Permitted Paid Engagement Visa (PPE)

What is Permitted Paid Engagement Visa?

The Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visa is a subcategory of the UK Standard Visitor Visa. It is aimed at certain foreign professionals who a UK-based client has formally invited to participate in a paid engagement or event related to their expertise.

The PPE visa allows foreign nationals to contribute their skills to the UK without having to apply for a points-based or any other standard work visa.

Permitted Paid Engagement Visa Eligibility Requirements

To apply for the Permitted Paid Engagement Visa, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Be aged 18 or over
• Be a visa-required national
• Prove that you are an expert in your field
• Have a written invitation from a UK-based client or organisation for a pre-arranged and permitted engagement
• Show that the paid engagement relates to your expertise, qualifications, and main job in your home or resident country
• Plan to complete your permitted engagement within 30 days of entering the UK
• Not undertake any prohibited activities
• Have sufficient funds to support yourself throughout your stay and for your return trip
• Prove that you will not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits or make the UK your main home

Permitted Activities on the PPE Visa

If you are visiting the UK under the PPE route, you must be invited as one of the following professionals:

• A professional artist, entertainer, or musician
• A professional sportsperson
• A qualified lawyer representing a client
• A guest lecturer
• A guest speaker at a conference
• A student examiner or assessor (as an academic)
• An air pilot examiner

Each group has requirements on the permitted activities you can undertake, the type of organisations that can invite you to the UK, and how you can prove your expertise.

Professional Artist, Entertainer, or Musician

A professional artist includes anyone in the performing arts, such as poets, stylists, make-up artists, models, photographers and designers. Professional artists, along with entertainers and musicians, can apply for a Paid Engagement Visa to do any of the following activities as long as they relate to their profession:

• Performing
• Presenting or launching their work to the public or other professionals
• Attending professional conferences
• Joining debating or judging panels

To qualify for the PPE visa, these professionals must:

• Be invited by a UK-based creative art organisation (such as a gallery), an agent or agency, or a broadcaster
• Prove that they are an established professional in their field in their home country with any of the following pieces of evidence:
  • Media coverage and reviews
  • Awards received
  • Published work
  • Publicity material for recent performances, screenings, concerts, talks, readings or exhibitions

Note that personal, support, and technical staff or production team members travelling with an entertainer or artist must qualify for the PPE Visa in their own right. Otherwise, they can apply for the Standard Visitor Visa provided they meet the requirements. They should be attending the same event as the artist and be employed to work for them outside of the UK.

Professional Sportsperson

Professional sportspeople, such as athletes, cyclists, or footballers, can apply for the PPE Visa to do any of the following:

• Take part in a sporting event
• Give an interview
• Sign or discuss a contract
• Carry out other activities related to their profession

To qualify for the visa, a sportsperson must:

• Be invited by a UK-based sports organisation that organises or hosts sporting events, a broadcaster, or an agency
• Be able to demonstrate that they are an established sportsperson in their home country with proof of recent performance, awards, or media coverage

Qualified Lawyer

A qualified lawyer can visit the UK with the Permitted Paid Engagement Visa if a UK-based client has hired them to do any of the following:

• Provide dispute resolution through arbitration
• Prepare them for or represent them at a court or tribunal hearing
• Handle any other form of legal proceedings that involves resolving disputes, like mediation

To qualify for the PPE visa, qualified lawyers must submit an invitation from their client to the Home Office proving they have been asked to represent them in a hearing. They must also provide a ‘temporary call’ or right of audience, showing they have the right to provide legal services to their clients.

Furthermore, qualified lawyers must provide a practising certificate or certificate of good standing to demonstrate their qualifications.

Guest Lecturer

Guest lecturers can apply for the Permitted Paid Engagement Visa to give a lecture or series of lectures in their area of expertise. To be eligible, guest lecturers must meet the following requirements:

• Be invited by a UK-based higher education institution, a research organisation, or an arts organisation
• Provide evidence that shows they are an expert in your field, such as a letter from an employer showing where they work, examples of published work, or evidence of lectures they’ve previously given
• Already be earning an income from giving regular lectures
• Not be retired

Applicants who intend to give a lecture in a subject area not relevant to their current role must provide evidence of:

• Previous employment or posts held in this area
• Publications on the subject
• Any other recognised qualifications

Note that guest lecturers are not allowed to take part-time or full-time teaching positions while in the UK under this visa type.

Guest Speaker at a Conference

A guest speaker coming to the UK to give a paid one-off or short series of speeches can apply for the Permitted Paid Engagement Visa. To qualify through this route, applicants must:

• Be invited by the organiser of the seminar or conference in the UK
• Must show that the conference is relevant to their profession or area of expertise in their home country

Student Examiner or Assessor

Highly qualified academics or professional assessors can be invited to the UK under the PPE Visa to do any of the following:

• Examine students in their subject area
• Chair or take part in selection panels
• Participate in a quality assurance team

Academics must be invited by a UK higher education institution or a research and arts organisation. The work they intend to do must be a part of the organisation’s quality assurance process.

Furthermore, applicants must demonstrate their qualifications as experts through a letter from their employer, evidence of lectures given, or published work in their field.

Air Pilot Examiner

Overseas designated pilot examiners can apply for a PPE Visa to enter the UK and examine UK-based air pilots to ensure they meet the aviation regulatory requirement of the examiner’s home country.

The air pilot examiner must be invited by a UK-based training organisation regulated by the UK Civil Aviation Authority and be able to show that they are employed full-time by the national aviation authority in their home country.

What You Cannot Do On the PPE Visa

If you are a Permitted Paid Engagement visitor, you can also undertake other activities allowed on the Standard Visitor routes but are not permitted to do the following in the UK:

• Perform paid work unrelated to your job or area of expertise
• Study
• Start a business
• Enter into a marriage or civil partnership
• Intend to receive private medical treatment
• Claim public funds or benefits
• Use the UK as a transit point to another country
• Bring family members or dependents. Your family members must qualify for a Standard Visitor Visa to accompany you
• Switch to a different visa category
• Extend your visa

Intention to Leave the UK Requirement for a Permitted Paid Engagement Visa

As part of your application for the Permitted Paid Engagement visit visa, you must prove that you intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit and not visit frequently or make the UK your home.

The Home Office will assess your application and consider several factors to determine your intention to depart the UK after your visit. Some of these factors include:

• Your previous immigration history in the UK and other countries
• Your family and socio-economic background
• Any ties to your home country
• Your financial situation

Factors that raise doubts about your visit, such as attempts to deceive the Home Office in a previous application, discrepancies between your statement and your sponsor’s, or a lack of ties to your home country, might impact the outcome of your application.

When preparing your application, ensure you provide accurate information and submit documents that demonstrate clearly your genuine intentions. It’s also essential to ensure you meet the eligibility requirements before applying.

Our legal team at IAS can help you assess your situation, advise you on the proper steps to take, and address any potential concerns regarding your paid engagement visa application. Call +44 (0)333 305 9375 to speak with a lawyer.

Permitted Paid Engagement Visit Visas – Right to Work

Although the Permitted Paid Engagement Visa allows you to receive payment for your pre-arranged engagement, it doesn’t give you the right to work in the UK. This means you can’t take up any paid employment other than what was permitted on your visa, establish a business, or sell goods or services.

The Home Office expects you to be employed in your home or resident country, whether in a full-time or part-time role. You are also expected to return to your employment after completing your engagement in the UK.

As such, when assessing your application, a Home Office caseworker will check to ensure that you are not using the PPE route as a basis for employment.

Furthermore, if you receive a job offer while on the PPE Visa, you will be expected to leave the UK. Then, you can apply for the appropriate entry clearance to re-enter the country and resume your new employment.

Required Documents for Paid Engagement Visa

To apply for the Permitted Paid Engagement Visa, you must submit the following supporting documents:

• A passport or valid travel document
• A formal invitation letter from a UK-based organisation or client
• Evidence of your expertise, skills, or qualifications
• A letter of employment from your employer in your home country
• Details of your travel plan, including where you intend to stay and your activities
• A bank statement
• Details of any past criminal conviction

Validity Period for Paid Engagement Visa

The Permitted Paid Engagement Visa is valid for up to six months. However, you must engage in the permitted event in the first month of your arrival in the UK.

If you decide to stay after your engagement and for the remaining duration of your visa’s validity, you can partake in certain allowed activities on the Visitor Visa route, such as visiting family and friends or touring the UK.

How to Apply for Permitted Paid Engagement Visa

Each applicant for the Paid Engagement Visa must make a separate application, even when travelling as part of a group. The earliest you can apply is three months before your intended travel date.

Begin by visiting the Home Office website and completing the visa application form. Afterwards, you will be asked to pay the visa application fee and submit your application.

Finally, book and attend an appointment at a visa application centre in your home country to submit your biometrics and supporting documents. The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will assess your application and notify you of the outcome.

How IAS Can Help

Our team of lawyers at IAS are experts in UK immigration law and have helped several individuals with their UK visa applications.

If you intend to visit the UK for a permitted engagement, we can help you with your visa application. Our lawyers will carefully assess your situation to determine if you meet the requirements and advise you on the best path to take.

We will work closely with you to ensure that your supporting documents and every piece of evidence meet the required standard. To strengthen your application, we will also prepare a letter of representation to the Home Office on your behalf.

To get started with your Permitted Paid Engagement Visa application, call us at +44 (0)333 414 9244.