Business Visitor Visa

The Permitted Paid Engagement route allows established overseas professionals to come to the UK for a short, pre-arranged paid activity without sponsorship. This is suitable for experts such as academics, artists, entertainers, lawyers, and sportspeople who have been formally invited by a UK-based organisation or client.

Key requirements:

• The engagement must be pre-arranged and relevant to your expertise and main job overseas
• You must have a written invitation from a UK-based organisation or client
• The paid engagement must be completed within the first 30 days of arrival, but you can stay in the UK for up to six months
• Typical examples include giving a lecture, performing at an event, or representing a client in legal proceedings.

Note: The PPE visa is not a general work visa and is only for the specific engagement detailed in your invitation.

Artists, entertainers, and musicians invited to perform at a festival included on the UK’s Permit Free Festival List can receive payment for their participation under the Standard Visitor route, without the need for sponsorship or a separate work visa.

Key requirements:

• The festival must be on the official Permit Free Festival List, as set out in the Immigration Rules
• Payment is permitted only for performances at these listed festivals
• This route is designed to facilitate international cultural exchange and support the UK’s vibrant festival scene

Examples of Permit Free Festivals include:

• Glastonbury Festival
• Edinburgh Festival Fringe
• Reading and Leeds Festivals
• Hay Festival
• The Great Escape Festival

A full, regularly updated list is available on the UK government website.