You must prove that you: are 19 or older have worked for your employer for at least 1 year work in the same household as your employer or one they use regularly plan to travel to the UK with your employer, their partner or children intend to work as a full-time domestic worker in a UK household your employer will live in plan to leave the UK at the end of 6 months are able to support yourself in the UK without the need for public funds Your employer Your employer must be either a: British citizen who usually lives outside the UK and who does not intend to remain in the UK for more than 6 months foreign citizen who is coming to the UK on a visit and who does not intend to remain for more than 6 months Your employer must also pay you at least the national minimum wage .

Documents you must provide

When you apply you’ll need to provide: a current passport or other valid travel identification proof you can support yourself during your trip, for example bank statements or payslips for the last 6 months a completed ‘Appendix domestic worker statement’ signed by both you and your employer a letter from your employer confirming your job title, how long you’ve worked for them and that you’re a permanent employee You’ll need to have a blank page in your passport on which to put the visa. You must also provide 1 of the following documents covering the same period of employment: pay slips or bank statements showing payment of salary confirmation of tax paid confirmation of health insurance paid contract of employment work visa, residence permit or equivalent passport endorsement for the country where you’re currently employed by your employer visas or equivalent passport endorsement if you’ve travelled with your employer before You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances. You’ll need to provide a certified translation of any documents that are not in English or Welsh.

Extend or settle if you applied before 5 April 2012

There are different rules if you applied for a Domestic Worker in a Private Household visa on or before 5 April 2012. You can: extend your stay in the UK every 12 months apply to settle permanently in the UK after 5 years bring your partner and children under 18 change employer while your visa is valid How long you can stay You can apply to extend your visa for 12 months at a time. If you’ve worked in the UK as a domestic worker for 5 years you can apply to settle permanently in the UK. You should apply before your current permission to stay expires. Eligibility To extend your visa you must: be a domestic worker in a private household have applied for your domestic worker visa on or before 5 April 2012 have continued to live in the UK apply while you’re still in the UK To settle in the UK as a domestic worker you must: have applied for your domestic worker visa on or before 5 April 2012 have been living here legally for at least 5 years currently have permission to stay here as a domestic worker have been in the UK as a full-time domestic worker continuously throughout the 5 years (you cannot have been outside the UK for more than 180 days in any 12 consecutive months) have maintained and accommodated yourself and any dependants without the use of public funds throughout the 5 years have sufficient knowledge of English and life in the UK Documents you’ll need To extend your visa you must provide both of the following: a letter from your employer confirming that they want to continue to employ you a completed ‘Appendix domestic worker statement’ signed by both you and your employer To settle in the UK you must provide: a letter from your employer confirming that they want to continue to employ you evidence that you can satisfy the knowledge of English and life in the UK criteria If you’ve had any absences because of serious illness, births or deaths in your family, or had to leave the UK, you also need to write a letter detailing these. You should also include any related supporting documents with your letter, for example medical certificates, birth/death certificates, information about why you had to leave the UK. How to extend your visa You must apply online to extend your visa . You can include your dependants (partner and children aged under 18) on your application. If you have any dependant children aged over 18 they will need to apply separately. How to apply to settle You must apply online to settle . You can include your dependants (partner and children aged under 18) on your application. Your partner must be able to demonstrate their knowledge of English and life in the UK . If you have any dependant children aged over 18 they will need to apply separately. Fees For each person applying it costs: £1,048 to apply to extend your visa £2,404 to apply to settle You’ll each need to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken - there’s no fee for this. Get a faster decision on your application You can pay an extra £800 to use the super priority service. Providing biometric information and supporting documents When you apply, you’ll be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services ( UKVCAS ) service point to provide your biometric information (your fingerprints and a photo). You’ll also need to submit your supporting documents. You can: upload them into the online service have them scanned at your UKVCAS appointment You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do. Get help to apply online You can get help with completing the online form if you: do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device do not have internet access You can only use this service if you’re applying in the UK. You cannot get immigration advice through this service. Getting a decision A decision will be made within 8 weeks of your application date if you use the standard service. If you use the super priority service a decision will be made: by the end of the next working day after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is on a weekday 2 working days after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is at the weekend Once you’ve got your decision letter, your biometric residence permit will take up to 10 working days to arrive. Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays. You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example: if your supporting documents need to be verified if you need to attend an interview because of your personal circumstances, for example you have a criminal conviction Once you’ve applied you can stay in the UK until you’ve been given a decision, as long as you applied before your last visa expired.

If you want to settle in the UK, you’ll need to prove that you can satisfy the English language requirement. You can only settle as a domestic worker in a private household if you applied for entry on or before 5 April 2012. You can prove your knowledge of English by either: passing an approved English language test with at least CEFR level B1 in reading, writing, speaking and listening having an academic qualification that was taught in English and is recognised by Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) as being equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD You also satisfy the English language requirement if you met one of these two points in a previous successful visa application. Exceptions You will not need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of one of the following countries: Antigua and Barbuda Australia the Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Dominica Grenada Guyana Jamaica New Zealand St Kitts and Nevis St Lucia St Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago USA

Your employment rights

When you work in the UK your employer must: pay you an agreed rate, which must be at least the national minimum wage not force you to work excessive hours give you agreed holiday pay give you the notice you’re entitled to if your employment ends You should already have agreed your employment conditions with your employer and have a copy of these in writing. Your employer cannot change your employment conditions unless you agree. If your employer does not meet these requirements, you can take legal action through an employment or industrial tribunal or the civil courts. Get advice and support You can get free and confidential advice from the Acas helpline . You can also contact the charity Kalayaan for free, confidential and independent advice as a domestic worker in the UK. If you want to return home Contact your country’s Embassy or High Commission in the UK if you want to return home. You can also get confidential advice from a registered immigration adviser. Use the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) Adviser Finder to find a registered adviser near you .

If you’re a victim of modern slavery or human trafficking

Modern slavery and human trafficking involve being forced to do something you do not want to do, usually by being hurt or threatened. You may be forced to work for free or less than the minimum wage, get married or move to a country against your will. You can apply to stay in the UK for up to 2 years, if both of the following apply: you have a ‘conclusive grounds’ letter from the Single Competent Authority (SCA) confirming that you’re a victim of modern slavery or human trafficking you entered the UK on an Overseas Domestic Worker visa, on a Domestic Worker in a Private Household visa, or as a private servant of a diplomat (known as a Temporary Work - International Agreement visa). The Temporary Work - International Agreement visa has now replaced the Temporary Worker – International Agreement Worker visa (T5) How to get a conclusive grounds letter If you think you’re a victim of modern slavery or human trafficking you need to contact the police or another first responder organisation. They can help refer your case to the SCA. Read the ‘First responder organisations’ section of the guidance on referrals to find out which organisations can refer your case . The SCA will decide if you’re a victim of modern slavery or human trafficking. They will send you a conclusive grounds letter confirming their decision. Apply You must apply within 28 days of getting confirmation you’re a victim of modern slavery or human trafficking. You must apply online to stay in the UK . It’s free to apply. Get help using a computer to apply online You can get help with: accessing a computer or the internet finding the right information on GOV.UK You cannot get advice on: whether you’re eligible to apply what information to put in your application an application you’ve already made Telephone: 03333 445 675 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Find out about call charges Text: ‘VISA’ to 07537 416 944 visa@we-are-digital.co.uk Applying for a different visa If you apply for a different type of visa within 28 days of getting confirmation but are refused, you can still apply as a victim of modern slavery or human trafficking. You must do this within 28 days of getting the refusal. Working in the UK You’ll be able to work as a domestic worker for up to 2 years. You do not need to have a job offer before you apply. You can change job while you’re in the UK.

Overseas Domestic Worker visa

Q: Apply from outside the UK

You must apply online for this visa. You’ll need to have your fingerprints and photograph (known as ‘biometric information’) taken at a visa application centre as part of your application. Find out how to get your visa decision faster - this depends on what country you’re in. Check if your visa application centre offers faster decisions and other services.

Overview

You can apply for a visa to visit the UK with your employer if you:

live outside the UK
are a domestic worker in a private household
have worked for your employer for at least one year
meet the other eligibility requirements

Domestic workers include:

cleaners
chauffeurs
cooks
those providing personal care for the employer and their family
nannies

If you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

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:

you have a later deadline - for example, you’re joining a family member in the UK who was living in the UK by 31 December 2020
you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for being unable to apply by 30 June 2021 - for example, you had an illness or were the victim of domestic abuse

Check if you can still apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

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.

How long it will take

You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to the UK.

You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK.

Find out about paying for a faster decision.

Fees

It costs £531 for an Overseas Domestic Worker visa.

How long you can stay

You can use this visa to visit the UK with your employer for up to 6 months. You must return home at the end of the 6 months.

You cannot extend an Overseas Domestic Worker visa.

You may be able to extend a Domestic Worker in a Private Household visa if you applied on or before 5 April 2012.

What you can and cannot do

You can:

travel abroad and return to the UK to complete your stay
change employers to another job as a domestic worker in a private household - only if you do not stay longer than the 6 months

You cannot:

work except as a domestic worker in a private household
live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent visits
get public funds

View a printable version of the whole guide

Overseas Domestic Worker visa

Overview

If you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

How long it will take

Fees

How long you can stay

What you can and cannot do

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Overseas Domestic Worker visa

Overview

If you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

How long it will take

Fees

How long you can stay

What you can and cannot do

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