Employee, official or representative of a recognised international organisation

Overview
Some international organisations have offices in the UK. Each one operates under a specific agreement with the UK government.
These agreements set out who can get certain rights and exemptions, such as exemption from UK immigration control.
Who can apply
You can apply if you:
are an employee, official or representative of a
recognised international organisation listed on GOV.UK
What you can do
Depending on the scope of the international organisation’s agreement with the UK government, you:
may be exempt from immigration control in the UK
may be able to stay in the UK for the duration of your post
may be able to bring your qualifying partner and children who live in your household as ‘dependents’ (if permitted in the legislation or agreement held with that international organisation)
A dependent partner or child is any of the following:
your husband, wife or civil partner
your child under the age of 18
You cannot:
settle in the UK
switch to another visa route
How to apply
You should apply online.
Start now
As part of your application, you’ll need to book an appointment at a
visa application centre (VAC)
.
You’ll need to:
bring your passport to your appointment at the VAC (this must be the original version, not a photocopy)
bring a passport-sized photo that meets
UK passport standards
to the VAC
provide a letter from the international organisation clearly stating how you qualify for exemption under the international organisation’s legislation
You should get a digital record of exemption linked to the passport used in your application to make travel to the UK easier.
A digital record of exemption is not mandatory, but it will clearly show your exempt status to airlines, carriers and border officials. This will prevent unnecessary delays or being denied boarding by airlines or other carriers.
How much it costs
You do not need to pay a fee for a digital record of immigration.
After you apply
We will email you with your decision within 15  working days.
You can only use the digital record of exemption for this visit. If it expires, you must apply again.