Visas

UK

Introduction

The UK has historically been a very flexible with its immigration policy and whilst this is changing, it is still one of the easier places to obtain a work permit of our most popular destination.

Do I need a visa:

You will require a visa unless you are one of the following:

an EEA national
a Swiss national
a family member of an EEA or Swiss national who is in the UK exercising their treaty rights or a family member of an EEA or Swiss national who intends to join them in the UK, or is travelling with them to the UK
a citizen of Gibraltar
a Commonwealth citizen with permission to stay in the UK on the basis of UK Ancestry
a seaman under contract to join a ship due to leave British waters
a person employed as a civilian in NATO Forces
a person given permission to stay as the dependant of a person settled in the UK
a dependant under another category (in some cases)
a student (in some cases).

Really useful sites

Main visa types

Economic migration is a key component of the British economy allowing skilled migrants to bring desirable skills and experience to the domestic workforce. The Highly Skilled Migrant Program is a points based visa service specifically designed to attract the most gifted individuals to the United Kingdom. In addition applying for a UK work permit, allows a British company to sponsor an overseas worker to come to Britain and contribute to the British economy by bringing their skills to the domestic workforce. In addition you may want to look at a working holiday programme.

Travel visas

It is possible to conduct business under a travel visa as long as it is linked to your employment or business abroad. You must not do work for which you would need a work permit and need to continue to be paid by your current emmployer. As a visitor wishing to do business you can:

go to meetings with the United Kingdom businesses or negotiate and enter into contracts with them;
go to trade fairs, conferences or undertake training in techniques and work practices employed in the United Kingdom, providing the training is confined to observation, familiarisation and classroom instruction only; and
undertake fact finding missions, check details or examine goods.

You may also enter the United Kingdom as a business visitor if you are:

delivering goods from abroad, for example if you are an international lorry driver;
representing a foreign IT company who are here to install, service or modify their product;
representing a foreign machine manufacturer and are coming to install, service or repair machinery (as part of a contract of purchase and supply, you may install machinery that is too large to be delivered in one piece);
an adviser or consultant to a United Kingdom firm who is employed abroad, either directly or under contract by the same company or group of companies that the client firm belongs to. Advisers must not get involved in project management;
providing training which is not available anywhere else in the United Kingdom and is for a specific purpose and does not go beyond classroom instruction;
visiting as a guest speaker at a conference or seminar. It must be a single or occasional event and not a commercial venture that you are part of; or
a sports person or entertainer coming for trials or auditions, or for personal appearances which do not involve public performances.

Work Visa

A work visa is tied to a specific employer and therefore needs to be applied for by the swappers employer, as with South Africa. Applications can be submitted online here: http://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk or by completing an application form that you can find here: http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/infs/inf13workpermitholders

Working Holiday Program:

The purpose of the working holidaymaker scheme is to allow Commonwealth citizens (except for Lesotho), between the ages of 17-30, to come to the United Kingdom for an extended holiday. They may help fund their stay by taking employment in the UK which is incidental to a holiday. They cannot engage in business, or provide services as a professional sportsperson, and cannot work for more than 12 months during the two-year period granted to working vacationers.

Are you eligible?

Below are the main requirements before applying:

Be a Commonwealth citizen, British Overseas Territories citizen, British National Overseas citizen or British Overseas citizen between the ages of 17 and 30;
Want to come to the U.K. for an extended holiday and intend to take some incidental employment;
Be single or are married to a person who also qualifies as a working holidaymaker and you plan to take the working holiday together;
Not have any dependent children who are aged five years or over, or who will be five before you complete your holiday;
Ensure that the main reason for your visit is a holiday, and not work;
Be able to support and accommodate yourself without help from public funds;
Not have any commitments that require a regular salary;
Be able to pay for your own journey;
Plan to leave the U.K. at the end of your holiday.

How do I apply?

This is a year-round program. Candidates should apply at least eight weeks before their planned departure date.

for more infomation select from the links below:
A. Introduction A quick overview about applying for visas and work permits
B. Documentation what you will need for your application
C. Visas by swap destination a look at the main visa types

Visas by destination: Australia; New Zealand; Canada; South Africa; UK; US; China; Singapore; UAE; Europe (General Advice)