Frontier Worker permit

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa / Permit Name	Frontier Worker permit
Stay Duration	5 years (2 years for retained status)
Application Cost	Free (£0)
Immigration Health Surcharge	None (£0)
Eligibility Timing	Began UK work by 31 December 2020
Nationality Requirement	EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein
Residency Requirement	Primarily live outside the UK
Work Rights	Employed or self-employed in the UK
Study Rights	Not stated in the source
Healthcare (NHS)	Permitted if meeting eligibility requirements
Travel Facility	Enter the UK as frontier worker
Family Sponsorship	Not covered by this permit
Path to Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Visa Record Format	Digital permit or physical permit

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Purpose

The Frontier Worker permit allows citizens of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein to enter the UK to work while continuing to live primarily outside the UK.

• Irish citizens: Do not need a permit to work in the UK, but can choose to apply.
• British citizens: Cannot apply (including dual nationals).
• Workers starting after 31 December 2020: Must apply for a standard UK visa instead.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify, you must satisfy requirements regarding nationality, UK residence, and UK work history.

1. Living Outside the UK

You must live primarily outside the UK. You meet this standard if:

• You spent less than 180 days in total in the UK over any 12-month period; or
• If you spent 180 days or more in the UK in a 12-month period, you returned to your country of residence at least:
  • Once every 6 months, or
  • Twice in the 12-month period.
• Exceptions: Exceptional circumstances (such as illness or an accident) that prevented travel to your home country are considered.

2. Working in the UK

• Start Date: You must have started working in the UK by 31 December 2020 (as employed or self-employed) while living elsewhere.
• Frequency: You must usually have worked in the UK at least once every 12 months since starting.
• Location: Work must be in the UK, UK waters (up to 12 nautical miles from the coast), or the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS).
• Genuine and Effective Work: Work must be more than small, one-off tasks (e.g., interviews, one-off competitions, auditions, or signing a contract do not qualify).

3. Retained Worker or Retained Self-Employed Status

If you did not work during a 12-month period, you may still qualify if you retained status because you were:

• Temporarily unable to work due to illness or an accident.
• Temporarily unable to work due to pregnancy or childbirth.
• Voluntarily unemployed and undergoing vocational training related to your previous occupation.
• Involuntarily unemployed and either seeking UK employment or undertaking vocational training.

Retaining status during involuntary unemployment:

• Worked in the UK less than 1 year before unemployment: Keep status for up to 6 months.
• Worked in the UK 1 year or more before unemployment: Keep status as long as you continue looking for work.
• Requirement: You must register as a jobseeker with an employment office (such as Jobcentre Plus) and provide proof of job search activity.

Permit Validity and Renewals

• Standard Permit: Valid for 5 years.
• Retained Status Permit: Valid for 2 years.
• Renewals: You must prove you continuously met eligibility requirements since your last permit was granted.

Rights and Conditions

• Work: You can change jobs or switch between employment and self-employment without notifying the Home Office.
• Tax & Social Security: You will usually pay tax on UK income and must check social security contribution requirements.
• Proof of Rights:
  • Digital permit: Use to prove the right to work, rent, and access services.
  • Physical permit: Use the online service to prove your right to work or rent.
• Public Services: Access to benefits and NHS healthcare is subject to relevant eligibility requirements.
• Mandatory Notification: You must inform the Home Office if you stop working in the UK and do not meet retained status criteria.

Family Members

Family members are not covered by your Frontier Worker permit. Eligible family members must apply separately to the EU Settlement Scheme for settled or pre-settled status.

Required Documents

• A valid passport or national identity card.
• Employed applicants: Employment contracts, payslips.
• Self-employed applicants: Contracts to work in the UK, copies of invoices.
• Retained status applicants: Relevant evidence (e.g., doctor’s letter for illness, proof of job applications and jobseeker registration).

Application Process

Applications must be submitted online (available from both inside and outside the UK). You can save progress and complete it later.

Proving Identity

1. UK Immigration: ID Check app: Scan your biometric passport or ID card. Applicants using the app receive a digital permit.
2. In-Person Appointment (if unable to use the app):
   • Outside the UK: Book an appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) to submit fingerprints and a photo. Passports are checked and returned on the day.
   • Inside the UK: Book an appointment at a UKVCAS service point to have a photo taken.
   • Note: Appointment fees may apply.

Receiving Your Permit

• Digital permits: Provided if identity was verified via the smartphone app.
• Physical permits: Sent within 10 days of the decision notice (or collected in the UK if applied from abroad without the app).

Problems and Inquiries

If your physical permit does not arrive within 10 days of your decision notice, contains errors, or is lost/stolen:

• Contact the delivery service first (TNT).
• If unresolved, contact the Home Office:
  • Inside the UK: 0300 123 7379 (Mon–Fri 8am–8pm; Sat–Sun 9:30am–4:30pm)
  • Outside the UK: +44 (0)203 080 0010 (Mon–Fri 8am–8pm; Sat–Sun 9:30am–4:30pm)
  • Representative / Employer: 0300 790 0566 (Mon–Fri 9am–5pm)

Refusals and Reviews

If an application is refused, the decision notice will detail whether you are entitled to apply for an administrative review or lodge an immigration decision appeal.