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Planning a visit to the UK? Whether for business, pleasure or a quick transit, navigating the visitor visa process can be challenging. Our team is here to make it straightforward, providing guidance on each step and ensuring you meet all requirements. From business visits to family trips, we simplify the visa journey, so you can focus on making the most of your stay in the UK.

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Business visitors

Individuals holding visitor visas are permitted only to engage in restricted business activities while in the UK. These activities include:

attending meetings, conferences, seminars or interviews.
giving one-off or short-series talks or speeches (as long as these are not organised as commercial or profit-making events).
negotiating and signing deals or contracts.
attending trade fairs solely for promotional purposes, provided the visitor is not directly involved in selling.
conducting site visits and inspections.
gathering information relevant to overseas employment.
receiving work-related training (if they are employed overseas and the training is unavailable in their home country).
receiving briefings on the requirements of a UK-based customer (provided any work for the customer is performed outside the UK).

From 31 January 2024, visitors may engage in activities related to their overseas employment remotely from within the UK, provided remote work is not their primary purpose for visiting. Visitors planning to do some remote work should typically stay for less than one month. While activities exceeding 90 days are not automatically grounds for refusal, this could lead the Home Office to examine the nature of the remote work closely.

Visitors working in certain fields, such as law, may conduct limited business activities relevant to their expertise. It is important to note that visitors are generally not allowed to receive payment from a UK source for any activity completed in the UK. However, UK-based companies are permitted to cover reasonable expenses, such as travel and subsistence costs, as an exception.

All business visitors must meet the following requirements:

Genuine intention to visit.
Adequate funds, maintenance and accommodation.
No intention to engage in prohibited activities.
Additional eligibility requirements for permitted paid engagements (PPE) visitors.

Visitors are generally admitted to the UK for a six-month period upon entry (though certain types of visitor visas may have different durations). Applicants can also apply for visitor visas valid for two, five or ten years. However, visitor visa holders are typically permitted to stay in the UK for a maximum of six months at a time, regardless of the longer validity of the visa.

A visitor must not use this category to make the UK their main home by engaging in frequent, successive or extended visits, as their stay should be temporary. Spending extended periods in the UK may lead to increased scrutiny, potentially resulting in refusal of future applications or even cancellation of the visa.

Under limited circumstances, it is possible to apply for an extension to a visitor visa, such as when a visitor is in the UK for ongoing private medical treatment. The length of any extension granted will depend on the type of activity the individual is undertaking. For example, a visitor receiving private medical care may apply for a further six-month extension.

There are nine main circumstances under which permission to enter as a visitor will be refused:

Entry is not conducive to the public good due to exclusion or deportation.
Entry is not conducive to the public good due to criminal convictions.
False representations were made in connection with an application.
There is a breach of UK immigration laws.
Failure to provide satisfactory identity documents or other required information.
The visitor has medical issues.
The visitor has debts owed to the NHS.
The visitor has outstanding litigation costs.
Admission to the Common Travel Area or other countries is restricted.

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A refusal of a visitor visa application generally does not grant the applicant a right to appeal or request an administrative review. If a visitor visa is denied, the only course of action is usually to submit a new application, addressing the specific reasons for the previous refusal.

Visitor visa applicants may be subject to a re-entry ban if the Home Office determines that deception was likely used in their application. In such cases, the visa application will be refused, and the applicant will be prohibited from entering the UK for a 10-year period. Re-entry bans of varying durations may also apply if applicants have previously violated UK immigration laws.

If a visitor visa application is refused and a re-entry ban is imposed, this ban cannot be appealed. In this situation, it would again be necessary to submit a new visa application addressing the reasons for the ban.

Home Office decisions of this nature can be challenged through judicial review. However, submitting a fresh application is often a more straightforward and faster way to address a refusal or re-entry ban.

For non-visa nationals, the most immediate consequence of misunderstanding the UK Visitor Rules is likely to be refusal of entry. Such individuals will likely face detailed questioning by an immigration officer, and if it is determined that their intended visit does not align with the conditions of the visitor category, they may be detained, removed and required to leave the UK immediately.

This can have serious, long-term consequences for business visitors. They may face challenges re-entering the UK as visitors due to what the Home Office would regard as an adverse immigration history, which could lead to future doubts about their intentions. In some cases, they may even face a ten-year ban on applying to enter the UK if an immigration officer believes they attempted to use deception to gain entry. Deception can be inferred from inconsistencies between a person's stated intention and actual circumstances, without requiring evidence of outright lying.

Business visitors should also be aware that they may need to disclose such a ban, or the fact of having been refused entry to the UK, when applying for visas to other countries. As a result, an adverse UK immigration record could impact their entry into other jurisdictions, significantly affecting their long-term career prospects.

Employers who allow their overseas employees to enter the UK as business visitors with the intention of performing work face potential serious repercussions. Any business registered as a skilled worker sponsor risks a Home Office audit without prior notice. During an audit, a Home Office officer may interview individuals on the premises, including business visitors.

A visiting officer would take issue with a business visitor found seated at a personal desk, with their name displayed, making phone calls from their own extension, and sending emails with a UK address in their signature. This could lead to disciplinary action against the business, including suspension or revocation of its sponsor license. If a license is revoked, the business would be unable to sponsor new migrant workers, and existing sponsored migrants could be required to leave the UK.

These practical tips may help avoid issues upon arrival at the UK border:

A business visitor should avoid arriving at the UK border with their entire family and excessive luggage that suggests an extended stay. While family members can often visit the UK as visitors, immigration officers will review the full context to assess the visitor's intentions.
If a visitor is married to, or in a relationship with, a British citizen or a long-term sponsored migrant, they should be cautious and ideally carry proof of their intention to leave the UK, such as a return airline ticket. Immigration officers may otherwise suspect that the visitor intends to settle in the UK.
If a visitor experiences intense questioning upon arrival in the UK but is ultimately allowed entry, they should expect even closer scrutiny on subsequent visits. Seeking advice before attempting to re-enter the UK is recommended.
If the activities the visitor will undertake in the UK feel like "work", they likely constitute work. In that case, the visitor should seek entry under a visa category that permits work, such as the Skilled Worker visa.

Will the Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme impact business visitors coming to the UK for permitted purposes?

The UK has introduced an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme for non-visa nationals (individuals who do not require a visa to visit the UK). This scheme will be implemented globally by 2025, requiring non-visa nationals—who could previously travel to the UK without any prior authorisation—to obtain an ETA before their trip.

The purpose of this scheme is to prevent individuals who may pose a threat or are otherwise deemed unsuitable from entering the UK. The rules for business visitors, including permitted activities, remain unchanged. However:

Non-visa nationals will be evaluated according to visitor suitability requirements, which include considerations such as criminal convictions or other non-conducive grounds. An ETA may be refused on these grounds or for other reasons, such as a previous visitor visa refusal. If an ETA is denied, it does not equate to a refusal of entry permission; the individual may still apply for a visa to visit the UK.
Enhanced access to individuals' travel histories will help the Home Office assess whether a person is a genuine business visitor. This may be particularly relevant for frequent or extended visits.
Receiving an ETA does not guarantee entry into the UK. Visitors should still be prepared to answer questions upon arrival regarding the purpose of their visit.
Although most applications are processed within three working days, the scheme may cause delays for urgent business travel. The government advises applying at least 21 working days in advance of travel.