Visas for Sports People and Entertainers

Sports people and entertainers don’t belong to the same category as Business and Commercial Applications as different requirement are involved to obtain a work permit. This category applies to established employers in the sport and entertainment industry: sportspeople, entertainers, cultural artists and some technical/support people. A permit will be granted if a “resident worker” isn’t available to fulfill the same role.

Sports People

To be eligible for such a work permit you need to be internationally recognized at the highest level of your sport even as a coach and the same sport in the UK would benefit from your presence.

A work permit isn’t necessary if your presence has been requested at an organized sporting event, as a sportsperson you can come to the UK up to 6 months but you are limited to certain types of performance.

If you come to the UK on holydays you don’t qualify for this scheme even if you intend to practice a sport. In this case, you should apply entry to the UK as a visitor. You should apply under business visitor if:

You intent to take part in a trial for which you will not be paid;
You will make personal appearances or promotions
You came to negotiate contracts or discuss sponsorship.

Whether you are an amateur or professional sportsperson, you will be able to take part in a single event, a series of events or tournament as an individual competitor or a team member. You can also take part in a one-off charity event, testimonial, benefit or exhibition match if you are not be paid for it.

If you are an amateur, you can be part of a UK club primarily amateur, a club where there are only one or two professionals. You cannot be waged but you can accept board, lodging and reasonable expenses.

Grooms are allowed to accompany a horse in one or a series of competitions.

Personal coaches are allowed to accompany a sportsperson and also carry out official duties in one or a series of events.

Who needs a work permit

A work permit will be requested of you if you are willing to come to the UK for sporting activities such as:

If you are only coming for a sporting season;
If you are receiving payment to join or represent a British team;
If you give coaching other than accompanying a sportsperson for one or a series of events
If you want to remain in the UK for more than six (6) months

If you come from a country from which a visa a asked to enter the Uk even on a simple visit, you will have to apply for a right to enter before you travel to the UK. If the visa is granted, it will only be for 6 months.

You will be asked to provide these evidences:

You will need to show a genuine invitation from the organizers of the event in the UK
You will need to prove that you can support yourself financially throughout your stay in the UK without claiming any help from public funds.
You will need to show that you can pay for your trip back home

Entertainers

This category applies to any person who has attained the best quality of performance there is in their category. Also people/groups who are the only ones who can present their work.

This category also applies to Unit Companies, this is a group of entertainers already performing in their country of origin and who have toured overseas to present a well recognize production. For instance: orchestras, ballet corps and theatre production. You are not classified in this category if you have created a group for the only purpose of touring in the UK or if you are a pop/music group.

A work permit is usually asked from entertainers but in the following cases only a business visitor visa is required:

If your aim is to negotiate contracts or discuss sponsorship arrangements; or
If you come for an audition for which you will not be paid; or
If you are coming to make personal appearances and promotions such as participate in a talk show or an interview.

An entertainer’s visa with a validity of 6 months may be granted to any entertainer traveling to take part in one or more designated events.

This includes:

Professional entertainers taking part in a music contest
Amateur entertainers coming as individual performers
Amateur entertainers coming for a specific concert as part of a group (choir or youth orchestra)
Amateur or professional entertainers coming to take part in a cultural event organized by a government, a recognized international organization or a major art festival
Professional entertainers coming to take part in a charity event for which the organizers will not make any profit and the performer won’t receive any payment
Sikh religious entertainers

An application for a visa should be made with your local British Embassy or Consulate. You will have to provide the organizer’s invitation to join event in the UK, evidence that you can support yourself financially during your stay without needing the help of public funds and proof that you can pay for your journey out of the UK.

Cultural Artists

By cultural people we mean anyone whose art would benefit the arts, cultural relations and appreciation as it is rare or none existent in the UK.

Technical / Support People

You should expect to prove that your technical or particular skills are necessary to a designated entertainer, cultural artist or dramatic production.

Availability of suitable qualified “resident workers”

Some applications do not need to provide evidence that someone from the UK could fulfill there role; like with some sport at a high level as it was already established by the governing bodies and players representatives that there is a shortage in the UK of such skills; or for well established performing artist as it is obvious that no one else can perform for them.

If you are coming to the UK to perform for a minimum of 1 month in the same venue or a series of venue, as an individual or a member of a group not well known and the public isn’t specifically coming to see you or your group; then you will need to prove that your post cannot be filled by someone within the UK or EU.

Length of permits

Sportsperson: the work permit will be issued in relation to the sportsperson’s contract in the UK. It’s for 5 years maximum.

Entertainers: the work permit is issued for a short term in relation to the length of the performance; it is possible to extend this initial period to perform for extra date and if such eventuality was mentioned on the original application.

- Individuals can be issued with multiple entry work permits for a minimum of six (6) months and a maximum of two (2) years. - Groups can be issued with multiple entry work permits for a minimum of six (6) months and a maximum of twelve (12) months.

Contact us if you need any clarifications or advice on how to complete the application.