I Want To Bring My Nanny To The UK With Me, Is That Possible?

You may be able to bring your nanny (or other domestic staff) to the UK on an Overseas Domestic Worker (ODW) visa.

The ODW visa will allow your nanny to travel with you to the UK for a period of up to 6 months.

To apply for an ODW visa, your nanny will need to meet the Home Office’s very particular and often changing requirements.

The main requirements for an ODW visa are:

• Your nanny must be at least 19 years old;
• Your nanny must have been employed by you as a domestic worker for at least 12 months;
• Your nanny must have been living with you, or in a property that you use as a home on a regular basis, for at least 12 months, and work in a UK property you live in while in the UK;
• Your nanny’s employment with you must be ongoing;
• Your nanny must plan to travel to the UK with you;
• You must demonstrate that you genuinely intend to pay your nanny at least the current UK National Minimum Wage whilst in the UK;
• You and your nanny must intend to leave the UK at the end of the visit, which cannot be longer than 6 months.

The last requirement is very important. The Home Office has made it clear that the ODW visa is for UK visits only and not for those wishing to stay in the UK for extended periods of time. If the Home Office believes that you or your nanny wish to remain in the UK for extended periods, the application may be refused.

Should you wish to remain in the UK for a longer period with your nanny, there may be very limited circumstances in which the nanny can be sponsored to work for you in the UK, for example, if it was impossible for you to discharge your duties as a senior member of a business management team without a nanny. This would involve the business obtaining a UK sponsor licence and subsequently applying for a Skilled Worker visa for your nanny. If you would like to discuss your options, Gherson would be happy to help.

How Gherson Can Assist

Gherson has extensive experience with Overseas Domestic Worker applications. If you have any queries relating to the blogs published, or are interested in talking to us about your specific circumstances, 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 don’t 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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