Personal Immigration

Permitted Paid Engagement Visitor Visa

The Permitted Paid Engagement Visitor sub-category of the Standard Visitor route allows applicants to come to the UK to carry out specific engagements for which they may receive payment.

Permitted Paid Engagement visitor visa: Main requirements
In order to enter the UK as a Permitted Paid Engagement Visitor, an applicant must demonstrate that:

  • they intend to leave the UK at the end of their visit;
  • they have sufficient funds for their visit;
  • the activities which they intend to carry out in the UK are permitted activities as defined in the Immigration Rules; and
  • they do not intend to take work in the UK other than in relation to the permitted paid engagement.

Length and conditions of stay in the UK
Applicants can apply to come to the UK for a period of up to six months, however the permitted paid engagement must be carried out within the first 30 days of the applicant’s visit to the UK.

There is no option to extend this visa from within the UK.

Applicants should not intend to live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits under this route, or to make the UK their main home. Applications can be refused if an immigration officer believes that this is the case.

All permitted paid engagements must be arranged in advance. The engagement must relate to the applicant’s area of expertise and occupation overseas and should be evidenced by a formal letter of invitation.

Permitted Paid Engagements include:

  • highly qualified academics coming to the UK to examine students and take part in chair selection panels within their field if invited to the UK by a Higher Education Institution or a UK based research or arts organisation;
  • experts coming to the UK to give lectures in their subject area, provided this does not amount to filling a teaching position;
  • examiners coming to the UK to examine UK based pilots to ensure they meet the aviation requirements of other countries;
  • qualified lawyers coming to the UK to provide advocacy if they have been invited by their client; and
  • professional artists, entertainers, musicians, or sports persons coming to the UK to carry out activity directly relating to their profession, if they have been invited by a UK based organisation.

Permitted Paid Engagement Visitor visa application: How we can help
The Home Office will carefully scrutinise an application for a Permitted Paid Engagement visa. If it does not consider that the applicants UK activities fall within those permitted or if it considers that any of the other requirements have not been met, the application will fall for refusal. It is therefore essential that the application is prepared thoroughly and carefully.

We are experienced in preparing visa applications for those entering the UK to carry out Permitted Paid Engagements and will provide expert guidance and assistance to you throughout the process.

For further advice, please contact us.