Who it is for
The Representative of an Overseas Business visa is for an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation who is posted to the UK on a long-term assignment. There is also a route for the sole representative of an overseas business that is setting up a UK branch or a wholly owned subsidiary. It is not a route for people who want to work for themselves, or for any business other than their employer.
What you need
- A job with your overseas employer, and a posting to the UK, which for the media route is a long-term assignment.
- For the sole representative route, to be recruited and employed outside the UK by an overseas business with its headquarters and principal place of business outside the UK, and to have the skills, knowledge and authority to take the business’s decisions here. You must not own most of the business.
- English at the level the route requires, and enough money to support yourself, where the rules require it.
What the visa allows
You can work full time for your employer, bring family as dependants, extend the visa, and switch to it from inside the UK in some cases. You cannot work for yourself or for any other business, and you cannot claim public funds.
Length and settlement
The visa lets you stay for an initial period of three years, and you can extend it for up to two years more. After five years in the UK on the route you can apply for permission to settle permanently. See indefinite leave to remain.
Fees
| Item | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Application from outside the UK | £819 |
| Application from inside the UK | £943 |
| Immigration health surcharge | Paid in addition, for each year. See the Immigration Health Surcharge |
| Decision | Usually within three weeks from outside the UK, within eight weeks from inside. You can apply up to three months before you travel |
Why applications fail
- The employer or business does not meet the definition: for example a media organisation that is not an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcaster.
- The posting is not genuinely long term, or the role is not one that the route covers.
- For the sole representative route, evidence of the overseas business’s main operations and of the representative’s authority is thin.
Other routes to consider
If the overseas business wants to move several people, or to set up a UK presence on a larger scale, see Global Business Mobility. If you are to work for a UK employer, see the Skilled Worker visa.
How we help
We assess which route fits, prepare the evidence of the posting and the business, and plan the extension and the route to settlement. Book a consultation below.
