Visitor visas: Permitted paid engagement

In this section:

1. Overview and visa tool
2. Standard visitor visa (up to six months)
3. Permitted paid engagement
4. Visit to study
5. Science and academia
6. Supporting international visitors
7. Electronic Travel Authorisation
8. Visitor visa checks

Experts can be invited to visit the UK to carry out specific tasks related to their professional employment overseas. They can receive payment for the work, which must be completed within the first 30 days after their arrival in the UK. Permitted paid engagements include:

• highly qualified academics can examine students or take part in selection panels
• experts can give lectures in their subject area
• professional artists, entertainers or musicians can carry out an activity directly relating to their profession
• speakers can give a one-off or short series of talks and speeches, eg at a conference or other event.

Paid experts cannot:

• fill a substantive role, do work placements or internships
• study, access medical treatment, claim public funds or live in the UK through successive visits.

Invitation letter

The engagements must be arranged before travel and relate to the expert's area of expertise and occupation overseas. The permitted paid engagement letter should be used instead of the standard visitor invitation letter.

Next steps

• Issue a Permitted Paid Engagement Visitor letter (Google Doc) to the visitor.
• The visitor’s visa must be checked on arrival in the department.

Useful information and links

• Further information for departmental colleagues is available on our Visitor visas webpage.
• Further information for visitors is available on our Supporting international visitors webpage.
• UKVI Guidance: Visit for a permitted paid engagement (gov.uk)

Should you have any questions or queries you can contact the team at hr-compliance@york.ac.uk.