Representative of an Overseas Business Visa

The Representative of an Overseas Business visa is a UK immigration category for employees of overseas newspapers, news agencies, or broadcasting organisations who are assigned to work in the UK on a long-term basis. While the route remains formally named the Representative of an Overseas Business visa, in practice new applications are now limited to media representatives, and it is therefore often referred to as the Media Representative visa.

If you are an employee of a non-media overseas business looking to establish a branch or subsidiary in the UK, you cannot apply under this route. Instead, you would need to consider the UK Expansion Worker visa under the Global Business Mobility routes.

In this guide, we explain the current rules governing the Representative of an Overseas Business visa, covering eligibility criteria, the application process, the rights of dependants, and how this category can provide a pathway to settlement after five years of continuous residence.

Section A: What is the Representative of an Overseas Business visa?

The Representative of an Overseas Business visa, now limited to employees of overseas media organisations, allows a qualifying newspaper, news agency, or broadcasting company to send an employee to the UK for a long-term posting. The applicant must already hold employment overseas with the organisation at the time of application. The purpose of this route is to enable international media workers to represent their employer in the UK.

A successful applicant will generally be granted leave to enter or remain in the UK for an initial period of three years. This can then be extended for a further two years, provided the relevant requirements continue to be met. After five years of continuous lawful residence on this route, it may be possible to apply for settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain), subject to meeting the qualifying conditions.

While in the UK, you must only work for the overseas media organisation that assigned you. The Immigration Rules prohibit taking employment with any other company, engaging in self-employment, or accessing public funds.

The route no longer accepts new Sole Representative applications from non-media businesses following the closure of that subcategory in April 2022. However, individuals already granted leave as a Sole Representative before the closure can still apply to extend their permission or apply for indefinite leave to remain, provided they continue to meet the specific requirements of that route.

Section B: Representative of an Overseas Business Visa Requirements

Eligibility for the Representative of an Overseas Business visa depends on whether you are applying as a media representative, or whether you already hold leave as a Sole Representative under the pre-April 2022 rules. New applications from non-media businesses are no longer accepted, but existing Sole Representatives may still be able to extend their permission or apply for settlement.

A media representative is an overseas employee of a newspaper, news agency, or broadcasting organisation who has been assigned to the UK on a long-term posting. This is now the only type of new application that can be made under this route.

To qualify, you must be aged 18 or over, be employed outside the UK by an overseas media organisation, and be assigned to a full-time role in the UK. You must also demonstrate that you can support yourself financially without recourse to public funds and that you satisfy the English language requirement.

1. Work requirement

The overseas media organisation must be active and trading outside the UK, with its headquarters and principal place of business located overseas. You must have been recruited and employed by that organisation abroad and intend to work in the UK exclusively for them on a full-time basis. Taking other employment, undertaking self-employment, or establishing your own business is not permitted.

2. Genuineness requirement

The Home Office must be satisfied that you are a genuine representative of the overseas media organisation. Caseworkers will assess whether your appointment and the role itself are primarily designed to allow you to undertake genuine media duties in the UK, rather than simply to secure immigration status.

3. English language requirement

Applicants must demonstrate English speaking and listening ability at level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). This requirement can be satisfied by:

• holding a recognised academic qualification that was taught in English and is equivalent to at least a UK bachelor’s degree, or
• passing an approved Secure English Language Test at CEFR level A1 or higher in speaking and listening.

Nationals of majority English-speaking countries, such as the USA, Canada, or Australia, are exempt from having to provide evidence of their English language ability.

4. Financial requirement

You must demonstrate that you can maintain and accommodate yourself and any dependants during your stay without relying on public funds. Evidence such as bank statements, payslips, or other proof of income may be required. The Home Office may request this information at the time of application to assess whether you meet the maintenance requirement.

Section C: How to Apply for a Representative of an Overseas Business Visa

Applications for the Representative of an Overseas Business visa must be made online through the Home Office system. The process involves completing the digital application form, paying the visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge, submitting supporting documentation, and proving your identity through biometrics. The exact steps vary depending on whether you are applying from outside the UK or switching into this route from within the UK.

If you are applying from overseas, you will usually be required to attend a visa application centre in your home country to enrol biometrics, which involves fingerprints and a digital photograph. If applying from within the UK, you will attend a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) centre. Your application will not be processed until biometrics are provided.

1. Required documents

You will need to provide a valid passport or travel document and a range of supporting evidence. The documents required may include:

• a full description of your overseas employer’s business activities, supported by financial accounts and evidence of trading
• a letter confirming that you will represent your employer in the UK in a full-time and long-term role
• evidence that you satisfy the English language requirement
• bank statements or payslips proving that you can support yourself and any dependants without public funds
• details of your intended accommodation in the UK if applying from overseas
• tuberculosis (TB) test results, if required in your country of residence

The Home Office may also request additional documents depending on your personal and professional circumstances.

2. Visa costs

As of 2025, the visa fee is £769 if applying from outside the UK and £885 if switching from within the UK. In both cases, applicants must also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), which provides access to the UK’s National Health Service. Fees are reviewed annually, and applicants should check the latest Home Office fee schedule at the time of applying.

3. Application processing

Applications made outside the UK are usually processed within three weeks. Applications made from within the UK generally take up to eight weeks. You are permitted to remain lawfully in the UK while awaiting a decision if you submitted your application before your current visa expires.

In some locations, you may be able to pay for priority or super-priority processing to receive a decision more quickly. Availability of these services depends on where you apply.

Section D: Dependants

Dependants of a Representative of an Overseas Business visa holder may apply to join or accompany the main applicant in the UK. A dependant includes a spouse or civil partner, an unmarried partner (meeting the durable relationship requirements), and children under 18 at the date of application. If granted, a dependant’s permission will normally expire on the same date as the main applicant’s leave.

Dependants must meet relationship and maintenance requirements. They will need to evidence the qualifying family relationship (for example, a marriage or birth certificate) and demonstrate that the family can be maintained and accommodated in the UK without recourse to public funds. The Home Office may request bank statements, payslips, or other financial evidence to assess maintenance.

Dependants are generally permitted to work in the UK, except as a professional sportsperson (including sports coach). They may also study, subject to relevant academic and fee requirements.

Legacy Sole Representative cases

For individuals who were granted leave as a Sole Representative before the closure of that subcategory in April 2022, the long-standing restriction remains that a partner will not qualify as a dependant if they own or control the majority of the overseas business being represented in the UK. This ownership/control restriction does not apply to new media representative applications, which are now the only route open to new applicants under the Representative of an Overseas Business category.

Switching in the UK

Where the main applicant is switching into the Representative of an Overseas Business (media) route from another UK category, dependants in the UK will usually need to submit their own in-country applications to switch in line with the main applicant if they wish to remain as dependants. If they do not switch, their current leave will remain valid only until its stated expiry. If a dependant is outside the UK, they can apply for entry clearance to join the main applicant.

Section E: Extending a Representative of an Overseas Business Visa

A Representative of an Overseas Business visa is initially granted for up to three years. Before your permission expires, you may apply to extend your stay for a further two years if you continue to meet the eligibility criteria. This extension route is available both to new media representatives and to individuals already in the UK as Sole Representatives from before April 2022, when that subcategory was closed to new applicants.

To qualify for an extension as a media representative, you must still be employed by the same overseas media organisation and continue to work full-time in the UK solely for them. The overseas organisation must also continue to have its headquarters and principal place of business outside the UK.

If you are a Sole Representative who was granted leave before the closure of that category, you must provide evidence that you have established and registered the UK branch or wholly owned subsidiary, that you continue to oversee and work full-time in that entity, and that you do not own or control the majority of the overseas business.

Supporting evidence

When applying to extend, you will be expected to provide documents confirming:

• that you remain employed by the same overseas organisation
• that the overseas company continues to trade and has its principal base outside the UK
• that your UK role continues to be required and is genuine
• for Sole Representatives, that the UK branch or subsidiary is established and operational

You must also pay the extension application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge for the duration of the extended period.

Section F: Representative of an Overseas Business Visa to ILR

The Representative of an Overseas Business visa can provide a pathway to settlement in the UK, also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). After five continuous years of residence on this route, you may be eligible to apply for ILR if you continue to meet the relevant requirements.

To qualify, you must still be employed by the same overseas newspaper, news agency, or broadcasting organisation that originally assigned you, or, for legacy Sole Representatives, you must still meet the rules of that category. The Home Office will require evidence that your role remains genuine and ongoing, and that the overseas organisation’s headquarters and principal place of business remain outside the UK.

You must also satisfy the continuous residence requirement. This means you cannot have been absent from the UK for more than 180 days in any rolling 12-month period across the five years leading up to your ILR application. Excessive absences can break continuity of residence.

Settlement requirements

In addition to the employment and residence requirements, applicants must also meet the general ILR criteria, which include:

• demonstrating English language ability to at least level B1 on the CEFR scale in speaking and listening
• passing the Life in the UK Test
• showing that you have complied with the conditions of your visa throughout your stay

Once ILR is granted, you will be able to remain in the UK without time restrictions. You may also be eligible to apply for British citizenship once you meet the naturalisation criteria, which include residence, good character, and continued compliance with UK immigration law.

Section G: Summary

The Representative of an Overseas Business visa is now, in practice, limited to overseas media personnel. It enables qualifying employees of international newspapers, news agencies, and broadcasting organisations to undertake long-term assignments in the UK, with permission typically granted for three years and extendable for two more. Subject to meeting the rules, including continuous residence and the higher English and Life in the UK requirements, the route can lead to settlement after five years.

While the former Sole Representative path for non-media businesses has closed to new applicants, those already granted leave can still extend or apply for ILR if they continue to meet the category-specific rules. Dependants may accompany or join the main applicant, provided relationship and maintenance requirements are met. Thorough preparation and evidence are essential to reduce delays and refusals.

Section H: Need Assistance?

Applications under this route require careful attention to the eligibility rules and evidential standards. Ensuring that you are a genuine media representative of an overseas organisation with its principal place of business outside the UK, and that you provide the required documentation, is critical to a successful outcome. If you are unsure about your eligibility, switching options, documentary evidence, or timing for extensions and settlement, professional advice can help you structure a robust application and minimise the risk of refusal.

Section I: FAQs

1. What is the Representative of an Overseas Business visa?

It is a UK immigration category that allows an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency, or broadcasting organisation to undertake a long-term assignment in the UK. New applications are limited to media representatives; the previous Sole Representative option for non-media businesses is closed to new applicants.

2. How long does a decision take?

Standard processing for applications made outside the UK is usually around three weeks. In-country applications generally take up to eight weeks. In some locations, priority or super-priority services may be available for an additional fee.

3. Can my family come with me?

Yes. Your partner and children under 18 can apply as dependants if they meet the relationship and maintenance rules. Their permission normally ends on the same date as the main applicant’s leave.

4. How long can I stay?

Permission is typically granted for an initial three-year period and may be extended for a further two years, provided you continue to meet the requirements. After five continuous years, you may be eligible to apply for settlement (ILR).

5. What are the ILR requirements after five years?

You must still meet the route-specific rules, including genuine ongoing employment by the same overseas media organisation with its headquarters and principal place of business outside the UK. You must also satisfy continuous residence limits on absences, meet English language at B1, and pass the Life in the UK Test.

6. Are there work restrictions?

Yes. You may work only for the overseas media organisation that assigned you to the UK. Secondary employment, self-employment, and access to public funds are not permitted.

7. Can I switch into this route from inside the UK?

Switching is possible for eligible media representatives, but not from every category. For example, switching from a Visitor visa is not permitted. Student visa holders may be able to switch after completing their course or after 24 months of a PhD programme. Always check current switching rules before applying.

Section J: Glossary

Section K: Additional Resources