CHARITY WORKER VISA

The UK Charity Worker visa is a temporary sponsored work route for people aged 18 or over who wish to undertake unpaid voluntary work for a charitable organisation in the UK. The work must be genuine voluntary fieldwork which contributes directly to the sponsor’s charitable purpose. A Charity Worker cannot use the route to take paid employment or fill a permanent vacancy.

Applicants must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from an organisation authorised to sponsor Charity Workers and must satisfy the other validity, suitability, sponsorship, genuineness and financial requirements of the Immigration Rules. The maximum period permitted on the Charity Worker route is 12 months and the route does not lead directly to settlement in the UK.

A partner and eligible children may accompany or join a Charity Worker as dependants. However, a person who is already in the UK in another immigration category cannot switch into the Charity Worker route as the main applicant. In-country applications by principal Charity Workers are limited to those who have, or last had, permission as a Charity Worker.

1. What Is the UK Charity Worker Visa?

The Temporary Work – Charity Worker route is intended for overseas nationals who wish to come to the UK for a limited period to undertake genuine voluntary work for a recognised charitable organisation.

The route is specifically designed for unpaid charity work. It is not an alternative route for charities wishing to recruit paid employees, nor can it be used simply because an organisation has charitable status. The proposed activities must themselves satisfy the requirements for eligible charity work.

The Charity Worker route replaced the former T5 (Temporary Worker) Charity Worker route. Permission may be granted for a maximum of 12 months, subject to the duration of the sponsored role.

An applicant must be sponsored. This means that, before applying for the visa, they must have secured an eligible voluntary role with an organisation authorised by the Home Office to sponsor workers on the Charity Worker route. The sponsor must then assign the applicant a valid Certificate of Sponsorship.

2. UK Charity Worker Visa Requirements

In order to qualify for a UK Charity Worker visa, an applicant will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that the requirements of Appendix Temporary Work – Charity Worker are met.

The principal requirements include that the applicant:

• is aged 18 or over on the date of application;
• submits a valid application and pays the required visa fee and Immigration Health Surcharge, where applicable;
• provides their identity document and biometrics where required;
• has a valid Certificate of Sponsorship assigned no more than three months before the application;
• has been sponsored for eligible voluntary charity work;
• genuinely intends and is able to undertake the sponsored role;
• satisfies the financial requirement;
• satisfies the suitability requirements;
• obtains entry clearance before travelling to the UK where applying from overseas;
• provides a tuberculosis certificate where Appendix Tuberculosis requires one; and
• is not prevented from applying by the Charity Worker/Religious Worker cooling-off requirement.

There is no separate English language requirement under Appendix Temporary Work – Charity Worker.

Validity and Suitability Requirements

An application must meet the validity requirements of the route. Among other matters, the application fee and Immigration Health Charge must be paid where required, the applicant must provide their passport or other satisfactory travel document, biometrics must be provided where required, and the Certificate of Sponsorship must have been issued no more than three months before the application date.

An applicant must also not fall for refusal under Part Suitability of the Immigration Rules. Suitability issues can arise in relation to matters including immigration history, previous breaches of immigration laws or conduct frustrating immigration controls, criminality, deception and other conduct. Applicants applying for permission to stay must also meet the specific requirements concerning breaches of immigration law and immigration bail, including the applicable exceptions under Part Suitability.

Where there is any potentially adverse immigration history, criminal history or previous allegation of deception, the suitability position should be considered carefully before an application is submitted.

The Charity Worker Cooling-Off Requirement

A person applying for entry clearance will generally be prevented from obtaining a Charity Worker visa if they have been in the UK with permission as either a Charity Worker or Religious Worker during the previous 12 months.

The sponsor guidance describes this as the cooling-off period. Where the applicant left the UK before their previous permission expired, it may be possible for the 12-month period to be calculated from their earlier departure if this can be demonstrated.

This restriction should be checked at an early stage where an applicant has previously held permission under either route.

3. What Work Is Permitted on a Charity Worker Visa?

A Charity Worker must be sponsored to undertake voluntary fieldwork which contributes directly to the achievement or advancement of the sponsor’s charitable purpose.

The expression “voluntary fieldwork” is important. Home Office sponsor guidance makes clear that the Charity Worker route must not be used where the worker will mainly undertake routine activities such as:

• back-office administrative work;
• retail or other sales work;
• fundraising; or
• maintenance of the charity’s offices or other assets.

This does not necessarily mean that a Charity Worker can never undertake any incidental administrative activity. The question is whether the role for which they are being sponsored is genuinely qualifying voluntary work that contributes directly to the charity’s purpose, rather than being mainly routine support work.

Can a Charity Worker Be Paid?

No. The sponsored work must be voluntary and must not be paid or otherwise remunerated.

This restriction extends to benefits in kind. However, the Immigration Rules permit reasonable expenses and the provision of reasonable accommodation within the statutory framework applying to voluntary workers.

Sponsors and applicants therefore need to distinguish legitimate reimbursement of expenses or permissible accommodation from remuneration for the work itself.

Can a Charity Worker Fill an Existing Vacancy?

A Charity Worker must not fill a permanent position, including where an organisation proposes to put the individual into a permanent vacancy only temporarily.

Home Office sponsor guidance expressly states that the route cannot be used to fill a vacancy for which there is a permanent and ongoing need.

If the organisation actually requires someone to undertake paid, permanent or ongoing employment, a different immigration route may need to be considered.

National Minimum Wage and Working Time Requirements

The sponsored role must comply with the National Minimum Wage Regulations and Working Time Regulations to the extent that those provisions apply. An application can be refused where the decision-maker has reasonable grounds to believe that the proposed role does not comply with these requirements.

The fact that a role is described as “voluntary” by a charity does not therefore determine its immigration or employment-law character by itself.

4. Certificate of Sponsorship Requirements for Charity Workers

A Charity Worker visa applicant must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) before applying.

A Certificate of Sponsorship is an electronic record containing a unique reference number rather than a physical certificate. It records information about the applicant, sponsor and proposed role.

The CoS must confirm, among other things:

• the applicant’s identity;
• that they are being sponsored on the Charity Worker route;
• details of the voluntary role;
• the start and end dates of the work;
• the location or locations where the work will take place;
• the duties associated with the role; and
• that the role satisfies the Charity Worker requirements.

When Must the Certificate of Sponsorship Be Assigned?

There are two different three-month rules which applicants should distinguish.

First, the Certificate of Sponsorship must have been issued no more than three months before the application date.

Second, the start date stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship must be no more than three months after the application date.

Applicants should therefore check both the date on which their CoS was assigned and the proposed start date before submitting their visa application.

A CoS must also not have been withdrawn by the sponsor or cancelled by the Home Office. It generally cannot have been used for an earlier application that was granted or refused.

Does the Sponsor Need an A-Rated Sponsor Licence?

For a new Charity Worker application, the sponsor must ordinarily be A-rated on the Home Office register of licensed sponsors.

There is an exception where the applicant was last granted permission as a Charity Worker and is applying to continue with the same sponsor.

The sponsor must in all cases be authorised by the Home Office to sponsor the proposed role under the Charity Worker route.

5. Financial Requirement for a Charity Worker Visa

Unless an exemption applies or the applicant’s sponsor certifies maintenance, a Charity Worker applicant must normally demonstrate that they have at least £1,270 available to support themselves in the UK.

The required funds must normally have been held for at least 28 consecutive days, with the final day of the 28-day period falling within 31 days before the visa application is submitted.

The evidence must comply with Appendix Finance. Applicants should not assume that merely showing a current balance of £1,270 will be sufficient if the required funds have not been held for the prescribed period or the evidence does not meet the relevant requirements.

Sponsor Certification of Maintenance

An A-rated sponsor may instead certify maintenance on the Certificate of Sponsorship.

Where the sponsor does this, it confirms that it will, if necessary, maintain and accommodate the applicant during the first month of their stay up to at least £1,270.

Applicants relying on sponsor certification should check that the appropriate maintenance declaration has actually been completed on the CoS before submitting the application.

Applicants Who Have Already Been in the UK

An applicant applying for permission to stay who has been in the UK with immigration permission for 12 months or longer on the application date will satisfy the financial requirement without having to demonstrate the £1,270 funds separately.

Whether this provision applies depends on the applicant’s immigration history and should not be confused with the separate rule limiting a person’s total stay on the Charity Worker route to 12 months.

6. Can You Switch to a Charity Worker Visa From Inside the UK?

No. A person who is in the UK under another immigration route cannot switch into the Charity Worker route as the principal applicant.

For an in-country Charity Worker application to be valid, the applicant must have, or have last had, permission as a Charity Worker. Home Office sponsor guidance expressly confirms that someone in the UK under another immigration category must leave the UK and apply for entry clearance from overseas if they wish to enter the Charity Worker route.

This means that, for example, a person currently holding permission under another work or study route cannot simply obtain a Charity Worker Certificate of Sponsorship and submit an in-country switching application as a Charity Worker.

Applicants considering leaving the UK to make an overseas application should also check whether the Charity Worker/Religious Worker cooling-off requirement affects them.

The switching position for a dependant partner or child is different and is governed by the separate dependant rules. It should not be confused with the restriction applying to the principal Charity Worker.

7. How to Apply for a UK Charity Worker Visa

A Charity Worker visa application is made online.

An applicant applying from overseas must obtain entry clearance before travelling to the UK on the route. Someone already in the UK can only make an in-country application as a principal Charity Worker where they are eligible to extend existing Charity Worker permission.

In practical terms, the application process will normally involve:

1. securing an eligible voluntary role with an authorised Charity Worker sponsor;
2. ensuring that the sponsor assigns a valid Certificate of Sponsorship;
3. checking the role, CoS timing, financial requirement and any cooling-off issue;
4. preparing the supporting evidence;
5. completing the appropriate online application;
6. paying the application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge where applicable;
7. proving identity, either using the UK Immigration: ID Check app where available or by attending a visa application or UKVCAS appointment; and
8. providing the supporting documents required by UK Visas and Immigration.

An applicant can normally apply from overseas up to three months before the start date recorded on the Certificate of Sponsorship.

Care should be taken to ensure that the information in the application form is consistent with the Certificate of Sponsorship and the supporting evidence.

8. Documents Required for a Charity Worker Visa

The documents required will depend on the applicant’s individual circumstances.

The standard documents and information required for a Charity Worker application include:

• the Certificate of Sponsorship reference number;
• a valid passport or other document establishing identity and nationality;
• evidence of the required maintenance funds, unless the applicant is exempt or the sponsor has certified maintenance;
• evidence of the applicant’s relationship to any partner or children applying as dependants; and
• a tuberculosis test certificate where required.

Documents not in English or Welsh will normally need to be accompanied by an appropriate certified translation. UK Visas and Immigration may also request additional evidence depending on the circumstances of the application.

The fact that a document does not appear on the general Home Office checklist does not necessarily mean that it will be irrelevant. Where an application raises a particular issue – for example concerning previous immigration history, the genuineness of the voluntary role, maintenance or the cooling-off requirement – additional evidence may be appropriate to demonstrate that the Immigration Rules are satisfied.

9. Charity Worker Visa Fees, IHS and Processing Times

Charity Worker Visa Application Fee

As at 14 August 2026, the Home Office application fee for a Charity Worker visa is £340 per applicant.

The same application fee applies whether the application is made from inside or outside the UK. Each dependant makes their own application and is also liable for the relevant application fee.

Immigration Health Surcharge

Most adult Charity Worker applicants who are liable to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge pay the standard rate of £1,035 per year.

Child dependants aged under 18 pay the reduced IHS rate of £776 per year. The exact amount payable depends on the duration of the immigration permission applied for and whether the application is made inside or outside the UK.

Where an application is made from outside the UK for permission lasting six months or less, the Immigration Health Surcharge is generally not payable. An in-country application can attract the surcharge even where the period sought is six months or less.

Applicants should check the amount generated as part of the online application process rather than assuming that every Charity Worker application will attract the same IHS total.

Charity Worker Visa Processing Time

UK Visas and Immigration currently states that a Charity Worker visa decision will normally be made within approximately:

• 3 weeks for an application made outside the UK; or
• 8 weeks for an application made inside the UK.

A faster decision service may be available in some circumstances. Processing times are not guarantees and an application may take longer where, for example, further enquiries or document verification are required.

10. How Long Can You Stay on a Charity Worker Visa?

The Charity Worker route permits a maximum stay of 12 months.

For an entry clearance application, permission will be granted for whichever is shorter:

• the period of the sponsored charity work stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship, with up to 14 days before and 14 days after that period; or
• 12 months.

A successful applicant can therefore normally arrive in the UK up to 14 days before the sponsored role begins, provided their immigration permission has commenced.

For an in-country extension, the grant is limited so that the applicant cannot exceed the maximum period permitted on the Charity Worker route. Time already spent in the UK under the relevant Charity Worker grant is taken into account.

A Charity Worker who reaches the maximum permitted period must leave the UK unless they are independently eligible to remain under another immigration route.

11. Extending a Charity Worker Visa

A person already in the UK with Charity Worker permission may be able to extend their visa.

They must continue to satisfy the requirements of the route and must apply from inside the UK before their existing permission expires. An extension cannot take the applicant beyond the maximum permitted period of 12 months on the Charity Worker route.

A new valid Certificate of Sponsorship will be required for the extension application.

Where an extension application is pending, the applicant must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man before a decision is made. GOV.UK states that doing so will result in the application being withdrawn.

A partner or child’s dependant permission does not automatically extend when the Charity Worker extends their own visa. Each dependant who wishes to remain will need to make an appropriate application before their existing permission expires.

12. Work, Volunteering, Study and Public Funds

A Charity Worker’s immigration permission is subject to specific conditions.

The applicant is permitted to undertake the voluntary role for which they have been sponsored. They may also undertake voluntary work for another organisation, provided that the additional work is in the same role as the role stated on their Certificate of Sponsorship.

The additional activity must remain genuine qualifying voluntary work. The Charity Worker route should not be treated as permission to take unrestricted paid employment in the UK.

A Charity Worker may study while in the UK. Where the course or subject falls within the Academic Technology Approval Scheme requirements, an ATAS certificate may be required.

Charity Workers are also subject to a condition prohibiting access to public funds.

The conditions attached to the visa should be observed carefully. Working outside the scope of the permission granted can have immigration consequences both for the individual and, where sponsorship duties are engaged, for the sponsoring organisation.

13. Charity Worker Visa Dependants

A Charity Worker may be accompanied or joined by an eligible partner and children.

A dependant may include:

• a spouse or civil partner;
• an eligible unmarried partner;
• a child under the age of 18; or
• a child aged 18 or over who currently has permission in the UK as the Charity Worker’s dependant and continues to satisfy the relevant requirements for a dependent child.

The partner relationship must satisfy the requirements of Appendix Relationship with Partner. Children must satisfy the relevant relationship, care, age and independent-life requirements in Appendix Children.

Financial Requirement for Charity Worker Dependants

In addition to any funds required for the principal Charity Worker, the following maintenance amounts are currently required where the financial requirement applies:

• £285 for a dependant partner;
• £315 for the first dependant child; and
• £200 for each additional dependant child.

The funds must normally be held for a continuous 28-day period, with day 28 falling within 31 days before the application. Alternatively, an A-rated Charity Worker sponsor may certify maintenance for eligible dependants on the Certificate of Sponsorship.

The financial requirement is generally treated as met where the relevant dependant has already been living in the UK with immigration permission for 12 months or longer at the date of application.

Can a Charity Worker Dependant Work?

A dependant partner or child granted permission under the Charity Worker route can generally work, including in employment, self-employment and voluntary work. The principal restriction is that they cannot work as a professional sportsperson, including as a sports coach.

Dependants may also study, subject where relevant to ATAS requirements, but they do not have access to public funds.

A dependant partner’s permission will normally expire on the same date as the Charity Worker’s permission. A child’s permission will normally end on the earlier expiry date of their parents’ permission where their parents have different expiry dates.

14. Does the Charity Worker Visa Lead to Settlement?

No. The Charity Worker route is not a route to settlement.

A person cannot obtain indefinite leave to remain simply by completing a period as a Charity Worker, and the maximum stay permitted on the route is 12 months.

Applicants whose longer-term objective is to live and work in the UK should therefore consider at an early stage whether they may qualify for a different immigration route in the future.

Eligibility for any alternative route will depend on the requirements applicable to that category at the time of application. The fact that a person has been granted Charity Worker permission does not itself create an entitlement to remain in the UK once that permission expires.

15. Charity Worker Visa Refusals and Administrative Review

A Charity Worker application will be refused if the decision-maker is not satisfied that the relevant suitability and eligibility requirements have been met.

Issues capable of resulting in refusal may include:

• an invalid or incorrectly timed Certificate of Sponsorship;
• sponsorship for work that does not qualify as eligible charity work;
• concerns that the applicant does not genuinely intend or is not able to undertake the sponsored role;
• failure to satisfy the financial requirement;
• failure to provide required supporting evidence;
• application during a period in which the Charity Worker/Religious Worker cooling-off restriction applies; or
• a refusal under Part Suitability.

The appropriate response to a refusal will depend on the reason given and the evidence that was before the Home Office when the decision was made.

Appendix Temporary Work – Charity Worker provides for Administrative Review of a refusal. Administrative Review is principally concerned with identifying a Home Office caseworking error rather than providing an opportunity to make an entirely new visa application with a different evidential case.

An overseas Administrative Review application must normally be submitted within 28 calendar days of receiving the refusal decision. An applicant refused permission to stay in the UK normally has 14 calendar days, reduced to seven days for a person who is detained. The current Administrative Review fee is £80.

Applicants should consider the refusal reasons carefully before deciding whether Administrative Review, a fresh application or another legal remedy is the appropriate course.

16. Frequently Asked Questions: Charity Worker Visa

Can I Switch to a Charity Worker Visa While I Am in the UK?

No. A principal applicant cannot switch into the Charity Worker route from another immigration category inside the UK. An in-country application is only available to someone who has, or last had, Charity Worker permission. A person in another category will normally need to leave the UK and apply for Charity Worker entry clearance from overseas.

Can I Be Paid on a Charity Worker Visa?

No. The sponsored role must be unpaid voluntary work. The rules prohibit pay and other remuneration, including benefits in kind, although reasonable expenses and reasonable accommodation may be permitted within the applicable statutory framework.

What Type of Work Qualifies for a Charity Worker Visa?

The role must involve voluntary fieldwork which contributes directly to the achievement or advancement of the sponsor’s charitable purpose. The route cannot be used mainly for routine back-office administration, retail or sales work, fundraising or maintenance, and it cannot be used to fill a permanent vacancy.

Can I Volunteer for Another Charity?

Yes, but only within the restrictions imposed by your Charity Worker permission. Appendix Charity Worker permits voluntary work for another organisation where it is in the same role as the one listed on your Certificate of Sponsorship.

Do I Need to Pass an English Language Test for a Charity Worker Visa?

No. Appendix Temporary Work – Charity Worker does not impose a separate English language requirement. You must, however, satisfy the other validity, suitability, sponsorship, genuineness and financial requirements of the route.

How Much Money Do I Need for a Charity Worker Visa?

You will normally need at least £1,270, held for the required 28-day period, unless you qualify for the 12-month UK residence exemption or an A-rated sponsor certifies maintenance on your Certificate of Sponsorship. Additional funds are required for dependants where the financial requirement applies.

Can My Partner and Children Come to the UK With Me?

Yes, eligible partners and children can apply as Charity Worker dependants. A child over 18 may also be able to continue as a dependant where they already hold dependant permission and satisfy the relevant requirements. Separate maintenance requirements and application fees apply.

Can My Partner Work in the UK?

Yes. A person granted permission as the dependant partner of a Charity Worker can generally work, including in employment or self-employment. They cannot work as a professional sportsperson, including as a sports coach, and they will not have access to public funds.

Can I Extend a Charity Worker Visa?

Yes, if you are already in the UK with Charity Worker permission and continue to meet the requirements. However, an extension cannot take you beyond the maximum 12 months permitted on the route. You should apply before your existing permission expires.

Does a Charity Worker Visa Lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain?

No. The Charity Worker route is not a route to settlement and permission is limited to a maximum of 12 months. If you wish to remain in the UK longer term, you will need to consider whether you independently qualify under another immigration category.