Permitted Paid Engagement visa

1. Overview - Permitted Paid Engagement UK

You may be able to get a Permitted Paid Engagement visa if you’ve been invited to the UK as an expert in your profession.

You can apply for a Permitted Paid Engagement visa if you:

• are invited by a UK-based organisation or client
• want to come to the UK to do specific paid work without having to be sponsored under the points-based visa system
• are from a country that’s not in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
• meet the other eligibility requirements

You may not need to apply for a visa if you’re from a certain country - check if you need this visa before you apply.

How long it will take

The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.

Example
You can apply from 16 March if you plan to travel on 15 June.

You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.

You can check the guide processing times to see how long getting a visa might take in your country.

Fees

A Permitted Paid Engagement visa costs £87.

How long you can stay

You can stay in the UK for up to 1 month.

What you can and can’t do

You can be invited by a UK-based organisation or client to:

• be a student examiner or assessor
• take part in selection panels as a highly qualified academic if you’re invited by an education, arts or research organisation
• give lectures at a higher education institution, as long as it’s not a part-time or full-time role
• examine UK-based pilots so they meet the standards of the country you come from if you’re invited by an approved UK training organisation regulated by the UK Civil Aviation Authority
• provide advocacy in a particular area of law
• take part in arts, entertainment or sporting activities including broadcasting
• take part in fashion modelling assignments

You can also do minor activities related to your work or business overseas, eg attend meetings.

You can’t:

• do specific paid work unrelated to your main job or area of expertise at home or sell merchandise, other than what’s allowed by your visa
• extend this visa or switch to another visa
• live in the UK for extended periods
• get public funds
• study for more than 30 days - studying can’t be the main reason for your visit
• marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership
• bring family members (‘dependants’) with you on your application - they must apply separately

2. Eligibility

You must prove that you:

• are 18 or over
• are visiting the UK for no more than 1 month
• will leave the UK at the end of your visit
• have enough money without help from public funds to support and house yourself
• can pay for your return or onward journey
• are not in transit to a country outside the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands

3. Documents you must provide

When you apply you must provide:

• a current passport or other valid travel identification - your passport must have a blank page for your visa
• proof that you can support yourself during your trip, eg bank statements or payslips for the last 6 months
• details of where you intend to stay and your travel plans - you shouldn’t pay for accommodation or travel until you get your visa
• a formal invitation from the UK-based organisation or authority you’ll be paid by
• proof that the paid engagement relates to your expertise, qualifications and main job in your home country, eg a letter from your employer

Check the guide for a full list of documents you must provide.

You’ll need to provide a certified translation of any documents that aren’t in English or Welsh.

Additional documents

You must provide extra documents if you’re an established arts, entertainment or sporting professional. You can provide any of the following:

• publications
• publicity material
• proof of awards
• media coverage and reviews
• proof of recent performances

You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.

4. Apply

Apply outside the UK

You must apply online for a Permitted Paid Engagement visa.

You’ll need to have your fingerprints and photograph (known as ‘biometric information’) taken at a visa application centre as part of your application.

You may be able to get your visa faster or other services depending on what country you’re in - check with your visa application centre.

North Korea

You can’t apply online if you’re living in North Korea.

To apply from North Korea you must:

• download the form and guidance
• read the instructions for North Korea on how to apply