VIP Delegate Visa

This route is for a person accompanying a Head of State or Government Minister on an official visit to the UK for a temporary period (less than 1 month).

This route is not designed for people who are exempt from immigration control or other official visits to the UK.

(a) the applicant is visiting the UK with the intention and sole purpose of accompanying their Head of State or serving government Minister on official business of their government; and (b) the applicant is a government official; and (c) the applicant’s intended dates of travel are consistent with the dates of the official visit; and (d) the applicant is aged 18 or older.

DEL 4.4. The cap per visit referred to in DEL 4.3(b) is: (a) for delegations accompanying a head of state – 20; and (b) for delegations accompanying a serving government minister – 10.

(a) the applicant must be named in a Note Verbale provided by their government, confirming that they are part of the official delegation accompanying their Head of State or serving government Minister; and

DEL 1.1. A person seeking to come to the UK as a VIP Delegate must apply for and obtain entry clearance before they arrive in the UK.

DEL 2.1. A person applying for entry clearance as a VIP Delegate must apply online on the gov.uk website on the specified form: “A exempt, diplomatic, official visit vignette or S2 Healthcare Visitor visa”.

(b) the applicant must have provided a valid passport which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality; and (c) the applicant must provide a facial image in accordance with the application process

DEL 2.3. An application for entry clearance as a VIP Delegate must be made while the applicant is outside the UK and to a Visa Application Centre (VAC) designated to accept such applications.

DEL 4.3. The Note Verbale must: (a) be issued by the government of the country sending the delegation; and (b) not contain a list of names that exceeds the allocated cap per visit.

DEL 4.5. The Note Verbale must also contain the following information: (a) the applicant’s name, date of birth and passport number; and (b) confirmation of the title and purpose of the official visit and the dates that the official visit will take place; and (c) confirmation that the application is supported by the country sending the delegation; and (d) confirmation that the applicant has sufficient funds to cover all reasonable costs in relation to their visit without unauthorised working or accessing public funds.

DEL 4.6. The Note Verbale must have been issued prior to the application date and must not have been withdrawn after the issue date.

DEL 6.1. Entry clearance as a VIP Delegate will be granted for the period beginning three days before the commencement of the official visit to the UK and ending three days after the end of the official visit to the UK and must not exceed in any case the maximum period of one month.

DEL 7.1. The grant will be subject to all the following conditions: (a) no access to public funds; and (b) no work for purposes other than directly related to the purpose of their official visit as stated in the Note Verbale; and (c) no study.

VIP Delegate visa is not a route to settlement.

Dependants are not permitted on this route.