Hosting overseas visitors: rules and FAQs for UK companies

It is not uncommon for UK companies to have business exchanges with their overseas entities. The Business Visitor visa is a sub-category under the Standard Visitor visa. Read on to find out more about the frequently asked questions that companies may come across when hosting overseas business visitors in the UK.

1. What activities are permitted for business visitors in the UK?

Under the Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities, published by the UK government, PA 4.A states that the general business activities that a visitor may engage in include:

• attending meetings, conferences, seminars, and interviews;
• giving a one-off or short series of talks and speeches, provided these are not organised as commercial events and will not make a profit for the organiser;
• negotiating and signing deals and contracts;
• attending trade fairs for promotional work only, provided that the Visitor is not directly selling;
• carrying out site visits and inspections;
• gathering information for their employment overseas;
• being briefed on the requirements of a UK-based customer, provided that any work for the customer is done outside of the UK; and
• undertaking activities relating to their employment overseas remotely from within the UK, provided that this is not the primary purpose of their visit.

For intra-corporate activities, PA 5.1 states that an employee of an overseas-based company may engage in the following activities:

• advising and consulting;
• trouble-shooting;
• providing training; and
• sharing skills and knowledge on a specific internal project with UK employees of the same corporate group.

In certain circumstances, they can also undertake the activities above directly with clients.

Companies should check carefully if the activities the business visitor will be carrying out fall within the scope above. To avoid any compliance risks, we suggest seeking further advice.

2. Can overseas visitors work remotely while in the UK?

The Home Office updated the Visitor case working guidance in February 2026, confirming that remote working must not be the primary purpose of the individual’s visit. Examples of remote working could include activities such as responding to emails, answering phone calls or participating in remote meetings.

When determining whether remote working is seen to be the ‘primary purpose’ of the individual’s visit, Border Force will consider the proposed length of stay and whether a stay of such a length is financially viable without the remote work.

3. How long can you stay in the UK on a business visit?

If the individual is entering the UK for a business visit, the Home Office suggest  that they should not stay in the country for more than a month.

If the visit is for an extended length of more than a month, the individual and company should check to ensure that the individual will continue to fulfil the permitted activities listed above, and be able to demonstrate that their visit is not considered as them working in the UK.

Some exemptions may apply to the length of visit for business purposes i.e. contracted overseas to a machinery supplier in the UK, or those in the entertainment industry. For further information, please contact us.

4.  Do UK companies need to check immigration status for visitors?

There is no legal obligation for UK companies to conduct a right-to-work check on business visitors. However, since a business visitor may be attending meetings, signing contracts or participating in conferences on company premises, the company should be aware of the individuals attending the company premises, site or client for a business visit, the purpose of their visit, ensure that they are not paid or employed within the UK, and ascertain the length of their visit in the UK.

5. What are the key immigration risks of non-compliance?

If business visitors perform functions that are outside the ‘permitted activities’ listed above, i.e. become employed in the UK, provide temporary or short-term cover for a UK role, or carry out paid or unpaid work for an organisation or business in the UK, they will be in breach of the conditions of their Visit visa. Should this occur, the non-compliance with their Visit visa can lead to its curtailment, removal of the visitor from the country and future bans from travel to the UK.

If you are a UK employer employing a business visitor, this could be seen as employing an illegal worker in the UK. Should you fail to provide a compliant right-to-work check for an employee, you could face a fine of up to £60,000 per illegal worker.  For further implications of employing an illegal worker, please refer to: Immigration compliance in 2026: what UK employers should be doing now.

6. Can overseas visitors be paid by a UK company?

Overseas visitors are generally not allowed to take up any paid employment or work in the UK. They must remain paid and employed outside the UK while on their Visitor visa, and they are not permitted to receive payment from any UK source. However, there are some exceptions, i.e. ‘reasonable expenses’ to cover travel and subsistence cost, prize money, or payment from billing a UK client for the individual’s time in the UK (on the condition that the visitor is employed overseas and the majority of the contract work is carried out overseas).

UK companies should ensure that overseas visitors are not undertaking paid work in the UK unless an exception applies.

7. What documents should visitors present at the UK border?

If you are considered to be a non-visa national, prior to your entry to the UK you must apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). Alternatively, if you are on the Visa national list, you will be required to apply for a Visit visa prior to entering the UK.

If you are a non-visa national and you have successfully obtained an ETA based on your visit to the UK, you may be able to enter the UK border through the e-gates. Visitors are required to present a passport or travel document which is valid for the entire stay to enter the UK.

Should the business visitor be stopped at the UK border, they may be required to provide documentation to evidence the purpose of their visit, their continued employment overseas, when they will be returning overseas, and to demonstrate that they will not be paid whilst in the UK. Please do reach out to us should you wish to discuss this further, as the documentation will vary depending on the purpose of the business visit.

8. When is a Work visa required instead of a Visitor visa?

The difference between a Business Visitor visa and a Work visa is that a business visitor may enter the UK occasionally for a short trip, attend meetings, sign contracts, and participate in conferences, however, they should not be undertaking employment in the UK.

A Work visa such as Skilled Worker or Global Business Mobility is required if the primary purpose for entering the UK involves service delivery, client work, or long-term assignments. Business visitors can only engage in permitted activities temporarily as stated above.

If an employer in the UK would like to hire employees to undertake work, the employer will be required to obtain a Sponsor Licence and, thereafter, sponsor the individual as a Skilled Worker or under the Global Business Mobility routes in the UK.

9. Can frequent travel to the UK raise immigration concerns?

The general rule is that visitors can enter the UK for up to 6 months per visit. However, please note that should the individual be entering the UK frequently or successively, this is likely to raise questions at the UK border regarding the genuineness of the individual’s visit. In addition, if entering as a Visitor, in most instances, the individual should not be entering the UK for more than a month. If the individual is required to be in the UK on business for longer than a month, documentation and an explanation should be provided.

Extended visits to the UK with very short gaps in between may also lead to immigration concerns at the UK border whether the main intention of the visit is to reside or work in the UK rather than purely visit.

10. How can UK companies mitigate immigration compliance risks?

To mitigate compliance risks, companies in the UK should ensure that they understand the conditions of a business visit and the differences between different work routes in the UK.

The company should also ensure that the individual entering on a business visit understands what they are and are not permitted to do in the UK, and that they will not overstay in the country.

It is suggested that UK companies provide invitation letters for individuals to take with them whilst travelling to the UK, should they be stopped at the border.

Conclusion

Given the tightening of UK border checks and increased Home Office scrutiny in 2026, proactively managing immigration risk is now a strategic necessity rather than a formality. By adopting a structured approach to tracking, implementing clear travel policies, and vetting visitor activities against current rules, companies can significantly reduce the risk of border delays, visa refusals, and potential sponsor licence penalties.

For tailored advice on auditing your current visitor compliance framework or to discuss specific high-risk scenarios, please contact our expert immigration team

How Gherson can assist

Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on all 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 X, Facebook, Instagram, 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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