UK Business Visitor Visa 2026: Requirements, Cost, Documents and What You Can Do
There is no separate UK business visitor visa: business trips use the Standard Visitor visa, or an ETA if your nationality does not need a visa. In 2026 the visa costs £135 for up to 6 months, an ETA costs £20, and you can attend meetings, conferences and negotiations but not be paid by a UK organisation or do productive work.
Written by Sahil Sayed, CELTA-certified IELTS trainer · Fees and rules checked against GOV.UK on 4 October 2026
Key facts at a glance
- Visa used
- Standard Visitor visa (or an ETA for non-visa nationals)
- Visa fee
- £135 for up to 6 months
- Long-term visit visa
- £506 (2 years) · £903 (5 years) · £1,128 (10 years)
- ETA fee
- £20
- Length of each stay
- Usually up to 6 months
- Decision time
- Usually within 3 weeks
- Earliest application
- 3 months before you travel
What is a UK business visa?
A UK business visa is a Standard Visitor visa used for a business trip. It lets you come to the UK for up to 6 months to attend meetings, conferences and training, negotiate deals and visit sites. It does not let you work for a UK employer or be paid by a UK client; for that you need a work visa such as the Skilled Worker visa.
Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality. Visa nationals, including citizens of India and Pakistan, apply for a Standard Visitor visa before travelling. Many other nationalities, including those from Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia, instead need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). Use the GOV.UK visa checker for your passport.
What can you do on a UK business visitor visa?
GOV.UK lets business visitors attend interviews, meetings, conferences and seminars; negotiate and sign deals and contracts; attend trade fairs to promote a business without selling; carry out site visits and inspections; get work-related training not available at home; and give a one-off or short series of talks that are not for profit or a commercial event.
| Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|
| Attend interviews, meetings, conferences and seminars | Being paid by a UK-based organisation or client (except Permitted Paid Engagements) |
| Negotiate and sign deals and contracts | Doing paid or unpaid work for a UK organisation |
| Attend trade fairs to promote your business | Selling goods or services directly to the public |
| Carry out site visits and inspections | Filling a job vacancy, even temporarily |
| Oversee delivery of goods or services by a UK company | Making the UK your main home through frequent visits |
| Deliver training or share knowledge on internal projects with UK employees | Studying a long course (over 6 months) |
Paid speaking or expert work?
Some paid one-off engagements, such as a lecture or an expert's advice, are covered by the separate Permitted Paid Engagement route, which has its own rules. Check GOV.UK before accepting payment.
UK business visitor visa requirements
To get a business visitor visa you must show that you will leave the UK at the end of your visit, can support yourself and any dependants during the trip, can pay for your return or onward journey, and are not trying to make the UK your main home. You also need a passport valid for your whole stay, and your planned activities must be on the permitted list.
- Genuine visitor: a clear purpose, a planned return, and ties to your home country such as a job or business.
- Funds: enough money for the trip; there is no fixed minimum, but your bank statements must cover the costs.
- Permitted activity: an invitation or agenda showing the business you will do matches the permitted list.
- No UK payment: your employer or business abroad pays you, not a UK organisation.
UK business visa documents checklist
Typical documents are your valid passport, travel dates and accommodation details, an invitation letter from the UK company you will meet, a letter from your employer confirming your role, leave and that they pay for the trip, recent bank statements or payslips, and company registration documents if you own the business. A TB certificate is needed if you are staying more than 6 months.
| Document | What it proves |
|---|---|
| Passport valid for your whole stay | Identity and travel history |
| Invitation letter from the UK company | The purpose, dates and activities of the visit |
| Employer letter | Your job, salary, approved leave, and who pays for the trip |
| Bank statements or payslips | You can afford the trip |
| Business registration and tax records (if self-employed) | Your business is genuine and ongoing |
| Travel and accommodation bookings | Your plans and return date |
| TB test certificate | Only for stays over 6 months from listed countries |
How much does a UK business visa cost?
A Standard Visitor visa for a business trip costs £135 for up to 6 months. Frequent travellers can apply for a long-term visit visa: £506 for 2 years, £903 for 5 years or £1,128 for 10 years, still with stays of up to 6 months each time. Nationalities that need an ETA instead pay £20. These fees are unchanged in the Home Office table from 8 October 2026.
| Option | Fee | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Visitor visa, up to 6 months | £135 | A single trip or occasional visits |
| Long-term visit visa, 2 years | £506 | Several trips a year |
| Long-term visit visa, 5 years | £903 | Regular business travel |
| Long-term visit visa, 10 years | £1,128 | Frequent, long-term business travel |
| Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) | £20 | Non-visa nationals |
The fee is the same wherever you apply, but local visa centres may charge optional extras such as priority services, and payment is made in local currency at the exchange rate shown when you apply.
How to apply for a UK business visitor visa
- 1
Check whether you need a visa or an ETA
Use the GOV.UK checker for your nationality.
- 2
Apply online
Complete the Standard Visitor application on GOV.UK, no earlier than 3 months before you travel, and pay the fee.
- 3
Book a visa centre appointment
Give your fingerprints and photo and submit your documents.
- 4
Wait for a decision
GOV.UK says you will usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
- 5
Travel with your evidence
Carry your invitation and return booking; border officers may ask about your visit.
How long is a UK business visa valid?
A standard business visitor visa lets you stay for up to 6 months. Long-term visit visas are valid for 2, 5 or 10 years, but each visit can still last no more than 6 months, and you must not spend so much time in the UK that it looks like you live there. An ETA also allows visits of up to 6 months.
Planning to work in the UK later?
Many business visitors later move to the UK on a work visa. A Skilled Worker visa needs B2 English, which is IELTS for UKVI 5.5 in each skill for new applicants since 8 January 2026. See the IELTS requirements for UK visas and our overview of UK visa types.
Moving from business trips to a UK job?
Book a free consultation and Sahil will tell you what English score the work visa needs and how long it takes to reach it.
Book a free consultationUK business visa from India and Pakistan
Indian and Pakistani citizens are visa nationals, so they need a Standard Visitor visa for business trips; an ETA is not available to them. You apply online on GOV.UK, pay £135 (or a long-term visa fee), and attend a visa application centre for fingerprints and a photo. GOV.UK says most decisions arrive within 3 weeks.
- Apply no earlier than 3 months before you travel, and leave at least 3 weeks for the decision.
- Bring an invitation from the UK company and a letter from your employer or your own business records.
- Show bank statements that cover the cost of the trip; there is no fixed minimum balance.
- If you travel often, compare the long-term visa fees with paying for single visas each time.
Is a long-term business visit visa worth it?
If you expect to visit the UK more than three times in two years, a long-term visa usually saves money and paperwork. A 2-year visa costs £506, compared with £540 for four separate 6-month visas at £135 each. Each visit is still limited to 6 months, and you must not spend so long in the UK that you appear to live there.
| Trips needed | Single visas (£135 each) | Long-term option |
|---|---|---|
| 4 trips in 2 years | £540 | £506 (2-year visa) |
| 8 trips in 5 years | £1,080 | £903 (5-year visa) |
| 10+ trips in 10 years | £1,350 or more | £1,128 (10-year visa) |
Why are UK business visitor visas refused?
- The purpose of the trip is unclear or not on the permitted list.
- There is not enough evidence that you will leave the UK, such as a stable job or business at home.
- Bank statements do not show enough money for the trip, or show unexplained large deposits.
- The planned activities look like work for a UK organisation.
A clear invitation letter, an employer letter and an agenda that matches the permitted activities address most of these points.
Frequently asked questions
There is no fixed amount. You must show you can pay for your trip, support yourself and pay for your return journey, usually with recent bank statements, payslips or an employer letter confirming they pay.
GOV.UK says you will usually get a decision within 3 weeks of your visa centre appointment. You can apply up to 3 months before you travel.
No. You can do permitted business activities such as meetings, negotiations and site visits, but you cannot be paid by a UK organisation or do work for one.
Indian citizens apply for a Standard Visitor visa, which costs £135 for up to 6 months, or £506, £903 or £1,128 for 2, 5 or 10-year long-term visit visas.
It is not mandatory, but a letter from the UK company you will meet, explaining the purpose and dates of the visit, is strong evidence that your trip is genuine.
No. Visitor visas have no English test requirement. English tests are only needed for routes such as work, study and family visas.
Thinking about a longer move to the UK?
Work and study visas need an approved English test. Book a free 20-minute consultation to find out the score your route needs and the fastest way to reach it.
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Sources and how we checked this page
Every fee, rule and deadline on this page was checked against the official sources below on 4 October 2026. Immigration rules and fees change, so confirm the current position on GOV.UK before you apply or pay for anything.