Are you looking to work as a charity worker in the UK? You may be eligible to apply for a Charity Worker Visa UK if you wish to engage in transient charitable activity in the United Kingdom. Learn more about the prerequisites.
If you require assistance with the Charity Worker visa application, contact our immigration professionals at 02033939272.
The Charity Worker Visa serves as a legal authorisation required for individuals aged 18 and above from outside the UK, who intend to enter the UK for the purpose of participating in temporary and unpaid charitable activities with a recognised charity organisation. This visa allows volunteers to engage in charitable activities for a limited duration while ensuring adherence to UK immigration regulations.
The visa known as the Volunteer Visa UK has replaced the Temporary Worker – Charity Worker Visa (T5) from the prior system. It enables individuals to travel to the UK and engage in temporary, unpaid work for an approved charity.
The Temporary Worker-Charity Worker visa permits individuals to enter the UK for the purpose of engaging in voluntary work without receiving any form of compensation.
If approved, the charity worker’s visa will allow them to work in the UK for a maximum of 12 months, or for as long as specified by their Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is less.
The Charity Worker Visa enables successful applicants to come to the UK for a temporary, unpaid role with a licensed sponsor. The visa is typically granted for up to 12 months or for the duration specified on the applicant’s Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), with an additional 14 days. All work undertaken must be voluntary and unpaid.
Immediate family members, including partners and dependent children under 18, may be eligible to join the applicant in the UK. The length of their stay will correspond to that of the primary visa holder. Partners are required to have maintained a relationship similar to marriage for a minimum duration of two years, while dependent children must be under eighteen unless they’ve previously been granted leave as dependents. If the applicant is 16 years or older, dependent children must not be living independently.
Contact 02033939272 to speak with Rees Clayton’s attorneys for professional advice on your Charity visa UK requirements, and help with the visa procedure.
The charity worker visa is intended for foreign nationals who are 18 years of age or older and have the intention of engaging in voluntary work for a licensed UK sponsor for a period of no more than 12 months. In order to qualify for a license to sponsor charity workers, an organisation must be a UK charity that is registered, excepted, or exempt, as per the relevant laws in the applicable region of the UK, or it must be a religious entity formed for charitable purposes.
During their stay in the UK, standard visitors are permitted to engage in volunteer work, provided that it must be registered with either the Charity Commission for England and Wales, the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, or the Scottish Charity Regulator. However, the duration of the volunteer work must not exceed 30 days. Nevertheless, individuals who reach the UK as visitors are unable to transition to the charity worker route while they are in the country. This implies that in order to engage in an unpaid voluntary position for a period exceeding 30 days, they must depart the UK and submit for entrance clearance from abroad via the charity worker route.
The UK’s Immigration Rules’ “Appendix Temporary Work – Charity Worker” contains the precise conditions for the charity worker visa. Therefore, those who wish to travel to the UK as charity workers need to:
Additionally, the application must not be impacted by the “cooling-off period.” The cooling-off period is applicable if the applicant was in the UK with authorisation under the charity worker or religious worker routes during the 12 months before submitting an application for entry clearance. This implies that a charity worker who has previously been granted leave to work on this route in the UK for a 12-month term is not permitted to leave the country and then reapply on the same route right away.
Three requirements must be fulfilled for the work to qualify as “eligible charity work.“
As long as the second employment is in the same industry and at the same level as the primary job, it is acceptable to work up to 20 hours a week under this method. However, a person with a charity worker visa is not allowed to accept a permanent position, get paid for their work, or access public money like state pensions or benefits.
In order to demonstrate their ability to sustain themselves upon arrival, applicants seeking a charity worker visa in the UK typically need to have at least £1,270 in accessible cash.
Under the financial criteria for dependents, the following extra cash will be needed for any partner or children who wish to follow or join the charity worker:
Certain family members may enter the UK on temporary workers’ visas. The following family members are permitted to accompany you on your Temporary Worker Charity Visa:
Dependent family members who wish to accompany you to the UK must apply for a second visa; they can do so online.
They must demonstrate their connection with you and their ability to support themselves financially while in the UK in order to be considered your dependents. You must demonstrate that
To apply for a charity work visa UK, follow the following steps:
Applications for the Charity Worker Visa must be made online from outside the UK. It is not possible to change immigration categories within the UK to the charity worker route, as switching into or between any subcategories of temporary worker is generally not permitted.
The applicant is required to pay the visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) as part of the application procedure. Additionally, the applicant is granted access to the National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom (UK) during their tenure through the IHS.
You must provide several documents, including:
The process for proving identity will depend on your nationality and the type of passport they hold.
Applying for a charity worker visa in the UK costs £259. Each applicant, including the primary applicant and any dependents, must pay the same fee.
Each candidate will also be responsible for paying the IHS in addition to the application cost. For a 12-month stay, the surcharge fee for applicants over the age of 18 will be £624; for those under the age of 18, it would be £470. The applicant and any dependents must demonstrate that they have sufficient personal funds to sustain themselves upon arrival in the UK, and these expenses are on top of that. Alternatively, on the applicant’s sponsorship certificate, the UK sponsor may attest to the family’s upkeep.
Up to three months prior to the applicant’s scheduled start date of employment in the UK, they may apply for a charity worker visa. The CoS will display this date. They must provide their documents and prove their identity as part of their application; if they require an appointment, they may need to allow additional time. When they begin the visa application process, they will learn whether they have to make an appointment.
Obtaining a charity worker visa in the UK usually takes up to three weeks, though you might be able to pay for a quicker decision. The successful applicant can enter the UK up to 14 days prior to the start date of their job after receiving a visa.
The maximum duration allowed in the UK for temporary employment under the charity worker visa route is 12 months. This implies that a person with a charity worker visa is not eligible to request a one-year extension. They could, however, be allowed to seek to stay longer if their first leave was granted for less than a year, but they will need to do so before their current visa expires. Additionally, they must continue to fulfil the necessary conditions of this route and be in the UK at the time of their application for an extension.
The applicant will be informed if they may use the ID app or whether they must make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point when submitting an application to renew permission using the charity worker route. An application for an extension will often take up to eight weeks after they have shown identification or attended any appointments, however, they may once more be able to pay for a quicker decision. It will cost £259.
Furthermore, a charity worker’s permit does not automatically extend for any partner or dependant children in the UK; they must separately ask for an extension. Their leave will remain in effect until the initial expiration date of their current visa if they do not renew their authorisation to continue on this path.
A charity worker visa holder cannot apply for indefinite leave to remain since the charity worker visa route is not a road to settlement. People may be able to switch to a different immigration pathway with the chance to apply to settle later.
Through the course of your visa application procedure, Rees Clayton’s Solicitors can help you navigate the complexity of the Charity Worker Visa by offering professional guidance and customised support. As seasoned experts in the industry, we provide help with initial applications, extensions, and renewals, making sure you fulfill all prerequisites for the kind of visa you’re requesting.
Whether you need a UK charity worker visa, business, family, or settlement visa guidance, we can help. Our team at Rees Clayton is committed to helping you succeed in your immigration procedure.
We can also help with visa appeals and other options if your application was denied. Our staff works to address concerns related to the extension or denial of your charity worker visa. It provides tactical counsel to help you navigate the appeals process or other immigration choices. We secure your family’s immigration status so you may relax during the process. Our immigration law expertise makes Rees Clayton a dependable partner to help you manage and succeed in your UK immigration journey.
Evidence of a UK-licensed charity’s Certificate of Sponsorship is required of applicants for the UK charity visa. They also need to prove they have enough money to sustain themselves while they are there, which is one of the Charity Visa UK criteria. Only unpaid, voluntary labour is eligible for this visa, and candidates must demonstrate that they will not be taking up permanent, paid positions with the organisation. Unless they are eligible for a different visa category, those with the charity worker visa (temporary work) are only allowed to work on charitable projects for a maximum of 12 months before having to leave the UK.
UK charity work visa apply online via the official UK government website in order to be considered for a UK charity work visa. This enables you to submit an online application for a UK charity work visa. Required documentation, including your Certificate of Sponsorship, proof of identification, and proof of adequate financial means, must be submitted as part of the procedure. Additionally, you will have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) and the visa application cost. You can start your voluntary work in the UK after being approved.
A UK charity worker visa does not grant indefinite freedom to remain or permanent status. This visa is exclusively meant for temporary volunteer labour. However, you might be able to look into alternative immigration options in the future, such applying for a different kind of visa that might eventually lead to settlement in the UK or transferring to a UK work visa, depending on your situation and long-term goals.
Yes, you can bring certain family members to the UK on a charity worker visa, such as your spouse or civil partner and children under the age of 18. In addition to meeting some financial conditions, such demonstrating they have enough money to sustain themselves while in the UK, they will need to apply for a separate visa. You must prove that you can provide for your dependents while you are in the UK as the primary visa holder.
It costs £259 to apply for a UK charity worker visa. In order to use the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), you will also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). For candidates who are 18 years of age or older, the annual IHS fee is £624; for those who are younger, it is £470. Additionally, you will have to prove that you have enough money to sustain both you and your dependents, or your sponsor can attest to this.
No, the UK Tier 5 Charity Worker Visa is specifically for unpaid voluntary work with a registered charity. You cannot receive payment for your work.
