UK Business Visa Types and Application Processes 2024

With its diverse and developed market, many foreign nationals travel to the UK each year to carry out commercial activities or to work with companies located in the UK. A UK business visa is a type of visa granted to citizens of countries that are not members of the European Economic Area and who wish to conduct commercial activities in the UK. The UK visitor business visa, which is among the UK business visa types, grants the holder the right to be in the UK for a period of less than 6 months and to conduct business activities.

In what cases can I get a UK work visa?

Situations where you can obtain a UK work visa are listed below.

Attending a meeting, conference, seminar or interview in the UK
To give a one-off presentation or talk series for a non-profit organisation in the UK
Signing or negotiating a deal in the UK
Attending a UK trade show for business purposes without engaging in sales activities
To conduct an inspection in England
Finding employment in the UK
Providing information for work outside the UK for a UK based client

What are the UK Business Visa Types?

UK business visa types are listed below.

UK visitor business visa: A UK visitor business visa is a type of visa that allows the holder to stay in the UK for a maximum of 6 months and carry out business activities. A UK visitor business visa can also be used for purposes such as performing tourist activities or visiting family, but in this case, the person must notify the UK Home Office that the main purpose of their travel to the UK is to carry out business activities in the country.
UK paid work visa: A UK paid work visa is a type of visa that people who want to travel to the UK for short-term work with a client or organization located in the UK must obtain. A UK paid work visa allows people invited by an organization located in the UK to stay in the country for up to 1 month.
UK commercial representative visa: A UK commercial representative visa is a type of visa required for people who want to travel abroad to carry out business-based activities on behalf of their company.

What are the Requirements for a UK Business Visit Visa?

The requirements for a UK business visa include; the applicant must leave the UK after the visit, the person must have sufficient financial means to cover various expenses such as transportation, accommodation and food that may arise during their stay in the UK, the person must have sufficient financial means to return to their country from the UK or continue their travels, and the applicant must be able to provide evidence that meets the required standards for the business activities they wish to carry out in the UK.

What are the Required Documents for a UK Work Visa?

The documents required for a UK work visa are listed below.

UK business visa application form: The UK business visa application form must be completed online by the visa applicant, using complete and accurate information, in English, via the Gov.Uk website.
Passport: A passport belonging to the person applying for a UK work visa must be presented that is valid for at least 3 months beyond the intended end date of the trip to the UK and has at least 1 blank page.
Biometric photo: Two biometric photos, 35 mm wide and 45 mm long, taken within the last 6 months are required.
UK business visa invitation: A UK business visa invitation must be submitted, written by the company or organisation in the UK that is associated with the person applying for a UK business visa, and which includes information such as travel dates and details of the business visit.
Workplace permission letter: The person applying for a UK business visa must submit a workplace permission letter written by the employer on the company’s letterhead and containing information such as the applicant’s personal information, the dates the person is off work and details of the person’s job position in the company.
UK business visa petition: The UK business visa petition, which includes information such as the activities the UK business visa applicant plans to undertake during the trip to the UK, the anticipated dates of these activities, the dates of other places to visit in the UK, and accommodation details, must be submitted for visa application procedures.
Documents related to financial adequacy: Documents such as bank statements or pay slips for the last 6 months must be submitted to prove that the person applying for a UK business visa has sufficient financial means to cover the various expenses of the trip in question.In cases where the UK business visa applicant’s travel expenses to the UK will be covered by someone else, a visa sponsorship letter written by that person and meeting the required criteria must be added to the visa application file.
Documents related to accommodation status: Documents such as hotel reservations or rental contracts containing information about the places where the person applying for a UK business visa will stay during his/her planned trip to the UK must be submitted for visa procedures.
UK business visa application fee: The UK business visa application fee must be paid during the online application process.

For UK business visa applications, certified copies of documents not in English or Welsh must be submitted along with the originals of the documents.

What should a UK Business Visa Petition Sample be like?

The UK business visa petition sample must be written by the visa applicant using official language and including all necessary information. The UK business visa petition sample must include; the visa applicant’s personal information, information about the visa refusals the person has received in the past, if any, travel plans for the UK, information about the people who will travel with the visa applicant, information about the person’s current employment status, information about the applicant’s financial capacity, information about the person who will sponsor the applicant, if any, information about the applicant’s past travels, and the applicant’s intention to return to their country.

When writing a UK business visa petition, care must be taken not to include unnecessary information and to ensure that all information provided is clear, accurate and precise.

A sample petition image for the UK visa application is given below.

What Should a UK Business Visa Invitation Be Like?

The UK business visa invitation must be written by the person or institution inviting the visa applicant to the UK. Care must be taken to ensure that the UK business visa invitation is written in official language and includes all necessary information.

The UK business visa invitation must include the following information: personal information of the visa applicant, personal information of the person inviting the applicant, occupational and employment status information of the inviting person, information regarding the residence status of the inviting person, information regarding the financial adequacy of the applicant’s inviting person, information regarding the nature of the relationship between the visa applicant and the person inviting him/her to the UK, contact information of the inviting person, the purpose of the applicant’s travel and the anticipated travel dates.

How to Get a UK Business Visa?

UK business visas are obtained from the visa application center of the intermediary institution and accredited visa agencies after completing the online application process through the UK government website. For UK business visa applications, visa applicants must first complete the application form, pay the visa fee and make a visa appointment through the online application portal on the Gov.Uk website.

UK business visa applicants must personally apply to the visa center on the designated visa appointment date, submit the necessary documents and complete the biometric procedures. Applicants who have uploaded the necessary documents to the system during the online application process for the UK business visa must only submit their passport and complete the biometric procedures at the visa appointment held at the visa application center.

For UK business visa applications to be made with rsscanadaimmigration.com consultancy, firstly the applicant’s personal conditions and visa documents are examined by expert country consultants and if found appropriate, the application process is initiated with document upload and visa appointment procedures.

How Much Does a UK Business Visa Cost?

The UK business visa fee is set at 100 British pounds. The UK business visa fee must be paid using a credit card at the time of online application.

The UK business visa fee varies depending on the duration of the visa applied for and the UK business visa fees are determined as 376 British pounds for visa applications with a validity period of 2 years, 670 British pounds for visa applications with a validity period of 5 years and 837 British pounds for visa applications with a validity period of 10 years.

UK business visa application costs for 2022 amount to an average of 210 euros in total, including visa fees, reservations, petition writing, sworn translation, travel health insurance, online document uploading and consultancy services.

How Many Days Does It Take to Get a UK Work Visa?

A UK work visa is issued within an average of 3 weeks after the procedures required for the visa appointment are completed. The UK Visas and Immigration Agency has announced that the assessment process for UK work visa applications will temporarily take an average of 6 weeks from April 2022.

How Long Can You Stay in the UK with a Business Visit Visa?

A business visitor visa allows you to stay in the UK for a maximum of 180 days. In UK business visitor visa applications, people must state that their reasons for travel are for a short-term visit. A UK business visitor visa is usually issued for a period of 1 to 3 weeks.

Can a UK Business Visa Be Extended?

UK business visas can be extended. UK business visas can be extended up to a maximum of 6 months. People who want to extend their UK business visas must apply online and provide their biometric information again while they are still in the UK.

Can I Get an Express Business Visa for the UK?

An express business visa for the UK can be obtained by selecting it from the relevant visa application centre during the online application process.

The express business visa service for the UK can be obtained for a specified fee, and thus the person’s visa application is examined as a priority at every stage of the evaluation. In the event that the visa applications of those who have benefited from the express business visa service for the UK are rejected or the evaluation process of the applications takes longer than expected, the fee paid for the UK express visa service will not be refunded to the person.

Using the express business visa service for the UK does not mean that applicants will receive visa approval. Applications made using the express business visa service for the UK are intended to be finalized within an average of 5 days after the completion of biometric procedures.

How to Apply for a VIP Visa for a UK Business Visit?

VIP visa application for UK business visit is made by receiving premium lounge service during the visa appointment.

People who apply for a VIP visa for a business visit to the UK can benefit from various privileges during the application process, but whether or not people receive VIP services does not affect the outcome of the visa application.

UK business visa applicants can apply for a UK VIP visa at the visa application centre in Istanbul, for a fee of 1,410 Turkish liras to be paid for VIP services.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most frequently asked questions to rsscanadaimmigration.com experts regarding UK business visa procedures and the rights granted to business visa holders are answered below.

How Many Years of Visa Can I Get for Regular Business Travel to the UK?

Long-term visas with validity periods of between 2 and 10 years can be obtained for regular business trips to the UK.

Business visa types obtained for regular business trips to the UK are issued as multiple entries and allow individuals to stay for 6 months for each entry to the UK. Individuals who will apply for long-term visa types for regular business trips to the UK must choose the validity period of the visa they want to apply for and then pay the required fee for this visa type.

Can I Work in the UK with a UK Business Visa?

No, you cannot work in the UK with a UK business visa. A UK business visa is only issued for visits to the UK and does not entitle the holder to work in a paid job in the UK.

Can I Start a Business in the UK with a UK Business Visa?

No, a business cannot be established in the UK with a UK business visa. With a UK business visa, you can go to the UK for purposes such as conducting business activities in the country or representing your affiliated company in the UK. People who want to establish a business in the UK must apply for a UK business establishment visa depending on the nature of their business and the applicant’s special conditions.

Can I Look for Work in the UK with a UK Business Visa?

You can look for work in the UK with a UK business visa.

People who have traveled to the UK with a UK business visa have the right to seek employment and hold job interviews in the country. The UK business visa is also called the UK job seeker visa.

Is the Ankara Agreement Granting UK Turkish Businessman Visa?

No, the Ankara Agreement does not grant a UK Turkish business visa.

After the Brexit process, the application process for the Ankara Agreement UK Turkish business visa has been stopped. Only children under the age of 21 of people who are in the UK with a UK Turkish business visa can apply to travel to the UK with this type of visa to the visa holder.

How Long Is a UK Trade Representative Visa Granted For?

The UK commercial representative visa is issued for a period of 3 years.

The UK representative visa period can be extended for an additional 2 years in addition to the validity period of the visa. UK representative visa holders who have lived in the UK continuously for 5 years are entitled to apply to settle permanently in the country.