Temporary Work – International Agreement visa

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa Name	International Agreement visa (Temporary Work)
Stay	Up to 2 or 5 years
Cost	£340 application fee plus healthcare surcharge
Eligibility Timing	Apply up to 3 months before work
Processing Time	3 weeks outside UK; 8 weeks inside
Work Rights	Sponsored job; limited secondary work permitted
Study Rights	Permitted; ATAS certificate may be required
Medicare / Healthcare	Healthcare surcharge usually £1,035 per year
Travel Facility	Travel abroad and return permitted
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family Sponsorship	Eligible partner and children can apply
Visa Record	eVisa (digital immigration status record)

---

Purpose & Overview

The Temporary Work – International Agreement visa allows individuals to come to the UK to do work covered by international law or treaty. This includes working:

• For an overseas government or a recognised international organisation.
• As a private servant in a diplomatic household or the household of someone working for a recognised international organisation.

Note: This visa replaces the Temporary Worker – International Agreement Worker visa (T5). Individuals contracted to provide services to a UK company must apply for a Service Supplier visa (Global Business Mobility) instead.

---

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify, you must:

• Be aged 18 or over at the time of application.
• Have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number from a UK government-recognised sponsor. The CoS is valid for 3 months from the date assigned, and the job must relate to the sponsor’s work.
• Meet UK National Minimum Wage and weekly working hour regulations.
• Meet the financial requirement.
• Prove English language ability if applying from outside the UK as a private servant.

Financial Requirement

You must show at least £1,270 in personal savings, held for at least 28 consecutive days (with Day 28 falling within 31 days of your application date).

You are exempt from showing personal savings if:

• You have been living in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months, or
• Your sponsor certifies maintenance on your CoS (under ‘Additional data’) to cover your costs up to £1,270 for your first month.

English Language Requirement (Private Servants Only)

Private servants applying from outside the UK must prove English proficiency to at least level B1 on the CEFR scale unless exempt by nationality or prior qualification. This can be proven by:

• A UK school qualification (GCSE, A Level, Scottish National Qualification level 4/5, or Scottish Higher/Advanced Higher) started while under 18.
• A degree taught in English from a UK institution.
• A degree taught in English outside the UK, verified by Ecctis.
• A passed Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider.

Exempt Nationalities: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British overseas territories, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the USA.

Note: English does not need to be proven again when extending your visa.

---

Length of Stay

The maximum stay depends on the job category:

• Overseas Government or International Organisation Workers: Up to 2 years, or the time on the CoS plus up to 14 days (whichever is shorter).
• Private Servants in Diplomatic Households: Up to 5 years total (granted up to 2 years at a time, or the CoS duration plus up to 14 days, whichever is shorter).

You may enter the UK on the date your visa starts. If your employment finishes early, you may be required to leave the UK within 60 days.

---

Fees & Healthcare Surcharge

• Application Fee: £340 per applicant (same inside or outside the UK).
• Healthcare Surcharge: Usually £1,035 per year per person.

---

Visa Rights & Conditions

Permitted Activities

• Work for your sponsor in the job specified on your CoS.
• Study (an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate is required for certain sensitive subjects at PhD level or higher).
• Take a second job for up to 20 hours per week in the same sector as your main role or on the Skilled Worker immigration salary list (not permitted for private servants).
• Travel abroad and return to the UK.

Prohibitions

• Accessing public funds.
• Working before your visa is issued.

---

Family Provisions (Dependants)

Eligible partners and children can apply to accompany or join you. Their visas will usually end on the same date as yours.

Eligibility

• Partner: Married, civil partner, or living together in a relationship for at least 2 years. If living apart, proof of an ongoing commitment is required.
• Children: Under 18 (or over 18 if currently in the UK as your dependant). Must live with you unless in full-time education, and must not be married or in a civil partnership.
• Children born in the UK: Do not automatically become British citizens. A dependant visa must be obtained for them to travel in and out of the UK.

Dependant Financial Requirements

Unless exempt (e.g., in the UK for 12+ months or sponsor certifies maintenance), additional savings must be held for 28 consecutive days:

• Partner: £285
• First child: £315
• Each additional child: £200

Switching Restrictions

Dependants cannot switch to this visa from inside the UK if they currently hold a visit visa, short-term student visa, Parent of a Child Student visa, seasonal worker visa, domestic worker in a private household visa, immigration bail, or permission outside the immigration rules. Student visa holders must have finished their course or completed at least 24 months of a PhD.

Dependant Rights

Dependants can study, travel abroad, and work (except as a professional sportsperson or coach). They cannot access public funds or the State Pension.

---

Required Documents

• Certificate of Sponsorship reference number.
• Valid passport or travel document showing identity and nationality.
• Proof of personal savings (e.g., bank statements), if required.
• Proof of English proficiency (for overseas private servants).
• Relationship evidence for any dependants.
• Tuberculosis test results (if from a listed country).
• Valid ATAS certificate (if job involves PhD-level research in sensitive subjects).
• Certified translations for any documents not in English or Welsh.
• For Private Servant Extensions: Payslips and bank statements covering the 3 months immediately prior to the application date showing receipt of salary.

---

How to Apply

1. Application Timing & Submission

• Apply online up to 3 months before your employment start date.
• Main applicant applications:
  • Apply from outside the UK
  • Extend or switch from inside the UK
• Dependant online forms:
  • Partner outside UK | Partner inside UK
  • Child outside UK | Child inside UK

2. Identity Verification

You will be instructed to either:

• Use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app, or
• Attend an appointment at a visa application centre or UKVCAS service point for biometric enrollment (photo and fingerprints).

3. Decisions & Status

• Outside the UK: Usually within 3 weeks.
• Inside the UK: Usually within 8 weeks.
• Priority processing may be available for an extra fee.
• Successful applicants receive an eVisa accessible via a UKVI account.

---

Important Warnings

• Travel Restrictions During In-Country Applications: You must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man while an in-country extension or switch application is pending; doing so will result in the application being withdrawn.
• Premature Work: You must not begin working in the UK before receiving your visa.