Guidance

Visiting the UK as a creative professional from a non-visa national country

Information for entertainers and musicians, from non-visa national countries, such as EU Member States and the US, visiting the UK for performance and work.

• From: Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Home Office and Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
• Published: 6 December 2021
• Last updated: 24 July 2024 — See all updates

What you need to know

The UK does not have work permits. The UK’s domestic rules allow musicians, entertainers and artists from non-visa national countries, such as EU Member States and the US, to come to undertake paid work in the UK for a duration of:

30 days upon arrival as a visitor without requiring a visa if they are invited to the UK by a UK-based client or organisation, and paid by a UK source (under the permitted paid engagement visitor rules).

3 months without requiring a visa if they have been assigned a certificate of sponsorship by a licensed sponsor under the Creative Worker visa concession.

6 months without requiring a visa if performing at a permit-free festival. The list of permit free festivals is published under the Immigration Rules and includes a range of events, from Glastonbury to Glyndebourne.

12 months on the Creative Worker visa route, if they obtain a visa and a Certificate of Sponsorship.

The Business Helpdesk can assist with queries from sponsors and employers bringing workers to the UK. The Business Helpdesk cannot assist with queries about visa applications or queries from individuals travelling to the UK.

There are also other visa routes available, such as for Frontier Workers. See Other ways Creative Workers can come to work in the UK for further guidance. Check if you need a visa before you travel.

Paid by a non-UK source and unpaid work: Non-visa national artists, entertainers or musicians (and their personal, technical and production staff) can give performances, take part in competitions, auditions, make personal appearances and take part in promotional activities for up to 6 months visa-free under the Standard Visitor route if they are not receiving payment from a UK source other than prize money or expenses.

Support staff: Personal or technical staff or members of the production team of an artist, entertainer or musician may support the activities of an artist, entertainer or musician who is coming to the UK under the Standard Visitor or Permitted Paid Engagement visitor route, provided they are attending the same event as the artist, entertainer or musician, and are employed to work for them outside of the UK.

Personal or technical staff may support the activities of a Creative Worker on the Creative Worker route as members of that person’s entourage, provided they meet certain conditions, including that their employment is directly related to the work the Creative Worker will be doing in the UK. See Sponsor a Creative Worker for more information.

Scenario 1

An orchestra is coming to the UK to perform, for which they will be paid by a UK company that is hosting the event.

If the orchestra is staying for up to 1 month, they can do a permitted paid engagement under the Standard Visitor route and do not need to apply for a visa in advance. Performers can use eGates if they are eligible.

If the orchestra intends to stay for up to 3 months, they may be able to use the Creative Worker visa concession. At the border they must not use the ePassport gates, and must see a Border Force officer and provide their Certificate of Sponsorship to gain the appropriate stamp in their passports. Without the passport stamp, they will not be allowed to carry out their performance in the UK. See Creative Worker visa concession for more information.

If they intend to stay longer, they will need to apply (before arrival and outside the UK) for a Creative Worker visa, which will allow them to stay for up to 12 months, with the possibility of extending this by a further 12 months if they continue to work for the same sponsor. See Temporary Work – Creative Worker visa for more information.

Scenario 2

A UK promoter is sponsoring a band from an EU Member State who will be arriving for the second time within 3 months under the Creative Worker visa concession. The band already holds a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) under the Creative Worker visa route. The promoter booking the band chose not to certify the band members’ maintenance on their Certificates of Sponsorship.

The band must see a Border Force officer and provide their CoS upon arrival in the UK if they are seeking entry under the concession; they must not use the ePassport gates. Each time they leave the Common Travel Area and want to re-enter the UK under the concession, they must complete this process to gain the appropriate stamp in their passports. Without the passport stamp, they will not be allowed to carry out their performance in the UK.

As the sponsor did not certify maintenance on the bands’ certificates, each band member must provide evidence at the border that they have at least £1,270 in personal savings (plus additional funds for any dependants who are travelling with them). These funds must have been held for at least a consecutive 28-day period ending no more than 31 days before the date of arrival. See Creative Worker visa for more information.

Other issues

Travelling creative professionals may also need to consider other issues such as customs, tax and haulage requirements. Further guidance is available at Touring Europe - checklists for the arts, cultural, creative, and heritage sectors.

Summary table

Route	Permitted Paid Engagement	Creative Worker visa concession	Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor
Duration	First 30 days of visit.	Up to 3 months.	Up to 6 months.
Applies to	A professional creative undertaking an activity directly related to their profession if invited by a UK based creative organisation, agent, or broadcaster.	Non-visa national Creative Workers. A Creative Worker is someone who can make a unique contribution to the UK’s rich cultural life. For example, this could be as an artist, dancer, musician or entertainer, or as a model contributing to the UK’s fashion industry. See visa national list.	Artists, musicians, or entertainers coming to the UK to undertake an activity connected to the arts and/or performing arts. Includes amateur artists and professional artists.
Activities - permitted	No formal sponsorship required. Can also undertake all other permitted activities under: Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities.	Work for their sponsor in the job described in their Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). Work in a second job for up to 20 hours per week if it is on the Shortage Occupation List or is in the same sector and at the same level as their main job. Study (for some courses, an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate is required).	No formal sponsorship required. Perform as an individual/part of a group. Take part in competitions or auditions. Make personal appearances and take part in promotional activities. Take part in one or more cultural events or festivals on the list of permit free festivals in Appendix Visitor: Permit Free Festival List (where payment is permitted). Undertake all other activities in Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities.
Payment	Payment permitted.	Payment permitted.	Unless the applicant is performing at a Permit Free Festival (PFF), payment beyond prize money and expenses is not permitted.
Costs	Non-visa nationals do not need to pay for this route. See visa national list.	Your sponsor may need to pay for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). Please see UK visa sponsorship for employers: COS for further guidance.	Non-visa nationals do not need to pay for this route. See visa national list.
Requirements prior to entering the UK	Engagement must be arranged before travel, declared as part of the application and evidenced by a formal invitation.	Creative Workers must have a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) that has been assigned by a sponsor who is licenced by the Home Office, before they seek entry to the UK. There must be no more than 14 days between each engagement in the UK. Time spent outside the UK during these 14 days will not be counted. If you’re travelling to the UK from Ireland using the Creative Worker visa concession, you must apply for remote clearance at least 72 hours before you arrive in the UK.	Applicants must have a passport or travel document that is valid for the whole of their stay in the UK.
Border requirements	Applicants must provide a valid passport. The applicant’s passport should be valid for the whole of their stay in the UK. Applicants must be able to demonstrate the activity is their full-time profession. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they meet the eligibility requirements of the Standard Visitor route.	Applicants must provide a valid passport or travel document which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality. The applicant’s passport should be valid for the whole of their stay in the UK. Applicants will need to present their Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) number to a Border Force officer. If their sponsor has not certified maintenance on their CoS, applicants will need to show that they have enough money to support themself and any dependants travelling with them.	Applicants must provide a valid passport or travel document. The applicant’s passport should be valid for the whole of their stay in the UK. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they meet the eligibility requirements of the Standard Visitor route.
Eligible for using ePassport gates?	Yes – Standard Visitors are able to use the ePassport gates (if from an eligible nationality).	No - applicants must see a Border Force Officer and present their Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).	Yes - Standard Visitors are able to use the ePassport gates (if from an eligible nationality).
Age restrictions	Must be over 18 years of age.	No minimum age. Additional requirements must be met for Creative Workers under 18. See the Creative worker caseworker guidance.	No minimum age. Additional requirements must be met for Standard Visitors under 18. Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor - If you’re under 18.
Dependants permitted to accompany applicants	A Standard Visitor’s partner and children may accompany them on this route. However, they must also meet the requirements of the Standard Visitor route.	A Creative Worker’s partner and children may accompany them on this route. However, they must also meet the requirements for dependants of a Creative Worker within Immigration Rules Appendix: Temporary Work - Creative Worker.	A Standard Visitor’s partner and children may accompany them on this route. However, they must also meet the requirements of the Standard Visitor route.
Staff permitted to accompany applicants	Personal or technical staff or members of the production team may come to the UK as a Standard Visitor in order to support the activities of an artist, entertainer or musician who is coming to the UK to undertake a Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE), provided they are attending the same event and are employed to work for them outside of the UK. The relevant staff must be able to demonstrate that they meet the eligibility requirements of the Standard Visitor route. Staff from visa national countries will also need a visa to visit the UK. See visa national list.	The activities of a Creative Worker may be supported by an entourage. Members of an entourage must have proven technical or other specialist skills and their employment must be directly related to the work the Creative Worker will be doing in the UK. All members of the entourage must have a Certificate of Sponsorship (sponsors may issue a group Certificate of Sponsorship).	Personal or technical staff or members of the production team may support the activities of an artist, entertainer or musician who is coming to the UK as a Standard Visitor or Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) visitor, provided they are attending the same event and are employed to work for them outside of the UK. The relevant staff must be able to demonstrate that they meet the eligibility requirements of the Standard Visitor route. Staff from visa national countries will also need a visa to visit the UK. See visa national list.

Published 6 December 2021
Last updated 24 July 2024 + show all updates

1. 24 July 2024

   Updated 30 days upon arrival as a visitor information.

2. 15 March 2022

   Confirming additional information on the different temporary routes for non-visa national creative professionals coming to the UK, including additional costs for these routes.

3. 6 December 2021

   First published.