication, program, or film if you are a journalist, correspondent, producer, or cameraman;
• Taking part in a one-off archaeological excavation in the UK is an option for archaeologists;
• Providing students with some teaching at the host institution is permissible provided you don’t fill a permanent teaching role there as a professor from an overseas academic institution accompanying students to the UK as part of a study abroad program;
• Market research or analysis conducted for a company located outside the UK may be a part of your job as a market researcher or analyst.

As a driver on a genuine international route that connects the UK and a country outside the UK, if you are employed or contracted to a company established in a country outside the UK, or if you are a self-employed company or driver based outside the UK, you may deliver or collect goods or passengers from a country outside the UK to the UK and engage in cabotage operations. Operating on an own account or holding an International Operators Licence is required.

As part of your application for a Business Visit Visa, you will be required to satisfy the Home Office that you are genuinely seeking to enter the United Kingdom for a permitted purpose. In addition, you must assure the Home Office that you will leave the United Kingdom at the end of your visit and will not reside in the United Kingdom for prolonged periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your place of residence.

In assessing your application, the Home Office will consider the following factors:

• Previously visited countries and the length of time you spent abroad;
• Personal financial situation, family, social, and economic background;
• Economic and personal links to the country of residence.

Home Office officials may doubt your authenticity as a visitor if you do not have many close ties to your country of residence and have several close relatives living in the United Kingdom, if you have previously attempted to deceive the Home Office in an immigration application, and if there are discrepancies in your statement and your sponsor’s statement.

Often, we see that as a result of applicants making applications themselves, UKVI have highlighted discrepancies and treated them as a deliberate attempt to deceive the Home Office. We regularly hear horror stories from clients who innocently made applications without legal guidance as they were intending to save the legal fees but have not understood the immigration rules properly and are now battling to prove that the information they gave was in good faith albeit contained administrative errors.

If you are unclear about whether your intentions meet the requirements or are concerned about the impact of how a previous application may affect your proposed visit, get help from our experts now to get clear, bespoke guidance.

There is no English proficiency requirement for applicants for Business Visit visas. However, having a limited command of English can cause many problems whilst preparing and making an application and applying the correct rules and considerations.

Our team are bilingual and can provide you with advice and guidance in languages other than English upon request.

There are no specific requirements as to your financial situation under this visa type, but you will be expected to have enough funds to cover all reasonable costs associated with your visit (e.g., travel, maintenance, and accommodation), without the need to work or access public funds.

A permitted financial institution must hold your funds.

A third party may cover your travel, maintenance, and accommodation costs if the third party has a genuine professional or personal relationship with you, if they do not break immigration laws, and if they are able to support you throughout your visit.

Our expert team can check your plans and guide you through the requirements to ensure that your circumstances can satisfy UK Visa Rules.

You can apply for a Visit Visa that is valid for either a 6 month, 2 year, 5 year, or 10 year period if you wish to visit the UK on a Business Visit Visit.  

While the validity period of your Visit Visa is valid, you can enter and leave the UK more than once, unless your Visit Visa has been endorsed for single or dual entry, you can visit the UK no more than once every six months.

Business Visitors are not permitted to work in the UK, nor are they allowed to receive payment for services performed in the UK, with few exceptions.

Business Visitors are not allowed to work, start or run a business as a self-employed individual, work for an organisation or business in the UK, undertake a work placement or internship in the UK, or provide or sell goods or services in the UK.

During their stay in the UK, Business Visitors may respond to emails or take phone calls related to their employment overseas. While in the UK, your primary purpose should be to undertake a permitted activity, rather than to work remotely from the country.

In addition to seeking employment in the UK, Business Visitors can attend job interviews. If you are offered a job, however, you will be required to leave the UK and obtain the appropriate entry clearance before you can begin working.

If you have any concerns about whether this is the right visa type for you, you can raise your concerns with our team 247/365 for immediate answers.

As with most things in life, think accountant, doctor, electrician, it is possible to do it yourself if your suitably qualified and competent. You can complete your own visa application if you feel you have the required understanding of the Home Office rules, requirements and specified evidence thresholds. However, it is not ordinarily recommended if you are not totally comfortable with understanding and satisfying UKVI immigration rules.

It is worth noting that this type of visa is the most refused visa type out of all categories.

Almost every visa has an associated processing government application fee.

It is important to note that this is an administrative fee that you will be charged for the application to be processed irrespective of the outcome.

In the event that you have made an inadequate application or are refused, the processing fee would have already been utilised and therefore, it will not be refunded.

Aside from the application fees, a refusal is likely to have far reaching implications both practical and financial.

If you do not have a strong history of previous compliant visits to the UK, it is unlikely you will be granted a visa for longer than 6 months initially

The Home Office application fee for a business visit visa is currently £100 for stays up to six months.

Business Visit Visas that are valid for 2 years, 5 years, or 10 years will cost you £376, £670, or £837, respectively, at the Home Office.

Please note, the above fees are administrative only and do not cover our professional fees for legal representation.

We provide a full representation service for one transparent, affordable fee to handle your entire case.