You can apply for a Temporary Work – Charity Worker visa if:

• you want to do unpaid voluntary work for a charity
• you meet the other eligibility requirements

This visa has replaced the Temporary Worker – Charity Worker visa (T5).

Sponsorship

You must have a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed employer before you can apply to come to the UK to work.

The work you do in the UK must relate to the work of your sponsor organisation.

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, if you’re outside the UK
• 8 weeks, if you’re inside the UK

If you need to go to an appointment, you may be able to pay for a faster decision. How you do this depends on whether you’re outside the UK or inside the UK.

How much it costs

You, your partner or children will each need to:

• pay the application fee
• pay the healthcare surcharge, which is usually £624 per year – you can check how much you’ll have to pay
• prove you have enough personal savings – check how much in the eligibility requirements

Application fee

The application fee for each person applying is £298.

The fee is the same whether you’re applying from inside or outside the UK.

How long you can stay

You can stay for up to 12 months or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.

You can enter the UK up to 14 days before the start date of your job.

What you can and cannot do

You can:

• study – for some courses you’ll need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate
• work for your sponsor in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship
• do a second job in the same sector at the same level as your main job for up to 20 hours per week
• bring your partner and children with you, if they’re eligible

You cannot:

• receive any payment for work
• take a permanent job
• get public funds

To be eligible for a Temporary Work – Charity Worker visa you must:

• have a certificate of sponsorship reference number from your UK sponsor
• have enough money to support yourself in the UK – you’ll usually need to have at least £1,270 available (unless you’re exempt)
• be 18 or over when you apply

You cannot get this visa if you were given a Religious Worker or Charity Worker visa in the last year, unless you can prove you were outside the UK for the whole of that time.

Your employer must make sure your job meets UK employment law. If your employer does not do this, your application will be refused.

Certificate of sponsorship

A certificate of sponsorship is a unique reference number that holds information about the job you will do and your personal details. It is not a certificate or paper document.

Your sponsor will give you the certificate of sponsorship.

Your sponsor must also give you the information they used on your certificate about your job, for example your working hours.

Your sponsor must be recognised by the UK government to issue certificates of sponsorship.

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 either:

• you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months
• your employer can cover your costs during your first month in the UK, up to £1,270

Your partner and children will also need to prove they can support themselves while they’re in the UK. Check how much they’ll need.

Read the guidance on financial evidence for more information about the money you need and how to prove it.

If your employer can support you instead

Your certificate of sponsorship must confirm this. Your employer will need to complete the ‘sponsor certifies maintenance’ section on your certificate. This is under ‘Additional data’.

When you apply you’ll need to provide:

• your certificate of sponsorship reference number – your employer 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 employer can support you)
• proof of your relationship with your partner or children if they’re applying with you
• your tuberculosis (TB) test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the test

You need a blank page in your passport for your visa.

You’ll need to provide a certified translation of any documents that are not in English or Welsh.

Read the full guidance before you apply.

Apply from outside the UK

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 – this is to get a biometric residence permit
• 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.

Apply from inside the UK

You can only extend your existing visa if you’re already in the UK.

Your partner and children can also apply to join you or stay in the UK as your ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible.

If your partner or child’s application is successful, their visa will usually end on the same date as yours. If a child’s parents have visas with different expiry dates, the child’s visa will end on the earlier date.

A dependant partner or child is any of the following:

• your husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner
• your child under 18 – including if they were born in the UK during your stay
• your child over 18 if they’re currently in the UK as your dependant

You’ll need to provide evidence of your relationship to your dependant when you apply.

Your partner

You must be able to prove that either:

• you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK
• you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply

Your child

They must:

• live with you, unless they’re living away from home in full-time education – for example, at boarding school or university
• not be married or in a civil partnership

You’ll need to provide evidence of their address, such as:

• a bank statement
• credit card bills
• driving licence
• NHS registration document
• an official letter from their university or college

Money they need to support themselves

Your partner or children must have a certain amount of money available to support themselves while they’re in the UK.

You – or your partner or child – will need:

• £285 for your partner
• £315 for one child
• £200 for each additional child

You – or your partner or child – will need to have had the money available for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must be within 31 days of you or them applying for this visa.

You’ll usually need to show proof of this when they apply, unless either:

• you have all been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months
• your employer can cover your family’s costs during your first month in the UK – this must be confirmed on your certificate of sponsorship

If your partner or child is applying at a different time to you, they’ll only need to prove they have enough money to support themselves if they have been in the UK for less than one year.

Apply from outside the UK

Your partner and children must either:

• apply online as your partner
• apply online as your child

Each family member will need to complete a separate application and pay the visa fee. They must apply before they travel to the UK.

They’ll also need your application number – you’ll get this when you apply. This number is called a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN). You’ll find it on emails and letters from the Home Office about your application.

Proving their identity

As part of an application, your partner and children will need to prove their identity.

They’ll either:

• have their fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre – this is to get a biometric residence permit
• use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan their identity document – they’ll also create or sign in to their UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account

They’ll be told what they need to do when they apply.

If they do need an appointment:

• the visa application centre may need to keep their passport and documents while they process their application
• they may have to travel to get to their nearest centre (this could be in another country)

How long it takes to get a decision

Once they’ve applied online, proved their identity and provided their documents, they’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.

They may be able to pay to get a faster decision – they’ll be told if they can when they apply.

Apply from inside the UK (extend or switch their visa)

If you extend your visa, your partner or child’s current visa will still be valid until its original end date. Your partner or child need to apply to extend or switch their visa, either:

• at the same time as you
• at any time before their current visa expires

This includes children who have turned 18 during your stay.

If your partner or child is currently in the UK on a Student visa, they can only switch if they have either:

• completed the course they were sponsored to study
• studied for a PhD for at least 24 months

How to apply

The application form will tell you if you can include your partner and children in your application or whether they need to apply separately.

If your partner or child apply separately, they’ll need to either:

• extend as a partner
• extend as a child

They’ll need your application number – you’ll get this when you apply. This number is called a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN). You’ll find it on emails and letters from the Home Office about your application.

Proving their identity

As part of their application, your partner and children will need to prove their identity. They’ll either:

• have their fingerprints and photograph taken at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point – this is to get a biometric residence permit
• use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan their identity document – they’ll also create or sign in to their UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account

They’ll be told what they need to do when they apply.

How long it takes to get a decision

Once they’ve applied online, proved their identity and provided their documents, they’ll usually get a decision within 8 weeks.

They may be able to pay to get a faster decision – they’ll be told if they can when they apply.

Children born in the UK

If you have a child while you’re in the UK, they do not automatically become a British citizen.

You must apply for your child’s dependant visa if you want to travel in and out of the UK with them.

The form you fill in depends on if:

• your child is inside the UK
• your child is outside the UK

You’ll need to provide a full UK birth certificate for each child, showing the names of both parents.

What your partner or child can and cannot do

Your partner or child can:

• work, except as a sportsperson or coach
• study
• travel abroad and return to the UK

They cannot apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension.

If their application is successful, they’ll get a full list of what they can and cannot do.

You can apply to extend your Temporary Work – Charity Worker visa.

Eligibility

You must continue to meet the eligibility rules.

You must be in the UK to extend your visa.

How long you can stay

You can apply to take your stay in the UK up to a maximum of 12 months, or the time on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.

Fees

Check the fees for this visa.

Apply to extend your Charity Worker visa

You must apply online before your current visa expires.

Once you’ve started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.

Apply now

Continue your application

You can sign back into your application if you’ve saved it. Find out how to sign in to your account.

Your partner and children

Your partner or child’s visa will not automatically extend if you extend yours. If they do not extend their visa, it will be valid until its original end date. They can either apply at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires.

Providing biometric information and supporting documents

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:

• give your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information) at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) – this is to get a biometric residence permit
• 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.

How long it takes

A decision will be made within 8 weeks of your application date if you use the standard service.

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision – you’ll be told if you can when you apply.

You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example because:

• your supporting documents need to be verified
• you need to attend an interview
• of your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)

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