Business visitors
Can you come to the UK as a business visitor?
This page explains whether you can come to the UK as a business visitor.
The 'business visitor' category is for nationals of countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. If you are an EEA or Swiss national, or a family member of an EEA or Swiss national, the European nationals section explains how you can come to the UK.
The Business activites page lists the business activities that business visitors can do in the UK.
To come to the UK as a business visitor, you must be able to show that:
- you are 18 or over;
- you intend to visit the UK for no more than 6 months (or 12 months if you are an academic visitor), unless you are a doctor taking the PLAB test (in which case you can apply to extend your stay and undertake a clinical attachment if you pass the PLAB test);
- you intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit;
- you have enough money to support and accommodate yourself without working or help from public funds, or you and any dependants will be supported and accommodated by relatives or friends;
- you are based abroad and do not intend to transfer your base to the UK, even temporarily;
- you receive your salary from abroad (although it is acceptable for you to receive reasonable travel and subsistence expenses while you are in the UK);
- not be replacing someone in the UK, including for temporary leave periods;
- you can meet the cost of the return or onward journey; and
- you are not in transit to a country outside the 'Common Travel Area' (Ireland, the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands).
You must also be able to show that, during your visit, you do not intend to:
- live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits;
- take paid or unpaid employment, produce goods or provide services, including the selling of goods or services directly to members of the public;
- do a course of study;
- marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership; or
- receive private medical treatment.
For information about your rights and responsibilities while you are in the UK, see the Visitors' rights and responsibilities section.
You should provide documents to show that you meet the above requirements. The Documents page contains more information.
You may need to obtain a visa before you can come to the UK as a general visitor. The Do you need a visa? page contains more information.