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You can apply for an International Sportsperson visa if you meet the eligibility requirements and your sport’s governing body endorses your application, confirming:
This visa replaced the Sportsperson (T2) visa and the sporting part of the Temporary Worker – Creative and Sporting visa (T5).
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:
Otherwise, you need a visa to work in the UK.
Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.
Your sponsor is your employer. They’ll give you a certificate of sponsorship to prove they’re sponsoring you.
You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship.
As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity and provide your documents.
You may need to allow extra time if you need an appointment to do this. You’ll find out if you need one when you start your application.
Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within:
If you need to go to an appointment, you may be able to pay for a faster decision. How you do this depends on whether you’re outside the UK or inside the UK.
You, your partner, or your children will each need to:
The fee depends on how long you want to stay.
If you’re staying up to 12 months, the fee is £259 per person.
If you’re staying for longer than 12 months, the fee depends on whether you’re:
Your visa can last for up to 3 years. You can extend it as long as you’re still eligible.
After 5 years, you may be able to settle permanently in the UK if you’ve had at least one visa that lasted longer than 12 months.
You can:
You cannot:
You need to:
A certificate of sponsorship holds your personal details and information about the job you’ve been offered. It’s an electronic record, not a paper document. Your sponsor will give you a certificate of sponsorship reference number to add to your application.
You can only use your certificate of sponsorship reference number once. You must use it within 3 months of getting it.
You must have at least £1,270 in your bank account to show you can support yourself in the UK.
You will need to have had the money available for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must be within 31 days of applying for your visa.
You’ll usually need to show proof of this when you apply, unless either:
Your partner and children will also need to prove they can support themselves while they’re in the UK. Check how much they’ll need.
Read the guidance on financial evidence for more information about the money you need and how to prove it.
Your certificate of sponsorship must confirm this. Your employer will need to complete the ‘sponsor certifies maintenance’ section on your certificate. This is under ‘Additional data’.
If you are applying to stay for longer than 12 months, you may need to prove your knowledge of the English language.
You can prove your knowledge of English by either:
You may be able to meet the English language requirement in other ways. Check the full visa guidance for detailed information.
You will not need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of one of the following countries or territories:
You also may not have to prove your knowledge of English in other circumstances – check the full visa guidance.
When you apply, you’ll need to provide:
If your documents are not in English or Welsh, you’ll need to provide a certified translation.
You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.
Read the guidance about the money you’ll need and how to prove it.
As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity. How you do this depends on where you’re from and your passport type.
You’ll either:
You’ll be told what you need to do when you apply.
If you do need an appointment:
If you’ve applied through a visa application centre, find out if you can pay to get a faster decision – this depends on where you’re applying from.
Once you’ve started your application, you can save and complete your form later.
Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
Find out how to get your visa decision faster – this depends on what country you’re in. How long it takes to get a decision
You can ask to cancel your application. You’ll only get your fee refunded if the application has not been processed yet.
You’ll get an email containing the decision on your application. This will explain what you need to do next.
Your partner and children can apply to join you or stay in the UK as your ‘dependants’ if eligible. If their application is successful, their visa will end on the same date as yours.
A dependent partner or child is any of the following:
You’ll need to provide evidence of your relationship when you apply.
You must be able to prove that either:
They must:
If your child lives with you, you’ll need to provide evidence of their address, such as:
Your partner or children must have a certain amount of money available to support themselves while they’re in the UK.
You – or your partner or child – will need:
You – or your partner or child – would need to have £600 to bring your partner and one child with you to the UK (£285 for your partner and £315 for your child).
You would also need to have £1,270 to support yourself for your own application.
You – or your partner or child – will need to have had the money available for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must be within 31 days of you or them applying for this visa.
You’ll usually need to show proof of this when they apply unless either:
If your partner or child is applying at a different time to you, they’ll only need to prove they have enough money to support themselves if they have been in the UK for less than one year.
Your partner and children must either:
Each family member will need to complete a separate application and pay the visa fee. They must apply before they travel to the UK.
They’ll also need your application number – you’ll get this when you apply. This number is called a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN). You’ll find it on emails and letters from the Home Office about your application.
Proving their identity
As part of an application, your partner and children will need to prove their identity.
They’ll either:
They’ll be told what they need to do when they apply.
If they do need an appointment:
Once they’ve applied online, proved their identity and provided their documents, they’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
They may be able to pay to get a faster decision – they’ll be told if they can when they apply.
If you extend or switch your visa, your partner or child’s current visa will still be valid until its original end date. Your partner or child need to apply to extend or switch their visa, either:
This includes children who have turned 18 during your stay.
The application form will tell you if you can include your partner and children in your application or whether they need to apply separately.
If your partner or child apply separately, they’ll need to either:
They’ll need your application number – you’ll get this when you apply. This number is called a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN). You’ll find it on emails and letters from the Home Office about your application.
Proving their identity
As part of their application, your partner and children will need to prove their identity. They’ll either:
They’ll be told what they need to do when they apply.
They must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until they get a decision. Their application will be withdrawn if they do.
If you have a child while you’re in the UK, they do not automatically become a British citizen.
You can apply online for their visa as your dependant. You must do this if you want to travel in and out of the UK with your child.
You’ll need to provide a full UK birth certificate for each child, showing the names of both parents.
You must apply to add them to your visa before they turn 18 if they want to stay in the UK.
Your partner or child can:
They cannot apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension.
If their application is successful, they’ll get a full list of what they can and cannot do.
You can apply to extend your stay in the UK under an International Sportsperson visa.
You should apply before your current visa expires.
Your partner or child’s visa will not automatically extend if you extend yours. If they do not extend their visa, it will be valid until its original end date.
They can either apply at the same time as you or before their current visa expires.
You must have your endorsement by your sport’s governing body renewed and a new certificate of sponsorship reference number.
You can apply to extend your stay in the UK with an International Sportsperson visa for up to 3 years at a time.
Check the fees for your type of visa.
You’ll also need to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken. There’s no fee for this.
You must apply online before your current visa expires.
You can sign back into your application if you’ve saved it. Check your email and follow the link to return to your application.
Providing biometric information and supporting documents
As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity. How you do this depends on where you’re from and your passport type.
You’ll either:
You’ll be told what you need to do when you apply.
You must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you decide. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.
You’ll usually get a decision within 8 weeks of your application date if you use the standard service.
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision – you’ll be told if you can when you apply.
Once you’ve received your decision letter, your biometric residence permit will take up to 10 working days.
You’ll be contacted if your circumstances or application are more complicated, for example, if:
You can apply to change (‘switch’) from another visa to an International Sportsperson visa.
You should apply before your current visa expires.
If you switch yours, your partner’s or your child’s visa will not automatically switch to this visa. If they do not switch their visa, it will be valid until its original end date.
They can either apply at the same time as you or before their visa expires.
You must:
You cannot apply to switch to this visa if you’re currently in the UK:
You must leave the UK and apply for an International Sportsperson visa from abroad if you’re in one of these categories.
If you have a student visa or are studying for a PhD
If you’re switching from a student visa, you must have been sponsored by a licensed sponsor to get one of the following qualifications:
If you’re a PhD student, you must have completed at least 12 months study during your most recent stay in the UK. This can be through a licensed sponsor or another visa that allowed you to study.
You can apply to extend your stay in the UK with an International Sportsperson visa for up to 3 years at a time.
Check the fees for your type of visa.
You’ll also need to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken. There’s no fee for this.
You must apply online before your current visa expires.
You can sign back into your application if you’ve saved it. Check your email and follow the link to return to your application.
As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity. How you do this depends on where you’re from and your passport type.
You’ll either:
You’ll be told what you need to do when you apply.
You must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you decide. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.
You’ll usually get a decision within 8 weeks of your application date if you use the standard service.
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision – you’ll be told if you can when you apply.
Once you’ve received your decision letter, your biometric residence permit will take up to 10 working days.
You’ll be told if it will take longer, for example, if:
You can take a second job on this visa if you’re working up to 20 hours a week in either:
You can also do unpaid voluntary work.
Otherwise, you’ll need to apply for a new visa. You’ll need to be sponsored by your second employer and get a new certificate of sponsorship.
You cannot apply for a new visa until you’ve started work with your first sponsor.
You cannot start work with your second sponsor until your visa application has been approved.
You must apply online.
You must be in the UK to apply.
You need to provide some documents with your application.
You must also provide a letter explaining that you want to change your current permission to stay.
Your letter must state:
