UK CHARITY WORKER VISA (Temporary Work – Charity Worker)

Undertake Short-Term Voluntary Roles with UK Charities

The Charity Worker Visa—a subcategory of the Temporary Work route—allows overseas nationals to carry out unpaid voluntary work for UK-licensed charities for up to 12 months. Ideal for specialists in fields like youth outreach, community development, or charitable aid work, this visa supports meaningful contributions without the complexity of sponsorship under long-term work visas.

Who Is This For?

You may be eligible if you:

• Are 18 or older, with a genuine invitation from a Home Office–licensed UK charity
• Are undertaking voluntary fieldwork directly aligned with the charity’s mission—unpaid, except for expense reimbursements
• Will not fill a permanent role, ensuring your position adds value without replacing paid staff
• Have not held Religious or Charity Worker permission in the UK within the past 12 months—unless you were completely offshore during that time

Application Essentials

• Apply online from outside the UK—you cannot switch into this route from within the UK
• You may enter the UK up to 14 days before your start date and stay up to 12 months, including a 14-day grace period
• Applications take ~3 weeks from outside the UK, or ~8 weeks for visa extensions from within the UK

What You Can & Cannot Do

Allowed to:

• Carry out your sponsored charity role
• Do a second voluntary job (20 hrs/week max), in the same sector and skill level
• Study short courses (some may require AS approval)
• Bring dependants with you (partners or under-18 children)
  
  

Not allowed to:

• Take paid employment or permanent roles
• Access public funds
• Extend beyond 12 months (unless switching routes, from within the UK)

Family & Dependants

Your spouse/partner and children can apply to join you

Restrictions & Pitfalls

• Role must be truly voluntary fieldwork, not office, admin, or retail
• 12-month cooling-off period applies if you previously held this visa and stayed in the UK during that time
• No rights to settlement or ILR—this is strictly a temporary route

How We Support You

We connect you with an experienced UK immigration solicitor who will:

• Confirm your eligibility and voluntary role’s suitability
• Assist with CoS coordination and sponsor communications
• Ensure financial and documentary compliance, avoiding delays
• Guide you through the online application and biometric steps
• Prepare dependant applications and ensure eligibility
• Provide support in case of refusal or sponsor changes