The Representative of an Overseas Business visa is a UK immigration route for employees of overseas newspapers, news agencies or broadcasting organisations who are assigned to the UK on long-term postings. It is commonly referred to as the Media Representative visa, as new applications are now limited only to media roles.
If you are an employee of a non-media overseas business looking to establish a UK branch or subsidiary, you cannot apply under this route. Instead, you should apply for a UK Expansion Worker visa.
In this guide, we explain the rules for the Representative of an Overseas Business visa, including eligibility requirements, application process, dependant rights, and how this route can lead to settlement after five years.
Section A: What is the Representative of an Overseas Business visa?
The Representative of an Overseas Business visa, now effectively the Media Representative visa, allows an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation to send an employee to the UK for a long-term posting. The applicant must already be employed overseas by the organisation. This route is designed specifically for media workers coming to the UK to represent their employer.
Successful applicants are granted permission to stay for an initial period of three years, with the possibility of applying for a further two-year extension. After five continuous years, eligible applicants may be able to apply for settlement.
While in the UK on this visa, you must only work for the overseas media organisation that assigned you. You are not permitted to take other employment, set up your own business, or access public funds.
This route no longer accepts new Sole Representative applications from non-media businesses. However, individuals who were previously granted a Sole Representative visa may still be able to extend their permission or apply for indefinite leave to remain if they continue to meet the relevant requirements.
Section B: Representative of an Overseas Business Visa Requirements
Eligibility for the Representative of an Overseas Business visa depends on whether you are applying as a Media Representative, or if you are already in the UK with leave as a Sole Representative from before the rules changed in April 2022. New Sole Representative applications are no longer accepted, but existing Sole Representatives may extend their stay or apply for settlement.
A Media Representative is an overseas employee of a newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation who is being sent to the UK on a long-term posting. This is now the only category open to new applicants under this route.
To qualify, you must be aged 18 or over, employed by an overseas media organisation, and assigned to the UK in a full-time role. You must also have sufficient funds to support yourself without access to public funds and meet the English language requirement.
1. Work requirement
The overseas media organisation that you represent must be active and trading outside the UK, with its headquarters and principal place of business overseas. You must have been recruited and employed outside the UK by that organisation and intend to work full-time in the UK solely for them. You are not permitted to take employment with another company or engage in self-employment.
2. Genuineness requirement
The Home Office must be satisfied that you are a genuine representative of the overseas organisation. Caseworkers must not have reasonable grounds to believe that the role or your appointment is primarily designed to enable you to obtain UK immigration status rather than to undertake genuine media duties.
3. English language requirement
Applicants must demonstrate an ability to speak and understand English at level A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) scale. This can be evidenced by:
- holding an academic qualification taught in English and recognised as equivalent to a UK bachelor’s or postgraduate degree, or
- passing an approved English language test to at least level A1 in speaking and listening.
Nationals of majority English-speaking countries, such as the USA, Canada or Australia, do not need to provide evidence of English ability.
4. Financial requirement
You must be able to demonstrate that you can maintain and accommodate yourself, and any dependants, without relying on public funds. Evidence such as payslips or bank statements may be required to prove that you meet this requirement.
Section C: How to Apply for a Representative of an Overseas Business Visa
Applications for the Representative of an Overseas Business visa are made online through the Home Office website. The process involves submitting the application form, paying the relevant fees, proving your identity, and providing supporting documents. The application steps differ slightly depending on whether you are applying from outside the UK or switching into this category from within the UK.
After submitting the application online, you may be required to book and attend an appointment to enrol your biometric information. This involves having your fingerprints scanned and a digital photograph taken. If you apply from overseas, the appointment will usually take place at a visa application centre in your home country. If you are applying from within the UK, the appointment will take place at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) centre.
1. Required documents
As part of your application, you must provide a valid passport or travel document together with a range of supporting documentation. These may include:
- a full description of your employer’s activities, including evidence of business assets and financial accounts
- confirmation that you will represent your employer in the UK in a long-term and full-time role
- evidence that you meet the English language requirement
- bank statements or payslips demonstrating you can support yourself and any dependants
- details of your intended accommodation in the UK, if applying from overseas
- tuberculosis test results, if you are applying from a country where this is mandatory
In some cases, additional documents may be requested depending on your personal and professional circumstances.
2. Visa costs
The fee for a Representative of an Overseas Business visa depends on where you apply. Applications from outside the UK currently cost £769, while switching into this category from inside the UK costs £885. In both cases, you must also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), which provides access to the UK’s National Health Service during your stay.
3. Application processing
The standard processing time for applications made outside the UK is around three weeks. If you are applying from within the UK, the decision usually takes up to eight weeks. You can remain in the UK lawfully while awaiting a decision, provided your application is submitted before your current visa expires. Priority or super-priority services may be available in certain locations at an additional cost to receive a faster decision.
Section D: Dependants
Dependants of a Representative of an Overseas Business visa holder may be able to apply to join or accompany them in the UK. A dependant can include a spouse or partner, as well as children under the age of 18. If granted, the dependant’s visa will usually end on the same date as the main applicant’s visa.
To qualify, dependants must meet relationship and financial requirements. This involves proving the family relationship through documents such as marriage or birth certificates, and showing that the main applicant can support them without access to public funds.
For dependants of legacy Sole Representatives, there is an additional restriction: the main applicant’s partner cannot qualify as a dependant if they own or control the majority of the overseas business being represented in the UK. This restriction applies only to existing Sole Representative cases granted before the closure of the route in 2022, not to new Media Representative applications.
Where the main applicant is applying to switch into this visa from another route, their dependants must also submit applications to switch if they wish to remain in the UK as dependants. If they do not apply to switch, their current leave will remain valid only until its expiry date. They can then apply to join the main applicant at the same time, or before their existing leave expires.
Section E: Extending a Representative of an Overseas Business Visa
A Representative of an Overseas Business visa is initially granted for up to three years. Before it expires, you may apply to extend your stay for a further two years if you continue to meet the relevant requirements. This extension option is open to both Media Representatives and to individuals already in the UK as Sole Representatives from before the closure of that category in 2022.
To qualify for an extension, you must still be employed by the same overseas organisation that assigned you to the UK. The overseas company must continue to have its headquarters and principal place of business outside the UK. You will also need to demonstrate that you are still required in your UK role.
If you are a Sole Representative who was originally granted leave before the closure of that route, you must provide evidence that you have established and registered the UK branch or wholly owned subsidiary, and that you continue to supervise and work full-time in that entity. You must also show that you do not own or control the majority of the overseas business.
When applying to extend, detailed supporting documents will be required. These may include evidence of ongoing employment, confirmation of the overseas organisation’s operations, and financial records. You must also pay the visa extension fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge for the extended period of leave.
Section F: Representative of an Overseas Business Visa to ILR
The Representative of an Overseas Business visa can provide a route to settlement in the UK, also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). After five years of continuous residence in the UK on this visa, you may become eligible to apply for ILR if you continue to meet the requirements of the route.
To qualify, you must still be employed by the same overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation that sent you to the UK, or, in the case of legacy Sole Representatives, continue to meet the rules for that category. You must provide evidence that your role remains genuine and ongoing, and that the overseas organisation’s main base remains outside the UK.
Applicants must also meet the settlement requirements, including:
- demonstrating English language ability at level B1 on the CEFR scale or above
- passing the Life in the UK Test
- showing continuous residence in the UK for five years without excessive absences
Once granted ILR, you will be able to remain in the UK without time restrictions and may become eligible to apply for British citizenship once you meet the naturalisation criteria.
Section G: Summary
The Representative of an Overseas Business visa, now effectively limited to overseas media representatives, provides a route for employees of international newspapers, news agencies, and broadcasting organisations to undertake long-term assignments in the UK. Successful applicants can live and work in the UK for an initial period of three years, extendable by a further two years, and after five years may be eligible to apply for settlement.
While this route no longer accepts new Sole Representative applications, individuals already granted leave in that category can still extend their permission or apply for indefinite leave to remain, provided they continue to meet the relevant conditions. Dependants may also accompany or join the main applicant, subject to relationship and financial requirements.
Given the strict eligibility rules and documentary requirements, applicants should prepare their submissions carefully to minimise the risk of delays or refusals.
Section H: Need Assistance?
Applying for a Representative of an Overseas Business visa can be complex, particularly given the changes to the route in recent years and the distinction between current Media Representative applications and legacy Sole Representative cases. Ensuring that the eligibility criteria are met and that all required documents are submitted is vital to avoid delays or refusals.
If you are uncertain about your eligibility, the application process, or the supporting evidence required, you should consider seeking professional immigration advice. An experienced adviser can help assess your circumstances, guide you through the requirements, and ensure your application is presented effectively to the Home Office.
Section I: FAQs
1. What is the Representative of an Overseas Business visa?
It is a visa that allows an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation to come to the UK on a long-term assignment. New applications are only open to media representatives.
2. How long does it take to get a decision?
Applications made from outside the UK are usually decided within three weeks. Applications made from within the UK generally take up to eight weeks. Faster processing may be available through priority or super-priority services.
3. Can I bring my family with me?
Yes. Your partner and dependent children under 18 can apply to join you as dependants, provided they meet the relationship and financial requirements. Their visas will normally end on the same date as yours.
4. How long can I stay in the UK on this visa?
The visa is initially granted for three years. You may apply to extend your stay for another two years, giving a maximum of five years before settlement becomes possible.
5. What happens after five years?
After five continuous years in the UK on this route, you may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), provided you still meet the requirements, including the English language and Life in the UK test.
6. Are there restrictions on what work I can do?
Yes. You must only work for the overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation that assigned you to the UK. You cannot take other employment, run your own business, or access public funds.
7. Can I switch to this visa from another category?
Switching into this route is only possible for media representatives. If you are already in the UK on a Student visa, you may be able to switch once you have completed your course or after completing at least 24 months of a PhD programme. Sole Representatives cannot switch into this visa under the current rules.
Section J: Glossary
| Representative of an Overseas Business Visa | A visa allowing overseas media employees to work in the UK on long-term assignment. Sole Representative entry is closed to new applicants. |
| Media Representative | An overseas employee of a newspaper, news agency, or broadcasting organisation sent to the UK for a full-time posting. |
| Sole Representative | A senior employee of an overseas business originally assigned to set up a UK branch or subsidiary. This category is now closed to new applicants but extensions and ILR are still possible. |
| Eligibility Criteria | The requirements an applicant must meet to qualify, including age, employment, English language, and financial maintenance. |
| Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) | Settlement status that allows a person to remain in the UK without time restrictions after meeting residence and eligibility rules. |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) | A mandatory fee paid by visa applicants to access the UK’s National Health Service during their stay. |
| Life in the UK Test | A compulsory test assessing knowledge of British culture, history, and society, required for settlement applications. |
| CEFR | The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which sets standards for language proficiency such as A1 or B1. |
| Dependants | Family members who rely on the main applicant, such as a partner or children under 18, who can apply to join them in the UK. |
| UKVCAS | UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services, where applicants in the UK enrol biometrics and submit supporting evidence. |
Section K: Additional Resources
| UK Government Guidance: Representative of an Overseas Business Visa | Official eligibility rules, application process, and document requirements from GOV.UK. |
| UKVI Contact Information | Details on how to contact UK Visas and Immigration from inside and outside the UK for application support. |
| DavidsonMorris: Representative of an Overseas Business Visa | Specialist guidance on eligibility, application process, extensions, and settlement options. |
| Xpats.io: Representative of an Overseas Business Visa Guide | Independent overview of the visa, covering requirements, dependants, and the route to settlement. |
