Do I need an invitation letter for a UK business trip as a Visitor?

If you are a ‘visa national’, you will be required to apply for a Visit Visa before you travel to the UK. Around 115 countries are on the Home Office’s ‘visa national’ list, including Russia, China and India.

‘Non-visa nationals’ (i.e. citizens of those countries not included in the ‘visa national’ list) are not required to apply for a visa prior to travelling to the UK as a visitor. However, non-visa nationals must still meet all of the requirements set out for Visit Visas and will be assessed on entry to the UK.

If you are coming to the UK for a short business trip, you must ensure that you comply with all relevant requirements, such as not undertaking any substantive and productive work. However, the UK business visitor rules allow individuals to undertake certain permitted business activities. It is important that the visitor is aware what these activities are before they come to the UK.

The individual is required to show that they are a genuine visitor, meaning that they are genuinely seeking entry for their permitted purpose such as the business activity they are planning to carry out.

Although this is not mandatory, it is recommended that the visitor includes an invitation letter from the UK company they are going to visit with their visa application (or, for a non-visa national, that they carry such a letter with them in their hand luggage). Such a letter could serve as evidence of genuine entry for a permitted purpose. The letter should state who the UK company is, who the visitor is, the reason for the visit, the length of the visit, which permitted activities will be undertaken, where the visitor will be staying, and that they are not paid by the UK company for their activities. It is also helpful if the visitor’s employer provides a similar letter.

Please note that as with a business visitor, you are only permitted to stay in the UK for a period of up to 6 months or the length of time stated in your visa, whichever is the shorter.

How Gherson can assist

Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on UK visa matters. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

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