From January 31st, the “Visitor” status will allow more activities, and this is a mini revolution in the world of immigration! Generally, the “visitor” status (or tourist/business) is restricted to very specific occupations: tourist visits, business meetings, meetings with local partners/colleagues/clients, etc… and does not allow work at all. This remains a basis for the majority of countries in the world – here’s a look at what the UK will now change and allow.
Visa waiver
A little reminder here about the notion of visa-waiver agreement: essential in immigration, it relates to the possibility for certain citizens to enter the territory of certain countries for a certain period of time, depending on the diplomatic and bilateral agreements between the said countries.
For example, a French citizen will be able to travel to Brazil for 90 days without having to obtain a visa first, simply by showing their valid French passport upon arrival on Brazilian territory. The same goes for the Brazilian citizen.
When there is no visa waiver agreement between two countries, then a visa must be obtained from the Consulate of the country concerned, before entering the country.
The coveted visa remains the same: the way to obtain it is changed. For French citizens travelling to the UK, there is a visa waiver: no requirement to carry out any prior procedures. For an Indian citizen, on the other hand, the Visitor visa will need to be obtained from the UK Consulate prior to travel.
The UK Visitor Visa
The UK Visitor visa is made for people “wishing to visit the UK for a temporary period, with activities such as tourism, visiting friends or family, having business activities ( = negotiating and signing contracts, visiting manufacturing sites; participate in seminars or business events) or follow a short training course“. It is generally issued for 6 months and does not allow its holder to receive any remuneration locally.
What will change from January 31, 2024
On 31 January, the PPE (Permitted Paid Engagements) visa will be integrated into the Visitor visa, thus broadening its range of authorised activities, particularly professional activities.
The usual activities described above will continue, and you will also be able to:
- Work for a month if you are invited as an expert by the British company (which the EPP allowed). Be careful, however, that this agreement must be sealed before arrival in the UK and must be formalized by an invitation from the British company. It must not exceed 30 days, and the applicant must be at least 18 years old.
- Deliver a conference will be allowed as a Permitted-Paid Engagement, which was not the case for for-profit events.
- In the case of an intra-company collaboration (from one company to another, within the same group), the following activities will be allowed to carry out a crucial joint project: advice and consultation; troubleshooting; formation; sharing of skills and knowledge. Please note that this should only be a small part of the responsibilities of the person concerned, and the project should not be directly provided to the UK company by the overseas employer.
- Lawyers will be able to provide their services more broadly (legal advice, acting as expert witnesses, participating in proceedings, teaching) without it being confined to an international transaction;
- Scientists, academics and researchers will be allowed to work on a specific project in which they are experts without having to prove that they are on sabbatical leave at their home institution.
- People wishing to work remotely (i.e. from the UK for their company) will be allowed to do so. Be careful, this does not have to be the main activity: if a person wants to work full-time from the UK, a work permit must be obtained. This is not a digital or nomad visa!
Implemented with the aim of attracting more tourists/business visitors to the UK, these changes could continue in 2024. Oui Immigration will keep you informed!
For more information on the UK Visitor Visa or any immigration topic: oui@oui-immigration.com
