Representative of an Overseas Business Visa
You can apply to come to the UK as a representative of an overseas business if you are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland and you are either:
the sole representative of an overseas company planning to set up a UK branch or a wholly owned subsidiary for an overseas parent company
an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation posted on a long-term assignment to the UK
You must also meet the other eligibility requirements.
How long it will take
The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.
Example
You can apply from 16 March if you plan to travel on 15 June.
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK.
Find out about paying for a faster decision.
Fees
A Representative of an Overseas Business visa costs £610.
An employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation costs £610.
Healthcare Surcharge
You must pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. Check how much you need to pay before you apply.
How long you can stay
You can come to the UK for an initial period of 3 years.
You may be able to extend your visa for another 2 years.
After you have been in the UK for 5 years, you can apply for permission to settle permanently in the UK.
What you can and cannot do
You can:
work for your employer, full time
bring your family (‘dependants’) with you to the UK
extend your visa multiple times
apply to settle in the UK after you’ve been here for 5 years
You cannot:
work for yourself or any other business
stay in the UK if the sole representative arrangement is ended by your employer
switch to this visa from any other visa category
get public funds
See Also:
For Further Information on Overseas Business Representative Visas see GOV.UK.