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Updated March 2024

Doing charity work means that you voluntarily take action to support your community to improve the quality of life in many aspects. The UK government has now provided an opportunity to apply for UK charity work visa for those who would like to perform voluntary charitable works in the UK.

Below, Wego has gathered the necessary information for you to obtain your UK charity work visa.

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What is UK charity work visa?

A UK charity visa is a type of visa issued for people who are willing to stay in the UK for voluntary work. The applicants are expected to be financially capable of settling their living costs during their stay in the UK. They are not allowed to receive any payment for their work or any kind of public funding.

UK charity work visa eligibility

Applicants are eligible if they:

have a certificate of sponsorship which holds information about the details of their work
have proof of a bank account with a minimum balance of GBP 1,270 for the last 28 days, where the day 28 must be within 31 days of applying for this visa
are 18 years old or over on the day of the application

UK charity work visa required documents

The following are the documents that applicants must provide to apply for the visa:

their certificate of sponsorship reference number, which will be given by the employer
a valid passport (with a blank page) or other documents that show their identity and nationality
a bank statement that shows enough personal savings
proof of their relationship with their partners or children if they want to bring them to the UK as well
their tuberculosis (TB) test results, if they come from a country where they are advised to take the test

Please take note that if applicants provide any documents that are not in English or Welsh, they also have to submit a certified translation of the document. Furthermore, additional documents may be required depending on their circumstances.

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UK charity work visa fee

To apply for the visa, applicants must pay GBP 259. There will also be a charge for healthcare which typically costs GBP 624 per year.

How to apply for a UK charity work visa?

You can apply for the visa from outside or inside the UK. The procedures are very simple.

Visa applications from outside the UK

Through a visa application center:
- Visit one of the UK visa application center
- Submit the required documents
- Have your fingerprints and photograph taken
Through the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app:
- Download the app
- Create or sign into your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account
- Scan and submit all the required documents

Visa applications from inside the UK

Applicants who have been in the country can simply extend their existing visa with this visa.

Can visa applicants bring their family?

The UK government allows applicants to apply for a separate visa for their family members. They must show evidence of their relationship with their family members upon the application. The visa should be applied for before the family members travel to the UK.

A dependent 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 when you apply.

Spouses

in a civil partnership or marriage with the applicants that is recognised in the UK
have been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply

Children over 16

live with the applicants (unless they’re in full-time education at boarding school, college or university)
not be married, in a civil partnership or have any children
be financially supported by the applicants

There may be additional documents required if the applicants’ children live with them. The evidence of their address should be submitted such as:

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

When applying for a visa for a family member, applicants should be able to show a bank statement with a minimum balance (additional) of:

GBP 285 for partner
GBP 315 for one child
GBP 200 for each additional child

The balance should be available for the past 28 days, whereas day 28 must be within 31 days of applying for this visa.

UK charity work visa processing time

It usually takes up to 8 weeks for the visa to be issued by the authority. However, applicants can opt to pay an extra charge for faster issuance. They should check whether this service is available or not in the place where they apply for this visa.

UK charity work visa validity

The UK charity work visa is valid for up to 12 months or equal to the time given on the certificate of sponsorship, whichever is shorter. Workers may enter the UK up to 14 days before the start date of the work, and they can stay up to 14 days after the end of the work.

UK charity work visa extension

All applicants, whether they have been in the UK with the charity work visa or not, can apply for an extension with this visa as long as they continue to meet the aforementioned requirements. The validity, fees, and procedure are the same as the information mentioned above.