Have you ever wanted to know how to get a visa for the UK so that you can visit, study or work there? There are a lot of requirements and information to process, so it is essential that you know this key information to ensure that you meet the requirements and get your visa.

UK visa for artists is a matter of great debate among artists at the moment. With Brexit pending an end to freedom of movement and the vote on Article 50 that comes next month, it’s only a matter of time before European citizens start worrying if they will be able to stay in the UK.

Perhaps you’re an established artist looking to work in the UK, or perhaps you’re a student looking for an opportunity to study abroad. Either way, there are a few UK visa options for artists that let you live and work in the UK. In this article, I’m going to briefly explain four of these visa types and give an overview of their benefits, limitations, and eligibility requirements.

Uk Visa For Artists

Are you an artist? Do you want to live and work in the UK? If so, you’re in luck!

The UK has a visa for artists that can help you achieve your dream of living and working in Britain. This visa is called the ‘Tier 5’ visa; it allows people from outside of the EU (European Union) to live and work in the UK for up to four years.

While there are some requirements for this visa, they are fairly reasonable: applicants must have at least £945 GBP (pounds) per month in order to support themselves while they’re applying for this visa. Additionally, applicants must provide documentation proving their qualifications as an artist, or evidence that they have been accepted into an accredited program for training as an artist.

If you meet these requirements and would like more information about how to apply for this visa, please contact us today!

The artist visa is a special visa category that allows artists to live and work in the United States. The artist visa is unique because it is not just for one type of artist, but rather any kind of artist—including musicians, dancers, painters, sculptors, photographers, actors/actresses, etc.

The requirements for an artist visa are different depending on whether you are applying for a B-1/B-2 visitor visa or an O-1 temporary worker visa. If you are applying for a B-1/B-2 visitor visa to attend an event or performance that will last less than 30 days (or 90 days if it’s a group event), you must meet the following requirements:

You must have been invited by an organization or company based in the United States to participate in an event or performance

You must have been invited by an organization or company based in the United States to participate in an event or performance

If you want to apply for an O-1 temporary worker visa so that you can perform services as an artist (such as music producer), then you must meet these additional requirements:

If you’re an artist, your visa application can be a little more complicated than the average. That’s because the definition of “artist” is not as clear-cut as it is for other professions.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has developed a set of guidelines to help determine whether or not an applicant qualifies for an O-1 visa based on their artistic skills. This visa allows artists to come to the US and work on projects that would benefit the country economically or culturally.

To be eligible for an O-1 visa, applicants must:

Have an established track record of success in their field (this can be demonstrated through awards, recognition from peers, etc.)

Demonstrate that they have national or international renown in their field (i.e., they are well known in their home country)

Show that they have been invited to participate in a specific event or activity (e.g., an exhibition) that requires their participation in order for it to happen.

Work in the UK as a leader in arts and culture (Global Talent visa)

Overview

With a Global Talent visa you can work in the UK, if you are a leader or potential leader in one of the following fields:

• combined arts, dance, literature, music, theatre or visual arts
• architecture
• fashion design
• film and television, including animation, post production and visual effects

Check the full list of eligible arts and culture fields.

You can also work in the UK on a Global Talent visa if you’ve won an eligible award.

If you’re not eligible for a Global Talent visa, there are other ways to work in the UK – for example a Skilled Worker visa.

If you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

If you or your family member started living in the UK by 31 December 2020, you may be able to apply to the free EU Settlement Scheme.

The deadline to apply was 30 June 2021 for most people. You can still apply if either:

• you have a later deadline – for example, you’re joining a family member in the UK who was living in the UK by 31 December 2020
• you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for being unable to apply by 30 June 2021 – for example, you had an illness or were the victim of domestic abuse

Check if you can still apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Otherwise you’ll need a visa to work in the UK.

Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.

What you can do with a Global Talent visa

A Global Talent visa lets you:

• choose how long your visa is for, up to 5 years
• be an employee, self-employed and a director of a company
• change or stop doing your job without telling the Home Office
• bring your partner and children with you as your ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible
• travel abroad and return to the UK

There are no language or minimum salary eligibility requirements.

If you want to stay longer in the UK, you can renew your visa as many times as you like if you meet the eligibility criteria for extending your stay.

You can also apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) after:

• 3 years if you’re applying as a leader
• 5 years if you’re applying as a potential leader

What you cannot do with a Global Talent visa

You cannot:

• apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension
• work as a sportsperson

If your application is successful, you’ll get a full list of what you can and cannot do with a Global Talent visa.

How to apply

To get a Global Talent visa you need to apply for an ‘endorsement’, as well as for the visa itself.

You do not need to apply for an endorsement if you’ve won an eligible award. You can apply for the visa straight away.

Applying for an endorsement

You need to apply for an endorsement to prove you’re a leader or potential leader in your field.

The Home Office will send your application to be reviewed by a UK organisation (‘endorsing body’) with expertise in your field.

How you apply depends on if you work in:

• combined arts, dance, literature, music, theatre or visual arts
• architecture
• fashion design
• film and television

You will get a decision about your endorsement within 8 weeks.

Applying for the visa

There’s a separate guide to applying for your Global Talent visa, including how your partner or child can apply.

You usually get a decision about your visa within:

• 3 weeks if you’re outside the UK
• 8 weeks if you’re inside the UK

It’s currently taking longer to get a decision on Global Talent visas when you apply from outside the UK. Find out visa decision waiting times.

You may be able to pay for a faster decision on your visa application. How you do this depends on whether you’re outside the UK or inside the UK.

When you can apply for the visa

You can apply for the Global Talent visa at the same time as you apply for endorsement, or after you have the endorsement confirmed.

If your permission to stay in the UK is about to expire, applying for the visa will extend it until you’ve been given a decision.

The earliest you can apply for a visa is 3 months before you travel.

Example

You can apply from 16 March if you plan to travel on 15 June.

Fees

It costs £608 to apply.

If you’re applying based on an endorsement, you’ll pay the £608 in two parts:

• £456 when you apply for the endorsement
• £152 when you apply for the visa itself

If you’re applying based on an eligible award, you’ll pay the full £608 when you apply for the visa.

If you’re including your partner or children in your application, they’ll each need to pay £608.

Healthcare surcharge

You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application – this is usually £624 per year for each person applying.

Check how much you’ll have to pay before you apply.

If your endorsement application is refused

If your application is turned down you can request an endorsement review.

Following the UK’s withdrawal from Europe, many musicians complained about the sudden need to obtain visas in order to spend long periods of time touring or working in EU countries. A petition to Parliament for visa-free travel, whilst unsuccessful in its ultimate aim, revealed that the UK government had apparently sought to obtain such a deal in the withdrawal process but was rebuffed by the EU. With the EU saying the same thing, I guess we will never know.  

Now, some 2 years on, any artists and their technical or personal crew wishing to come and work in the UK must grapple with the UK Visas & Immigration Service’s visa application process. Unfortunately, this is not always a straightforward process. However, with specialist immigration advice at an early stage, individuals and businesses can minimise the number of mistakes made in any such applications and save money on UKVI fees.

This article is the first in a series of two on possible immigration routes to the UK for creatives and sportspeople. It shall explore the different options and practical considerations to be aware of.

What are the possible immigration routes for artists looking to come to the UK and be paid?

There are several different routes for musicians and artists (and any of their technical and personal support staff) seeking to come to the UK for paid gigs. These include:

• The Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visit Visa;
• The Temporary Work – Creative Worker Visa;
• The Skilled Worker Visa; and
• The Global Talent Visa, which is split into two sub-routes: Arts & Culture and Film & Television.

The precise route to be chosen will depend on the individual’s job title, sub-sector, and the proposed length of stay in the UK.

For those musicians who may be touring the UK, they may want to look at applying for a PPE visa as this will allow them up to 30 days in the UK to carry out paid engagements. To be eligible for this route, the particular individual must prove they are a professional musician and be invited by an established UK business or agent. The engagement must relate to their full-time profession, and this must be confirmed with documentary evidence (such as publicity material). Of course, this may be difficult for anyone just starting out.

If the individual needs to be in the UK for a longer period of time, they could apply for a Temporary Work – Creative Worker Visa. They will need to prove they can make a unique contribution to the UK’s creative sector. Their entourage may also apply for such visas. Individuals will need to have been assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship by a Home Office approved sponsor operating in the creative sector. The sponsor does not have to be the individual’s direct employer. A minimum salary must be paid, unless you are a model, musician, or circus performer. If successful, they will be entitled to work in the creative sector for up to 12 months (which can be extended by a further 24 months if remaining with the same sponsor).

The Skilled Worker Visa route provides an alternative longer term arrangement for artists looking to come and work in the UK. It applies to those with a skilled job offer from an approved sponsor (as above) and allows for individuals to be granted entry clearance to the UK for up to a maximum of 5 years at a time. Whilst this route is generally more suited to individuals in other business sectors, it does support actors, authors, artists, producers, studio managers, sound engineers, and singers (among others). However, there are strict requirements for the level of salary, skills required and English language competency.

Finally, the Global Talent Visa route allows for talented and promising individuals in the fields of art and culture and film and television to come and work in the UK. Such individuals will (generally) need to have obtained an endorsement from either the Arts Council England or the Producers’ Alliance for Film and Television (PACT). This route does not require a job offer but instead requires producing work of outstanding quality or demonstrating exceptional talent. As with the Skilled Worker Visa, an individual applying for a Global Talent Visa can seek entry to the UK for a maximum of 5 years at a time.

What about unpaid arrangements?  

If amateur and professional artists, entertainers, and musicians (and their support staff) are happy to visit the UK and not be paid, they should apply for the Creative Visit Visa. This will allow them to come to the UK for a period of 6 months to carry out several permitted activities. Separate applications will need to be made for each individual, if they are travelling as part of a group.

The permitted activities include: performing as an individual or as a group; taking part in competitions; making personal appearances and carrying out promotional activities. Paid work is not permitted unless it is for performing at one or more of the festivals on the list of Permit Free Festivals.

What are the practical considerations I should be aware of?

In light of the above, there are a number of practical points for artists who are looking to come to the UK (or their managers) to consider, including:

• How long the artist and their crew need to be in the UK and whether the particular engagements will be paid or unpaid. This will determine the precise visa to apply for.
• How many people within the artists’ crew and staff will need to obtain visas. If an artist is looking to bring all their staff with them, separate visa applications will need to be made for all of them.
• When any engagements in the UK will take place. Whilst UKVI will endeavour to decide on any visa application within its standard processing times, some decisions may be delayed if an application has been submitted incorrectly or without the correct supporting documents.  

It is critical that artists and their staff plan ahead before applying for visas to work in or visit the UK. If the correct steps are not taken, this could affect planned engagements or touring and potentially lead to delays or cancellations of such events.

Conclusion

There are many visa options available to the aspiring artist. These will depend primarily on an applicant’s work experience, financial status, and education. If you’re seeking a visa to work in the UK as an artist, we recommend applying for the Tier 5 Creative or Exceptional Talent Visa. Both of these visas provide a flexible opportunity to develop your business and artistic talents to the fullest potential – but only if you meet the criteria.

If you are an International artist that wants to come over to the UK to work please don’t think you cant do it. You can and it is easier than you may think. Please complete our Free consultation form on this website with your contact details and we will get back to you with a step by step plan to achieve your goals in the UK And please do realate this article if you found it helpful, thank you.