Business Visit

About the visa

The Business Visitor route (within the UK Standard Visitor rules, Appendix V) allows overseas professionals to come to the UK for short, specific business activities for up to 6 months per visit. You must remain employed and paid by your overseas employer throughout.

This route covers a wide range of business-related activities under PA 4–PA 8, but does not permit employment by a UK company, providing goods or services directly to the UK public, or filling a role within a UK organisation.

Eligibility & key rules

You must satisfy the genuine visitor test and demonstrate:

• A genuine, temporary business purpose
• Sufficient funds for the visit without working in the UK
• You will leave the UK at the end of the visit
• Ongoing overseas employment — you must remain paid and employed outside the UK

Permitted activities

Under PA 4–PA 8, business visitors may:

• General business: Attend meetings, conferences, seminars and interviews; deliver non-commercial talks; negotiate and sign contracts; attend trade fairs (promotional materials only, no direct sales); conduct site visits; gather employment information; receive client briefings; carry out remote work incidental to the visit
• Intra-corporate activities: Advise, troubleshoot, train and share knowledge with UK corporate group members on specific projects; work with UK clients where activity is incidental to overseas employment
• Internal audits: Conduct regulatory or financial audits at UK branches within the corporate group
• Manufacture & supply: Install, repair, service or advise on machinery, equipment or software under contract with a UK company
• UK export clients: Oversee delivery of goods or services as an overseas client seconded to a UK export company

What you can and cannot do

Fees, documents & process

Costs

• Standard (up to 6 months): £127
• 2-year long-term visa: £475
• 5-year long-term visa: £848
• 10-year long-term visa: £1,059
• No Immigration Health Surcharge for visitor visas

Required documents

• Valid passport or travel document
• Letter from overseas employer confirming role, salary and business purpose of travel
• Invitation letter from UK business detailing purpose, dates, activities and locations
• Evidence of funds (personal or employer-sponsored) and accommodation
• Company records relevant to the visit (contracts, meeting agendas, training outlines)

Processing

• Apply online at least 3 months before travel
• Attend a visa application centre for biometrics
• Decision usually within 3 weeks

Common refusal reasons

• Vague employer/host letters that do not clearly explain the business purpose
• Activities that suggest work requiring a different visa route (e.g. delivering services to UK clients)
• Insufficient evidence of ongoing overseas employment or ties to home country
• Funds or itinerary not credible for the stated business visit