UK Business Visa From Ghana
Ghanaian citizens who intend to create, expand their business or carry out any other business-related activity in the UK can obtain one of the UK Business visas.
Contact our team of immigration lawyers at Total Law for more information about UK Business visa types, eligibility requirements, application costs or other services we offer. Call us on +44 (0)333 305 9375 or message us online for a quick response.
An Overview Of UK Business Visas For Ghanaians
As a Ghanaian citizen, you will be allowed into the UK to carry out business-related activities, provided you have obtained the appropriate Business visa.
Statistics show that there are over 113,000 Ghanaian residents in the UK. There has been a long-lasting relationship between the UK and Ghana to the extent that some Ghanaian people have English and Scottish ancestry.
Even to this day, many Ghanaian citizens continue to enter the UK for various reasons, such as to study, do business, advance their careers, and more. Besides that, in 2021, the United Kingdom and Ghana signed a Post-Brexit trade agreement to bring both countries closer than they would have been if the UK had remained a member state of the European Union.
UK Business Visa Types Available To Ghanaians
Ghanaian citizens can choose from different types of UK Business visas to carry out business-related activities in the UK. The UK Business visa you need to choose must align with the kind of business activity that brings you to the United Kingdom. Below are the types of UK Business visas Ghanaian citizens can obtain:
Short-Term Business Visa (Business Visitor Visa)
The UK Business Visitor visa is designed for Ghanaian citizens who wish to enter the UK for short-term business-related activities. This visa is under the UK Standard Visitor visa category. You can apply for this visa 3 months before you enter the UK.
When you obtain the Business Visitor visa, you will only be allowed to stay in the UK for 6 months, after which you must return to Ghana. With this visa, Ghanaian citizens can partake in business meetings, arrange deals, sign trade contracts or arrangements, and more.
You cannot engage in paid work with this visa unless a UK organisation will pay you based on permitted paid engagement as a professional in your field. If you intend to do business in the UK regularly, you can obtain a long-term Visitor visa valid for 2 to 10 years allowing you to stay in the country for 6 months per visit.
Eligibility Criteria for UK Business Visitor Visa
Ghanaian citizens must meet the following eligibility criteria to obtain a UK Business VIsitor visa:
- Intend to leave the UK after the expiration of your visa
- Have your Ghanaian international passport
- Have no intention to engage in illegal activities in the UK
- Show you can sponsor yourself or your employer or hosting company will do so
- Prove that your travel is business-related
- Do not intend to make the UK your primary residence via consecutive or repeated visits
The Innovator visa
This visa type is now known as the Innovator Founder visa. Ghanaian entrepreneurs who want to enter the UK to establish a business can obtain this visa. You must create a comprehensive business plan that will be approved by an endorsing body. The business you intend to establish in the UK must be unique, innovative, scalable and viable.
To be issued this visa, you must prove that you contributed significantly to the business idea and that you will help to manage and grow the business. You can stay in the UK for up to 3 years and apply for indefinite leave to remain, provided you meet all the requirements or you can apply to extend the visa for an additional 3 years.
Eligibility Criteria for UK Innovator Visa
Ghanaian citizens applying for the UK Innovator visa must:
- Own a new business
- Possess a viable, innovative and scalable business
- Have no criminal record
- Be 18 years old or above
- Have investment funds up to £50,000
- Have at least £1,270 as savings in your account for a consecutive 28 days
- Not partner with a company that already exists in the UK
- Apply for an Innovator Founder visa within 3 months of obtaining an endorsement letter
- Fulfil the English proficiency requirements
Global Business Mobility Visas
These visas are designed for Ghanaian businesses seeking to transfer their workforce of different capacities to the UK temporarily. These visas can also help Ghanaian businesses expand in the UK.
The Global Business Mobility visas are of 5 types and each of them requires a valid certificate of sponsorship from a UK-based sponsor approved by the Home Office. Note that this scheme does not offer a route to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK.
Below are the types of Global Business Mobility visas:
Senior or Specialist Worker Visa (Intra-Company Transfer)
The Senior or Specialist Worker visa classified under the UK’s point-based immigration system replaced the Intra-Company Transfer visa (previously Long-term Staff visa). This visa allows Ghanaian senior or specialist workers to be transferred to a UK branch or subsidiary of their current employer. This visa is valid for 5 years and is extendable.
The major reason for this visa is to help Ghanaian businesses expand their activities in the UK by permitting the presence of senior or specialist workers to help manage the business development.
Eligibility Criteria to Get Senior or Specialist Worker Visa
As a Ghanaian citizen seeking this visa, you must:
- Work for an organisation certified by the UK Home Office to sponsor you
- Be 18 years old or above
- Be currently working for a business or organisation linked to your UK sponsor
- Receive a certificate of sponsorship from your UK employer
- Be paid the required minimum income for your job
- Have been working outside the UK for the organisation or business for a minimum of 1 year unless you’re paid more than £73,900
- Have had your immigration Skills Charge paid by your UK Sponsor
- Have at least £1,270 in your bank account to cover your expenses unless the same will be covered by your sponsor for the first month of your employment
Graduate Trainee visa
The Graduate Trainee visa is similar to the Senior or Specialist Worker visa, the difference is that it only allows graduate trainees to enter the UK and partake in a graduate programme for specialist or managerial roles to work in the UK branch or subsidiary of their employer. This visa has replaced the Intra-Company Transfer Graduate visa and it is valid for up to 1 year.
As a Ghanaian citizen applying for this visa, you must be on a graduate programme and be sponsored. With this visa, you will not be allowed to take up an additional job but you will be free to study, leave and enter the UK as long as your visa is valid.
Eligibility Criteria for Graduate Trainee Visa
Ghanaian nationals who want to obtain this visa must:
- Be 18 years old or above
- Be employed by an organisation or business recognised by the Home Office as a sponsor
- Have an eligible job
- Have been employed by your employer for a minimum of 3 months before you applied
- Be enrolled in a structured graduate training programme for a specialist or managerial role with a UK-based organisation that has lawful work placement
- Possess a certificate of sponsorship
- Be paid the minimum required income for your role
- Meet all financial requirements
Expansion Worker visa
This visa can enable Ghanaian businesses to send their senior manager or specialist to enter the UK and establish their business’ first branch. The Expansion Worker visa replaced the Sole Representative of an Overseas Business visa UK. When you obtain the Expansion Worker visa, you will be allowed to stay in the country for up to 1 year and can extend your stay to a total of 2 years.
Eligibility Criteria for Expansion Worker Visa
Ghanaian citizens applying for an Expansion Worker visa must:
- Be 18 years old or above
- Have a certificate of sponsorship
- Have worked for their employer outside of the UK for at least 1 year
- Be paid a minimum salary for their job role
- Have an eligible job with an appropriate occupation code
- Fulfill all financial requirements
- Provide a TB test certificate (if required)
UK Secondment Worker Visa
This visa allows Ghanaian businesses to send their employees to the UK to work for a different organisation on high-value contract jobs. This visa is valid for 1 year and extendable to a total of 2 years.
Eligibility Criteria for UK Secondment Worker Visa
The Ghanaian workers applying for this visa must:
- Have been employed by their organisation for at least 1 year before they applied
- Possess a certificate of sponsorship issued by their UK sponsor
- Satisfy the financial requirements
- Have an employer who has at least £50 million worth of valid contract with their UK sponsor
- Do eligible jobs with the correct occupation code
- Provide tuberculosis test results (if required)
The Service Supplier Visa
If you are a self-employed professional or an employee of a Ghanaian business or organisation, you can obtain the Service Supplier visa if you have a contract to provide services to a UK-based company.
The contract you have must be covered by a valid international trade agreement. The validity period for a Service Supplier visa largely depends on the trade agreement. However, this visa is typically valid from 6 months to 1 year.
Eligibility Criteria for Service Supplier Visa
Ghanaian self-employed professionals or business employees seeking a Service Supplier visa must:
- Receive a certificate of sponsorship from their UK-based employer
- Have worked for Ghanaian businesses for up to 1 year before applying or have 1-year experience as self-employed professionals
- Have a contract with a UK-based company that is covered by an international agreement
- Meet the minimum financial requirements
- Have eligible jobs
Note that the above-mentioned eligibility criteria for the types of Global Business Mobility visas are not all-encompassing. For this reason, reach out to our team of immigration lawyers at Total Law to know if you meet the Business visa requirements UK. Call us today on +44 (0)333 305 9375 or message us online for immediate response.
How to Apply For a UK Business Visa: Step By Step The Process
The steps Ghanaian citizens will take to obtain a UK Business visa depend on the UK business types they want to embark on when they enter the country. At this stage, you must choose the specific UK Business visa that best fits your business purpose.
Our immigration lawyers at Total Law can help you analyse your situation and streamline everything you need to get the visa upfront. You may be required to provide a valid certificate of sponsorship or a letter that explains what brings you to the UK depending on the visa type you’re applying for.
You must complete your online application form with the correct details, provide all necessary documents, pay the required fees and book an appointment with your closest UK visa application centre in Ghana.
You must submit your biometric information at the appointment and your eligibility for the visa may also be assessed. After that, await a decision on your visa and go pick it up if your application is successful.
How Can Total Law Help?
The process of obtaining a UK Business visa is not far-fetched as our IAA-certified immigration lawyers at Total Law are readily available to assist you through the stages of your application. Our immigration lawyers have helped several Ghanaian citizens obtain their UK visas over the years.
Our immigration lawyers will assist you in gathering all the required documents for the specific Business visa that aligns with your business purpose in the UK. Besides that, we can apply for this visa on your behalf and take all the burden away from you.
For advice on alternatives to some UK Business visas that have been closed such as the UK Investor visa and Entrepreneur visa UK, call us today at Total Law on +44 (0)333 305 9375 or contact us online.
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Frequently Asked Questions
There’s no specific amount of money you must have for UK Business visas. However, you are required to meet the minimum financial requirements for the Business visa type you choose.
It typically takes from 3 to 7 weeks to get a decision on your UK Business visa application.
You are not allowed to work in the UK with a Business visa unless you enter the UK for permitted paid engagement.
