Charity Worker Visa in the UK

1. Who is eligible?

To be eligible for a Temporary Work–Charity Worker visa you must:

• have a certificate of sponsorship reference number from your UK sponsor
• have enough money to support yourself in the UK – you’ll usually need to have at least 
 £1,270 available (unless you’re exempt)
• be 18 or over when you apply

The charity work cannot include roles in administration, retail, fund-raising or the maintenance of the charity’s offices or other assets. You cannot get this visa if you were given a Religious Worker or Charity Worker visa in the last year unless you can prove you were outside the UK for the whole of that time.

2. How to apply?

You can apply for the Charity Worker Visa up to 3 months before you intend to start your temporary work in the UK. You must apply for this visa online and can do so on the gov.uk website.

As part of the visa application procedure, you have to provide identification in addition to filling out the application form. The kind of passport you possess will determine how you go with this. To obtain your biometric information, fingerprints and photo, you must schedule an appointment at a visa application centre. Alternatively, you can scan your passport using the “UK Immigration: ID Check” app.

You will be told which one you need to do when you apply. If you do need to go to a visa application centre, they might need to keep your passport and other documents whilst your Charity worker visa application is being processed.

You should normally hear back about your visa status three weeks after submitting your application for charity work if you are outside the UK. If you are inside the UK, you will get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks. If you need to go to an appointment, you may be able to pay for a faster decision.

3. How long it takes?

You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. Your sponsorship certificate mentions this date.

You will be required to certify your identity and submit supporting documentation with your application.

If you need an appointment to do this, you might need to budget extra time. When you begin your application, you’ll discover whether you require one.

4. How long you can stay?

Your stay may be as long as 12 months, or as long as specified on your sponsorship certificate plus an additional 14 days, whichever comes first.

Entry into the UK is permitted up to 14 days prior to the commencement of your employment.

5. Application fee

The application fee for each person is £298. The fee is the same whether you’re applying from inside or outside the UK.

Additionally, you have to pay the healthcare surcharge, which is usually £624 per year and prove you have enough personal savings.

6. Certificate of sponsorship

A sponsorship certificate is a special reference number that contains data on your personal information and the work you will perform. It isn’t a printed document or a certificate.

The sponsorship certificate will be given to you by your sponsor.

The details your sponsor used to create your job certificate, such as your working hours, must also be sent to you.

Your sponsor must be approved by the UK government to issue certificates of sponsorship. After the date of assignment, your sponsorship certificate is valid for three months.

See paragraph 12 of this article How our company will help? and find out how we provide a certificate of sponsorship for you.

7. Money to support yourself

To demonstrate your ability to support yourself in the UK, you must have at least £1,270 in your bank account.

The funds must have been available to you for a minimum of 28 consecutive days. Day 28 must occur within 31 days of the visa application.

Typically, when you apply, you’ll have to provide documentation of this, unless either:

• you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months
• your employer can cover your costs during your first month in the UK, up to £1,270

Additionally, proof of their ability to support themselves while in the UK will be required of your partner and kids.

If your employer can support you, your certificate of sponsorship must confirm this. Your employer will need to complete the ‘sponsor certifies maintenance’ section on your certificate.

8. Required documents

As part of your Charity Worker Visa application, the Home Office will also expect each charity worker applying to submit a number of documents as well as a portfolio of supporting evidence to demonstrate that you are able to meet the visa requirements.

The documents you will need for your Charity Worker Visa application include:

• a valid passport or another national identity document
• your certificate of sponsorship reference number
• evidence that you have enough money to support yourself whilst in the UK such as 
 bank statements
• your tuberculosis test results if you are travelling from a country that requires the test

9. What you can and cannot do?

You can:

• study – for some courses you’ll need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme 
 certificate
• work for your sponsor in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship
• do a second job in the same sector at the same level as your main job for up to 20 
 hours per week
• bring your partner and children with you, if they’re eligible

You cannot:

• receive any payment for work
• take a permanent job
• get public funds

10. Extend your visa

To extend your temporary work you should apply before your current Charity Worker visa expires.

11. Bringing family members to the UK

Temporary workers can bring certain family members with them to the UK on their visa. The family members that can join you on your Temporary Worker Charity Visa include:

• spouses, civil partners and unmarried partners
• children under the age of 18
• сhildren over the age of 18, if they are already living in the UK as your dependent

Any dependent relatives joining you in the UK must make a separate visa application, and they can apply to join you online.

For them to be considered as your dependents, they must provide proof of their relationship with you and demonstrate that they have the funds to maintain themselves while in the UK.

To be eligible to be your Charity worker dependents, they will need to be able to prove their relationship with you and must also show that they have enough money to be financially supported whilst in the UK.

12. How our company will help?

Our company BS Immigration is in partnership with the charity organization “Premium School” and with the charity centre “Best British Centre”. To get a vacancy for one of the volunteers in these organizations, you will need to enrol in the relevant courses that they conduct.

There is no fee for the invitation to volunteer work itself.

You have the opportunity to take courses at Premium School and try yourself as a volunteer.

We organize your accommodation and volunteer work with children in London.

Our immigration advisers will help you with obtaining a Charity Worker Visa. We take care of:

• filling out and submitting an application form
• communication and registration of a sponsorship certificate from the charity 
 organization
• assistance with collecting and receiving documents

And also we are with you at every stage to suggest how to act in a particular situation.

To learn more about the Charity Worker Visa and other legal options for immigration to the UK in your particular case – the first and main step is to make an appointment with our adviser for a consultation.

We will study your initial situation and all the influencing factors. And then we will answer all your questions in 45 minutes. We will tell you how you should do better, what type of permission to apply for, and what you can expect now and in the future. A 15-minute consultation is free of charge.

If you need assistance with your charity worker visa application, contact our professional immigration advisers.