You must be 18 or over when you apply and have both of the following: a certificate of sponsorship reference number from your UK sponsor enough money to support yourself in the UK - you’ll usually need to have at least £1,270 available (unless you’re exempt) Certificate of sponsorship A certificate of sponsorship is a reference number which holds information about the job and your personal details. It’s not an actual certificate or paper document. Your sponsor will give you your certificate of sponsorship reference number. You’ll need to add your certificate of sponsorship reference number to your visa application form - you can only use it once. Your certificate of sponsorship is valid for 3 months from the date it’s assigned to you. Money to support yourself You must have at least £1,270 in your bank account to show you can support yourself in the UK. You will need to have had the money available for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must be within 31 days of applying for this visa. You’ll usually need to show proof of this when you apply , unless your sponsor can cover your costs during your first month in the UK, up to £1,270. Read the guidance on financial evidence for more information about the money you need and how to prove it. If your sponsor can support you instead Your certificate of sponsorship must confirm this. Your sponsor will need to complete the ‘sponsor certifies maintenance’ section on your certificate. This is under ‘Additional data’.

Documents you must provide

When you apply you’ll need to provide: your certificate of sponsorship reference number - your sponsor will give you this a valid passport or other document that shows your identity and nationality evidence that you have enough personal savings to support yourself in the UK , for example bank statements (unless your certificate of sponsorship shows your sponsor can support you) You need a blank page in your passport for your visa. If you have another type of travel document (for example, a stateless person’s travel document) it must have space for your visa. You must also provide a certified translation of any documents that are not in English or Welsh, apart from your passport. The Home Office might ask you to provide additional documents after you apply.

You must apply online for this visa. As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity. How you do this depends on where you’re from and what type of passport you have. You’ll either: have your fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document - you’ll also create or sign into your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account You’ll be told what you need to do when you apply. If you do need an appointment: the centre may need to keep your passport and documents while they process your application you may have to travel to get to your nearest visa application centre (this could be in another country) If you’ve applied through a visa application centre, find out if you can pay to get a faster decision - this depends on where you’re applying from. If you have a child while you’re in the UK If you have a child while you’re in the UK, they do not automatically become a British citizen . You can apply online for their visa as your dependant . You must do this if you want to travel in and out of the UK with your child. You’ll need to provide a full UK birth certificate for each child, showing the names of both parents.

Seasonal Worker visa (Temporary Work)

Overview

You can apply for a Seasonal Worker visa to come to the UK to work in horticulture for up to 6 months - for example, picking fruit and vegetables or flowers.

You can no longer apply to do poultry work, ‘pork butchery’ or to drive a heavy goods vehicle to transport food.

You’ll need to:

have a sponsor
meet the other eligibility requirements

This visa has replaced the Temporary Worker - Seasonal Worker visa (T5).

If you or your family member are 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 takes

You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship.

As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity and provide your documents.

You may need to allow extra time if you need an appointment to do this. You’ll find out if you need one when you start your application.

Getting a decision

Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.

How much it costs

You will need to:

pay the application fee
prove you have enough personal savings - check how much in the eligibility requirements

Application fee

The application fee is £259.

How long you can stay

You can stay in the UK for up to 6 months.

You can enter the UK as soon as your visa is valid (up to 14 days before the start date of your job).

What you can and cannot do

You can:

work in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship
study (for some courses you’ll need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate)

You cannot:

take a permanent job
work in a second job or a job that isn’t described in your certificate of sponsorship
get public funds
bring family members with you

View a printable version of the whole guide

Seasonal Worker visa (Temporary Work)

Overview

If you or your family member are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

How long it takes

Getting a decision

How much it costs

Application fee

How long you can stay

What you can and cannot do

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Seasonal Worker visa (Temporary Work)

Overview

If you or your family member are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

How long it takes

Getting a decision

How much it costs

Application fee

How long you can stay

What you can and cannot do

Related content

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK