UK Remote Work Visa Options for US Citizens

Under the current UK immigration rules, there is no dedicated UK remote work visa, however, there are other work visa options which may be suitable depending on your circumstances. In some cases, you may need to provide a strong justification explaining why a UK visa is required if your overseas work can be done remotely. In this article, we will outline the key rules for remote working as a visitor in the UK and some of the possible visa options for remote workers from the United States.

Remote working on a UK Visitor Visa

The UK Visitor visa rules state that Visitor visa holders can undertake certain activities relating to their overseas job while in the UK. This may include answering emails and taking work-related phone calls. However, you cannot use a Visitor visa for the sole purpose of working remotely; you must be here to undertake a permitted activity.

Even if you do plan to do some limited remote work within the rules, this may not be feasible in the long term as the UK Visitor visa only lasts for 6 months. In addition, the Home Office will want to see that you do not intend to use a Visitor visa as a way of living in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits.

The UK Visitor visa permitted business activities are as follows:

• Attend interviews, meetings, conferences and seminars
• Attend trade fairs to promote your business
• Carry out site visits and inspections
• Deliver training or share knowledge on internal projects with UK employees of your overseas employer
• Receive work-related training if you’re employed overseas, and the training is not available in your home country
• Give a one-off or short series of unpaid talks as long as they’re not for profit or a commercial event
• Install, dismantle, repair, service or advise on equipment, computer software and hardware, if your overseas company has a contract with a UK company or organisation
• Negotiate and sign deals and contracts
• Oversee the delivery of goods and services provided by a UK company to your overseas company or organisation

Beyond the UK Visitor visa, there are other possible visa options available, as outlined below.

UK Expansion Worker Visa

The UK Expansion Worker visa (part of the UK Global Business Mobility visa scheme) is ideal for employees of US companies looking to expand into the UK market. UK Expansion Worker applicants must be sponsored by a UK business with a sponsor licence. Successful Expansion Worker applicants can stay in the UK for up to 12 months. Further extensions up to a maximum duration of 2 years are also possible. The UK Expansion Worker visa does not provide a route to permanent settlement, and hence if you plan to live here indefinitely, you will need to switch to a different type of visa (e.g. Skilled Worker visa).

UK Expansion Worker visa applicants must:

• Have a valid certificate of sponsorship from their employer
• Have worked for their employer outside the UK
• Have a job on the list of eligible occupations, and
• Receive a salary of £45,800 per year or the ‘going rate’ for your job (whichever is the higher amount).

Innovator Founder Visa

The Innovator Founder visa is particularly suitable for US citizens who plan to start a business in the UK. As an Innovator Founder visa holder, you can stay in the UK for up to 3 years and then further extend your stay or apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) (i.e. permanent settlement). To make a successful application for an Innovator Founder visa, you will need to satisfy the Home Office that you:

• Have a new, innovative, viable, and scalable business idea
• Have endorsement for your business plan
• Can read, write, speak and understand English to CEFR level B2, and
• Have enough funds to support yourself while in the UK.

Global Talent Visa

Another visa option for US nationals to work remotely for their overseas employer in the UK is the Global Talent visa. The Global Talent visa is extremely flexible and imposes no restrictions on employment or self-employment. This also means that you may be able to work remotely for your overseas employer while in the UK.

Global Talent visas are typically granted for up to 5 years, and holders can extend or apply for permanent residence (ILR) after 3 or 5 years of continuous residence here. To extend your stay, you may need to show that you have successfully made money while in the UK Global Talent visa holder.

To apply for a Global Talent visa, you will first need an endorsement from an approved endorsing body proving that you are a leader or potential leader in the field of academia or research, arts and culture, or digital technology.

High Potential Individual Visa

The High Potential Individual (HPI) visa is an excellent UK visa for US college graduates from a top-tier university in the last 5 years. The HPI visa is also extremely flexible, allowing holders to work and be self-employed without restriction, potentially including remote working. HPI visa holders can normally stay for up to 2 years (3 years for those with a PhD). However, there is no option to renew or direct route to settlement. If you wish to stay longer with a view to settling, you will need to switch to a different type of UK visa (e.g. Skilled Worker visa).

To apply for a High Potential Individual visa, you will need to demonstrate that you graduated from a top-ranked US university in the last 5 years (e.g. California Institute of Technology) with the equivalent of a UK bachelor’s degree, UK postgraduate degree, or a UK PhD or doctorate. In addition, you must:

• Be able to read, write, speak and understand English to at least CEFR level B1, and
• Have enough personal savings to support yourself in the UK (this does not apply if you have already been living in the UK for 12 months or more).