Permitted Paid Engagement Visa
The Permitted Paid Engagement Visa is established for a person who is formally invited to undertake specific short-term paid work or professional engagements by a business, organisation, or client based in the UK.
The visa is designed to bring to the UK visiting academics, artists, performers and experts in your field and enjoy a temporary stay in the UK to take part in previously agreed engagements without requiring sponsorship through the points-based immigration system.
We have an expert team to help with the application of your PPE visa today. Call us on +2080162308. We also have experienced immigration lawyers who can assist you, both online and over the phone, or even on-site, to ensure a smooth and successful process.
The Permitted Paid Engagement Visa is established for a person who is formally invited to undertake specific short-term paid work or professional engagements by a business, organisation, or client based in the UK.
The visa is designed to bring to the UK visiting academics, artists, performers and experts in your field and enjoy a temporary stay in the UK to take part in previously agreed engagements without requiring sponsorship through the points-based immigration system.
We have an expert team to help with the application of your PPE visa today. Call us on +2080162308. We also have experienced immigration lawyers who can assist you, both online and over the phone, or even on-site, to ensure a smooth and successful process.
What is a Permitted Paid Engagement Visa?
A Priority Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visa is to be used by those who have been invited to the UK on a limited basis to perform a designated paid activity without being sponsored. You may be eligible for this visa if you are recruited to perform or undertake arts, sporting activities, or entertainment, participate in fashion modeling engagements, or take part in other similar activities, or even serve as a legal advocate.
It also covers individuals who come to the UK to conduct examinations or assessments for students, as well as highly skilled academics invited to join a selection panel. It also includes professionals invited to deliver occasional lectures at accredited UK higher education institutions, as well as aviation professionals requested by UK Civil Aviation Authority-approved training providers to evaluate or audit UK-based pilots. This visa is flexible for professionals engaging in specialised engagements for a short period.
To be eligible to receive a Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visit Visa, it is necessary to ensure that you meet the requirements of the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) by proving that:
- You are above 18 years.
- You are a visa national. Non-visa nationals are typically able to apply to enter the UK as a visitor on arrival at the UK border.
- The activity you want to carry out is an approved paid activity under the Immigration Rules.
- You have been contacted in advance, and your participation is facilitated by an official invitation issued by a UK entity or organisation. It should also be directly connected to your professional knowledge and career abroad.
- The authorized engagement will be completed within 30 days after you enter the UK.
- You shall not undertake any prohibited work or activities.
- You do not need public money or to work in the UK to meet the cost of your visit, travel, and accommodation, or maintenance.
- At the end of your visit, you plan to depart the UK.
- You have no plan to reside in the UK by making intermittent, regular, or occasional visits, or reside in the UK with it as your central residence.
- You are not refused under the general grounds of refusal.
- You obtained an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), in case it is necessary.
Note: The requirements might be based on your circumstances. It is recommended that you speak to an immigration attorney who may offer exceptional guidance to you and who can advise you on whether your application has been done in the right way.
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Although the PPE visa permits certain professional activities, it comes with several restrictions. Visa holders cannot do the following:
- Choose a course of study.
- Get married or form a civil partnership.
- Perform paid employment that is not directly involved in the allowable conduct or their vocational knowledge.
- Bring together family members or dependents (who would need to apply independently of a legal visa).
- Obtain government money or services.
- Renew the visa or change the type of UK visa in the UK.
Applicants are strongly advised to take note of these restrictions before applying, particularly when they intend to do more or travel with dependents.
The next professionals can apply for a Permitted Paid Engagement Visit Visa, assuming they have an invitation in writing, addressed in the UK by an organisation or a client:
- Professional entertainers, musicians, and artists are invited to perform, exhibit, or participate in cultural activities.
- Professional athletes – visiting sporting events, matches, es, or promotional engagements.
- Academicians and lecturers – giving guest lectures or serving on academic panels, or seminars.
- Approved airline pilot examiners – flight examinations or regulatory checks of UK-based pilots.
- Authorized attorneys – participating in lobbying, arbitration, or expert litigation.
- Conference presenters or speakers – people invited to present at business, academic, or specialist conferences.
All the engagements should be pre-arranged and directly tied to the professional knowledge and occupation of the applicant abroad.
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Artists, entertainers, and musicians can apply for a Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visa to undertake a particular paid work in the UK, which can be a show, an exhibition, or a lecture. They must:
- Work directly in their profession, with evidence such as media coverage, awards, or publicity materials.
- Be invited by a UK-based creative organisation, agent/broadcasting.
Support staff, or members of a production team, are not eligible for a PPE visa; however, they can explore alternative routes, such as the Creative Visit Visa or the Temporary Work (Creative Worker) route.
Professional sportspersons can sometimes qualify for a Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visit Visa, which allows them to perform specific, pre-agreed paid sports-related activities within the UK that relate to their sporting occupation. Examples include paying a fee to attend an interview, participating in promotional events, or arranging a meeting for contract discussions.
To be eligible, the applicants should:
- Be known as mature professionals in their sport.
- Give supporting facts like having been recently involved in some sporting activities, evidence of awards, or media reports.
- Be a holder of a valid invitation issued by a UK-based sports organisation, agent, or broadcaster. A sports organisation can encompass any body engaged in the organisation or staging of sporting activities or matches.
The visa pathway is intended for use when making short-term visits. It does not permit participation in general coaching, training, or competing in the UK, as well as in competitions, except for engagements covered by such permission.
Academics who are highly qualified can also apply under Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visit Visa and travel to the UK to perform some pre-determined short-term activities, including:
- Examining students,
- Serving or presiding on selection panels,
- Making paid lecture presentations in one of their areas of expertise.
The individual must be invited by a UK higher education institution or a research or arts organisation based in the UK as part of the quality assurance of that organisation to pass.
This route also allows subject-matter experts to apply to conduct lectures, provided the work is not intended to replace a teaching position.
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Foreign-based designated air pilot examiners can request a Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visit Visa to visit the UK to conduct assessments of the UK-based pilots. Such tests are to be undertaken to be in line with the aviation regulatory regulations of the home country of the examiner.
To qualify:
- The examiner should be a formally recognised examiner by the aviation authority of the home country.
- The arrangement should be made in advance by a UK-registered approved training body.
- The welcoming organisation should be governed by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
This type of visa enables pilot examiners to complete a short-term, specialist duty without a longer work visa.
Overseas-qualified lawyers may seek a Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visit Visa to provide such advocacy services in the UK. This involves involvement in:
- Tribunal or court hearings,
- Trading issues, or
- Other dispute resolutions.
The lawyer should have received a formal invitation to attend particular legal proceedings from a client based in the UK. The interaction should be directly connected with their legal competence and should be planned.
PPE Visitors are additionally entitled to do other activities that are included within the regular Visitor route, as long as the Visitor route can be used legally. This category, however, does not allow study or transit use of the visa.
An expert who has been invited to make a single or limited sequence of business talks or speeches in the UK can request a Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visit Visa. This visa is applied to speakers who a UK-based organisation has invited to attend a conference, seminar, or the like, and the invitation has been formalised.
To qualify:
- The speaking opportunity should be pre-scheduled and directly related to the applicant’s expertise.
- The event has to be organised by a UK-based business, academic institution, or professional body.
- Any visit should be time-bound, with the engagement to be accomplished within 30 days of arrival.
It is a visa that allows professionals to share their expertise without having to acquire a permanent working visa.
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In the case of a Permitted Paid Engagement Visit Visa, you are required to prove that you have access to adequate funds to undertake all reasonable costs of your visit. These expenses include travel to and from the UK, accommodation during the stay, and daily living expenses.
These monies shall be maintained in an authorized financial institution, and those finances shall be easily accessible.
You cannot be enabled to work or enjoy access to public funds when you are staying.
You may have your expenses paid by a third party, for example, a UK-based client or relative. This is allowed on condition that:
- The third party has a professional or personal relationship with you.
- They do not violate UK immigration law.
- To take care of you throughout your stay, they are capable and willing to do so.
You can do so by presenting clear evidence of your financial arrangements, which will assist in allowing a smooth visa application process.
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To obtain a Permitted Paid Engagement Visit Visa, one is required to use an online application. You can apply no more than 3 months in advance of your planned travel date to the UK.
During the application procedure, you might be asked to make a personal visit to a local visa application centre. This visit is during which you will:
- Give your biodata (Fingerprints and a photograph of yourself),
- Include original documents in support of your visit visa.
The required documents can contain:
- A passport or through travel;
- Indications of your skills or qualifications that apply to the engagement;
- A formal invitation by a UK-based organisation or client that specifies the nature of the paid affiliation.
The acceptable letters of invitation can be prepared by:
- An established creative arts or entertainment organisation;
- A sports organisation, agent, or broadcaster;
- A research organisation or higher education institution in the UK;
- Aviation training provider certified in the UK by the Civil Aviation Authority;
- In the case of visiting lawyers, a client with a base in the UK.
Handling proper and complete documentation will facilitate achieving a successful visa outcome.
A Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visit Visa should typically take you three weeks to be processed once your biometrics appointment is made. Applications can be submitted as early as three months before your preferred travel date.
Some visa application centres provide:
- Priority Service – a ruling within five working days
- Super Priority Service – decision in 24 hours
In case you should wish to change your application after submitting it, you should get in touch with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) within a reasonable amount of time.
When the approval process has been carried out, your visa will give the details of the exact nature of an approved engagement, the kind of work you can do during your stay in the UK, and any other information.
Travellers on the Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visit Visa can enter to perform a particular paid engagement that they have declared in their visa application. Nonetheless, this form of visa is short-term and is intended for pre-planned activities, rather than frequent or continuous employment in the UK.
Although payment can be made on the declared engagement, PPE visitors are closely monitored by the Home Office to ensure that such a path is not used to circumvent standard work visa requirements. Your primary job should be outside the UK, and the placement has to be substantially related to your professional skills.
Some restrictions that you cannot have under this visa are:
- Find a second job in the UK.
- Start or conduct a business;
- Be employed by an organisation or company in the UK;
- Do a work placement or internship.
- Offer or facilitate trade of goods or services to the general populace.
You can also work remotely in the UK, but only when:
- Any remote work is incidental and not a primary explanation of the purpose of your visit.
- The stated allowed involvement is still your primary goal.
You can also undertake job interviews in the UK. In case you are invited to work, you will need to leave the UK and obtain a suitable visa before any work.
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Our immigration lawyers are also highly experienced in helping individuals worldwide secure the necessary permission to undertake short-term paid work in the United Kingdom. Regardless of whether you need relevant advice on the relevance of using the Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visit Visa to your situation, assistance in compiling a robust and complete visa application, or appealing an unfavorable decision, our qualified team of experts remains ready to serve you throughout the proceedings.
Our professional service is recognized for being approachable and responsive, and we dedicate time to understanding the unique needs of our clients. Our team is committed to providing practical, clear, and reliable immigration advice. Our team places a strong emphasis on professionalism and meticulous attention to detail, providing our clients with the best possible opportunity for success.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
An adult in possession of a Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visit Visa may apply to children under the age of twenty-one years.
Artists, entertainers, musicians, sportspersons, academics, designated air pilot examiners, foreign lawyers, and conference speakers are understood to be professionals who can apply under the PPE Visit Visa, provided they are invited in writing by a UK-based organisation. The activity is directly linked to the person and the profession present in the country where they are working.
Which documents are required to be provided in case of a PPE Visit Visa?
The applicants are required to provide a valid passport or travel document, certification of qualifications or expertise relevant to the engagement, and a formal invitation issued by a UK-based client or organisation. Other documents could serve as evidence of economic resources or even a letter of encouragement referring to a third party.
What work can be done with a PPE Visit Visa?
You can perform the tabled, pre-expressed paid activity that invited you. These are lecturing, acting in concert, piloting, or appearing in courtrooms. Nevertheless, performing general work, being an intern, or operating a business is prohibited.
May I bring my family or dependents to a PPE Visit Visa appointment?
No, it is not possible to bring dependents with you when applying for a PPE Visit Visa. Individual members of the family need to use and obtain a standard visitor visa on their own in case they want to accompany you.
What is the typical turnaround time for the PPE Visit Visa, and is there a way to expedite it?
It takes approximately three weeks following your biometrics appointment. Nevertheless, there are visa application centres that provide the option of Priority Service (5 working days) and Super Priority Service (24 hours) to obtain a decision more quickly.
May I work (remotely) or visit job interviews during a PPE Visit Visa?
It is possible to do incidental work remotely, provided that it is not the purpose of your visit. You can also take a job interview, although, in case a job is offered to you, you should exit the UK and obtain the corresponding working visa to be able to work.
