Overseas Visitors

If you wish to invite an overseas visitor to LSE, you should ensure they have the correct visa for their visit before they arrive

If you wish to invite an overseas visitor to the UK, they might need a visa before they come. The type of visa that an individual applies for will depend on the purpose of their visit to the UK.

It is important to ensure that anyone visiting LSE has the correct permission to be in the UK to protect them and the School.

Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

The UK has introduced Electronic Travel Authorisation, known as ETA, for non-visa nationals (these are visitors that can enter the UK without applying for a visa in advance).

This Home Office video explains what the ETA is and who it applies to.

The scheme currently applies to nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The scheme will be rolled out to other nationals over the next 12 months and is expected to apply to all non-visa nationals by the end of 2024.

Individuals do not need an ETA if they have either a valid UK visa, existing permission to live, work or study in the UK, or a British or Irish passport.

Visitors should check before they travel to the UK if they need an ETA and how to apply.

Check if the visitor requires ATAS clearance before they come to the UK

The government requires all individuals who are coming to the UK to undertake research in an area that is stated on the list of sensitive subjects to obtain ATAS clearance before they apply for their visa.  Some nationals are exempt from the ATAS requirement. 

Please review our guide on ATAS for further information on the government’s list of sensitive subjects. 

If the visitor is going to be undertaking research in one of the listed sensitive subjects, you are required to ensure that they obtain ATAS clearance before they come to the UK. They will need to provide a full description of the research they will be involved with as part of the ATAS clearance application.

If they don't apply for ATAS where it is required, they will be considered in breach of their visa conditions which would have serious consequences for them as they could be deported or prevented from coming to the UK in the future.

It could also have serious consequences for the School and could affect its sponsor licence.

Visitor Visas (up to 6 months)

Visitors are normally allowed to come to the UK for up to 6 months. Some nationals are able to enter the UK without a visa (for example EU nationals) but other nationals may need to apply for a visa in advance.

Those visiting the UK for 6 months are allowed to attend meetings, conferences or job interviews.  They are allowed to give one-off or a short series of talks or speeches, as long as they are not intended as commercial events, or to make a profit for the organiser.  Academics can also spend up to 6 months conducting their own independent research in the UK.

Please note visitors are not allowed to undertake employment or any activity that could be deemed as employment (either on a paid or unpaid basis). Visitors can only receive payment if the reason for payment falls in one of these two exceptions:

  • They are being paid to undertake a permitted paid engagement (see below), or
  • They are receiving reasonable expenses (which is defined as being in line with the School’s Financial Regulations for paying expenses).

 

Permitted Paid Engagements

Please note: The previous visa category Visitor (Permitted Paid Engagements) has been phased out as part of an update to the visitor visa rules implemented on 31 January 2024. 

This means that individuals no longer need to obtain a separate visa or visa entry stamp to enter as a visitor to undertake paid engagements.

Visitors wishing to come to the UK to undertake a permitted paid engagement will be able to visit as a Standard Visitor for up to 6 months. They can enter the UK at the border without a visa in advance if they are a non-visa national (for example, EU nationals), or if they are a visa national, they will need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa before they travel.

However, even if they have permission to visit for 6 months, they are only allowed to undertake the paid engagement within the first 30 days of the date they entered the UK.

If an individual wishes to undertake a permitted paid engagement whilst in the UK they will need to demonstrate that they are eligible to do so.  Please see the section below for further information.

Demonstrating Eligibility to undertake a Permitted Paid Engagement

To undertake a permitted paid engagement in the UK the individual must be able to demonstrate they meet these eligibility requirements:

  • They must have a written invitation from the Department/Institute/Centre inviting them to undertake the engagement (see example letter template).
  • The permitted paid engagement must have been arranged and confirmed in advance of their visit and is relevant to their field of expertise.
  • They must be able to show they are an expert in their profession; for example by holding an academic post overseas, or by their published work.
  • They can only undertake the permitted paid engagements as set out by the Home Office. At LSE, these will normally be giving a lecture or a series of lectures, speaking at a conference, or to act as a student examiner or assessor.
  • They can only undertake a permitted paid engagement within 30 days of the date they entered the UK.

Academic Visitors (more than 6 months)

Academics who wish to visit the UK for longer than 6 months will need to apply for a visa regardless of their nationality.

They will need to apply as an academic visitor, which will allow them to come to the UK for up to 12 months.

To be eligible they will need to demonstrate:

  • They hold an academic post overseas,
  • They are highly qualified in their field of expertise, and
  • They have been granted a sabbatical period from their employer.

Temporary Worker - Government Authorised Exchange

If an individual is coming to the UK to undertake a short-term research visit or a fellowship (i.e. for 6 months or more and up to 2 years) that is funded by an external grant provider, then they may be eligible for sponsorship under the Temporary Worker (Government Authorised Exchange) visa category.  In these cases, the LSE normally acts as the host organisation and there is no employment relationship between the individual and the LSE. 

If you wish to explore this visa further to see if it would be suitable for the short-term research fellowship, please see the additional information below which sets out the key criteria for this visa and the process of requesting sponsorship for the individual. 

Please also bear in mind that this visa requires sponsorship from LSE and so it is important to note that there are some implications of sponsorship which Departments/Institutes/Centres need to be aware of to ensure that LSE stays compliant with its sponsor obligations. 

This means that you may wish to explore with the individual whether they have any other visa options that do not require sponsorship.  In addition, if the visit is for 12 months or more and they are an academic or researcher already, the Global Talent visa may be a better option for them as it will give them more flexibility during their visit. 

Implications of visa sponsorship

  • You will need to demonstrate that you have sought formal approval for the visit via the School’s Visiting Appointment process before the individual arrives.   
  • You will need to commit to a start date from the outset as once the visa is granted, the start date cannot be postponed. 
  • The individual will need to commit to coming onto LSE campus during their visit.
  • The visa is restricted – this means they can only undertake the activities that they are being sponsored for. 
  • You must ensure that the individual presents their documents to HR for a right to work check before they start their visit 
  • Any changes to their circumstances must be reported to the Home Office within 10 working days – this means that line managers have a responsibility to actively monitor contract changes and ensure that these are notified to HR immediately.

What are the criteria for sponsorship?

To be eligible for sponsorship the research visit/fellowship must meet all the following criteria. 

  • The sole purpose of the visit must be for conducting short-term research or a fellowship at LSE 
  • The visit must be funded from an external grant provider for the entire duration of the visit 
  • The funding that the individual received must be more than the National Minimum Wage
  • The skills required for the research must be at least RQF level 3 or above (equivalent to A-Level) 
  • The visit must be supernumerary – i.e. the research will be over and above your normal staffing requirements for researchers – and the individual must not be considered as an employee 
  • The individual must obtain ATAS clearance before they can apply for their visa (if the research is in an area on the government’s sensitive subjects list) 

What is ATAS clearance?

The government require all individuals who are coming to the UK to undertake research in an area that is stated on the list of sensitive subjects to obtain ATAS clearance before they apply for their visa.  Some nationals are exempt from the ATAS requirement. 

Please review our guide on ATAS for further information on the government’s list of sensitive subjects. 

Please also see our  ATAS form for Departments/Institutes/Centres to complete and submit with your nomination form. 

Please note that you need to complete a separate form for each person who is visiting, even if the research is not on the on the government’s list of sensitive subjects.  This is so that we can demonstrate due diligence for auditing purposes.

How do I request sponsorship for a short-term researcher or a fellow at LSE?

If you wish to invite a researcher to undertake a short-term research visit or fellowship at LSE then the steps are: 

  • Submit a nomination form for them under the School’s Visiting Appointment process
  • Complete a Temporary Worker (Government Authorised Exchange) nomination form and send by email to the Immigration Compliance team, together with the following documents:
    • The funding letter which needs to confirm:
      1)   The name of the funding provider
      2)   The dates of the funding 
      3)   The amount of the funding (and any additional allowances, if applicable)
      4)   The name of the individual they are giving the award to – or the grant papers if the funding is being given to LSE directly, and 
      5)   Confirmation that the purpose of the funding is to undertake a period of research or a research fellowship in the UK at LSE   
    • The job description (or you can use one of the School’s research role profiles if suitable) 
    • The individual’s CV 
    • A completed ATAS form  
  • The Immigration Compliance team will review the documentation and confirm if the criteria for the Temporary Worker (Government Authorised Exchange) visa are met. 
  • If the criteria are met, send the Immigration Compliance team a copy of the Visiting Appointment letter to show that the visit has been formally approved by the School. 
  • The Immigration Compliance team will then contact the candidate directly to let them know the next steps. 

Please note that if the criteria are not met then the visit will not be allowed to take place, and the individual will not be offered sponsorship.  They will then either need to change the purpose of their visit or obtain an alternative visa which will allow them to undertake research activities. 

Please avoid directing candidates to the Immigration Compliance team before the visiting appointment has been formally approved by the School and you have sent us the documents we need to confirm if the visa sponsorship criteria have been met.  We need all this information before we are in a position to offer sponsorship to an individual and before we can initiate the visa sponsorship process. 

How long does it take to get a visa?

There are many variables which affect how long it takes to obtain a visa, for example: 

  • If they are applying from the UK or overseas 
  • Volume of applications 
  • If they need to obtain additional documents, such as proof if their English language, or a Tuberculosis test certificate 
  • If they need to apply for an ATAS certificate before they can apply for their visa 

We recommend allowing at least 3 months for the individual to get their visa and start their role however it may vary depending on where the person is applying from and whether they need to obtain any additional documentation before they can apply for their visa.  Therefore, you (and the individual) may need to adjust the start date if there are any delays to the visa process.

When can they start their research visit/fellowship?

Individuals applying from overseas cannot start until the date their visa starts.  They must ensure that they arrive in the UK by this date so that they can conduct their right to work check and start work.  They cannot start working from abroad and then come to the UK later. 

Please note that you must ensure that the visitor undertakes a right to work check before they start any research activity at the School. 

You can read more about the School’s process for right to work checks on our website. 

What happens if they want to postpone their start date

Changes to start dates after the visa has been granted are not normally allowed by the immigration rules, unless there are very specific and/or unforeseen reasons which have delayed an individual from starting on the agreed start date.   

Therefore, it is essential that you agree a realistic start date with the individual from the outset and commit to it as changes can only be made in a very small number of limited circumstances, such as illness or other serious and/or compelling situations. 

If the start date needs to be postponed before the decision has been made, then we may be able to change the start date if a caseworker has not considered the application.  Contact us with the specific details of the case. 

What are my reporting obligations as a manager?

One of LSE’s sponsorship obligations is  that it to demonstrate that it maintains a weekly record of attendance and has reported any changes in circumstances to the Home Office within 10 days.

To meet this obligation the School has a process whereby Departments/Institutes/Centres need to send an email each week to HR to confirm any changes.  

Please refer to our guidance on changes which need to be reported to the Home Office

What is the reporting process?

Departments/Institutes/Centres need to send HR an email on a weekly basis which confirms if:

  • there has been no changes of circumstances, or
  • there is something to report, and if so, what that change is

Most Departments/Institutes/Centres find it helpful to set up a weekly calendar reminder to ensure that they send the weekly email to HR.  

If you are unable to report on occasion, for example you are on leave or are off sick, please delegate this responsibility to another person to take action in your absence.

All sponsored individuals are advised that they need to engage with the weekly process in their area and that it is an important part of their visa conditions.  

So please explain to them at the start of their sponsorship how this process works in your area to ensure the sponsorship obligations are met as easily as possible.

Why do I need to follow the weekly reporting process?

Please be aware that if LSE fails to report a change within the Home Office’s timescales of 10 days, then it could be liable for a significant financial penalty or the School’s licences could be revoked. 

In addition, the individual’s visa could be impacted, particularly if they wish to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the future and they have not kept their reported absences with the Home Office up-to-date.

Does going away affect their sponsorship?

If a visitor needs sponosrhip for their visit, it is issued on the understanding that they will attend LSE campus. An individual is free to leave the UK and re-enter during the validity of their visa.  However, there may be some implications to their sponsorship depending on the reason that they are away and for how long. 

If they will spend more time overseas or away from campus then this could impact their sponsorship. Therefore, please ensure that your visitors do attend campus regularly and if they need to leave temporarily then please report it to us. 

What happens when they finish their visit at LSE?

The Temporary Worker - Government Authorised Exchange visa has a maximum duration of 2 years.

Once the visit has ended, the individual will need to make arrangments to either leave the UK before their visa expires or apply for a different visa so that they can stay in the UK. There may be also be other visa options that they are eligible for which they can look into themselves.  

Frontier Worker (EEA Nationals)

If you are an EEA national and you are normally resident overseas but you commute to the UK on a regular basis, then you may be affected by changes to the UK immigration system.  Please see the information for Frontier Workers [PDF]

 

If you have any further queries, feel free to contact a member of the HR team at hr.visas@lse.ac.uk.