Business Visitor Visa

What is it?

The Business Visitor sub-category of the Standard Visitor route allows applicants to come to the UK to carry out business activities.

What are the main requirements?

In order to enter the UK as a Business 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 employment in the UK.

How long can I stay and what are the conditions of my stay?

Applicants can apply to come to the UK for a period of up to six months. 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 make the UK their main home. Applications can be refused if an immigration officer believes that this is the case.

The general activities which a Business Visitor can carry out during their stay in the UK include the following:

• attend meetings, conferences, seminars and interviews;
• negotiate and sign deals and contracts;
• attend trade fairs to carry out promotional work providing they are not selling directly to the public;
• gather information for their employment overseas; and
• be briefed on the requirements of a UK based customer, provided any work for the customer is done outside of the UK.

Applicants who are employees of an overseas business can also come to the UK under this route to advise and consult, troubleshoot, provide training and share skills and knowledge on a specific project and with UK employees of the same organisation.

This route can also be used by prospective entrepreneurs, employees of foreign manufacturers looking to install, repair or service equipment and clients of UK export companies coming to the UK to oversee that their requirements for goods or services are being carried out correctly.

How we can help?

The requirements of the Business Visitor visa are highly prescriptive and the Home Office routinely refuse applications that do not fully comply with the Immigration Rules and guidance. Our highly experienced team of immigration lawyers will assist in preparing and submitting your application to achieve the best possible outcome.

If you’d like to discuss matters further, please email our Immigration team on immigration@bishopandsewell.co.uk or complete the online enquiry form on this page.