The Business Visit visa is designed for non-EEA nationals who wish to come to the UK for a short stay for the purpose of undertaking business activities.
In order to be granted a Business Visit visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that you are a genuine visitor. This means that you:
Business Visit visa holders may undertake a wide range of business activities in the UK, including but not limited to:
General activities: attend meetings, conferences, seminars and interviews; give a one-off or short series of talks and speeches provided these are not organised as commercial events and will not make a profit for the organiser; negotiate and sign deals and contracts; attend trade fairs for promotional (not selling) work; carry out site visits and inspections; gather information for an employer overseas; be briefed on the requirements of a UK based customer, provided any work for the customer is done outside the UK.
Intra-corporate activities: an employee of an overseas company may advise and consult, troubleshoot, provide training, share skills and knowledge on a specific internal project with UK employees of the same corporate group, provided no work is carried out directly with clients.
Prospective Entrepreneur: a visitor who can show support from a registered venture capitalist firm regulated by the FCA, an approved seed funding competition or a UK government department may come to the UK for discussions to secure funding to join, set up or take over a business in the UK.
Creative: an artist, entertainer or musician may give performances as an individual or as part of a group; take part in competitions or auditions; make personal appearances and take part in promotional activities; and take part in one or more cultural events or festivals on the list of permit free festivals. Personal or technical staff or members of the production team of an artist, entertainer or musician may support the above-mentioned activities, providing they are attending the same event as the artist, entertainer or musician, and are employed to work for them outside of the UK. Film crew (actor, producer, director or technician) employed by an overseas company may visit the UK to take part in a location shoot for a film or programme that is produced and financed overseas.
Sport: a sportsperson may take part in a sports tournament or sports event as an individual or part of a team; make personal appearances and take part in promotional activities; take part in trials provided they are not in front of a paying audience; take part in short periods of training provided they are not being paid by a UK sporting body; and join an amateur team or club to gain experience in a particular sport. Personal or technical staff of the sports person, or sports officials, may support the activities mentioned above, if they are attending the same event as the sports person, and are employed to work for them outside the UK.
Overseas roles requiring specific activities in the UK: Individuals employed outside the UK may visit the UK to take part in a wide range of activities in relation to their employment overseas.
Our immigration advisers are experienced in assisting with all types of visit visa applications.
Whether you are considering applying for a Business Visit visa or require advice as to the most appropriate visit visa, our advisers will guide you through the complex Home Office rules and policies.
We pride ourselves on being approachable and proactive in understanding and meeting our client’s needs. We are a highly driven team, dedicated to providing clear and reliable immigration advice to our clients as part of a professional and friendly service.
