VAT30 - Special visitor: Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE)

This is internal guidance for use by entry clearance (visa) staff on the handling of visa applications made outside the UK for visit and transit visas. It is a live document under constant review and is for information only.

VAT30.1 What is Permitted Paid Engagement?

The visitor undertaking permitted paid engagement category is for people who are seeking leave to enter the UK as a professional who has been invited to the UK for an engagement which relates to their area of expertise and/or qualifications and full time occupation overseas in one of the following professions:

  • Examiners or assessors, individuals who are highly qualified within their own area of expertise invited by a UK Higher Education Institution, or a UK based research or arts  organisation to examine students, or participate and/or chair in a selection panel as part of that institution or organisation's quality assurance processes;
  • Lecturers giving a one-off or a short-series of paid lectures in his/her field of expertise, at the invitation of a UK Higher Education Institution, or a UK based research or arts organisation;
  • As an overseas designated air-pilot examiner, to assess UK based pilots,  to ensure they meet the national aviation regulatory requirements of that country by invitation of an approved training organisation regulated by the UK Civil Aviation Authority;
  • Qualified lawyers providing advocacy in a particular area of law for the purposes of a court or tribunal hearing, arbitration or other form of alternative dispute resolution for legal proceedings within the UK, at the invitation of a client in the UK or a client who is based overseas;
  • Professional artists, entertainers or sports-persons coming to the UK at the invitation of an arts or sports organisation or broadcaster based in the UK to carry out an activity relating to their profession.

Visitors under Permitted Paid Engagement must meet the requirements for the Immigration Rules.

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VAT30.2 What are the key requirements for visitors under PPE

Under paras 56x-56z of the Immigration Rules, a visitor coming here under PPE must:

  • be genuinely seeking entry as a visitor undertaking a permitted paid engagementfor a limited period, not exceeding one month
  • intend to leave the UK at the end of the period of the visit
  • maintain and accommodate themselves without using public funds or taking employment other than as permitted by the pre-arranged paid engagement
  • meet the cost of the return or onward journey
  • intend to do one of the following pre-arranged permitted paid engagements which can be evidenced by a formal invitation, and can show that the engagement relates to their expertise and/or qualifications, and full time occupation overseas:
    • a) as a visiting examiner or assessor, who is highly qualified within their own field of expertise invited by a UK Higher Education Institution, or a UK based research or arts organisation, to examine students and/or participate or chair in selection panels as part of that institution or organisation's quality assurance processes;
    • b) as a visiting lecturer, invited by a UK Higher Education Institution or UK based research or arts organisation, to give one or a series of lectures in their field of expertise;
    • c) as an overseas designated  pilot examiner, to assess UK based pilots to ensure that they meet the national aviation regulatory requirements of that country, by invitation of an approved UK based training organisation that is regulated by the UK Civil Aviation Authority for that purpose;
    • d) provide advocacy in a particular are of law as a qualified lawyer for the purposes of a court or tribunal hearing, arbitration or other form of alternative dispute resolution for legal proceedings in the UK, at the invitation of a client in the UK or foreign based client;
    • e) undertake an activity related to arts, entertainment or sports as a full time professional, invited by a UK based arts or sports organisation, or broadcaster based in the UK.

The applicant must not:

  • produce goods or provide services within the UK other than as permitted for by the pre-arranged paid engagement
  • take employment other than as permitted by the pre-arranged paid engagement
  • intend to undertake a course of study
  • be a child under the age of 18
  • intend to marry or form a civil partnership
  • intend to give notice of a marriage or civil partnership
  • intend to receive private medical treatment
  • be in transit to a country outside the common travel area.

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VAT 30.3 who qualifies and how

Visiting examiners and assessors

Where an individual is coming to the UK in order to act as an examiner or assessor they must be:

  • an academic or expert, who is highly qualified within their own field of expertise,
  • who has been invited by a UK Higher Education Institution (HEI), research or arts organisation (to examine UK students, mark papers, and/or participate in or chair a selection panel.

They can receive a fee for their engagement and whilst in the UK they can conduct examinations at more than one HEI.

Our definition of a UK higher education institution (HEI) for visitors undertaking a permitted paid engagement is: a recognised body, or a body that receives public funding as a higher education institution from the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland, the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, or the Scottish Funding Council.

We also accept:

  • Richmond, the American International University in London, as an HEI because it is recognised in statute in the Education (Recognised Awards) (Richmond. The American International University in London) Order 2006.
  • The UK Foundation Programme Office, as an HEI for sponsored students undertaking a recognised Foundation Programme for post graduate doctors.
  • The Yorkshire and Humber Strategic Health Authority, as an HEI for sponsored students undertaking a recognised Foundation Programme for post graduate dentists.

Arts or research organisations includes:

  • publicly funded research institutions
  • museums (this must be the primary purpose of the venue)
  • art galleries (where the primary purpose of the venue is to exhibit art as opposed to selling it or any other activity)
  • research organisations could include independent research organisations and those Research Council Funded Institutes
  • arts centres, arts festivals, theatres and other arts venues.


Visiting lecturers

  • To qualify as a visiting lecturer, the applicant must be an overseas based expert who has been invited by a UK Higher Education Institute (HEI) or UK based research or arts organisation for one or a series of pre-arranged lectures in their particular field of expertise.
  • Our definition of a UK higher education institution (HEI) for visitors undertaking a permitted paid engagement is: a recognised body, or a body that receives public funding as a higher education institution from the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland, the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, or the Scottish Funding Council.

We also accept:

  • Richmond, the American International University in London, as an HEI because it is recognised in statute in the Education (Recognised Awards) (Richmond. The American International University in London) Order 2006.
  • The UK Foundation Programme Office, as an HEI for sponsored students undertaking a recognised Foundation Programme for post graduate doctors.
  • The Yorkshire and Humber Strategic Health Authority, as an HEI for sponsored students undertaking a recognised Foundation Programme for post graduate dentists.

Arts or research organisations includes:

  • publicly funded research institutions
  • museums (this must be the primary purpose of the venue)
  • art galleries (where the primary purpose of the venue is to exhibit art as opposed to selling it or any other activity)
  • research organisations could include independent research organisations and those Research Council Funded Institutes
  • arts centres, arts festivals, theatres and other arts venues.

Given the short term nature of this route, experts should be employed outside of the UK and intend on returning to this employment on completion of their engagement.  Where an expert is fully retired and carries out a one-off lecture, this would not count as their full-time occupation and you must refuse their application. However, an individual who is semi-retired, carrying out regular lectures and earning income from this, would qualify under this route.

Designated Air pilot examiners

To qualify as an overseas designated pilot examiner, the applicant must demonstrate that they have been invited by an approved training organisation based in the UK, that is regulated by the UK Civil Aviation Authority to carry out examinations on UK based pilots who need to meet aviation requirements of that overseas country.

Qualified lawyers

To qualify as a qualified lawyer (which covers counsel, advocates, attorneys, barristers and solicitors), the applicant must meet all the requirements of the visitor undertaking a permitted paid engagement category and must:

Be coming to the UK at the invitation of a UK based legal client or overseas based client  in order to provide advocacy in a particular area of law at a court or  tribunal hearing, arbitration or other form of alternative dispute resolution (such as mediation).

In addition to advocacy work, lawyers entering under these provisions are permitted to take an active role in the preparation of a hearing.

Where it is clear from the invitation or other information that the case is likely to last in excess of one month, you should ascertain whether the applicant's involvement will be required for the entire duration.  Where it is the application should be refused on the basis that they are not genuinely seeking entry for a period, not exceeding one month.

Arts, entertainers or sporting professionals

To qualify as a professional in an arts, entertainment or sporting profession, the applicant must meet all the requirements of the visitor undertaking a permitted paid employment category and must be undertaking an engagement within the creative or sporting sectors at the invite of a UK based:

  • Arts organisation
  • Sports organisation
  • Broadcaster

In order to qualify under this route applicants must be able to demonstrate that this is their full time profession.  In assessing this you must consider factors such as standing/reputation, earnings (recognising that some artists may earn lower salaries in certain countries), and existing work commitments outside of the UK.

  • An arts professional can include fields across the performing and creative arts, for example, musicians, visual artists, writers, circus practitioners, film makers, dancers, choreographers or photographers where this I being done for an artistic rather than commercial (such as media work or studio portraits) purpose. Artists may be taking part in activities such as judging panels, giving lectures, talking about, presenting or launching their work to other professionals or the public, taking part in panel debates, professional conferences.
  • Fashion models coming to the UK to undertake a specific engagement relating to their profession can use this route, providing they do not intend to base themselves in the UK long term.

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VAT30.4 What evidence must be provided?

Visiting examiners and assessors

You must ensure that the engagement relates to the applicant's expertise and/or qualifications, and full time profession overseas.  In doing this you should consider their employment overseas which should be in a field relevant to their engagement here.

Applicants must provide-a copy of their invitation from an HEI, arts or research organisation as listed above.

Other evidence could include publications by the applicant in their particular field of expertise; a letter from their employer confirming where they work and area of expertise.

Where an academic is fully retired and carries out one-off examination work, this would not count as their full-time occupation and you must refuse their application. However, an individual who is semi-retired, carrying out regular examination work and earning income from this, would qualify under this route.

Where the proposed activities include examining at a further education establishment, their application must be refused, as they should apply under Tier 2 to do this.

For examples of independent research organisations and Research Council funded institutes. These are not exhaustive lists but an invitation from an organisation on one of these lists will meet the requirements.

Visiting Lecturers

You must ensure that the engagement relates to the applicant's expertise or qualifications, and full time profession overseas.  In doing this you should consider their employment overseas which should be in a field relevant to their engagement here.

Applicants must provide-a copy of their invitation from an HEI, arts or research organisation as listed above.

Other evidence could include publications by the applicant in a particular field; evidence of previous lectures given in that field of expertise; a letter from their employer confirming where they work and area of expertise.

Visiting lecturers are not permitted to give lectures which form part of further education. Where this is the case applicants should apply under the relevant Tier of the points-based-system. 

For example where they are giving a one off lecture to a student body (HEI) is acceptable. Whereas a lecture which forms part of a standard course or module is not acceptable as this would be considered as teaching and should be conducted under the relevant Tier of the points-based system.

The nature of their lecture will in the majority of cases directly relate to the area in which they are employed overseas, in cases where they are coming to the UK to lecture on an unrelated area care should be taken to verify the applicant's qualifications in this area, such as any previous employment/posts held in this area, publications on the subject or other recognised qualifications.

Other recognised bodies

  • Publicly funded research institutions
  • Museums (this must be the primary purpose of the venue)
  • Art galleries(this must be the primary purpose of the venue i.e to exhibit art as opposed to selling it or any other activity)
  • Research organisations could include Independent Research organisations and those Research Council Funded Institutes

Designated Air Pilot Examiners

Designated air pilot examiners must provide documentation to show that they are: designated by their national aviation authority to assess pilots who need to meet aviation requirements of that country; have been invited to assess UK based pilots at an approved UK training organisation which is regulated by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to assess that UK based pilots meet the requirements of that country's national aviation regulatory requirements.

In support of their application, they should provide an invitation from an approved UK based training organisation which is regulated by the CAA, making it clear that the examiner will be assessing a UK pilot who has a licence to fly in that particular country.  In order to ascertain whether a training organisation is regulated by the CAA see related link - Civil Aviation Authority.
Where you are unsure about the training organisation status, you should contact the Civil Aviation Authority to confirm that they are an approved facility for providing flight training.

You must ensure that the engagement relates to the applicants expertise and/or qualifications, and full time profession overseas.  Given the nature of this engagement the applicant should normally be employed overseas as a member of that country's national aviation authority (eg the Federal Aviation Authority in the USA).

Qualified Lawyers

The applicant must provide a copy of the invitation from a UK based client, or overseas client to provide advocacy in a particular area of law, arbitration or other form of dispute resolution work. The applicant should also include evidence of their main occupation overseas and show that this links with the engagement they are carrying out in the UK.

Where the qualified lawyer is representing an overseas based client, the engagement must still relate to a UK based hearing. Evidence that could be provided is confirmation of the lawyer's right of audience (or "temporary call") which would allow an overseas lawyer to represent a client in a UK court. Where the activity relates to other non-contentious work (and not strictly dispute resolution work), they would be refused.

Arts, entertainers or sporting professionals

Applicants must be able to provide documentation to show that they have been invited by one of the above bodies in the UK, in order to undertake an engagement that relates to their full time occupation which is not more than one month in duration.  Where it is likely that their engagement will exceed this, the application must be refused. Tier 5 of the Points Based System would be more appropriate for performances which go beyond one month.

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VAT30.5 Is entry clearance mandatory for Permitted Paid Engagements?

Yes. Entry clearance is mandatory for visa nationals.

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VAT30.6 What is the maximum stay in the UK?

Up to one month only. No extensions.

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VAT30.7 Entry clearance endorsement

The endorsement is the following:
D: VISIT: PPE: CODE 4

For employment as (insert engagement) for (insert name of inviting organisation)

The endorsement must be valid from the date the applicant intends to travel to the UK.

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VAT30.8 Do visitors under PPE  have full rights of appeal?

No.  Limited appeal rights only

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VAT 30.9 Entry clearance for spouses / partners and dependants

Entry clearance is only mandatory for visa national family members. All family members applying for entry clearance must qualify for entry in their own right, for example, as a general or child visitor.

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