Representative of an Overseas Business Visa

The Representative of an Overseas Business visa is a visa for employees of overseas newspapers, news agencies or broadcasting organisations who are being posted by their employer on long-term assignments to the UK.

If you are applying as a representative of an overseas business that has not yet started trading in the UK, and you are coming to the UK to set up its first branch or subsidiary, you should instead apply for a UK Expansion Worker visa.

In this guide, we explain what the visa is, who is eligible and how to apply. We also look at options to extend your stay, or to apply to settle in the Uk after five years under this visa.

 

Section A: What is the Representative of an Overseas Business visa?

 

With a Representative of an Overseas Business visa – sometimes referred to the Representative of an Overseas Newspaper, News Agency or Broadcasting Organisation visa —allows you to come to the UK to work in the media on long-term assignment. You will be able to stay in the UK for an initial period of 3 years, although you may be able to extend your visa for another 2 years.

Under this visa, you will not be permitted to work for any other business or for yourself. You will also not be allowed to claim state benefits or public funds while you are in the UK.

The visa is limited to use in certain media roles. You must be an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation and you must be being posted on a long-term assignment to the UK.

 

Section B: Representative of an Overseas Business Visa Requirements

 

A person applying as a Representative of an Overseas Business must either be a Media Representative or applying for an extension or settlement as a Sole Representative.

A Media Representative is an employee of an overseas media organisation posted to the UK on long-term assignment, while a Sole Representative is a senior employee of an overseas business who has been assigned to the UK for the purpose of establishing a new branch or subsidiary.

To be eligible for entry clearance on the Representative of an Overseas Business visa route, you must be coming to the UK as an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation on a long-term assignment. This is because initial applications can no longer be made as a Sole Representative on the Representative of an Overseas Business route, although a Sole Representative can apply to extend their stay in the UK.

If you are already in the UK, you can apply to switch to this visa if you are an employee of an overseas media organisation, including newspapers or broadcasters, and working on a long-term assignment in the UK. You can also apply to switch into this visa category if you are currently in the UK on a Student visa and you have completed the course you were sponsored to study or have completed at least 24 months of a PhD.

You cannot switch to this visa if you are a Sole Representative of an overseas business, although you will be eligible to apply to stay in the UK as a Sole Representative who already has, or was last granted, permission in this capacity. In this context, you must continue to be a senior employee of an overseas business assigned to the UK to establish and supervise a branch or subsidiary which will actively trade in the same type of business.

To be eligible for a Representative of an Overseas Business visa, you must be aged 18 or over and coming to the UK as an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation on a long-term assignment. You must also have enough money to support yourself without help from UK public funds and meet an English requirement.

Under the rules, these requirements can be broken down into:

 

a. the work requirement

b. the genuineness requirement

c. the financial requirement

c. the English language requirement.

 

1. Work requirement

 

Under the work requirement, the overseas business or media organisation that you represent must be active and trading outside of the UK, with its headquarters and principal place of business remaining overseas. Additionally, you must have been recruited and taken on as an employee outside of the UK by the business that you will be representing.

You must intend to work full-time as the representative of this business in the UK, and must not intend to undertake work for any other business or to engage in a business of your own.

 

2. Genuineness requirement

 

Under the genuineness requirement, the Home Office must be satisfied that you are a genuine representative of an overseas business. This essentially means that the Home Office caseworker deciding your application must not have reasonable grounds to believe that the business is being established in the UK by the overseas business or media organisation — or that you have been appointed as a representative of that business — mainly so that you can apply for entry clearance or permission to stay in the UK on this visa route.

 

3. English language requirement

 

Under the English language requirement, you will need to demonstrate an English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages in speaking and listening of at least level A1. You can prove your knowledge of English by:

 

a. having an academic qualification taught in English and recognised as being equivalent to a UK bachelor’s or postgraduate degree, or

b. passing an approved English language test to the required standard.

 

However, you will not be required to prove your knowledge of English if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country, such as Australia or the USA.

 

4. Financial requirement

 

Under the financial requirement, you must be able to show that you can adequately maintain and accommodate yourself, and any dependants, without access to public funds.

 

Section C: How to apply for a Representative of an Overseas Business visa

 

To apply for a Representative of an Overseas Business visa, you will need to file an online application on the Home Office website. You will also need to prove your identity and submit a number of documents in support, including a current passport or another type of travel document.

As part of the application process, in addition to proving your identity and providing supporting documentation, you may need to schedule an appointment to enrol your biometric information. This will include a scan of your fingerprints and a digitised photo of your face. You will be told if you need to schedule an appointment when you apply. If you are applying from outside the UK, you will need to make an appointment at an overseas visa application centre. If you are applying from the UK, your appointment will take place at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point.

 

1. Required Documents

 

To support your application, you will need to provide:

 

a. a full description of your employer’s activities, including details of any assets and accounts

b. confirmation that you will be representing that company or organisation in the UK in a long-term and full-time role

c. proof that you meet the English language requirement to the requited standard

d. evidence that you can support yourself and any dependants during your stay, for example, payslips or bank statements for the last 6 months

e. details of where you will be staying during your stay, if applying from overseas

f. your tuberculosis test results, if you are from a country where you have to take the test.

 

You may also need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.

 

2. Visa Costs

 

The cost to apply for a Representative of an Overseas Business visa will depend on whether you are applying from overseas or to switch from a different visa category from within the UK. If you apply from outside the UK, the fee is £719. If you apply from inside the UK, the fee is £827.

You will also need to pay the immigration healthcare surcharge as part of your application to allow you to access the UK’s National Health System.

 

Read our full guide to the Immigration Healthcare Surcharge here >> 

 

3. Application Processing

 

You should get a decision on your Representative of an Overseas Business visa within 3 weeks if you are applying from outside the UK, or within 8 weeks if you are applying from inside the UK. You can stay in the UK until you have been given a decision on your visa application, provided you apply for this visa before your last visa expires.

 

You can read more about UK visa application processing times here >> 

 

Section D: Dependants

 

It is possible for a partner and dependent children to apply on the Representative of an Overseas Business route to accompany or join you in the UK. If your partner or child’s application is successful, their visa will usually end on the same date as yours.

To be eligible for a dependant visa on this route, a partner or dependent child must meet a qualifying relationship requirement and a financial requirement. However, if you are in the UK as a Sole Representative, your partner cannot be in the UK as a dependant if either they own and/or control a majority of the overseas business you are representing.

If you are applying to switch to the Representative of an Overseas Business visa, your partner or child’s existing visa will not automatically switch to this visa. If they do not apply to switch their visa, it will be valid until its specified end date, where they can either apply at the same time as you or at any time before their existing visa expires.

 

Section E: Extending a Representative of an Overseas Business Visa

 

The initial grant of leave under a Representative of an Overseas Business visa will be for up to 3 years, although you may be able to extend your visa for up to 2 years, so long as you apply prior to expiry of your existing visa and continue to meet the relevant requirements. This means that you must still be working for the same employer as when you were issued your last visa and your employer’s principal place of business must still be outside the UK.

If you are applying to extend your stay as a Representative of an Overseas Business route, you must be able to show that you:

 

a. have established and registered the new branch or subsidiary of the overseas business that you were sent to the UK to represent

b. are engaged in full-time employment and responsible for supervising the new branch or wholly-owned subsidiary that you have established in the UK

c are required by your employer to continue in your UK-based role

d. do not have a majority stake in, or otherwise own and/or control a majority of the overseas business that you represent.

In either scenario, you must be in the UK to extend your visa. You will also need detailed documentation in support to show that the extension requirements have been met. You will also be liable to pay the healthcare surcharge for the duration of your extended period of leave.

 

Section F: Representative of an Overseas Business Visa to ILR

 

The Representative of an Overseas Business visa is a route to UK settlement. This means that after you have lived in the UK for a period 5 years in a row, you may be able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK.

To be eligible to apply for ILR on this route, you must have an ongoing job with the same company. You must also satisfy a more advanced English language requirement to at least least CEFR level B1, as well as a knowledge of life in the UK requirement. This may mean taking an additional English language test. You will also need to take a Life in the UK test.

 

Read our comprehensive guide to applying for UK ILR here >> 

 

Section G: Summary

 

The UK Overseas Representative of a Business visa is highly specific in being open only to certain employees working in the media. To avoid issues or delays with your application, take professional advice to ensure your submission is comprehensive and evidences that the requirements are met.

 

Section H: Need Assistance?

 

As UK immigration specialists, DavidsonMorris provides expert guidance and advice on UK visa applications, including the Overseas Representative of a Business visa. If you have any specific queries about this route, such as the eligibility criteria or the supporting documents you’ll need to submit, contact us.

 

Section I: FAQs

 

What is Representative of an Overseas Business visa?

A Representative of an Overseas Business visa is the permission from the UK Home Office needed by an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation who is coming to the UK on a long-term assignment.

 

How long does it take to get a UK Representative of an Overseas Business visa?

If you apply from outside the UK for, you should get a decision on your Representative of an Overseas Business visa within 3 weeks, while an application made to switch from in the UK could take up to 8 weeks.

 

Can I bring my family to the UK with this visa?

Your spouse or partner and dependent children under the age of 18 can apply to join you as dependants on this visa.

 

How long can I stay in the UK on this visa?

The visa is initially granted for three years. You can apply to extend it for an additional two years, making it possible to stay in the UK for up to five years.

 

What happens after five years?

After five years in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), which allows you to stay in the UK without time restrictions.

 

Are there any restrictions on my activities in the UK?

You can only work for the overseas newspaper, news agency, or broadcasting organisation that sent you to the UK. You are not permitted to take on other employment or start a different business.

 

Can I switch to this visa from another visa category within the UK?

You can switch to the Representative of an Overseas Business Visa if you are an employee of an overseas media organisation, such as a newspaper or broadcaster, and you are working on a long-term assignment in the UK. If you are currently in the UK on a Student visa, one of the following conditions must also apply: you have completed the course for which you were sponsored, or you have studied for a PhD for at least 24 months.

 

Section J: Glossary

 

Term	Definition
Representative of an Overseas Business Visa	A visa that allows senior employees of an overseas company to establish a commercial presence in the UK.
Eligibility Criteria	The set of requirements that an applicant must meet to qualify for the visa.
Application Process	The steps and procedures involved in submitting and processing a visa application.
Current Passport	An up-to-date travel document issued by a government, confirming the holder’s identity and nationality.
Valid Travel Identification	Official documents like passports or identity cards that permit travel across borders.
Bank Statements	Financial documents showing transactions and balances over a specific period, used to prove financial stability.
Payslips	Documents provided by employers showing salary payments, used to prove income.
English Requirement	Proof of proficiency in English, often demonstrated through tests like IELTS or TOEFL.
Parent Company	The main company in the applicant’s home country, responsible for sending the representative to the UK.
Assets	Economic resources owned by the parent company, including cash, investments, and property.
Accounts	Financial records of the parent company, detailing income, expenses, and overall financial health.
Confirmation	Official documentation proving the applicant’s role and responsibilities in the UK.
Tuberculosis Test Results	Medical documents showing the results of a tuberculosis test, required from certain countries.
Certified Translation	An official translation of documents into English or Welsh, certified as accurate and complete.
Dependants	Family members who rely on the applicant for financial support, such as spouses and children.
Long-term, Full-time Role	A permanent position requiring the applicant to work in the UK on a full-time basis.
Blank Page in Passport	An empty page in the applicant’s passport required for affixing the visa.

 

Section K: Additional Resources

 

UK Government Official Guidance
https://www.gov.uk/representative-overseas-business
Comprehensive information on eligibility, application process, and required documents

 

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)
https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk
Details on how to contact UKVI for support and inquiries regarding visa applications:

 

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk
General information and news related to working and living in the UK, particularly for media professionals