UK Service Supplier Visa Checklist

You can apply for a Service Supplier visa if you have a contract to provide services for a UK company, either as an employee for an overseas company or as a self-employed professional based overseas. The service must be covered by a valid international trade agreement. This checklist sets out the documents and the stay rules. Based on the official GOV.UK pages (gov.uk/service-supplier-visa).

Three quick facts

6 or 12 months, depending on the trade agreement. You can stay for whichever is shorter of 6 or 12 months (depending on the type of trade agreement) or the CoS time plus 14 days.
Employee or self-employed. Both an employee of an overseas business and a self-employed professional based overseas can use this route.
The service must be covered by a valid international trade agreement, and there is a 12-month experience or overseas-employment condition.

The checklist — what to prepare

Certificate of sponsorship (CoS)	You must have a certificate of sponsorship from your UK sponsor with information about the work you will be doing in the UK.
Employee or self-employed status	You must be either an employee of an overseas business or a self-employed service provider based overseas.
Coverage by a valid international trade agreement	You must be providing a service to a UK business under a contract that is covered by a valid international trade agreement. How long you can stay depends on the type of trade agreement.
12 months of service or experience	You must have worked for your employer for at least 12 months outside the UK, or have at least 12 months' professional experience if you are a self-employed service provider.
Eligible job or equivalent qualifications	You must be doing an eligible job. If your job is not eligible, you may still qualify if you have relevant qualifications and experience.
Personal savings evidence	You, your partner or children will each need to prove you have enough personal savings. The exact amount is not stated on the visa page, so it is not asserted here.
Healthcare surcharge	You, your partner or children will each need to pay the healthcare surcharge for each year of your stay.
Family (dependants) evidence	You can bring your partner and children as dependants if they are eligible; keep proof of your relationship.

What the visa is for

You can apply for a Service Supplier visa if you have a contract to provide services for a UK company, either as an employee for an overseas company or as a self-employed professional based overseas. The decisive condition is that the service is provided to a UK business under a contract covered by a valid international trade agreement.

How long you can stay

How long you can stay depends on the type of trade agreement you are providing services under. You can stay for whichever is the shorter of 6 months or 12 months (this depends on the trade agreement) or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days. The maximum on a Service Supplier visa is 6 or 12 months, again depending on the type of trade agreement. A maximum of 5 years in any 6-year period applies if you have spent time on this or the other listed visas (Intra-company Graduate Trainee, Intra-company Transfer, Graduate Trainee, Secondment Worker, Senior or Specialist Worker, Service Supplier, UK Expansion Worker).

You can apply up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work. Decisions usually take 3 weeks from outside the UK or 8 weeks from inside; you may be able to pay for a faster decision. For the wider UK picture see the UK visa documents checklist, and check the photo with the UK passport photo page and the passport photo checker.

What you can and cannot do

Can	Work for your sponsor in the job described in your CoS; study; bring your partner and children as dependants if eligible; travel abroad and return; do unpaid voluntary work for a registered charity, voluntary organisation, associated fundraising body or statutory body.
Cannot	Apply for most benefits (public funds) or the State Pension; change jobs unless you update your visa.

What is not published

The exact personal-savings amount, the application fee and the healthcare surcharge rate are not published on the visa page, so not asserted here. Check the official pages for the current position.

Common reasons an application fails

No relevant international trade agreement covering the service.
Less than 12 months of overseas employment, or less than 12 months' professional experience if self-employed.
Job not eligible and no relevant qualifications or experience to qualify anyway.
No valid certificate of sponsorship.
5 years in any 6 already used across the listed routes.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply as a self-employed professional?
Yes - you can apply either as an employee for an overseas company or as a self-employed professional based overseas, provided you are providing a service to a UK business under a contract covered by a valid international trade agreement.

How long can I stay?
It depends on the type of trade agreement: the stay is whichever is shorter of 6 months or 12 months (depending on the trade agreement) or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days.

Does my service need a trade agreement?
Yes - the service must be provided to a UK business under a contract covered by a valid international trade agreement.

How much experience or overseas employment do I need?
At least 12 months working for your employer outside the UK, or at least 12 months' professional experience if you are a self-employed service provider.

What if my job is not on the eligible list?
You may still qualify if you have relevant qualifications and experience; check the official eligibility page for your job.

Can I bring my family?
Yes - your partner and children can apply to join you or stay in the UK as your dependants if they are eligible.

Sources: GOV.UK - Service Supplier visa (Global Business Mobility): overview and eligibility pages (gov.uk/service-supplier-visa), retrieved 2026-09-28. Rules and fees change, so confirm the current position before you apply.