The UK Service Supplier visa is a Global Business Mobility work visa for employees of overseas companies and self-employed professionals who come to the UK to deliver a contract for a UK business under one of the UK’s international trade agreements. It allows a stay of 6 or 12 months depending on the agreement, requires a UK sponsor licensed by the Home Office and does not lead to indefinite leave to remain (ILR). This page sets out the requirements, costs, documents and application process based on current GOV.UK guidance.
Key takeaways on the Service Supplier visa
- The route is open: applications are made online under Global Business Mobility.
- A single assignment lasts up to 6 or up to 12 months, depending on the trade agreement.
- You need a licensed UK sponsor, a registered contract and a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).
- You must have worked for the overseas service provider for at least 12 months.
- The application fee is £340, plus the healthcare surcharge and £1,270 in personal savings.
- The visa does not lead to ILR and does not allow work for another employer.
What the Service Supplier visa is and who it is for
The Service Supplier visa allows an overseas professional to come to the UK temporarily to provide services to a UK business under a contract covered by one of the UK’s international trade agreements. It is not a route to employment with the UK business: the applicant remains an employee of their overseas employer or works as a self-employed professional based outside the UK.
The route is part of the Global Business Mobility scheme, together with the Senior or Specialist Worker, Graduate Trainee, UK Expansion Worker and Secondment Worker visas. Under the Immigration Rules (Appendix Global Business Mobility), the visa covers two categories:
- contractual service suppliers — employees of an overseas service provider that has a contract with a UK client;
- independent professionals — self-employed professionals based outside the UK.
Similar assignments used to fall under the International Agreement route, but GOV.UK now states clearly that anyone contracted to provide services to a UK company should apply for a Service Supplier visa instead. Typical assignments include IT system implementation, consultancy projects, technical testing and analysis, and translation — provided the service falls within the commitments of the relevant agreement.
Trade agreements and how long you can stay
How long you can stay in the UK depends on the trade agreement that covers the contract. The visa is granted for whichever is shorter: the maximum under the agreement (6 or 12 months) or the period of work on your CoS plus 14 days, as explained on the official GOV.UK page for the visa.
| Trade agreement | Who can benefit | Maximum stay |
|---|---|---|
| UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) | EU nationals | 12 months |
| UK–Switzerland Services Mobility Agreement | Swiss nationals and permanent residents | 12 months |
| UK–Australia Free Trade Agreement | Australian nationals and permanent residents | 12 months |
| CPTPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) | Nationals of member countries with access to the relevant category | 12 months |
| UK–India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) | Indian nationals | 12 months |
| Other agreements, including GATS, UK–New Zealand and CARIFORUM | Nationals of the provider’s country and others as set out in the agreement | 6 months |
There is also an overall cap: total time on Global Business Mobility visas and the former Intra-Company visas cannot exceed 5 years in any 6-year period. This includes the Service Supplier, Senior or Specialist Worker, Graduate Trainee, Secondment Worker and UK Expansion Worker visas, as well as the Intra-company Transfer and Intra-company Graduate Trainee visas. If you have already worked in the UK on one of these visas, your new visa may be shorter than the period stated on your CoS.
The UK sponsor determines which agreement applies to the contract, as it is the sponsor that registers the contract with the Home Office. Before applying, it is worth confirming that the agreement is in force and that both your type of service and your nationality fall within the UK’s commitments under it.
Service Supplier visa requirements for applicants
To qualify for the visa, you must meet several conditions at the same time, as listed in the GOV.UK eligibility section:
- be an employee of an overseas business or a self-employed service provider based outside the UK;
- provide services under a contract covered by a valid international trade agreement;
- work for a UK business that the Home Office has approved as a sponsor;
- hold a CoS from that sponsor describing the work you will do;
- have worked for your overseas employer outside the UK for at least 12 months or, if self-employed, have at least 12 months’ work in the same sector immediately before applying.
Skill level: occupation code or qualifications and experience
The skill requirement can be met in one of two ways. The first is a job that matches an eligible 4-digit occupation code shown on your CoS. The second applies if the code is not eligible: you need a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent technical qualification, plus professional experience in the relevant sector — 3 years for an employee of an overseas company and 6 years for a self-employed professional.
Some services follow special rules: advertising and translation require relevant qualifications, management consulting requires a university degree specifically, while fashion and modelling and entertainment services require no qualifications. You must also hold any professional qualifications or registrations that UK law requires for the service you will provide.
Nationality is a separate condition. As a rule, you must be a national of the country where the overseas service provider is based. Some agreements also allow permanent residents — for example, of Australia, Switzerland or New Zealand — while under the agreement with the EU, nationals of any EU member state qualify.
Applicant checklist: what to confirm before applying for the visa
- A trade agreement in force that covers the services under the contract
- A contract with the overseas provider registered by the sponsor with the Home Office
- At least 12 months’ work for the overseas provider outside the UK
- An eligible occupation code, or a degree with 3 to 6 years’ experience
- A Certificate of Sponsorship issued no more than 3 months before applying
- Nationality or residence that the relevant agreement accepts
- Personal savings of £1,270, or sponsor support confirmed on the CoS
What the UK sponsor needs to do
You cannot apply for the visa without a UK sponsor. The client business must hold a sponsor licence that allows it to sponsor the Service Supplier route and, as a rule, an A rating on the register of licensed sponsors. The exception is an applicant who already holds this visa and is continuing to work for the same sponsor.
The sponsor registers its contract with the overseas provider with the Home Office and states on the CoS which of these contracts you will work on. A CoS is an electronic record, not a paper document: your application needs its reference number. You must apply within 3 months of the CoS being issued, and the start date on the CoS must be no more than 3 months after the date of application.
The Home Office also looks at the substance of the work. The visa is not suitable if, in practice, the overseas professional is being supplied to a third party to fill a permanent or temporary position there, or if the work is an ongoing routine role for a third party. The job must also comply with UK national minimum wage and working time rules. This is why the wording of the contract and the description of the role on the CoS directly affect the outcome.
What you can and cannot do on a Service Supplier visa
The visa only allows you to work in the role described on your CoS. According to GOV.UK, you can:
- work for your sponsor in the job described on your CoS;
- study;
- bring your partner and children as dependants, if they are eligible;
- travel abroad and return to the UK while your visa is valid;
- do unpaid voluntary work for a registered charity or voluntary organisation.
You cannot:
- claim most benefits (public funds) or the State Pension;
- change jobs unless you update your visa;
- apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR);
- take a second job.
These restrictions are the ones that most often affect project planning, so they are worth considering while the businesses are still negotiating.
You will receive the full list of conditions with the decision on your application. Breaching the conditions of your visa may lead to it being cancelled and can affect future UK applications.
Service Supplier visa costs in 2026
The costs have three parts: the application fee, the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) and the money you must hold to show you can support yourself. The current amounts are published on the GOV.UK pages on visa costs and the healthcare surcharge:
| Cost item | Main applicant | Family members |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | £340 | Paid separately for each family member |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) | £1,035 per year; not payable for a visa of 6 months or less applied for from outside the UK | £1,035 per year for an adult, £776 for a child under 18 |
| Personal savings | £1,270 | £285 for a partner, £315 for the first child, £200 for each additional child |
The healthcare surcharge depends on the length of the visa and where you apply from. If you apply from outside the UK for a visa of 6 months or less, you do not pay the IHS. If you apply from inside the UK for 6 months or less, you pay half the annual amount (£517.50 for an adult), and for more than 6 months but less than a year you pay the full annual amount wherever you apply from.
The money must be held for at least 28 consecutive days, and the end of that period must be within 31 days of your application. You do not need to show it if you have been in the UK with a valid visa for 12 months or more, or if your sponsor confirms on the CoS that it will support you during your first month up to £1,270 (the “sponsor certifies maintenance” section). For example, to travel with a partner and one child you would need £1,270 for yourself plus £600 for your family.
A faster decision is available for an extra fee where the service is offered in your country of application. The visa costs may be covered by the overseas employer or the UK client — this is a matter for agreement between the businesses.
How to apply and how long a decision takes
Applications are made online only. The process depends on where you are: outside the UK (a first visa), in the UK extending your current Service Supplier visa, or in the UK switching from another visa. From outside the UK, you can apply up to 3 months before the start date of your job shown on your CoS.
As part of the application, you need to prove your identity. Depending on your nationality and passport, you will either use the UK Immigration: ID Check app and create a UKVI account, or have your fingerprints and photo taken at a visa application centre (see the GOV.UK application guidance). If you need an appointment, allow extra time: your nearest centre may be in another country.
Standard processing times once you have applied, proved your identity and provided your documents:
- usually within 3 weeks if you apply from outside the UK;
- usually within 8 weeks if you apply from inside the UK (extension, update or switch).
These times are not guaranteed: the Home Office may need to verify your documents, invite you to an interview or take longer because of your personal circumstances. To change something in your application, contact UKVI; you can withdraw it with a fee refund only before UKVI starts processing it. If your application is successful, your status is recorded as an eVisa — BRPs are no longer issued and have been replaced by eVisas.
Documents for a Service Supplier visa
The core documents you need when you apply are listed in the GOV.UK document checklist:
- your Certificate of Sponsorship reference number from the UK sponsor;
- a valid passport or other document showing your identity and nationality;
- your job title and 4-digit occupation code;
- the name of your sponsor and its sponsor licence number, both shown on your CoS;
- evidence of personal savings, such as bank statements, unless your sponsor certifies maintenance on the CoS;
- evidence of your relationship with your partner and children if they apply with you;
- tuberculosis test results if you are from a listed country.
Additional documents on request
Depending on your circumstances, the Home Office may ask for evidence of your work for the overseas employer, proof of your qualifications and an ATAS certificate if your job involves research in a sensitive subject at PhD level or above.
Employment can be evidenced with printed payslips, online payslips supported by a letter from your sponsor signed by a senior staff member, or bank statements. If you are self-employed, suitable evidence includes invoices, business accounts, an accountant’s letter confirming the business activity and profits, leases on business premises, marketing material and bank statements. Documents not in English or Welsh must be accompanied by a certified translation.
Extending, updating and switching to a Service Supplier visa
You can extend your visa from inside the UK if you are still contracted to work for the sponsor that issued your current CoS, have not reached the maximum total stay and still meet the job, qualification and experience requirements (see the GOV.UK extension guidance). You must apply online before your current visa expires, and a decision usually takes up to 8 weeks. While your application is pending, you must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, or your application will be withdrawn.
If your job and occupation code change but your sponsor stays the same, you need to update your visa: you will need a new CoS and can apply up to 3 months before the new job starts. You can keep working in your current job while the application is considered, provided you applied before your visa expired, but you should only start the new job once your new permission is confirmed. A new UK client means a different sponsor and a new application.
You can switch to a Service Supplier visa from inside the UK from most other visas if you meet the requirements. The exceptions are visitor, short-term student, Parent of a Child Student, seasonal worker and domestic worker in a private household visas, as well as being in the UK on immigration bail or with permission outside the rules. Students must have completed their course, have a job start date after the course ends, or have been studying full-time for a PhD for at least 24 months.
Family members on a Service Supplier visa
Your partner and children can apply as your dependants — the requirements are set out in the GOV.UK section on partners and children. A partner can be a spouse or civil partner, or an unmarried partner you have been in a relationship with for at least 2 years. If you do not live together, you need to show an ongoing commitment, such as regular communication, financial support or time spent together as a couple.
Children must be under 18, or over 18 only if they are already in the UK as your dependants. A child must live with you, unless they are in full-time education away from home, and must not be married or in a civil partnership. Each family member makes a separate application and pays the fee, quoting your application number (GWF or UAN). Their visa usually ends on the same date as yours and is not extended automatically: they must apply with you or before their current visa expires.
Service Supplier or another visa: which to choose
The Service Supplier visa is often confused with a business trip on a visitor visa and with other Global Business Mobility visas. The difference lies in who pays the professional, who they actually work for and how long the assignment lasts.
| Visa | Who it is for | Length | Key condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Supplier | Employee of an overseas provider or a self-employed professional | 6 or 12 months | A contract with a UK business under a trade agreement |
| Standard Visitor (business visit) | Meetings, negotiations, conferences, inspections | Up to 6 months | No payment for work from a UK business or client, except in permitted cases |
| Senior or Specialist Worker | Employee transferred to a UK branch of their own group | Up to 5 years in any 6, or up to 9 years in any 10 if paid £73,900 or more | An eligible occupation and a salary of at least £52,500 a year |
| Secondment Worker | Employee seconded to a separate UK organisation | Up to 2 years | A high-value contract between the organisations approved by the Home Office |
| Skilled Worker | Professional hired by a UK employer | As stated on the CoS, with the option to extend | A job offer from a UK sponsor; the route can lead to ILR |
If an employee is travelling only for negotiations, equipment acceptance or training and continues to be paid abroad, a Standard Visitor visa may be enough — the list of permitted business activities is published on GOV.UK. If a UK business is hiring the professional directly, a Skilled Worker visa is needed, while UK Expansion Worker suits an overseas business setting up a UK branch.
Signs that the Service Supplier visa is the right fit for a project
- A contract between the overseas provider and the UK business
- Delivery of services rather than filling a staff position at the UK client
- A project with a clear end date within 6 or 12 months
- Employment and salary retained with the overseas employer during the trip
- A type of service covered by the commitments of a trade agreement in force
- A UK client willing to obtain a sponsor licence and issue a CoS
- No plans to qualify for ILR through this assignment
Service Supplier visa stages with Imperial & Legal
A Service Supplier application involves two sides at once — the overseas provider with its employee and the UK client. That is why the process works best in five stages, from reviewing the contract to an extension if the project runs longer than planned.
Consultation and eligibility assessment
Sponsor, contract and CoS preparation
Application preparation and submission
Home Office decision and travel to the UK
Extension, visa update or switch of route
Common mistakes in Service Supplier visa applications
Most problems arise not from the complexity of the route but from inconsistencies between the contract, the CoS and the applicant’s documents. The most common mistakes are:
- A visitor visa instead of a work visa. If the UK client pays for the services and the professional works on its project, a business visit is usually not appropriate.
- A contract not covered by an agreement. If the type of service or the applicant’s nationality falls outside the UK’s commitments, the application will fail even with flawless documents.
- Less than 12 months’ work. Breaks only count for a closed list of reasons — for example, maternity or sick leave; otherwise the period is interrupted.
- Supplying an employee to a third party. If in practice the professional fills a staff position at the client, the Home Office may find the job unsuitable.
- Errors in financial evidence. The balance drops below £1,270 even for one day, or the statements do not cover 28 consecutive days.
- Travelling abroad during an extension. Leaving the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man before a decision means the application is withdrawn.
A refusal can be challenged or a fresh application made, but this costs time and another fee. You can read more about the options on the page about UK visa refusals and appeals.
Visa support
Service Supplier visa support with Imperial & Legal
Route assessment
Agreement, occupation code and experience checked early
Document pack
Document list, translations and a tailored cover letter
Sponsor support
Help with the licence, contract registration and CoS
Support to decision
Online submission, UKVI requests and decision review
Practical examples: how the Service Supplier visa works
The hypothetical scenarios below show how the route’s requirements work in practice and why the same task may call for different visas.
IT integration for a UK bank
A German IT company wins a tender to implement a payment system at a London bank. Two of its engineers, both EU nationals, have worked for the company for more than three years. The bank obtains a sponsor licence, registers the contract and issues a CoS for 10 months — within the 12-month limit under the agreement with the EU. The engineers remain on the German payroll and return home once the project is delivered.
A self-employed consultant from India
A management consultant with a university degree and seven years’ experience signs a contract with a UK manufacturing company. If the service falls within the commitments of the UK–India agreement, the visa may be granted for up to 12 months. The key evidence is 12 months’ work in the same sector immediately before applying: invoices, business accounts and an accountant’s letter.
A short inspection rather than a project
A Canadian engineering company wants to send a specialist for two weeks to sign off equipment at a UK factory. A Service Supplier visa may be unnecessary for this: site visits and inspections are permitted business activities for visitors, provided the UK side does not pay the specialist for the work.
Below are real stories of Imperial & Legal clients with related needs: choosing a visa for a business trip, obtaining a sponsor licence and bringing overseas professionals to UK businesses.
Client stories: business travel, sponsorship and work visas
UK Standard Visitor Visa for Business Purposes: Rules of the Game
Guan is an employee of an energy company in Singapore. He has been working in the company for almost 10 years and has grown to the project launch...
Obtaining Sponsorship Licence for Pharmaceutical Company To Employ Foreign Specialist
A foreign specialist cannot come to the UK to look for a job; there is no such visa. But they can apply for a work visa after getting employed by a...
Business expansion into the UK for a US company
Dean and Nick are typical representatives of Silicon Valley. They are both programmers with a huge amount of experience. They know not only how to write code, but also how to assemble a great...
Obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship and UK Skilled Worker Visa
Aigul is from Kazakhstan. She is an experienced pharmacist with a medical degree who finds a perfect job in the United Kingdom and wants to relocate...
One client explained why choosing the right type of visa before travelling to the UK matters so much:
I jumped at a chance to go on a business trip to the UK because it was a wonderful opportunity to see a new country and get a unique experience of working with European colleagues. However, it was important to choose the correct UK visa and submit all the necessary documents. My company got in touch with Imperial & Legal’s qualified advisors, and everything was sorted out quickly.
What to consider before you apply
The Service Supplier visa is a practical tool for project work by overseas businesses in the UK: it is open to applicants but requires several conditions to align at once — the trade agreement, the contract, the sponsor, experience and qualifications. The earlier the businesses check these conditions, the lower the risk that a project has to be postponed because of the visa.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for individual advice: Home Office rules and fees change periodically, and the final decision on any application always rests with the Home Office. Answers to common questions are set out below.
