Not Just Advice – Legal Strategy That Works
Temporary Work – Charity Worker Visa UK
Apply to volunteer in the UK for up to twelve months with a licensed charitable organisation. We help you secure your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), prove funds, and avoid common Home Office refusal reasons. Nationwide legal support for charity volunteers across London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds & Glasgow.
For detailed assistance, you can call at 020 3384 4389Â or Start Your Free Online Assessment
- Featured In
- Excellent Reviews
- 5.0 rating
“I want to say a huge thank you to Sabz solicitors for assisting me with my immigration matters. A special shout out to Mr Amir faroouq whom listened and supported me through this difficult process. My circumstances was really difficult and the team showed empathy and guided me through.”
Bashir Dubad
- Excellent Reviews
4.7 (832 Reviews)
Struggling With a Complex Charity Worker Visa Process? Get Help Now
No more confusion or wasted time. Tell us about your case, and we’ll provide an expert-backed, realistic plan to secure your UK visa.
Individuals who wish to volunteer in the UK for up to twelve months can apply for a charity worker visa (temporary work).
While the UK Charity Worker Visa is not a route to permanent residency, your partner and children can apply as dependants.
While holding a Charity Worker Visa UK, you have the flexibility to undertake unpaid charity work for your sponsor, pursue studies, and take on a second job. However, the second job must align with either the same sector as your primary job or a role listed on the Shortage Occupation List, eliminating the need for an additional worker visa.
Charity Worker Visa at a Glance
Current Route Name
Now called Temporary Work – Charity Worker Visa, replacing the old Tier 5 route.
Purpose of the Visa
For unpaid voluntary work that directly supports a registered charity’s objectives not fundraising or administration.
Length of Stay
Stay up to 12 months, or for the period on your CoS plus fourteen days (whichever is shorter).
Sponsorship Requirement
You must have a valid CoS from an A-rated Home Office-licensed charity. It must be used within three months of issue.
Show £1,270 for 28 days (ending within 31 days of application) unless maintenance is certified on the CoS or you’ve been in the UK lawfully for 12+ months.
Your partner and children under 18 can apply with you. Funds required: £285 (partner), £315 (first child), £200 (each additional).
You may volunteer for your sponsor and study (if ATAS applies). No paid work or permanent role filling is allowed.
Apply from outside the UK; Home Office decision usually within three weeks after biometric.
Your Charitable Work Deserves a Smooth Visa -We Make It Effortless
Even voluntary routes can face refusals due to technical CoS or funding errors. Our solicitors prepare decision-ready applications, confirm your charity’s licence status, and ensure your documents meet Home Office requirements. Join hundreds of successful volunteers who secured their UK Charity Worker Visa with our support.
Benefits
Advantages of Hiring UK Immigration Solicitors
Forget sleepless nights over Home Office hurdles. Trust our experienced UK Immigration Solicitors to fast-track your Charity Worker Visa journey and help you serve, support, and make a meaningful impact through voluntary work in the UK.
97.37%
Success Rate
37,573
Applications Approved
93.7%
Immigration Appeal Win Rate
4.9/5
Average Rating
From Consultation to Visa Approval
Our immigration specialists streamline your application process by clearly identifying which evidence and strategies will strengthen your case.
By aligning your unique circumstances with Home Office requirements, we help you focus on high-impact preparations while addressing any potential weaknesses in your application.
Maximising Your Approval Chances
Our goal is to maximise the chances of your visa being approved the first time. By carefully reviewing your circumstances, identifying potential weaknesses, and preparing strong supporting evidence, we significantly reduce the risk of refusals. Every application is checked by senior immigration solicitors who apply their expertise to make your case as clear, accurate, and persuasive as possible. This attention to detail is what improves success rates and helps our clients move forward with confidence.
Success Rate Optimisation
We carefully analyse every detail of your application to maximise the chances of approval. By addressing weaknesses, strengthening supporting evidence, and ensuring full compliance with Home Office rules, we optimise your case for success. This thorough approach significantly improves approval rates and gives you confidence throughout the process.
Risk Mitigation Strategies
We identify potential risks in your application early and put safeguards in place to address them. By preparing strong evidence, clarifying complex points, and anticipating Home Office concerns, we minimise the chance of delays or refusals.
-
Evidence-based case preparation
-
Home Office compliance checks
-
Success rate optimisation
-
Risk mitigation strategies
From Consultation to Visa Approval
Our immigration specialists streamline your application process by clearly identifying which evidence and strategies will strengthen your case.
By aligning your unique circumstances with Home Office requirements, we help you focus on high-impact preparations while addressing any potential weaknesses in your application.
Maximising Your Approval Chances
Our goal is to maximise the chances of your visa being approved the first time. By carefully reviewing your circumstances, identifying potential weaknesses, and preparing strong supporting evidence, we significantly reduce the risk of refusals. Every application is checked by senior immigration solicitors who apply their expertise to make your case as clear, accurate, and persuasive as possible. This attention to detail is what improves success rates and helps our clients move forward with confidence.
Success Rate Optimisation
We carefully analyse every detail of your application to maximise the chances of approval. By addressing weaknesses, strengthening supporting evidence, and ensuring full compliance with Home Office rules, we optimise your case for success. This thorough approach significantly improves approval rates and gives you confidence throughout the process.
Risk Mitigation Strategies
We identify potential risks in your application early and put safeguards in place to address them. By preparing strong evidence, clarifying complex points, and anticipating Home Office concerns, we minimise the chance of delays or refusals.
Work With Trusted, SRA-Regulated UK Immigration Experts
Your immigration journey is too important to risk on unqualified or unregulated help. Every case we handle is prepared by SRA-regulated solicitors who apply structured legal reasoning, precise documentation checks and full compliance with Home Office and UKVI rules.
Our accreditations are your assurance that you are working with a reputable, experienced and highly trained legal team. We combine decades of immigration expertise with strict professional standards to give you clarity, confidence and complete peace of mind — no matter which visa or application route you are pursuing.
UK Charity Visa Requirements
UK Visas & Immigration requires the following requirements in order to grant you a Charity Worker Visa UK:
- You are at least eighteen years old:
- You meet the specified requirements for the charity work:
- Also, your sponsorship certificate is valid:
- The role for which you are being sponsored is one you truly intend to undertake, and you have the ability to do so:
- The role for which you are being sponsored is one you truly intend to undertake, and you can do so:
- You meet the financial requirements
- In the last year, you did not have permission to be a Religious Worker or Charity Worker (unless you were out of the UK throughout)
- Your application did not fall under the general grounds for refusal
- If required, you have provided a TB certificate.
If you want to enter the UK through this route, you must apply for a visa from outside the UK. To apply for this route or the Religious Worker route, you must not have been granted permission on these routes within the twelve months immediately prior to your application unless you can prove that you were not in the UK during this time.
You may have to meet different requirements depending on your situation. To ensure that any mistakes can be identified, and a solid strategy can be developed and implemented, you must seek professional advice and guidance as soon as possible.
What Jobs Are Eligible for the Temporary Work?
The work you plan to do must meet three criteria to qualify as charity work under the Charity Worker Visa UK.
Your fieldwork must first directly contribute to the charitable purpose of your sponsor. There are activities that do not normally require payment for wages or salaries included in this category. These positions do not include routine administrative, retail, or fund-raising tasks.
Furthermore, the work can’t be remunerated or paid, unless you are remunerated for reasonable expenses incurred in the course of your duties.
Last but not least, you must not be attempting to fill a permanent position (even temporarily).
What is the financial requirement for the Temporary Work?
If you have not been in the UK with permission for more than twelve months, you will not be eligible for a UK charity work visa unless you have held funds equal to at least £1,270 continuously for at least twenty-eight consecutive days within the thirty one days preceding your application.
Additionally, your sponsor can satisfy this requirement by confirming on the Certificate of Sponsorship that they will maintain you and provide you with accommodation for at least £1,270 for the first month of your stay in the UK.
In the case of applicants with dependants, they will also need to demonstrate that they can support themselves. The financial levels are £285 per partner, £315 per child, and £200 per additional child.
What is the Certificate of Sponsor (CoS) Requirement?
Charity Worker Visas require a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from an A-rated Home Office licensed sponsor (except if you are applying for an extension to work for the same employer as when you were last granted leave to remain). Under the Charity Worker route, your sponsor must be a Home Office-approved sponsor.
The certificate must confirm that the role you intend to perform meets the voluntary work requirements. It must not have already been used in a successful or unsuccessful application.
There must be at least three months between the sponsorship and the application date on the Certificate of Sponsorship. From the date it is assigned to you, the Certificate will be valid for 3 months. After this date, your application may be rejected for a Charity Work Visa UK. After being assigned, the Sponsorship Certificate cannot be withdrawn or revoked.
What is the application process for the Temporary Work?
Application for a charity worker visa (temporary work) can be made online. To apply, you will have to pay the healthcare surcharge.
Currently, a Charity Worker Visa UK costs £244. You must each submit an application and pay the fee separately if you are applying with Dependants. Your application fee is automatically reduced by £55 if you are from:
Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden or Turkey.
You must apply before your current Temporary Work – Charity Worker visa expires if you wish to extend your stay.
If you apply from outside the UK, you should get a decision within three weeks.
What Conditions Apply to the Temporary Work?
You will be able to enter and remain in the UK for up to 12 months if you have an approved Temporary Work – Charity Worker Visa, or for the period on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter. The UK will allow you to enter up to 14 days before the start of your job.
Volunteering with other organizations is allowed, but you can only work in the role for which you are sponsored. If you qualify for an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate, you will be able to study.
What documents Are Required for a UK Charity Work Visa Apply Online?
Each charity worker applying for a Charity Worker Visa must also present a portfolio of supporting evidence and a number of documents to prove they can fulfil the visa criteria. These are the requirements set by the Home Office.
To apply for a Charity Worker Visa, you must provide the following documents:
- Travel documents that are both legitimate and issued by the country’s government
- Your sponsorship certificate’s reference number
- Bank statements or other proof that you have sufficient funds to cover your expenses in the UK
- Your tuberculosis test results if you are coming from a place that needs them.
Documents proving your relationships with any Dependant family you wish to bring to the UK on the Charity Worker visa, such as marriage certificates or children’s birth certificates, must also be submitted.
Bringing Family Members to the UK
Certain family members of temporary workers are eligible to accompany them to the UK on their visa. The following relatives are eligible to join you on a Temporary Worker Charity Visa:
- Civil partners, spouses, and partners who are not married
- Children below the age of 18
- Dependant children who are 18 years old or older and are currently residing in the UK
- You can apply for a separate visa for any Dependant relatives who want to join you in the UK online.
To qualify as your dependants, they need to provide evidence of a relationship with you and financial stability to cover their expenses in the UK. As a minimum, you must prove that there is:
- £285 for you and your partner.
- £315 for every child
How Can UK Immigration Solicitors help?
UK Immigration Solicitors is one of the leading immigration law firms in London. We have extensive expertise in all aspects of UK visa processing, including initial applications, renewals, and extensions. What we can do is:
- Make sure you meet the requirements for a Charity Worker Visa UK.
- Describe your other immigration choices (such as family, business, or settlement visas).
- Verify that you and your family’s immigration status is safe.
- Help with the refusal of your Charity Worker Visa renewal application.
Frequently Asked Questions FAQs
There is a £298 application cost for the charity worker route of the Temporary Worker visa. Also, there is an additional charge of £1,035 each year known as the Immigration Healthcare Surcharge that must be paid on top of the visa application cost.
All members of your immediate family who are applying for a visa or an immigration healthcare surcharge must also pay the full amount.
You are still required to have a visa in order to volunteer in the UK. Visitors from countries that have an agreement with the UK to waive visa requirements can stay for up to six months for tourism and certain business related activities.
You can apply for a Charity Visa UK if your volunteer work is unpaid. However, if you get payment while in the UK, you will not be eligible for this visa and will need to apply for another sort of work visa, like the Skilled Worker Visa.
An extension of your Charity Worker Visa may be possible in certain cases. You are only eligible to apply for a visa extension if your current stay does not exceed the twelve month maximum. You are eligible to apply for a twelve month extension if your visa was originally granted for a shorter duration.
A different visa is required for stays in the UK exceeding twelve months.
Individuals sponsored by a UK charity can perform unpaid volunteer work in the UK while holding a Charity Worker Visa. Further, temporary workers are allowed to work in the UK for a second job so long as it is in the same industry or for a position on the Shortage Occupation List, or if both jobs are mentioned on the sponsorship certificate. Charity worker visa holders are required to perform all work without compensation.
You can study in the UK while working as a temporary worker, though some courses may require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme accreditation.
The charity must show it is a licensed sponsor, confirm your voluntary role, provide a valid Certificate of Sponsorship, and demonstrate that no salary will be paid.
You must show relevant experience or skills for the voluntary role, supported by references, training history, or evidence of prior involvement.
In most cases, switching from inside the UK is not permitted. Applicants usually must apply from overseas unless eligible under specific exemptions.
Up to 12 months or for the duration of your Certificate of Sponsorship, whichever is shorter. Extensions beyond 12 months are not permitted for this route.
Blog
Read Our Latest Blogs
Anyone wishing to travel, study, work, or settle in the United Kingdom must comprehend the procedure for UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), …
If you want to marry someone in the UK, you may get a UK fiancé visa to do so. There are, however, …
Introduction The path that the UK took to legalise gay marriage shows how the country’s views on LGBTQ+ rights are changing. There …
Services
Services You Might be Interested In
Request a Free Case Review Appointment
Start your free case review by booking a quick assessment so our team can understand your situation and guide you to the right next steps.
Speak directly with an immigration specialist at a time that works for you.
Call Us Now
020 3384 4389 Our lines are open 24/7, 365 days a year.