Representatives of overseas business
Can you apply?
This page explains whether you can come to the UK as a representative of an overseas business.
If you do not meet the requirements below, you cannot come to the UK in this immigration category.
You must have been recruited and employed outside the UK by a company whose headquarters and principal place of business is outside the UK.
You must not intend to take employment in the UK except as described on this page.
You must be able to maintain yourself and any dependants adequately without needing public funds.
There are additional requirements, which depend on whether you are coming to the UK as:
- the sole representative of an overseas parent company; or
- a representative of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation.
Sole representative of an overseas company
To come to the UK as an overseas parent company's sole representative here, you be a senior employee (but not a majority shareholder in the company) who intends to establish a commercial presence for the company in the UK. This may be a registered branch or a wholly owned subsidiary concerned with the same type of business activity as the parent company.
The company must have no branch, subsidiary or other representative in the UK. If the company has a legal entity in the UK, but this does not employ staff or transact business, you may still be able to come here as its sole representative.
You must have full authority to take operational decision's on the company's behalf. To show why you have been appointed, you must be able to demonstrate a very good track record in the same or a closely related field of work.
If the company has previously employed a sole representative here, who has left the UK at an early stage before the UK branch or subsidiary has found premises or started to trade, we may allow you to come here as a replacement sole representative.
You must also be able to demonstrate your English language ability. See the English language page for more information.
Employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation
You can apply for a visa as an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation if you are being posted here on a long-term assignment as a representative of your overseas employer.
Applicants will normally be journalists, but we may consider other employees such as producers, news camera operators and presenters. However, secretaries and other administrative staff are not considered overseas media representatives, and so must apply under the points-based system.
You must also be able to demonstrate your English language ability. See the English language page for more information.