| For whom | employees of an overseas business, or self-employed people based overseas |
| Condition | a contract with a UK client covered by an international trade agreement |
| Length | 6 or 12 months, depending on the agreement |
| Experience | 12 months with the employer, or 12 months' experience as self-employed |
| Fee | £340 plus £1,035 health surcharge a year |
| Settlement | not possible |
When this route fits
The Service Supplier visa is for people delivering a services contract for a UK business, either as employees of an overseas company or as self-employed people based overseas. The key point is that the contract must fall under a valid international trade agreement. Which agreement applies and whether it holds is settled with the UK client, who needs the sponsor licence.
This matters because many short assignments need no visa at all. Meetings, negotiations, site visits, intra-group training and certain installation and servicing work under a purchase contract fall under the rules for business visitors. We explain the line under business visits and the ETA. Once you deliver the actual service to the UK client, though, you are past it.
Qualifications and experience
You must have worked for your employer outside the UK for at least twelve months or, if self-employed, have worked in the sector you are supplying for twelve months immediately before applying.
If your occupation is on the list of eligible jobs, that is enough. If not, you usually need a bachelor's degree or an equivalent technical qualification plus three years' experience as an employee or six years as self-employed. Some sectors have their own rules, such as a bachelor's degree for management consulting.
Length and limits
The visa runs for six or twelve months depending on the agreement, or for the period on the certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days if that is shorter. You cannot chain visas indefinitely: across all Global Business Mobility visas the cap of five years in any six applies.
You work only on the contract you came for. Other clients, other projects or moving into a job with the UK client are not possible on this visa. On fees: £340 for the application plus the Immigration Health Surcharge, and £1,270 in personal funds unless the sponsor covers your first month.
What the application needs
The person applies online. GOV.UK usually asks for these documents and details:
- the certificate of sponsorship reference number your sponsor gives you
- a valid passport or other document showing your identity and nationality
- your job title, annual salary and the four-digit occupation code
- evidence of your degree or qualification and of twelve months' employment or professional experience
- evidence of your relationship with your partner and children if they come with you
- a tuberculosis test if you come from a listed country, and certified translations of any documents not in English or Welsh
Timeline
The deadlines to plan around:
- 1
No earlier than 3 months before
You can apply for the Service Supplier visa no earlier than three months before the start date on your certificate of sponsorship.
- 2
Within 3 months of the certificate
Once you have your certificate of sponsorship, you have three months to apply.
- 3
Proving your identity
Either with the UK Immigration: ID Check app or with fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre. In the second case, allow time for the appointment.
- 4
Decision
Usually within 3 weeks from outside the UK. On a six-month assignment every week counts, so start early.
The five Global Business Mobility routes compared
All five need a licensed sponsor, none leads to settlement, and together they share a cap of five years in any six.
| Route | Typical case | Length | Salary or threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK Expansion Worker | Company sets up its first UK presence | up to 2 years | £52,500 or going rate |
| Senior or Specialist Worker | Transfer to the group's established UK entity | up to 5 years in 6 | £52,500 or going rate |
| Graduate Trainee | Trainee on a group programme | up to 12 months | £27,300 or 70 per cent of going rate |
| Service Supplier | Contract for a UK client under a trade agreement | 6 or 12 months | qualifications and experience |
| Secondment Worker | Secondment to a UK contracting party | up to 2 years | contract of £50 million or more |
GOV.UK, Global Business Mobility visas, as of November 2026
The tax side
A six- or twelve-month assignment can trigger a lot: a permanent establishment of your company in the UK, payroll obligations for the assignment and, over twelve months, possibly UK residence for the person you send. The visa decides none of this. What we check in advance is under status and tax; for your company's taxes in the UK, start with our overview of the UK tax system.
Frequently asked questions
Does my UK client need a sponsor licence?
Yes. The UK contracting party must be approved by the Home Office as a sponsor for this route and assigns the certificate of sponsorship.
Can I come as a freelancer?
Yes, if you are self-employed overseas, have a contract under a valid trade agreement and meet the experience and qualification rules.
Can my family come with me?
A partner and children can come as dependants if they meet the requirements and show the funds.
Sources: GOV.UK: Service Supplier visa; GOV.UK: Immigration Rules Appendix Global Business Mobility; GOV.UK: Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor; GOV.UK: Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities; GOV.UK: Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application
