Domestic Workers in a Private Household Visa
You can apply for a visa to visit the UK with your employer if you:
- are a domestic worker in a private household
- have worked for your employer for at least one year
- are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- meet the other eligibility requirements
Domestic workers include:
- cleaners
- chauffeurs
- cooks
- those providing personal care for the employer and their family
- nannies
How long it will take
You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to the UK.
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK.
Fees
It costs £516 for a visa as a domestic worker in a private household.
How long you can stay
You can use this visa to visit the UK with your employer for up to 6 months.
You must return home at the end of the 6 months or when your employer returns home, whichever is sooner.
What you can and cannot do
You can:
- stay in the UK if your employer takes a short trip to another country during the visit
- travel abroad and return to the UK to complete your stay, though you must prove you still work for your employer, for example a letter from them
- change employers to another job as a domestic worker in a private household - only if you do not stay longer than the 6 months
You cannot:
- change your job for the employer you came to the UK with
- live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent visits
- bring in family members (‘dependants’) - they must apply separately
- get public funds
See Also:
- Documents you must provide
- Apply
- Extend your visa
- Domestic workers who applied before 5 April 2012
- Knowledge of English
- Your employment rights
- If you’re a victim of slavery or human trafficking
Further information on Domestic Workers in a Private Household can be found on GOV.UK's website.