Overseas Domestic Worker Visa UK
The domestic worker, who is also traveling to the UK with the employer, may be eligible to apply for a type of Domestic Worker Visa that would permit the worker to work and reside in the UK for up to 6 months.
Private household staff, including cleaners, chauffeurs, nannies, cooks, or caregivers who have been working with the same employer for at least 12 months before travel, are eligible to use this visa route.
How can we help you with your UK visa application? Speak to our professional team by calling us on +2080162308, or get in touch with our immigration advisers to find out how we can help.
The domestic worker, who is also traveling to the UK with the employer, may be eligible to apply for a type of Domestic Worker Visa that would permit the worker to work and reside in the UK for up to 6 months.
Private household staff, including cleaners, chauffeurs, nannies, cooks, or caregivers who have been working with the same employer for at least 12 months before travel, are eligible to use this visa route.
How can we help you with your UK visa application? Speak to our professional team by calling us on +2080162308, or get in touch with our immigration advisers to find out how we can help.
What is an Overseas Domestic Worker Visa
An Overseas Domestic Worker visa for the UK is a temporary immigration category designed for domestic workers who wish to visit the UK alongside their current employer. It permits eligible workers to remain in the UK and work up to six months.
This type of visa is used by workers who provide personal services to a private household, such as nannies, housekeepers, personal cooks, chauffeurs, and cleaners. The sponsoring employer must already employ the applicants.
It should be noted that this visa does not lead to permanent settlement in the UK. Additionally, this visa route does not permit dependents of the principal applicant to join or accompany them.
You must comply with all the following to qualify to be a holder of the UK Overseas Domestic Worker visa:
- Be at least 19 years of age
- Have served your current employer at least 1 year
- Work in the same home as your employer or in an occupation regularly used by them as a home?
- Travelling to the UK with an employer, his or her spouse/partner, or children
- Plan to be a domestic employee in a family where you will work full-time, and your employer will also reside in the house.
- The intention is to move out of the UK after six months
- Have enough funds to sustain yourself throughout your residence without having to tap into the country’s funds
Requirements for Your Employer
Your employer should either be:
- Be a citizen of the UK, but not a habitual resident of the UK, with no plans to stay in the UK longer than 6 months
- Be a non-UK national staying in the UK but for no longer than 6 months
Moreover, when you are working in the UK, your employer is obligated to pay you the national minimum wage.
The following documents are required when you submit your application for an Overseas Domestic Worker visa:
- A legitimate passport or any other travel documentation
- Three months’ bank statements or the past six months’ payslips that show you will be able to fund yourself during your stay in the UK
- An attached and fully completed copy of the Appendix Domestic Worker Statement, which has been signed by you and your employer
- A letter issued by your employer stating your position, the number of years you have been employed, and that you are a permanent employee
- Ensure that your passport contains at least one unstamped page that you can use to obtain the visa.
Proof of Employment History
Also, you will be required to submit one of the following documents to verify that you have been working during the same time frame:
- Bank statements or payslips on deposits of salaries
- Tax receipts
- Health insurance contributions Evidence The patient claims that in 2010, they stopped making health insurance contributions in their marriage and started paying it on their own.
- Employment contract
- A genuine work visa, resident permit, or similar endorsement of the country in which you currently work under your employer
- The past visas or passport endorsements, in case you have travelled on behalf of your employer previously
Additional documentation may be required based on your situation. Unless all your documents are in English or Welsh, you will need a certified translation.
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When you apply to settle in the UK as a domestic worker, you will have the obligation to show that you speak English.
You will be able to settle in the UK under this visa route provided you applied to enter the UK before 5 April 2012.
How to Meet the English Language Requirement
There are two choices you have to satisfy the English requirement:
- By taking an accredited English worded examination with a reading, writing, listening, and speaking level equivalent of at least B1 in the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)
- By possessing a scholarly degree, which:
- Taught English, and
- Has also been recognised by Ecctis as equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or a doctor of philosophy degree
You are not required to prove your English language level again, provided you have already satisfied the requirement when you successfully applied to the UK earlier.
However, you do not need to prove that you know English when you are a citizen of one of the following countries or territories where English is the first language:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- The Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- British Overseas Territories
- Canada
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Jamaica
- Malta
- New Zealand
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- United States of America (USA)
Provided you are a national of any of the above, you would automatically be exempted from meeting the ELR requirement in the settlement.
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Your rights, as a domestic worker, include the right to work in fair conditions in the UK.
Your employer has to be in compliance with UK Employment laws and make sure that:
- You receive the agreed pay, which should be at least the national minimum wage
- You are not forced to work long hours
- You get your lawful vacation pay
- When your employment ceases, you are provided with the proper notice period
In the case of a job in the UK, you are expected to have negotiated and settled your employment terms with your employer before arriving in the UK. These conditions will be written down and cannot be altered without your consent.
Provided your employer is failing to satisfy those requirements, you have the right to seek redress before an employment tribunal, the industrial tribunal (in Northern Ireland), or the civil courts.
In case you are struggling or having problems at work, you can acquire free and confidential information by contacting the following organisations:
- Acas Helpline – Offers information on work rights and problems
- Kalayaan – A UK charity that is independent and confidential, to provide support to domestic workers
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In case you want to go back to your country of origin, the following resources can help you:
- Either contact your country’s Embassy or High Commissioner in the UK, or make enquiries in person
- Ask a registered immigration adviser to help you
- The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) Adviser Finder can help you to find a qualified adviser in your area
The Overseas Domestic Worker permit allows a stay within the United Kingdom for up to six months. This visa cannot be extended beyond six months by remaining in the UK under the existing immigration policy.
Nonetheless, you can apply for a new visa outside the UK, depending on your situation.
To avoid any complications with immigration laws and to streamline the process, it is recommended that after the six-month duration expires, domestic workers return to their home country and reapply.
In the UK, a domestic worker can only be allowed to work within the employer’s original family home.
The future applications or employment prospects in the UK will be assessed according to the individual details and eligibility of each case.
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The UK visa process can be arduous, particularly if English is not your first language.
ISUK knows what a hassle it can be, and we are here to help you through the process, making it as convenient and pressure-free as possible.
We offer expert and personalised assistance to individuals and families pursuing any route to a UK visa, including the Overseas Domestic Worker visa.
Whether you are new to starting your application or require assistance with a particular part of the form, we are here to support you every step of the way.
If you want to know more about what we can do or talk to one of our reliable immigration lawyers, do not be afraid to contact us:
Contact us today at +2080162308 or use our online contact form to learn more about our professional immigration services.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UK Overseas Domestic Worker visa?
The Overseas Domestic Worker visa enables domestic workers, including nannies, cooks, cleaners, and chauffeurs, to come to the UK with their current employer to work together for up to six months. This visa is not settlement-based and does not permit dependents to accompany the applicant.
Which persons have the right to seek this visa?
To be eligible, applicants must be under 19, have been employed by an employer in the United Kingdom for at least a year, and have been under the intention of travelling with their employer to the United Kingdom.
They should be willing and capable of working full-time in the employer’s household in the UK and be able to support themselves independently without relying on public funds.
Can I renew my Overseas Domestic Worker visa in the UK?
No, this is not a visa that can be extended internally inside the UK. Upon completing a six-month stay, it is advisable to return to your country of origin before submitting a new visa request to avoid potential immigration issues.
Which papers do I have to submit to qualify for the visa?
You should submit a valid passport, evidence of your financial backing (bank statements), a signed ‘Appendix Domestic Worker Statement’, a letter issued by your employer, and some record of your work history, like payslips, tax confirmations, or employment contracts.
Do I need to meet an English language requirement?
You do not need to meet the English language requirement unless you apply based on settlement, and that itself is only possible if you applied before 5 April 2012.
To be eligible to settle, you will be required to pass an approved English test or a degree that is taught in English.
Who does not need to demonstrate their English skills?
The English language requirement does not apply to nationals of certain English-speaking countries, including Australia, Canada, the United States, New Zealand, and some Caribbean countries.
What are my employment rights?
They include the right to at least the national minimum wage, reasonable working hours, paid holidays, and appropriate notice to give in case your employment terminates.
Organisations such as Acas or Kalayaan can be contacted to help when your rights are not being observed.
