Immigration, Simplified

Business Visitor Visa

There is no separate “Business Visitor Visa” as such; instead, business travelers apply for the Standard Visitor route. This allows you to carry out specific, non-work activities for a period of up to 6 months.

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Official UK Government Updates

For accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official UK Government source:

Business Visitor Visa

Permitted Business Activities

You can perform tasks that support your overseas employment, provided you do not take up a role in a UK company or sell directly to the public. Permitted activities include:

Meetings and Negotiations: Attending board meetings, site visits, and signing business contracts.
Events: Participating in conferences, seminars, or trade fairs (for promotional purposes only).
Corporate Training: Providing internal training or sharing skills with UK colleagues if you both work for the same global corporate group.
Troubleshooting: Advising on specific internal projects within your corporate group.
Specialist Services: Installing or servicing equipment sold by your overseas company to a UK client, provided this is required by the original sales contract.

Prohibited Activities: You cannot work as a freelancer for UK clients, fill a vacant position at a UK firm, or receive payment from a UK source for your activities.

Eligibility and Evidence

To be successful, you must convince the Home Office of three things:

The Trip is Temporary: You have strong ties to your home country (job, property, or family) and will leave the UK when your trip ends.
You are Self-Sufficient: You can pay for your travel, housing, and daily needs. If your employer is paying, you need a formal letter from them confirming this.
Specific Purpose: Vague reasons like “business meetings” often lead to refusal. You should provide an invitation letter from a UK organization or a detailed itinerary of your planned activities.

2026 Fees and Validity

The application fee depends on the length of the visa. Regardless of the visa’s total validity, no single stay can exceed 180 days.

Visa Type	Duration	2026 Application Fee
Standard Visitor	Up to 6 months	£127
Long-term Visitor	Up to 2 years	£475
Long-term Visitor	Up to 5 years	£848
Long-term Visitor	Up to 10 years	£1,059

Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

If you are from a “non-visa national” country (such as the US, Canada, Australia, or EU nations), you may no longer need a full visa for business trips. As of 2026, most non-visa nationals must apply for an ETA before traveling.

ETA Cost: £16
Validity: 2 years (multiple entries)

Key Restrictions

The Home Office monitors “frequent and successive” visits. If you spend more time in the UK than in your home country over a 12-month period, border officers may suspect you are trying to live or work in the UK illegally, which can result in your visa being canceled.