UK work visa route details

Choose your exact route to see what usually causes refusals, what evidence matters most, and the order to prepare your file.

Skilled Worker Health and Care Global Talent BNO Graduate Innovator Founder Sportsperson Scale-up

The route card updates instantly when you switch route.

Skilled Worker

Sponsored route for eligible jobs with approved employers.

  1. Step 1: Certificate of Sponsorship reference
  2. Step 2: Role and salary must meet route rules
  3. Step 3: English language requirement
  4. Step 4: Personal documents and travel history

Health and Care Worker

Sponsored route for eligible health and social care roles.

  1. Step 1: Approved sponsor and occupation code
  2. Step 2: CoS and employment details
  3. Step 3: Identity and qualification evidence
  4. Step 4: Dependant planning if relevant

British National (Overseas)

Route for BNO status holders and eligible family members.

  1. Step 1: Proof of BNO status/connection
  2. Step 2: Identity and residence evidence
  3. Step 3: Financial evidence where needed
  4. Step 4: Family relationship documents

Graduate

Post-study route after completing an eligible UK course.

  1. Step 1: Valid student permission at application time
  2. Step 2: Course completion confirmed by sponsor
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Dependant eligibility checks

Youth Mobility Scheme

Temporary route for eligible nationalities and ballots where applicable.

  1. Step 1: Age and nationality/ballot eligibility
  2. Step 2: Funds requirement
  3. Step 3: Identity and travel documents
  4. Step 4: No dependent children in most cases

India Young Professionals Scheme

Ballot-based route for eligible Indian nationals.

  1. Step 1: Ballot selection confirmation
  2. Step 2: Age and qualification checks
  3. Step 3: Financial requirement
  4. Step 4: Passport and identity documents

Global Talent

Route for recognised leaders and emerging leaders.

  1. Step 1: Endorsement (or qualifying award exemption)
  2. Step 2: Evidence portfolio and achievements
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Timeline planning for endorsement and visa stages

UK Ancestry

For eligible Commonwealth citizens with UK-born grandparents.

  1. Step 1: Ancestry document chain
  2. Step 2: Commonwealth nationality proof
  3. Step 3: Work intention evidence
  4. Step 4: Maintenance evidence where required

High Potential Individual (HPI)

Graduate route tied to eligible overseas universities.

  1. Step 1: Qualification from eligible institution/year
  2. Step 2: ECCTIS confirmation where required
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Funds requirement checks

Senior or Specialist Worker

Global Business Mobility route for intra-company assignments.

  1. Step 1: Sponsor and assignment details
  2. Step 2: CoS reference
  3. Step 3: Role/salary compliance
  4. Step 4: Identity and previous immigration history

Graduate Trainee

GBM route for structured graduate training placements.

  1. Step 1: Training programme evidence
  2. Step 2: Sponsor details and CoS
  3. Step 3: Role/salary checks
  4. Step 4: Identity documents

Secondment Worker

GBM route for workers seconded under high-value contracts.

  1. Step 1: Sponsor/contract setup checks
  2. Step 2: CoS reference
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Assignment timeline evidence

Service Supplier

GBM route under trade commitments.

  1. Step 1: Trade agreement eligibility
  2. Step 2: Professional/contract evidence
  3. Step 3: CoS details
  4. Step 4: Identity documents

UK Expansion Worker

GBM route for expanding overseas businesses into the UK.

  1. Step 1: Sponsor setup and company evidence
  2. Step 2: CoS details
  3. Step 3: Assignment role details
  4. Step 4: Identity documents

Overseas Domestic Worker

Domestic worker route with strict eligibility conditions.

  1. Step 1: Employer and employment evidence
  2. Step 2: Terms and conditions records
  3. Step 3: Identity and travel documents
  4. Step 4: Application timing checks

Representative of an Overseas Business

Legacy route with specific business representation criteria.

  1. Step 1: Business and role evidence
  2. Step 2: Employment history
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Current route status checks

Seasonal Worker

Temporary sponsored route for specific sectors.

  1. Step 1: Approved scheme operator sponsorship
  2. Step 2: Role/sector and timing checks
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Travel/accommodation planning

Government Authorised Exchange

Temporary route for approved schemes.

  1. Step 1: Scheme sponsor details
  2. Step 2: CoS reference
  3. Step 3: Programme purpose evidence
  4. Step 4: Identity documents

Creative Worker

Temporary route for eligible creative sector work.

  1. Step 1: Sponsorship details
  2. Step 2: Role contract and schedule
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Dependant checks if relevant

Religious Worker

Temporary route for religious work assignments.

  1. Step 1: Sponsor and role details
  2. Step 2: CoS reference
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Route condition checks

Charity Worker

Temporary route for unpaid voluntary work.

  1. Step 1: Sponsor and voluntary role evidence
  2. Step 2: CoS details
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Financial readiness

International Agreement Worker

Temporary route for work covered by international law/agreement.

  1. Step 1: Agreement category evidence
  2. Step 2: Sponsor details and CoS
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Assignment duration checks

Innovator Founder

Business route for endorsed founders.

  1. Step 1: Endorsement evidence
  2. Step 2: Business plan documentation
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Operational evidence for extensions

International Sportsperson

Route for elite sportspersons/coaches with endorsement and sponsorship.

  1. Step 1: Endorsement and sponsor evidence
  2. Step 2: CoS reference
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Role and contract checks

Minister of Religion (T2)

Sponsored route for faith leaders and ministers.

  1. Step 1: Sponsor and role evidence
  2. Step 2: CoS reference
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Background and role history

Scale-up Worker

Sponsored route with potential unsponsored extension stage.

  1. Step 1: Approved sponsor and CoS
  2. Step 2: Role and salary threshold checks
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Employment continuity records

Frontier Worker permit

Status route for eligible frontier workers.

  1. Step 1: Work pattern and residency evidence
  2. Step 2: Identity documents
  3. Step 3: Historical work evidence
  4. Step 4: Validity/renewal planning

Exempt vignette

For exempt individuals travelling to the UK in eligible official roles.

  1. Step 1: Role and exemption evidence
  2. Step 2: Identity documents
  3. Step 3: Travel purpose documents
  4. Step 4: Sponsoring organisation letters

Entrepreneur (Tier 1)

Closed route retained for existing holders handling legacy stages.

  1. Step 1: Legacy leave status evidence
  2. Step 2: Business and activity records
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Application timing checks

Investor (Tier 1)

Closed route retained for existing holders handling legacy stages.

  1. Step 1: Legacy leave status evidence
  2. Step 2: Investment evidence
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Application timing checks

Turkish Businessperson

Closed route retained for eligible legacy applicants only.

  1. Step 1: Legacy status evidence
  2. Step 2: Business activity records
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Timing and transition checks

Turkish Worker

Closed route retained for eligible legacy applicants only.

  1. Step 1: Legacy status evidence
  2. Step 2: Employment records
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Timing and transition checks

Start-up visa

Closed route retained for existing holders in legacy stages.

  1. Step 1: Legacy status and endorsement records
  2. Step 2: Business evidence
  3. Step 3: Identity documents
  4. Step 4: Next-step route planning

Preparation sequence

Use this order to avoid rework and missing evidence at submission stage.

1. Lock the correct route

Confirm your route conditions first: sponsorship model, job code, salary threshold, or endorsement pathway. If one condition fails, switch route before collecting files.

2. Build one clean evidence pack

Keep one version of key facts across every file: name format, dates, CoS number, employer details, and passport history.

3. Validate fees and booking windows

Confirm fee totals, IHS where relevant, and appointment timing before submission so your planned start date is realistic.

Frequent refusal triggers

These are common failure points across sponsored and unsponsored work routes.

Sponsorship mismatch

  • Role title, occupation code, salary, and sponsor name must match across form, CoS, and contract.
  • If role, salary, or sponsor changed, check if a fresh application is needed before you submit.

Missing core evidence

  • Where maintenance funds apply, both amount and holding period must be met exactly.
  • Include full passport history, clear scans, and certified translations where required.

Timing errors

  • Applications made too early, too late, or after permission expiry are high risk.
  • Book biometrics quickly and answer document requests within the stated deadline.

Route-specific tools

Use these in sequence once your route is confirmed.

Fee finder

Filter by application location, category, and route option to get current fee rows.

Skilled Worker detail page

Dedicated page with CoS, salary, and evidence sequence checks.

Health and Care detail page

Sponsor, occupation code, and submission controls in one page.

Seasonal Worker detail page

Operator sponsorship and timing checklist for temporary work.

BNO detail page

Eligibility, evidence structure, and settlement progression planning.

Checklist builder

Save progress while collecting route evidence and preparing uploads.

Process guidance

Review application flow, evidence order, and timing checkpoints before submission.

Work routes overview

Return to the full work route directory and category map.

Knowledge library

Search route questions on sponsorship, salary, and evidence quality.
Final pass before submit: route fit, evidence consistency, fee total, and timeline.