Business Standard Visitor

If you’re travelling on business:

There are a number of business activities you can do in the UK as a Standard Visitor on business. These include: 

• attending interviews, meetings, conferences, and seminars
• negotiating and signing deals and contracts
• going to trade fairs to promote your business (but you can’t sell things)
• getting work-related training if you’re employed overseas and the training is not available in your home country
• give a one-off or short series of talks as long as they’re not for profit or a commercial event (as long as you’re not being paid)
• carry out site visits and inspections
• oversee the delivery of goods and services provided by a UK company to your overseas company or organisation
• deliver training or share knowledge on internal projects with UK employees of the company you work for overseas
• install, dismantle, repair, service or advise on equipment, computer software and hardware, if your overseas company has a contract with a UK company or organisation

You’re allowed to do some additional activities in the UK as a Standard Visitor with a business travel visa, as long as you’re employed overseas as:

• an archaeologist
• an artist, entertainer, or musician
• a bodyguard
• a camera operator
• a driver
• an internal auditor
• a journalist or correspondent
• a lawyer or expert witness
• a market researcher or analyst
• a personal assistant
• a professor from an overseas academic institution
• a religious worker
• a scientist or researcher
• a seafarer (someone whose normal place of work is on board a ship)
• a sports person or sports official
• a tour group courier
• a translator or interpreter
• a member of a film crew, including actors, producers, directors, or technicians
• a member of the production team supporting an artist, entertainer, or musician
• a member of technical staff supporting an artist, entertainer, musician, or sports person
  
  
  

If you’re from an academic institution overseas, you can:

• take part in formal exchange arrangements with UK counterparts
• carry out your own research during a sabbatical

If you’re a senior doctor or dentist, you can also:

• take part in research
• teach (as long as it’s not a permanent teaching post)
• undertake clinical practice (as long as it’s not a permanent position)

All academic visits lasting longer than 6 months will require a Standard Visitor visa whatever your nationality. You can:

• apply for a Standard Visitor visa before you travel to the UK that lasts for up to 12 months 
• visit for up to 6 months and apply to stay longer when you’re in the UK 

It’s also possible for your partner and children to apply to stay with you for up to 12 months. They can apply for a Standard Visitor visa in advance or visit for 6 months and choose to extend their stay after they’ve arrived in the UK.