Permit free employment (INF 14)

Guidance - Permit free employment (INF 14)
Last updated 16 July 2008

This guidance explains what you will need to do if you want to come to the United Kingdom (UK) to work in permit-free employment, and what the Immigration Rules say. It is only a guide but it aims to answer some common questions.

What is permit-free employment?
Permit-free employment means some types of work that you do not need a work permit for, such as:

  • minister of religion, missionary or member of a religious order
  • sole representative of an overseas company in the UK
  • representatives of overseas newspapers, news agencies and broadcasting organisations
  • airport-based operational ground staff of overseas-owned airlines
  • teachers and language assistants coming to the UK under approved exchange schemes
  • seasonal agricultural workers
  • overseas government employees
  • science and engineering graduates, and
  • dependants of any of these workers.

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What requirements do I have to meet?
The requirements are different for each of these types of employment. The main requirements are as follows.

Minister of religion: you must have been working for at least one year in the last five years as a minister of religion or, where ordination is the only way in your religious faith to enter the ministry, you must have been ordained as a minister of religion for at least one year's full-time or two years' part-time training for the ministry.

If English is not your first language, or you have not been educated in an English-speaking country, you must provide an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) certificate, not more than two years old, to show you have achieved at least level 6 competence in spoken and written English. You can find a list of worldwide test centres on the IELTS website.

Missionary: you must have been trained or worked as a missionary and been sent to the UK by an overseas organisation.

Member of a religious order: you must be coming to the UK to live in a community funded by the religious order of which you are a member. If you intend to teach, you can only do so at an establishment funded by your religious order.

You must also:

  • intend to work full-time as a minister of religion, missionary or for the religious order of which you are a member
  • not intend to take employment except within the terms described in this section, and
  • be able to support yourself and any dependants, and live without needing help from public funds.

When you apply for your visa you should also produce the following evidence.

  • A letter from your employer in the UK giving details of your expected duties and the salary you will be paid.
  • A contract of employment, if you have one.
  • Evidence of any qualifications you have for the work you will be doing and details of your past experience.
  • If you want to enter the UK as a minister of religion, an International English Language Testing System certificate (level 6 or above).

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Sole representative of an overseas firm in the UK
You must:

  • have been employed outside the UK as a representative of a firm that has its headquarters and carries out most of its business outside the UK, and which has no branch, subsidiary or other representative in the UK
  • be applying for entry to the UK as a senior employee with full authority to take decisions on behalf of the overseas firm so that you can represent it in the UK by setting up and operating a registered branch or wholly-owned subsidiary of that overseas firm
  • intend to be employed full-time as a representative of that overseas firm
  • not be a majority shareholder in that overseas firm
  • not intend to take employment except as described in this section, and
  • be able to support yourself and any dependants, and live without needing help from public funds.

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Representatives of overseas newspapers, news agencies and broadcasting organisations
You must:

  • have been employed by your organisation outside the UK and your posting to the UK must be a long-term assignment as their representative
  • intend to work full-time as a representative of that overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation
  • not intend to take employment except as described in this section, and
  • be able to support yourself and any dependants, and live without needing help from public funds.
This category includes correspondents who work for overseas magazines and periodicals mainly concerned with news reporting, as well as reporters working for overseas broadcasting organisations.

Administrative or support staff (such as secretaries) need a work permit. Correspondents visiting the UK for short-term assignments (for six months or less) will be considered as business visitors.
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Airport-based operational ground staff of overseas-owned airlines
You must:

  • have been transferred to the UK by an overseas-owned airline, which operates services to and from the UK, to work at an international airport as a station manager, security manager or technical manager
  • intend to work full-time for the airline
  • not intend to take employment except as described in this section, and
  • be able to support yourself and any dependants, without needing help from public funds

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How long can I stay in the UK as a postgraduate?

Doctors and dentists
At first we will give you permission to stay in the UK for up to 26 months. If you have already completed one year of a Foundation Programme, we will give you permission to stay for 14 months to complete it. We can extend your permission to stay as a postgraduate doctor or dentist for up to three years in total.

Teachers and language assistants coming to the UK under approved exchange schemes

You must:

  • be coming to an educational establishment in the UK under an exchange scheme approved by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), the Scottish or Welsh Office of Education or the Department of Education, Northern Ireland, or administered by the British Council's Education and Training Group or the League for the Exchange of Commonwealth Teachers
  • intend to leave the UK at the end of your exchange period
  • not intend to take employment except as described in this section, and
  • be able to support yourself and any dependants, and live without needing any help from public funds.

The sponsoring organisation (who arranges the exchange) will normally issue teachers with a numbered 'certificate of appointment'. This contains their personal details, and details of where and for how long they will be working.

You should show your certificate of appointment to the Entry Clearance Officer when you make your application.

Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS)

The total number of seasonal workers recruited each year is restricted. To qualify for entry to the UK as a seasonal worker at an agricultural camp, you must:

  • be a student in full-time higher education abroad (however there is no provision for PhD students to participate in SAWS) and aged 18 or over
  • have a valid Home Office work card issued by the operator of an approved scheme
  • intend to leave the UK at the end of your stay as a seasonal worker
  • not intend to take employment except as described in this section, and
  • be able to support yourself and live without needing help from public funds.

There is no limit to the number of times you can take part in the scheme, as long as you still meet the necessary requirements, and it is at least three months since your last stay in the UK.

We will not allow you to switch into seasonal agricultural work after you come to the UK.

Overseas government employees

You must:

  • provide a letter confirming you are an overseas government employee
  • intend to work full-time for the government or organisation concerned
  • not intend to take employment except as described in this section, and
  • be able to support yourself and any dependants, without needing help from public funds.

An overseas government employee is someone employed by an overseas government or by the United Nations organisation or other international organisation of which the UK is a member.

Staff posted to a business in the UK owned by an overseas government (such as a state-owned shipping company) do not qualify under this section and they must get a work permit.

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Can my dependants join me in the UK?
If you come to the UK under any of these categories, except as a seasonal agricultural worker, your husband, wife, civil partner or eligible partner and children under 18 can join you as your dependants if:

  • they have a visa for this purpose, and
  • you can support them without needing any help from public funds.

If you are already in the UK you should give your dependants copies of the pages of your passport containing your entry stamp and personal details. They will need to show these to the Entry Clearance Officer when they make their application.
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Do I need a visa?
Yes. You need to get a visa before you travel to the UK, unless you are a non-visa national and are coming to the UK as:

  • a doctor to take the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) test
  • a seasonal agricultural worker, or
  • an overseas government employee.

Since 13 November 2005 all non-European Union and non-European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals who want to stay for longer than six months need an entry clearance. You can get more information about this from this website or from your nearest visa application centre.

If you do not need an entry clearance, you will have to satisfy the Immigration Officer that you qualify for entry when you arrive in the UK. If you do so, the Immigration Officer can give you permission to stay in the UK for six months. If you are a non-visa national and are planning to enter the UK under any of the above categories and stay for more than six months you should get entry clearance before you travel.

To extend your stay, you will need to apply for a residence permit at the UK Border Agency. Their contact details are under 'More advice and information' at the end of this guidance. A non refundable fee will be charged for any extension application.
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What is a visa?
A visa is a certificate that is put into your passport or travel document by an Entry Clearance Officer at a British mission overseas. The visa gives you permission to enter the UK.

If you have a valid UK visa we will not normally refuse you entry to the UK unless your circumstances have changed, or you gave false information or did not tell us important facts when you applied for your visa.

When you arrive in the UK, an Immigration Officer may ask you questions, so take all relevant documents in your hand luggage.
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How do I apply for a visa?
You can apply in a number of ways, for example by post, by courier, in person and online. You must apply for your visa in the country of which you are a national or where you legally live. The visa section in the country where you make your application will tell you about the ways in which you can apply.

Some visa sections will only accept applications made online. To find out if you can apply for your visa online please visit www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk

If you cannot apply online you will need to print and fill in a visa application form VAF2 – Employment. You can get the form from free of charge from your nearest visa application centre.

In some countries, if you are applying for a visa to stay in the UK for more than six months, you may need to be tested for active tuberculosis before we will accept your application. You can find out if you need to be tested by using our Do I need a visa? questionnaire on the homepage of this website, or by contacting your nearest visa application centre.
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What are visa application centres?
In some countries, we are working with commercial companies to run visa application centres (VACs). The VACs are in largely populated areas, making it easier and more convenient for people to apply for a UK visa. Trained staff at each VAC deal with all visa enquiries and applications. They collect your biometric information (see the relevant section of this leaflet) along with the relevant fees, and provide unbiased, face-to-face advice on the application process, including whether or not you have included all the necessary documents. Entry clearance staff at the British mission will then consider your application and decide whether to issue or refuse your visa. VAC staff have no say in this decision.
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What will I need to make my application?
You will need to make your application online or fill in the following visa application form: 

   Application form VAF2 - Employment
  Employment form guidance notes

You will also need the following:

  • Your passport or travel document.
  • A recent passport-sized (45mm x 35mm) colour photograph of yourself.
    This should be:
    • taken against a light-coloured background
    • clear and of good quality, and not framed or backed
    • printed on normal photographic paper, and
    • full face and without sunglasses, hat or other head covering unless you wear this for cultural or religious reasons (but the face must not be covered).
  • The visa fee. This cannot be refunded, and you must normally pay it in the local currency of the country where you are applying.

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What is 'biometric' information?
All UK visa applicants, save for those benefiting from a limited number of exemptions and exceptions, are required to provide biometric data (10-digit finger scans and a digital photograph) as part of the application process.

You will have to go to your nearest visa application centre in person to provide your biometrics. In those countries where there is no visa application centre, you will need to go to the British mission.

Your visa application will not be processed until you have provided the necessary biometric information. The finger scans are electronic so staff do not need to use any ink, liquid or chemicals. You will have your digital photograph taken at the same time and the whole procedure should take no more than five minutes to complete. You should make sure that you do not have any decoration (such as henna), or any cuts or other markings on your fingertips before having your finger scans. You should also make sure that if you have any cuts and bruises on your face, they have healed or disappeared before you have your photograph taken. Digital photographs must be of your full face and you should not wear sunglasses, a hat or any other head covering (unless you wear it for cultural or religious reasons but the face must not be covered).
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What supporting documents should I include?
You should include all the documents you can for the type of application you are making (as set out in this guidance), to show that you qualify for entry to the UK.

We will refuse your application if we find that any documents are false.
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What will happen when I make my application?
The Entry Clearance Officer will try to make a decision using your application form and the supporting documents you have provided. If this is not possible, they will need to interview you.

Please check your visa when you get it. You should make sure that:

  • your personal details are correct
  • it correctly states the purpose for which you want to come to the UK, and
  • it is valid for the date on which you want to travel. (You can ask for it to be post-dated for up to three months if you do not plan to travel immediately).

If you think there is anything wrong with your visa, contact the visa section immediately.
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What are public funds?
Under the Immigration Rules, if you want to travel to the UK you must be able to support yourself and live without claiming certain benefits. A full list of public funds is available on the UK Border Agency website.

You are not allowed to enter the UK or stay as a visitor in the UK to receive medical treatment on the National Health Service (NHS). Information on how you can enter the UK to have private medical treatment is in our Visitors (INF 2) guidance.

You can find more information about public funds in the Immigration Directorate Instructions (IDIs) and Immigration Rules on the UK Border Agency  website.

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More advice and information
For more information about registering as a doctor in the UK, please contact:

General Medical Council
Overseas Registration Division
178 Great Portland Street
London W1W 5JE

For information about registering as a dentist, please contact:

General Dental Council
37 Wimpole Street
London W1M 8DQ

For general advice on dental education after you graduate, please contact:

National Advice Centre for Postgraduate Dental Education (NACPDE)
Faculty of Dental surgery
Royal College of Surgeons of England
35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields
London WC2A 3PE
Telephone: (+44) (0)20 7869 6804
Email: nacpde@rcseng.ac.uk

The UK Border Agency
For more advice and information about extending your stay once you are in the UK:

The UK Border Agency
Croydon Public Caller Unit
Lunar House
40 Wellesley Road
Croydon CR9 2BY
Phone: (+44) (0)870 606 7766 (general enquiries)
Phone: (+44) (0)870 241 0645 (application forms)
Email: indpublicenquiries@ind.homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Website: www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk

UK Border Agency, Visa Services Directorate
London SW1A 2AH

Immigration Advisory Service (IAS)
The Immigration Advisory Service is the UK's largest charity providing advice and representation in asylum, immigration and nationality law. It has offices right across the UK and abroad. It provides a free service to those who are eligible. It may also be able to help those who are not eligible. The IAS is a non-profit service.

Immigration Advisory Service
3rd Floor, County House
190 Great Dover Street
London SE1 4YB
Phone: (+44) (0)20 7967 1200
Phone: (+44) (0)20 8814 1559 (duty office open 24 hours a day)
Fax: (+44) (0)20 7403 5875
Email:advice@iasuk.org
Website: www.iasuk.org

Information about immigration advisers
If you or your sponsor feels that you have had poor advice from, or have been overcharged by, an immigration adviser in England or Wales contact the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC).

Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner
5th Floor, Counting House
53 Tooley Street
London
SE1 2QN
Phone: (+44) (0)20 7211 1500
Fax: (+44) (0)20 7211 1553
Email: OISC email enquiries
Website: www.oisc.gov.uk

or

The Law Society - International Division
Victoria Court
8 Dormer Place
Royal Leamington Spa
Warwickshire CV32 5AE
Phone: (+44) (0)845 608 6565
Email: enquiries@lawsociety.org.uk
Website: www.lawsociety.org.uk

If you have a complaint about a practising solicitor in Scotland, contact:

The Law Society of Scotland
Client Relations Office
26 Drumsheugh Gardens
Edinburgh EH3 7YR
Phone: (+44) (0)845 113 0018
Email: cro@lawscot.org.uk
Website: www.lawscot.org.uk

If you have a complaint about a practising solicitor in Northern Ireland, contact:

The Law Society of Northern Ireland
Law Society House
98 Victoria Street
Belfast BT1 3JZ
Tel: (+44) (0)28 9023 1614
Email:info@lawsoc-ni.org
Website: www.lawsoc-ni.org

If you think the advice you or your sponsor were given from any other organisation was poor, incompetent or too expensive, you should complain to that organisation.

For a list of advisers write to:

Immigration Law Practitioners' Association
Lindsey House
40-42 Charterhouse Street
London EC1M 6JN
Phone: (+44) (0)20 7251 8383
Email:info@ilpa.org.uk
Website: www.ilpa.org.uk

Revenue and Customs
For advice on bringing personal belongings and goods into the UK contact:

HM Revenue & Customs
Dorset House
Stamford Street
London SE1 9PY
Phone: (+44) (0)845 010 9000
Website: www.hmrc.gov.uk

Drugs warning
Anyone found smuggling drugs into the UK will face serious penalties. Drug traffickers may try to bribe travellers. If you are travelling to the UK, avoid any involvement with drugs.

False documents
It is better to explain why you do not have a document than to submit a false document with an application. Applicants will be automatically refused and may be banned from coming to the UK for 10 years if they use a false document, lie or withhold relevant information.  They may also be banned if they have breached immigration laws in the UK.

Travellers to the UK who produce a false travel document or passport to the UK immigration authorities for themselves and/or their children are committing an offence. People found guilty of this offence face up to two years in prison or a fine (or both).

Alternative formats
In the UK we also have versions of our guidance notes in Braille, on audio tape and in large print. If you would like any guidance notes in one of these formats, please contact us:

UK Border Agency, Visa Services Directorate
London SW1A 2AH

Further information

 

The official British Government website for visa services

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