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Service Supplier Visa

A Service Supplier visa allows an individual to enter the UK to work if they intend to provide services to a UK company as either a self-employed individual based outside the UK, or an employee of an overseas company.

In order to qualify for a Service Supplier visa, the relevant individual should:

  • be providing a service to a UK business and be doing so under a contract which is covered by a valid and active international trade agreement
  • be performing an ‘eligible job’ as defined by the Home Office, or have relevant experience and qualifications
  • hold a certificate of sponsorship from the company they’ll be working for in the UK
  • have at least 12 months’ experience of self-employment in their field, or have been working for their employer for at least 12 months

Once granted, a Service Supplier visa can be valid for as much as 12 months, though this could be shorter depending on the terms of the trade agreement under which the applicant will be providing their services.

Check your eligibility for this visa

Service Supplier Visa process and costs

Service Supplier visas can be applied for up to three months before the applicant intends to begin working in the UK. Once the Home Office has received the application and any supporting documents, a decision is usually made within 3 weeks if the application comes from outside the UK, and within 8 weeks from within the UK.

An application for a Service Supplier Visa costs £298, plus a healthcare surcharge which must be paid in advance of receiving the visa. Applicants will also need to prove that they have at least £1270 in their bank account for a minimum of 28 consecutive days prior to submitting their application.

It is possible to add your partner and/or children to this visa when you apply and have them travel to the UK with you, or to join you after you have arrived. However, they will need to submit separate applications of their own and pay the £298 fee. They may also need to pay a healthcare surchage and show evidence of having enough money to support themselves.

You may be able to extend your visa if you are still contracted to the same sponsor and you have not already spent five of the last six years in the UK on a Global Business Mobility category visa. You should ensure that any request for an extension or update to your existing visa is made before it expires, and that any dependants also apply to extend their own visas.

Demetris Demetriou

Demetris is a dual-qualified lawyer in the UK (Solicitor) and Cyprus (Advocate) with 10+ years of experience in UK immigration. He completed his legal studies at University College London and City University London. Over the course of his career, he held key roles as Head of Immigration at Legal 500 firms and within the Big4, overseeing teams of 15+ fee earners handling 2000+ applications annually.

Demetris went on to co-establish his firm in London and continues to offer innovative solutions and strategic immigration planning to multinationals, SMEs, and private clients.

He personally represented 1500+ clients in 30+ visa routes including investors, entrepreneurs, innovators, sole representatives, students, family visas, global talent, UK ancestry, administrative reviews and appeals. Demetris has managed corporate relocations, conducted immigration law training and implemented post-Brexit immigration policies for corporate clients.

Demetris has been featured in various events and publications focusing on UK immigration, notably at the Cambridge Network, the Westminster Policy Forum and most recently at DGEMS, a global mobility summit hosted by Forbes India.

If you would like to discuss your UK immigration matter or have any questions about your options for immigrating to the UK, you can book a consultation here.

Tatiani Preifelt

Tatiani has a wealth of expertise in global mobility and corporate immigration. Her ample skills were acquired within leading immigration practices including three out of the Big4 firms in both the UK and Sweden. Tatiani went on to co-establish her firm in London where she continues to advise clients predominantly in corporate, business and skilled work migration.

Having personally relocated to 10 different countries, Tatiani understands the importance of an expedient and successful immigration process and takes pride in delivering a seamless experience to her clients as well.

Over the course of her career, she has assisted over 500 individuals and businesses to obtain the appropriate visa permits in the UK.

Her awarded academic work at The University of Oxford, The London School of Economics, and at The Geneva University is in the fields of Political Science, International Human Rights Law, and Global Migration Governance.

She regularly provides immigration training and has recently participated as a speaker and panellist at DGEMS 2023, a global mobility summit hosted by Forbes India.

If you would like to discuss your UK immigration matter or have any questions about your options for immigrating to the UK, you can book a consultation here.