Temporary Visas for Charity Workers

Temporary Worker - Charity Worker Visa (Tier 5)  

You can apply for a Tier 5 (Temporary Worker - Charity Worker) visa if:  

Sponsorship 

You must have a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed employer before you can apply to come to the UK to work. 

The work you do in the UK must relate to the work of your sponsor organisation. 

How long it will take 

The earliest you can apply for a visa is 3 months before the date you are due to start work. This date is on your certificate of sponsorship. 

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  

How much you pay for a visa depends on who you are applying for. 

Who you are applying for - You 

Fee - £244 

Who you are applying for - If you’re a citizen of Turkey or Macedonia 

Fee - £189 

Who you are applying for - All dependants 

Fee - £244 each 

Healthcare Surcharge 

You will also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. Check how much you will have to pay before you apply. 

If you are applying to extend in the UK   

You will need to pay £19.20 to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken. 

Get a faster decision on your application

If you are applying to extend or switch in the UK you can pay an extra £500 for the priority service to get a decision within 5 working days.

You can pay an extra £800 for the super priority service to get a decision:

Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.

How long you can stay

You can stay for up to 12 months or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 28 days, whichever is shorter.

You can enter the UK up to 14 days before the start date of your job.

What you can and cannot do 

You can: 

You cannot: 

  • receive any payment for work 

  • take a permanent job 

  • get public funds 

See Also:  

For Further Information on Temporary Visas for Charity Workers can be found on GOV.UK.