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Permit free employment (INF 14)

Guidance - Permit free employment (INF 14)
Last updated 06 March 2009

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 (or a Certificate of Sponsorship under the Points Based System), such as:

  • sole representative of an overseas company in the UK
  • representatives of overseas newspapers, news agencies and broadcasting organisations (temporarily reintroduced February 2009) and
  • dependants of any of these workers.

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In order to work as a 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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In order to work as a Representative of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation
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 skilled worker category has been temporarily re-introduced (following the route’s closure on 27 November 2008) to make provision for the small number of representatives of overseas media who will not qualify under Tier 2 (Intra-Company Transfers) of the Points Based System. Therefore, if you do not have a sponsor based in the United Kingdom, you should apply under this category. However, if you do have a sponsor based in the UK you may choose to apply under this category or under Tier 2 of the Points Based System (see INF 26).

Whilst 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) will need to apply under the Points Based System. Correspondents visiting the UK for short-term assignments (for six months or less) should apply for entry as business visitors (see INF 2).
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Can my dependants join me in the UK?
If you come to the UK under any of these categories, 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, 
  • if they are your spouse/civil partner, they intend to live with you during your stay and your marriage/civil partnership is subsisting,
  • if they are your child under 18, they have not formed an independent family unit and they are not leading an independent life,  
  • you can adequately accommodate and 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 (and your dependants) will need to get a visa before you travel to the UK.  
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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.

If you want 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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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 information 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

Where can I get immigration advice?

If you need help with your application or advice about the UK’s immigration rules and requirements, you should seek advice from a qualified immigration adviser.  In the UK these are immigration advisers regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC– www.oisc.gov.uk) or legally qualified professionals regulated by designated professional bodies.  The Law Societies of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and the Insititute of Legal Executives can provide a list of Law Firms who can advise on immigration matters.  Their websites are:

Law Society of England and Wales

Law Society of Scotland

Law Society of Northern Ireland

Institute of Legal Executives

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.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

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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