Replacement of Visa Route

UK Visas & Immigration (‘UKVI’) are planning to cancel initial applications for the Representative of Overseas Business Visa, as it will be replaced with “Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker route”. Overseas businesses wishing to establish a UK branch or subsidiary may be able to send workers on the Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker route, which is described in a recent statement of changes as:

UK Expansion Worker 

7.5 The UK Expansion Worker route is for senior managers or specialist employees who are being assigned to the UK to undertake work related to a business’s expansion to the UK. This route replaces the Sole Representative provisions in the Representative of an Overseas Business route. 

The Explanatory Memorandum to the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules (Summary) can be found here.

The changes to the Immigration rules will take effect at various dates from 6 April 2022 through to 22 August 2022. Prospective applicants can still apply under the current “Representatives of an Overseas Company” route before the new rules are fully implemented, and we will publish further details on the changes in due course.

If you would like legal assistance with UK visa or UK immigration matters, please contact us for a quote.