Overview

The Overseas Domestic Worker visa allows domestic workers employed by private households overseas to accompany their employer to the UK for a short period of work. Applicants must have worked for their employer for at least one year before applying.
This visa permits a stay of up to six months and does not allow switching to other visa categories, extension, settlement, or dependants.

Visa Duration and Extension

Successful applicants are granted permission to enter and work in the UK for up to six months.
This route cannot be extended, nor can you switch into another visa category while in the UK.
Domestic workers cannot apply for settlement and must leave the UK at the end of the permitted stay.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for entry clearance as an Overseas Domestic Worker, you must:

Be aged 18 to 65 at the time of application.
Have worked for your employer as a domestic worker for at least 12 months immediately before applying.
Have been employed in your employer’s household or one they use regularly, with clear evidence of the connection between you and your employer.
Intend to travel to the UK with your employer, their spouse or civil partner, or their minor child.
Intend to work full-time as a domestic worker in the same household as your employer or in one they use regularly.
Not take employment other than that specified in your visa application.
Be able to maintain and accommodate yourself adequately without recourse to public funds.

Documents Required

Applicants must prepare the following documentation:

A valid passport or travel document.
Evidence of employment by the same employer for at least one year, such as:
- Payslips or salary records.
- Employment contract or letter from employer.
- Photos, statements, or correspondence showing the working relationship.
A signed statement from the employer confirming:
- The main terms and conditions of employment.
- That the National Minimum Wage will be paid in the UK.
- That the worker will be maintained and accommodated adequately, with access to a separate bedroom.
Proof of accommodation arrangements, if the worker will not live in the same household.
Evidence that the worker can support themselves financially during the stay (e.g. bank statements).

What You Can and Cannot Do

You can:

Work as a full-time domestic worker for your employer in the UK.
Undertake roles such as nanny, cleaner, cook, chauffeur, gardener, or carer for your employer or their family.
Stay in the UK for the duration of the visa (up to six months) and live in accommodation provided by your employer or arranged privately.

You cannot:

Work for anyone other than the employer named in your visa application.
Extend your visa or apply for settlement.
Switch to another visa category while in the UK.
Bring dependants or family members with you under the same visa.
Access public funds or benefits.

Processing Times and Eligibility for Priority Service

Standard processing time is typically up to three weeks from the date biometrics are submitted.
Priority or Super Priority processing may be available in some countries for an additional fee.
Applicants can apply up to three months before their intended date of travel.
At the UK border, the decision to grant entry remains at the discretion of a Border Force officer.

Home Office Fees

The current fee for the Overseas Domestic Worker visa is £637 for applications made outside the UK.
The fee is non-refundable if your application is refused.
No dependants can be included under this visa category; each applicant must apply separately if eligible.

Administrative Review (Entry Clearance Applications)

If an application for entry clearance is refused, the applicant may request an Administrative Review.

The request must be made within 28 days of receiving the refusal notice.
No new documents or evidence can be submitted with the review request.
Only one review may be requested per refusal decision.

Visa for domestic workers in the UK