Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker visa: Indian citizen in India → United Kingdom
Indian citizens who are existing employees of an overseas business with a certificate of sponsorship for an eligible UK job apply online on gov.uk for a Senior or Specialist Worker visa (Global Business Mobility), prove their identity and provide documents.
Lets an existing employee of an overseas business come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job at their employer's UK branch, sponsored by a Home Office-approved sponsor.
- Validity
- You can stay in the UK with a Senior or Specialist Worker visa for whichever is shorter of: the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, or 5 years.
- Entries
- Multiple entry for the duration of your visa.
- Max stay per visit
- Whichever is shorter of the time on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, or 5 years.
When to start
Start 30 days–3 months before your travel date.
Getting an appointment in India
- Delhi & Mumbai: usually 1–2 weeks for a slot; peak season can stretch towards 4 weeks.
- Tier-2 centres (Pune, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad) often have earlier slots — a train ticket can beat the wait.
- The New Delhi centre relocated in early 2026 — confirm the current address on the official VFS site before you go.
- Applicants report slots opening 7–21 days out in normal months — book the moment you pay your fee.
A Senior or Specialist Worker visa allows you to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job at your employer's UK branch.
You must be an existing employee of an organisation that's been approved by the Home Office as a sponsor, with a certificate of sponsorship for the work you'll do in the UK.
Complete the application on gov.uk. If you'll be in the UK for up to 3 years the fee is £769 per person, plus the healthcare surcharge.
Once you've applied online, you'll prove your identity and provide your documents.
From outside the UK you'll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
What you'll need
- Certificate of sponsorship reference number — Your certificate of sponsorship reference number — your employer will give you this. ✓ verified
- Passport / identity document — A valid passport or other document that shows your identity and nationality. ✓ verified
- Job title and annual salary — Your job title and annual salary, plus your job's occupation code. ✓ verified
- Tuberculosis (TB) test results — Your tuberculosis test results if you're from a listed country. ✓ verified· you're from a listed country
Where you'll apply
Apply online on gov.uk, then prove your identity — either with the 'UK Immigration: ID Check' app or by giving fingerprints and a photo at a UK visa application centre (VFS Global) in India.
Fees
| Senior or Specialist Worker visa (up to 3 years, from outside the UK) | GBP 769 |
Gotchas to watch
- You must be an existing employee of an organisation that's been approved by the Home Office as a sponsor and have a certificate of sponsorship before you apply.
- You must be paid at least £52,500 or the 'going rate' for your job — whichever is higher — and if you earn less than £73,900 a year you must have worked for your employer outside the UK for at least 12 months.