1. Overview
You can apply for a Tier 5 (Temporary Worker – Charity Worker) visa if:
- you want to do unpaid voluntary work for a charity
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
Sponsorship
You need to be sponsored – ie have a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed employer – before you can apply to come to the UK to work.
The work you do in the UK must relate to the work of your sponsor organisation.
How long it will take
You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to the UK.
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
Fees
How much you pay for a Tier 5 (Temporary Worker – Charity Worker) visa depends on your situation, where you are and how you apply.
| Who you’re applying for | Apply (outside the UK) | Extend or switch by post in the UK | Extend or switch in person in the UK (premium service) |
|---|---|---|---|
| You | £225 | £225 | £625 |
| If you’re a citizen of Turkey or Macedonia | £170 | £170 | £570 |
| All dependants | £225 each | £225 each | £625 each |
How long you can stay
You can stay for up to 12 months or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 28 days, whichever is shorter.
You can enter the UK up to 14 days before the start date of your job.
What you can and can’t do
You can:
- study – for some courses you’ll need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate)
- work for your sponsor in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship
- do a second job in the same sector at the same level as your main job for up to 20 hours per week
- do a job on the Tier 2 shortage occupation list for up to 20 hours per week
- bring family members with you
You can’t:
- receive any payment for work
- take a permanent job
- get public funds
2. Eligibility
To be eligible for a Tier 5 (Temporary Worker – Charity Worker) visa you need:
- a certificate of sponsorship reference number from your UK sponsor
- £945 in savings – this is to prove you can support yourself and you must have had this in your bank account for 90 days before you apply
You won’t need £945 in savings if your fully approved (‘A-rated’) sponsor has stated on your certificate of sponsorship that they’ll certify your maintenance and that you won’t claim benefits during your stay.
Certificate of sponsorship
A certificate of sponsorship is a unique reference number that holds information about the job you will do and your personal details. It is not a certificate or paper document.
Your sponsor will give you the certificate of sponsorship.
Your sponsor must also give you the information they used on your certificate about your job, eg your working hours.
Your sponsor must be recognised by the UK government to issue certificates of sponsorship.
You must apply for your visa within 3 months of receiving your certificate of sponsorship.
Multiple entry
Your sponsor can give you a multiple entry certificate of sponsorship so you can leave and return to the UK.
3. Documents you must provide
When you apply you’ll need to provide:
- a current passport or other valid travel identification
- a passport size colour photograph
- bank statements showing you’ve had at least £945 in savings continuously for 90 days before you apply – this is to prove you can support yourself and you must have had this in your bank account for 90 days before you apply
- your tuberculosis (TB) test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the test
- You need a page in your passport that’s blank on both sides for your visa.
You won’t need £945 in savings if your fully approved (‘A-rated’) sponsor has stated on your certificate of sponsorship that they’ll certify your maintenance and that you won’t claim benefits during your stay.
You’ll need to provide a certified translation of any documents that aren’t in English or Welsh.
Read the guidance on documents you can provide.
You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.
4. Extend your visa
You can apply to extend your Tier 5 (Temporary worker – Charity Worker) visa.
You should include any dependants who are on your current visa on your application to extend – including children who have turned 18 during your stay.
You should apply before your current visa expires.
Eligibility
You must continue to meet the eligibility rules.
You must be in the UK to extend your visa.
How long you can stay
You can apply to take your stay in the UK up to a maximum of 12 months, or the time on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.
Fees
The extension costs:
- £225 (Rs.22,236.59) to apply by post
- £625 (Rs.61,768.32) to apply in person
You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application.
How long it takes
A decision will be made:
- within 8 weeks for postal and online applications
- usually on the same day if you use the premium service
You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example because:
- your supporting documents need to be verified
- you need to attend an interview
- of your personal circumstances (eg if you have a criminal conviction)
Once you’ve applied you can stay in the UK until you’ve been given a decision, as long as you applied before your last visa expired.
5. Family members
Your family members (‘dependants’) must apply to join or remain with you in the UK if they’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.
A ‘dependant’ is any of the following:
- your partner
- your child under 18
- your child over 18 if they’re currently in the UK as a dependant
They’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of their application.
They must complete their visa application by 5 July if they’ve already paid the immigration health surcharge or they might have to pay it twice. They’ll get a refund for their first payment.
Savings
You must show that your dependants can be supported while they’re in the UK.
Each dependant must have £630 available to them whether they apply with you or separately. This is in addition to the £945 you must have to support yourself.
You must have proof you have the money, and that it’s been in your bank account or your dependant’s bank account for at least 90 days before you or they apply.
UK Study Visa
Short-term study visa
The UK is a world leader in many areas of education including engineering, science, art and design, business and management, law and finance. The UK’s reputation and legacy as a world centre for scientific research makes it a magnet for some of the very best thinkers in the world.
UK Tier 4 (Child) student visa
You can apply for the UK Tier 4 (Child) student visa if you’re aged between 4 and 17 and you want to study in the UK.
UK Tier 4 (GE) student visa
You can apply for a Tier 4 (General) student visa to study in the UK if you’re 16 or over and you:
have been offered a place on a course
can speak, read, write and understand English
UK Work Visas
Tier 1 (Enterpreneur) Visa
You can apply for a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa if:
- you want to set up or run a business in the UK
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- you meet the other eligibility requirements
Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Visa
You can apply for a Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa if you’ve been endorsed in your field in science, humanities, engineering, medicine, digital technology or the arts as:
a recognised leader (exceptional talent)
an emerging leader (exceptional promise)
You must also be from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.
Tier 1 (general) Visa
You can apply for a Tier 1 (Investor) visa if:
- you want to invest £2,000,000 or more in the UK
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- you meet the other eligibility requirements
Tier 1 (Graduate Enterpreneur) Visa
You can apply for a Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa if you:
- are a graduate who has been officially endorsed as having a genuine and credible business idea
- are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- meet the other eligibility criteria
Tier 1 (Investor) Visa
You can apply for a Tier 1 (Investor) visa if:
- you want to invest £2,000,000 (Rs.19,77,29,784.85) or more in the UK
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- you meet the other eligibility requirements
Tier 2 (general) Visa
You can apply for a Tier 2 (General) visa if:
- you’ve been offered a skilled job in the UK
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) visa
You can apply for a Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) visa if:
- your overseas employer has offered you a role in a UK branch of the organisation
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa
You can apply for a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) visa if:
you’ve been offered a job within a faith community (eg as a minister of religion, missionary, or member of a religious order) in the UK
you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
Tier 2 (Sportsperson) visa
You can apply for a Tier 2 (Sportsperson) visa if all of the following apply:
- you’re an elite sportsperson or qualified coach recognised by your sport’s governing body as internationally established at the highest level
- your sport’s governing body is endorsing your application
- your employment will develop your sport in the UK at the highest level
- you’re from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
Tier 2 Priority Service
You can get a decision on your visa within 10 working days if you apply to extend or switch to a tier 2 visa using the Tier 2 Priority Service.
You can only use this service if you’re in the UK.
You can use the service for the following visas:
- Tier 2 (General)
- Tier 2 (Minister of religion)
- Tier 2 (Sportsperson)
- Tier 2 (Intra company transfer)
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