Business Visas UK

A UK Business visa is a category of visa for those wishing to enter the UK for business purposes. If you are looking to attend a meeting or conference or to start a new UK business, for instance, you may require a UK Business visa in order to do so. Whether or not you require a Business visa will depend on your specific nationality.

The UK offers a variety of Business visas, each designed for different circumstances. The eligibility criteria and regulations vary from visa to visa.

In general, the main UK Business visa types are as follows: Standard Visitor Business visa (short-term), Innovator Founder Visa, Scale-up Visa, Global Business Mobility Visa, Senior or Specialist Worker Visa, Graduate Trainee Visa, UK Expansion Worker Visa, Secondment Worker Visa, and Service Supplier Visa. Each of these visa types will be explored in more detail later in this article.

If you wish to enter the UK in order to complete skilled work for an authorised UK company, and you have an eligible job offer, you may also be able to apply for a Skilled Worker visa, even if you are not eligible for one of the Business visas mentioned above.

Page Contents

• • What is a UK Business Visa?
  • Who needs a Business Visa for the UK?
  • Types of UK business visa
  • Business Visitor visa
  • Innovator Founder Visa
  • Scale-up Visa
  • Global Business Mobility Visa
  • Senior or Specialist Worker Visa
  • Graduate Trainee Visa
  • UK Expansion Worker Visa
  • Secondment Worker Visa
  • Service Supplier Visa
  • How to Apply for a UK Business Visa?
  • Determine the Right Visa Type
  • Eligibility Requirements
  • Gather Supporting Documentation
  • Application Cost
  • Processing Time
  • Rights and Restrictions
  • How Can London Immigration Lawyers Help?
  • Frequently Asked Questions

If you need to enter the UK for business purposes, you may require a Business visa in order to do so. Whether or not you need one will depend on your specific nationality.

If you are an Irish citizen, you will not require a visa in order to visit the UK for stays of any duration. You can live and work visa-free in the UK indefinitely.

If you are a citizen of an EU country, you will generally not require a Business visa in order to visit the UK for periods of up to 6 months. However, if you wish to stay for a longer period, you will need to apply for an appropriate visa.

For more information on whether or not you will require a visa in order to enter the UK, or the specific visa requirements of your intended visit duration, contact London Immigration Lawyers today.

The UK offers a variety of different Business visas, depending on the nature of the visit and duration of stay. The details of the different visas are given in the following sections.

The main type of visa for short-term stays is the Standard Visitor Business visa. This allows business visits to the UK of up to 6 months and is a good fit for those planning to enter the UK in order to attend a meeting, interview, or trade fair, for example.

For those planning on starting a business in the UK, the Innovator Founder visa is the main route. To be eligible for this visa, your business idea must be new, innovative, and scalable.

If you work for an overseas company looking to expand into the UK, you should instead consider applying for a UK Expansion visa.

The UK Standard Visitor Business visa allows business visits to the UK of up to 6 months. In particular, it authorises a number of business activities, including the following:

• Attend interviews and/or meetings
• Attend conferences and/or seminars
• Sign deals and contracts
• Attend trade fairs in order to promote your business (although you will not be authorised to sell anything at the trade fair)
• Receive work-related training where that training is not available in your home country
• Complete site visits and/or inspections
• Install, repair, or advise on equipment, where your company has a contract with a UK company

Note that this visa type only allows visits of up to 6 months. As such, it does not provide a route to permanent settlement or citizenship status. If your business commitments require a stay of over 6 months, you will need to explore alternative visa options.

The Innovator Founder visa is intended for business persons looking to enter the UK in order to start their own business. It allows stays of up to 3 years and can be extended if you continue to satisfy the eligibility criteria. It also provides a route to permanent settlement and citizenship.

In order for you to be eligible for this visa, your business will need to be new (i.e. not already trading in the UK), innovative (i.e. different to other businesses on the market), viable (i.e. have a solid business plan), and scalable (i.e. demonstrably likely to lead to job creation and growth into national and international markets).

You will also require an endorsement from an eligible endorsing body, in order to confirm that your business satisfies the requirements. The endorsing bodies are as follows:

• UK Endorsing Services
• Innovator International
• Envestors Limited
• The Global Entrepreneurs Programme (GEP)

The Scale-Up Worker visa allows international workers to enter the UK in order to work for a fast-growing (scale-up) UK business. The visa generally lasts for 2 years and can be extended if you continue to satisfy the eligibility criteria. It also provides a route to permanent settlement and UK citizenship.

In order to be eligible, you will need to have a job offer from an approved scale-up business. The offer must be for a role which will last at least 6 months.

Global Business Mobility visas do not refer to a specific visa but instead to a category of visas which includes 5 different visa types. These types are as follows:

• Senior or Specialist Worker visa
• Graduate Trainee visa
• UK Expansion Worker visa
• Service Supplier visa
• Secondment Worker visa

Each of these 5 types will be explored in more detail in the following sections of this article.

Broadly speaking, Global Business Mobility visas allow overseas businesses to send staff to the UK, for varying reasons. Note that this visa category does not provide a direct route to permanent settlement and British citizenship, and time spent in the UK on one of these visa types will not count towards satisfying the minimum residency requirement should you attempt to settle in the UK via a different visa route.

This visa allows you to enter the UK in order to work temporarily for your overseas employer’s UK branch. This visa generally allows stays of up to 5 years.

In order to be eligible, you will need to satisfy the following criteria:

• Be employed by an organisation which is an approved UK visa sponsor
• Have a certificate of sponsorship from that employer
• Have a job on the list of eligible occupations
• Have a salary of at least £52,500

The Graduate Trainee visa is intended to allow overseas workers to work for the UK branch of their company in order to receive managerial or specialist graduate training. This visa generally only allows stays of up to 12 months.

In order to be eligible, you will need to satisfy the following criteria:

• Be employed by an organisation which is an approved UK visa sponsor
• Have a certificate of sponsorship from that employer
• Have worked for your employer (from outside of the UK) for at least 3 months prior to submitting your visa application
• Have a salary of at least £27,300

This visa allows overseas workers to enter the UK in order to help set up a UK branch of that overseas company. The company must not yet have started trading in the UK. To be eligible, you must already be a senior manager or a specialist employee within that company. This visa generally allows stays of up to 2 years.

In order to be eligible for this visa, you will need to satisfy the following criteria:

• Be employed by an organisation which is an approved UK visa sponsor
• Have a certificate of sponsorship from that employer
• Have a job on the list of eligible occupations
• Have already worked for your employer prior to entering the UK
• Have at least the minimum eligible salary for the role in question

This visa allows you to enter the UK in order to perform an eligible job for an organisation with which your overseas employer has a high-value contract. This visa type generally allows stays of up to 2 years.

In order to be eligible, you will need to satisfy the following criteria:

• Already work for the overseas company which has a high-value contract with a UK organisation
• The UK organisation in question must be an approved visa sponsor
• Have a certificate of sponsorship from that employer
• Have a job on the list of eligible occupations

This visa allows you to enter the UK where you have a contract to provide services for a UK company, either as an employee of an overseas company or as a self-employed individual. This visa type only allows stays of up to 12 months.

In order to be eligible, you will need to satisfy the following criteria:

• Be either an overseas employee of the business providing the service or a self-employed provider of that service
• Have a contract which is covered by a valid international trade agreement
• Have a certificate of sponsorship
• Have worked for your overseas employee for at least 12 months, or have at least 12 months of experience in the case of self-employed individuals

There are a number of steps which you will need to complete when applying for a UK Business visa. Whilst the exact process varies from visa to visa, the steps are generally as follows:

Step One: Check your eligibility for your chosen visa route and gather the necessary documents.

Step Two: Submit an application online. You will need to make sure to have the required documents to hand when you do so.

Step Three: In some cases, you will also need to attend an appointment at a visa application centre in order to provide your biometric information, specifically your fingerprints and photograph. UK visa application centres are available in numerous international locations.

Step Four: Once the necessary steps have been completed, you will now need to wait for your application to be processed. If your application is successful, you will be granted with a visa which can be used to enter the UK.

The visa which is right for you will depend on the type of business activity which you plan on completing within the UK. If you plan to enter in order to attend an interview, seminar, or conference, for example, a Standard Visitor Business visa is likely to be the right fit. If you wish to start your own business in the UK, on the other hand, the Innovator Founder visa is likely to be more appropriate.

At London Immigration Lawyers, we can help identify which route is right for you. Contact us today on 0204 502 8582 to learn more about which visa is the best fit for your particular circumstances.

The eligibility criteria vary significantly depending on the Business visa in question. If you plan to apply for an Innovator Founder visa, for instance, you will need to provide evidence that the business idea on which basis you are applying for the visa is new, innovative, and scalable.

In general, however, you will need to satisfy the following criteria when applying for a UK Business visa:

• Have relevant qualifications and/or experience for the business activities in question
• Have the means to financially support yourself during your stay
• Have an eligible UK job offer (if applicable)
• Demonstrate your intention to leave the UK before the visa’s expiry (in the case of visas which do not provide a route to permanent settlement and UK citizenship)

The specific documentation which you require for your application will depend on the particular visa in question. In general, however, you will require a range of the following documents:

• Proof of your ability to financially support yourself during your stay
• Proof of sufficient proficiency in the English language (if applicable)
• Proof of an eligible job offer (if applicable)
• Certificate of sponsorship (if applicable)
• Proof of a new, innovative, viable, and scalable business idea (if applicable)

The cost of a UK Business visa application will depend on the specific Business visa in question. Some of the different costs are given in the below table:

In some cases, applicants also choose to pay for legal assistance in order to maximise their chances of a successful application. Contact London Immigration Lawyers today for more information on our own range of services and how we can help ensure that your application runs as smoothly as possible.

Waiting times for a UK Business visa application to be processed vary depending on the specific visa in question.

However, you should expect to receive an answer in around 3-12 weeks, depending on the specific visa type and how many other applications are simultaneously being processed. The decision may also be subject to delay if there are problems with your application, such as missing documentation. In the event that you are asked to provide more information in support of your application, make sure to do so as quickly as possible in order to avoid delays.

The rights and restrictions which apply to you when in the UK on a Business visa will depend on the particular visa route in question. In the case of a Standard Visitor Business visa, for example, you will not generally be able to complete paid work in the UK.

In the case of Standard Visitor visas and Global Mobility visas, you can live in the UK temporarily but will not have a direct route to permanent settlement and citizenship.

In most cases, when in the UK on a visa, you will not be able to access public welfare benefits. This is generally reserved for permanent residents and citizens. You will generally need to pay the annual healthcare surcharge in order to access the national health service.