This page covers the following topics

Introduction

  • The UK Home Office launched a few new visas under a special category called the ‘Global Business Mobility’ which came into effect from 11th April, 2022.
  • This category has 5 visas under it, that cater to business owners in the UK, overseas companies, and overseas skilled professionals.
  • Get in touch with Conroy Baker LTD, either call us on +44 203 773 2948 or drop an email at [email protected] to know about the Global Business Mobility route in detail.
  • As a Service Supplier visa consultant in the UK, we accurately guide clients on the eligibility criteria, requirements, and application process for a Service Supplier visa.

UK Service Supplier Visa – Overview

  • The Service Supplier visa is for overseas workers who are undertaking temporary work assignments in the UK.
  • The worker must either be a contractual service supplier employed by an overseas service provider, or a self-employed independent professional based overseas.
  • The overseas worker also needs to undertake an assignment in the UK to provide services covered by one of the UK’s international trade agreements.
  • A partner and children (under 18 years) can accompany the main applicant to the UK on a Service Supplier visa.
  • However, applicants must note that the UK Service Supplier visa does not permit settlement in the UK.
Eligibility Criteria List of Documents
The applicant must:

  1. Be an employee of an overseas business, or a self-employed service provider based overseas.
  2. Be providing a service under a contract that is covered by a valid international trade agreement.
  3. Be providing a service to a UK business that has been approved as a sponsor by the Home Office.
  4. Do an eligible job – or prove the applicant has relevant qualifications and professional experience.
  5. Have a ‘Certificate of Sponsorship.
  6. Have worked for their employer for at least 12 months outside the UK, or have at least 12 months of professional experience if the applicant is a self-employed service provider.

The applicant must also have worked for at least 12 months either:

  1. For their current employer outside the UK.
  2. Immediately before the applicant applies and in the same sector as the service, they will provide, if they are self-employed.
 The applicant will need:

  1. A Certificate of Sponsorship.
  2. A valid passport to prove identity with enough blank pages.
  3. The job title, job occupation code, and annual salary.
  4. The name of the employer and their Sponsor Licence number – which is mentioned on the Certificate of Sponsorship.
  5. To evidence that they have enough personal savings to support their stay in the UK. For example, bank statements.
  6. Proof of relationship – partner or children (if they are applying along with the main applicant).
  7. Tuberculosis test results (if required).

Certificate of Sponsorship for a Service Supplier visa

  • The UK-based employer – also known as a ‘Sponsor’ – must provide the applicant with a ‘Certificate of Sponsorship’ stating all the information with regards to the job role for which the applicant is employed in the UK.
  • It’s an e-Certificate and not a paper document.
  • The applicant will need the reference number from the Certificate of Sponsorship to apply for the visa.
  • The applicant is required to apply for the visa within 3 months of getting the Certificate of Sponsorship.
You MUST know this!
A Service Supplier visa applicant does not need to meet the English language requirement.

Permitted and not permitted activities in the UK on a Service Supplier visa

The applicant is permitted to:

  • Work for their sponsor for the job role described on their Certificate of Sponsorship.
    Study.
  • Bring partner and children as ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible.
  • Do voluntary work.
  • Travel abroad and return to the UK.

The applicant is not permitted to:

  • Apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension.
  • Change jobs, unless the applicant updates their visa.
  • Have a second job.
  • Apply to settle permanently in the UK (known as Indefinite Leave to Remain).

People also ask

How to apply for a Service Supplier visa?

The applicant must apply for a Service Supplier visa online.
Depending on the following circumstances the applicant can apply from:

  • Outside the UK to come to the UK.
  • Inside the UK and extend the current visa.
    Inside the UK and switch from a different visa.
  • The applicant can include a partner and children (under 18 years) in the application to stay in the UK if they are eligible.
  • If the applicant wants to change the job or employer, it is required that the applicant applies to update the visa.

This depends on the type of trade agreement of the services being provided by the applicant.

The applicant can stay for whichever is the shorter span:

  • 6 months or 12 months – this depends on the trade agreement provided for the services offered.
  • The time mentioned on the Certificate of Sponsorship, plus 14 days.

If the applicant has spent time in the UK on a Service Supplier visa or another visa before, they can only stay in the UK for a maximum of 5 years in any 6-year period if they have spent time on any of these visas:

  • Intra-Company Graduate Trainee visa.
  • Intra-Company Transfer visa.
  • Graduate Trainee visa (Global Business Mobility).
  • Secondment Worker visa (Global Business Mobility).
  • Senior or Specialist Worker visa (Global Business Mobility).
  • Service Supplier visa (Global Business Mobility).
  • UK Expansion Worker visa (Global Business Mobility).

The applicant can apply to extend the Service Supplier visa if all of the following apply:

  • The applicant is still contracted to work for the sponsor who gave them the current Certificate of Sponsorship.
  • The applicant has not reached the maximum total stay.
  • The job, qualifications, and experience still meet the eligibility requirements.
    The applicant must be in the UK to extend the visa.
  • The applicant must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man until a decision is received. If done so, the application will be withdrawn.
  • If the applicant changes the job/employer, it is then mandatory to apply to update the visa instead.

The applicant might be able to apply to switch to a Service Supplier visa if they are already in the UK on a different type of visa. However, the eligibility requirements must be met.
Who cannot apply to switch?
Individuals who are currently in the UK:

  • On a Visit visa.
  • On a Short-Term Student visa.
  • On a Parent of a Child Student visa.
  • On a Seasonal Worker visa.
  • On a Domestic Worker in a Private Household visa.
  • On immigration bail.
  • Permitted to stay outside the immigration rules, for example on compassionate grounds.

The applicant is required to leave the UK and apply for a Service Supplier visa from outside the UK if they come under any one of these categories.

While applying for a Service Supplier visa, the applicant will have to:

  • Pay the £259 Application fee.
  • Pay the Healthcare surcharge – this is usually £624 per year.
  • Support themselves after arriving in the UK – the applicant usually needs to have at least £1,270 available (unless exempted from this requirement).

After applying online, submitting identity proofs, and providing all relevant documents, the decision will usually take:

  • 3 weeks, if applied from outside the UK.
  • 8 weeks, if applied from inside the UK.

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