Business Visitor Visa UK From Ireland

Do people from Ireland need an ETA to travel to the Common Travel Area (CTA)? 

Not everyone who comes from Ireland needs an ETA or visitor visa. Anyone who is an Irish citizen can take advantage of the Common Travel Area (CTA) permitting free–movement between the UK and Ireland. Irish visa holders (on long-term permissions) are also able to use the CTA to access the UK for a short-term visit without requiring a UK visa or ETA.

If you are a short-term Irish visa holder or passing through Ireland, the permission you need depends on your nationality. You will need either an ETA (if your country of origin is on the visa-exempt list) or a Business Visitor visa (if you require a visa) to come to the UK.

Who does not have to pay when they travel from inside the CTA?

When the whole trip starts and ends in Ireland, many non-citizens who live in Ireland legally can use the CTA exemption. Make sure you have proof of your Irish residence on hand in case a carrier or Border Force asks to see it.

 Some common proof is: 

• Irish Residence Permit card
• A stamp or visa in your passport that says you have permission to live in Ireland
• Recent proof that you live in Ireland, like a tenancy, utility bill, or job letter that matches your current permission

If you go through a third country before getting to the UK, the CTA exemption may not apply, and you may need an ETA even if you live in Ireland. Even if you live in Ireland, you probably still need a UK visa if you are a visa-national traveller. Check your nationality before you book.

Using a Visitor visa or ETA to come to the UK

Showing that You Comply with Allowed Business Activities

Three things that matter in Home Office decision-making are:

• A clear business reason for visiting
• Enough money to leave on time without working in the UK
• A plan to leave on time

Purpose of Visit – What to Say

“I am in the UK for three days of meetings with our partner in Manchester. I still work and get paid in Ireland, and I come back on Friday. My papers are available on request”

“Here is the letter of invitation and the letter from my employer.”

If questions keep coming, give a short answer and show the document that answers the question. Make sure that the dates on letters, tickets, and reservations match up.

Make the reason clear by sending an invitation that lists the people, places, and dates you will meet. Back this up with a letter from your Irish employer that says where you work, how much you make, and that you will be back at work after the trip. If the schedule goes to more than one city, include a short itinerary.

Show funds with recent statements that are the same length and purpose as the visit. Include a place to stay and a way to get back. If you travel a lot, write a short note that explains the pattern and why each visit is short.

Arriving at the border

Checks can happen even on CTA routes. Put a small folder carrying your documentation in your carry-on. Suggested items include:

• A passport that matches the booking
• Proof of Irish residence, like an IRP or residence stamp, if you use the CTA exemption
• An invitation from the UK host with dates, locations, and an agenda
• A letter from your employer in Ireland confirming your role, pay, location, and return to work
• A return or onwards ticket and accommodation details
• Recent bank statements to show you can pay for the visit

What is permitted on the UK Business Visitor visa?

The UK business visitor visa is one of the Standard visitor visas. It allows holders to attend business meetings, negotiate contracts, and do some other business activities.

While on a business visitor visa in the UK, the following business-related permitted activities are permitted:

• Attend interviews, meetings, conferences, and seminars
• Negotiate and sign deals and contracts
• Attend trade fairs to promote your business (but you are not permitted to sell things)
• Obtain work-related training should that training is not available in your home country
• Give a one-off or short series of talks as long as they’re done voluntarily
• Carry out site visits and inspections
• Oversee the delivery of goods and services provided by a UK company to your employment overseas
• Deliver training or share knowledge on internal projects with UK employees
• Install, dismantle, repair, service or advise on equipment, computer software, and hardware

What is not permitted with the business visitor visa? 

It does not permit the following:

• Obtain employment in the UK from a UK based business
• Do work for an organisation or business in the UK
• Establish or run a business  or other activities as a self-employed person
• Undertake a work placement or internship
• Selling  directly to the public and UK based customer
• Provide goods and services
• Receive public funds

If you wanted to get a job from a UK company, you’d need to apply for a UK work visa, which is separate from the Business visa. If you intend to only travel through the UK to another country for business, take a UK transit visa instead.

Eligibility requirements for a business visitor visa in the UK

If you do not have an Irish passport or citizenship and are a visa-required national for the UK, you will need to apply for a UK business visitor visa to enter the UK.

To be eligible for this visa, it is important to prove that you:

• Will not remain in the UK after your maximum stay time is exceeded
• Will not live in the UK for extended periods, including frequent or successive visits, longer than six months and will not make the UK your main residence
• Are genuinely seeking to travel to the UK for the business purposes permitted by business visitor visa and won’t undertake any prohibited activities laid out by immigration authorities
• Prove you have sufficient money to cover all reasonable costs in relation to your visit without accessing the public funds

You can be employed by your overseas company in any of the following roles:

• an archaeologist
• an artist, entertainer, or musician
• a bodyguard
• a camera operator
• a driver
• an internal auditor
• a journalist or correspondent
• a lawyer or expert witness
• a market researcher or analyst
• a personal assistant
• a professor from an overseas academic institution
• a religious worker
• a scientist or researcher
• a sportsperson or sports official
• a tour group courier
• a translator or interpreter
• a member of a film crew, including actors, producers, directors, or technicians
• a member of the production team supporting an artist, entertainer, or musician
• a member of technical staff supporting an artist, entertainer, musician or sportsperson

What documents are required for the UK business visitor visa?

You must provide details and evidence of the following:

• The dates you’re planning to travel to the UK
• Where you’ll be staying during your visit
• The cost of the trip
• Current home address and how long you’ve lived there
• Parents’ names and dates of birth
• How much you earn in a year
• Details of any criminal, civil or immigration offences you may have committed

Depending on your situation, you may need to also provide the Home Office:

• Personal travel history for the past 10 years
• Employer’s address and telephone number
• Partner’s information, such as name, date of birth and passport number
• The information of anyone paying for your trip
• The information of any family members you have in the UK
• A certificate proving your tuberculosis test (if applicable)

What is the business visitor visa application process? 

All Business Visa applications are made online via the UK government website from outside of the UK. Ensure you apply before you travel to the UK, at least three months before your intended date of travel.

You will need to complete an online application and pay the corresponding fee. You will also need to provide the required documentation for the visa application.

When applying for the visa, you can choose a regular short-term visa or a long-term visa of 2, 5, or 10 years. The long-term visa is for those who visit the UK regularly. Note that regardless of the duration of validity, you can only stay for a maximum of 6 months on each visit. Also, if the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) believes you don’t meet the requirements for the long-term visa, you may get a shorter duration, and you will not receive a refund for the long-term visa you applied for.

As part of your UK business visitor visa online application, you will need to book an appointment at a visa application centre. This appointment is to determine you are a genuine visitor intending to do business-related activities and show the immigration officer your passport or travel document, have your biometric information taken to provide the required documents that show you’re eligible for a Standard Visitor visa.

What is the processing time for a business visitor visa?

If you are planning on travelling to the UK for your UK business trip, you should submit your visa application forms within three months of your trip. Most visa applications are processed within three weeks, on average. However, yours may take longer or shorter, depending on the number of applications the Home Office receives at that time and other factors.

Can dependent family members come to the UK with business travellers? 

Per the immigration rules, a “dependent” of someone with a work visa or a business visitor visa are a husband, wife, spouse, civil partner or partner, and children(s) so long they are under the age of 18.

For a dependent visa through a business visit visa, most dependent visa applicants must meet the maintenance requirement and provide the mandatory evidence for it. One important aspect is that the dependent has to show they will financially support themselves during their stay in the UK without applying for UK public funds.

A dependant visa application is submitted online like the business visitors but needs to be supported by:

• Evidence of the relationship with the main business visitor visa applicant. Acceptable evidence includes a birth certificate or civil partnership/ marriage certificate.
• A criminal record certificate
• Evidence that the financial maintenance requirement is met – bank statements covering ninety days prior to the application.

If you are travelling with family members, each person should have their own application and fee. Each person, including you, will also need to visit a visa application centre to give their biometrics.

If you are an Irish citizen, you don’t need to apply for a UK business visitor visa, but if you are travelling with non-EEA family members, they must apply for their visit visa. In general, most EEA citizens may not need a UK visa.

The British-Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS)

The British Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS) permits citizens of China and India to visit the UK and the Republic of Ireland on a single BIVS endorsed visa.

• If the visa is issued in Ireland, you can stay up to 90 days
• If the visa is issued in the UK, you can stay for up to 180 days in total.

You cannot exceed the maximum validity of the visa (which is dependent on where your visa was granted). Applications are only granted for the country you enter first.

The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not part of BIVS.

The visa must have the BIVS endorsement on it, and the dates must cover your trip. Your passport must be valid for the whole trip. If your plans change and you have to do more work or stay longer than a visit, you should apply for a more appropriate UK visa instead of relying on BIVS.

Why visa refusals occur how to avoid one

Unclear goal

Questions arise when invitations are vague, agendas are missing, and itineraries are not provided. Ensure your invitation has a date, a letter from the employer that matches, and bookings that match.

Funds not shown

Balances that are not enough to cover the plan or no bank statements at all can result in visa refusals. Give recent statements and make sure the amounts match what is on the itinerary.

Patterns that look like you may intend to live in the UK

Multiple long stays in a row could lead to refusal. Take trips that are spaced out, and keep them short.

Not understanding the rules for visitors

It is not allowed to provide services to a UK client while visiting the UK for business. You cannot accept payment from a UK source. Apply for a work route instead if you intend on either activity.

Inconsistencies and past events

You need to fix dates that do not match and address past breaches. Make sure your documents are the same, and if you need to, add a short factual explanation with proof.

Refusal and administrative review from Ireland

If you are turned away at the border or when you apply for a visa, act quickly and keep the visa refusal letter.

First 48 hours after visa refusal

Request the reason for the refusal in writing if you do not receive it. Each visa refusal should indicate why you were refused. Keep copies of everything you showed initially. Make a note of names, dates, and any reference numbers.

Rebuild the case

Fix what did not work. Make the invitation and itinerary more exact if needed. Include proof of funds and ties to Ireland, such as work schedules or study letters. Make sure that all the dates line up.

Reapplying

Most refusals for Standard Visitor do not often have an option to appeal or for an administrative review. The usual solution is to reapply. This includes submitting a new, corrected application. Judicial review is a way to fix legal mistakes following advice and is more often associated with longer-term visa routes. However, if you feel your decision was wrongfully refused on account of a mistake in the review process, you can request an appeal or administrative review.

When to ask for help

If you have a complicated situation in Ireland, worries about your credibility, past violations, or a group schedule that needs multiple approvals, you should get legal advice before you reapply. It is advised to apply with the assistance of an immigration lawyer in the first instance, if you have a past adverse immigration history.

When a business visitor should instead use a work or specialist visa

If you answer yes to any of the following questions then a Visitor visa probably isn’t the right option for you. You should consider a different path.

• Will a UK employer or client pay you?
• Will you provide billable services in person in the UK?
• Will you work in the UK on a regular basis or for more than a short visit?
• Are you filling a position in the UK or being seconded there?
• Do duties go beyond visitor tasks, like doing hands-on work or providing on-site service outside of strict after-sales rules?

Employers – how to know when to use the visitor route or apply for a different permission

• If you want to send an employee for short-term training, negotiations, meetings or conferences with no intention to do paid work (outside of some remote work for you that is paid outside the UK, in Ireland) then you can apply for a Business Visitor visa (if the applicant is a visa national in the UK) or an ETA (if they are considered a visa national in the UK).
• If you want to hire someone as a skilled worker, you can use the Skilled Worker route.
• If you want to send someone to another country for short-term work assignments, you can use the Global Business Mobility route.
• If you want to hire someone as a creative worker, you can use the Creative Worker route.
• If you want to hire someone for a specific paid appearance, you can use the Permitted Paid Engagement route.

Special rules for children and family members from Ireland

Each traveller needs their own permission to come to the UK. Children who are Irish or British citizens do not need an ETA. If a non-citizen child is legally living in Ireland, they can use the CTA exemption as long as the trip starts and ends in Ireland and stays within the CTA.

Make sure to bring proof of the child’s residence. If a child is travelling without one parent, they should bring a letter of consent from the parent who is not travelling, the child’s birth certificate or custody papers, and their contact information.

Schools and youth groups should have a group letter on letterhead, a list of travellers, adults in charge, contacts, and proof of where they will be staying and how they will get back.

Business Group Travel

For business groups, make sure that everyone has a clear itinerary and booked reservations. A business can re-use invitation letters and itineraries without writing out separate ones for each member of the travelling party, but each situation is different and some employees may bring family or have differing itineraries so it is important itineraries are distinct too. In one or two sentences, each person should be able to say what they plan to do. Businesses should appoint a contact who can answer calls if officers check on the visit.

Long-term repeat business visitors – When to apply for a long-term visitor visa

A 2, 5, or 10-year Standard Visitor visa can be helpful for visa-nationals who travel a lot. It does not change the rules about what you can do, but it makes it less likely that you will have to apply again.

Often, the first application for a visitor visa allowing multiple stays may be rejected unless you can show consistent travel history, and you may instead be given a single-entry visitor visa even if you applied for a long-term one. Once you have successfully come to the UK on a visitor visa and showed consistently that you have returned home and used the visa for what it is intended, you are more likely to be granted multiple-entries.

 Good candidates for multiple stays have:

• A regular pattern of short business trips with on-time departures
• Regular UK hosts who can quickly send out invitations
• An employer letter confirming role, salary location, and that activities stay within visitor rules
• Even if you have a long-term visa, make sure each stay is short and spaced out. Even if you visit a lot, you may still have questions asked when you get there.