Charity Worker Visa UK: Complete Guide for 2025

If you’ve been offered the chance to do voluntary work for a UK charity and you’re from outside the country, you’ll need the right visa to make it happen. The charity worker visa UK is designed specifically for people like you who want to give their time and skills to help a charitable organisation.

This route isn’t about earning money or building a career in the traditional sense. Instead, it’s for those who genuinely want to contribute to a cause they care about, whether that’s working with vulnerable communities, supporting environmental projects, or helping with international development initiatives.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about the charity worker visa, from who can apply to how much it costs, and what you’re allowed to do once you’re here.

What Is the UK Charity Worker Visa?

The charity worker visa is a temporary work route that allows overseas nationals aged 18 or over to come to the UK to carry out unpaid voluntary work for a registered charity. You can stay for up to 12 months, but there are some important rules you’ll need to follow.

This visa replaced the old T5 (Temporary Worker – Charity Worker) visa when the UK introduced its new points-based immigration system. You might also hear it called the volunteer visa UK or the Temporary Work – Charity Worker visa, but they all refer to the same thing.

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Who Is the Charity Worker Visa Designed For?

This route is for people who have a genuine desire to volunteer their time and expertise to support a UK charity’s work. You might be a healthcare professional wanting to help with community health projects, a teacher looking to support educational programmes, or someone with technical skills who can contribute to fieldwork activities.

The key thing to remember is that this visa is strictly for voluntary, unpaid work. If you’re looking to earn a salary or start a paid career in the UK, you’ll need to look at other immigration routes.

Key Features of the Temporary Work Charity Worker Route

Before we get into the details, here are the main things you need to know:

You can stay in the UK for up to 12 months on this visa. The work must be unpaid, though you can receive reasonable expenses for things like travel, meals, and accommodation. You’ll need a Certificate of Sponsorship from a licensed UK charity. Your family can join you if they meet certain requirements. This visa doesn’t lead to settlement in the UK, so you can’t use it to apply for indefinite leave to remain.

Eligibility Requirements for a Charity Worker Visa UK

To qualify for a charity worker visa UK, you’ll need to meet several requirements set out in the Immigration Rules. The Home Office is quite strict about these, so it’s worth making sure you tick every box before you apply.

Age and Genuine Intent Requirements

First things first: you must be at least 18 years old when you submit your application. There’s no upper age limit, so whether you’re a recent graduate or someone with decades of experience, you can apply as long as you meet the other requirements.

You’ll also need to show that you genuinely intend to do the voluntary work you’re being sponsored for, and that you have the ability to carry it out. UKVI wants to be confident that you’re coming to the UK for the right reasons and that you understand what the role involves.

Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) Requirements

You can’t apply for this visa without a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from an approved UK sponsor. This isn’t a physical certificate but rather a unique reference number that your sponsoring charity will give you after they’ve assigned you a sponsorship.

The charity must be licensed by the Home Office to sponsor charity workers. Not just any organisation can do this; they need to be either a registered charity, an excepted or exempt charity, or an ecclesiastical corporation established for charitable purposes.

Your Certificate of Sponsorship must confirm that the work you’ll be doing meets the requirements for eligible charity work. It should include the start date of your role, which can’t be more than three months after the date the CoS is assigned to you.

Eligible Charity Work Criteria

Not all voluntary work qualifies under this route. The Immigration Rules are specific about what counts as eligible charity work, and there are three main criteria:

The work must be voluntary fieldwork that directly relates to the charity’s charitable objectives. This means hands-on work that contributes to what the charity actually does, not just general support tasks.

The work must be unpaid. You can’t receive any wages or salary, though you can be reimbursed for reasonable expenses you incur while doing the work. This might include travel costs, meals, or accommodation, as long as these are genuine expenses and not a way of paying you for your time.

You can’t be filling a position that would normally be a permanent, paid role. The charity shouldn’t be using volunteers to do work that they’d otherwise need to hire someone to do on a full-time basis. Even if it’s only temporary, the role must be genuinely voluntary in nature.

What doesn’t count? Routine administrative work, retail roles in charity shops, general fundraising activities, and other support functions aren’t considered eligible charity work under this route. The focus should be on fieldwork that’s central to the charity’s mission.

Financial Requirements for Charity Workers

You’ll need to prove that you can support yourself when you arrive in the UK. Unless your sponsor confirms they’ll maintain and accommodate you, you must show that you have at least £1,270 in your bank account.

This money needs to have been in your account for at least 28 consecutive days, and day 28 must fall within 31 days before you submit your application. The Home Office is quite particular about this, so make sure your bank statements clearly show you’ve had the required funds for the full period.

If you’ve been in the UK with valid permission for 12 months or more, you don’t need to meet this financial requirement. But if you’re applying from overseas or you’ve been here for less than a year, you’ll need to show the funds.

Financial Requirements for Dependants

If you’re bringing family members with you, they’ll need additional funds on top of your £1,270:

£285 for your partner £315 for your first child £200 for each additional child

These amounts must be available in addition to your own funds, and they must also have been held for the required 28-day period.

Alternatively, your sponsor can certify maintenance for your whole family on your Certificate of Sponsorship, which means they’re confirming they’ll support you financially. This can be a simpler option if your sponsoring charity is willing to do it.

The Cooling-Off Period Explained

Here’s something that catches a lot of people out: if you’ve already been in the UK on a charity worker visa or a religious worker visa in the past 12 months, you’ll need to wait before you can apply again.

This is called the cooling-off period, and it’s designed to ensure that these temporary work routes remain genuinely temporary. You can’t just keep leaving the UK and immediately coming back on the same visa route.

The cooling-off period lasts for 12 months from either the date your last permission expired or the date you left the UK, whichever came first. Once that 12 months is up, you can apply for a new charity worker visa if you have a fresh offer of voluntary work.

What Can You Do on a Charity Worker Visa?

Understanding what you can and can’t do while you’re in the UK on this visa is really important. Breaking the conditions of your visa could lead to it being cancelled, and it might affect your ability to come to the UK in the future.

Permitted Activities and Work Restrictions

Your main activity in the UK must be the voluntary work you’re sponsored to do. That’s the whole purpose of the visa, and it should be your primary focus while you’re here.

You can enter the UK up to 14 days before your start date, which gives you time to settle in, sort out accommodation, and get to know the area before you begin volunteering.

You’re allowed to study while you’re here, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your voluntary work. For certain courses, particularly those involving sensitive subjects, you might need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate, but for most standard courses, you can enrol without any problems.

What you absolutely cannot do is take paid employment. Even if someone offers you a part-time job or a cash-in-hand position, you’re not allowed to accept it. The only work you can do is voluntary work, and that comes with its own rules.

Additional Voluntary Work Allowances

Interestingly, you are allowed to do additional voluntary work with other organisations while you’re in the UK. However, this comes with conditions.

Any additional volunteering must be in the same sector and at the same level as your main sponsored role. For example, if you’re volunteering as a healthcare support worker with one charity, you could volunteer in a similar capacity with another health-related organisation.

You can do up to 20 hours per week of this additional voluntary work, but again, it must be unpaid. The focus here is on preventing people from using this visa route to work in the UK in a way that might take jobs away from residents or undercut local wages.

Study Rights Under the Charity Worker Route

As mentioned, you’re free to study while you’re in the UK on a charity worker visa. This could be anything from evening classes to improve your English to professional development courses related to your field of work.

The key thing is that studying shouldn’t interfere with your main voluntary role. If your charity expects you to be volunteering five days a week, you can’t suddenly start a full-time college course that clashes with those hours.

Charity Worker Visa Sponsor Requirements

If you’re a charity looking to bring volunteers to the UK, or if you’re trying to understand whether your potential sponsor is meeting their obligations, this section is for you.

Who Can Sponsor Charity Workers?

Not every organisation can sponsor charity workers. To be eligible for a sponsor licence under this route, the organisation must be one of the following:

A charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, or the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. An excepted or exempt charity under the relevant legislation in the part of the UK where it operates. An ecclesiastical corporation established for charitable purposes.

The charity must apply to the Home Office for a sponsor licence if they don’t already have one. This involves demonstrating that they’re a genuine organisation with legitimate reasons to bring volunteers from overseas.

Sponsor Duties and Compliance Obligations

Once a charity has a sponsor licence, they take on significant responsibilities. The Home Office expects sponsors to actively monitor their sponsored workers and comply with various reporting requirements.

Failing to meet these obligations can result in the charity’s licence being suspended or revoked, which would prevent them from sponsoring any workers in the future. It’s serious business, and charities need to have proper systems in place to manage their sponsorship duties.

Assigning Certificates of Sponsorship Correctly

Sponsors must only assign a Certificate of Sponsorship to people who will genuinely be doing eligible charity work. They can’t use this route to bring people over for jobs that should really be paid positions, and they can’t assign a CoS for work that doesn’t directly relate to their charitable objectives.

Before assigning a CoS, the charity should satisfy itself that the individual meets all the visa requirements and that the role truly qualifies as voluntary fieldwork rather than routine administrative or support work.

Reporting Changes to the Home Office

Sponsors must report certain changes in circumstances to the Home Office within ten working days. This is done through the Sponsorship Management System, an online portal that licensed sponsors use to manage their sponsorship activities.

Things that must be reported include volunteers not starting their role as expected, ending their volunteering early, significant changes to the nature or location of the work, and any periods of unauthorised absence lasting ten or more consecutive working days.

If the sponsor becomes aware that a volunteer is breaching their visa conditions, for example by taking paid work or engaging in activities not permitted under their visa, this must also be reported.

Record-Keeping Requirements for Sponsors

Charities must keep detailed records for every person they sponsor. This includes copies of the volunteer’s passport and visa, confirmation of their immigration status, and a copy of the volunteer agreement that sets out what the role involves.

They should also keep records of any expenses they reimburse to volunteers, to demonstrate that these are genuine, reasonable expenses and not a form of payment.

All records must be kept for at least one year after the person’s sponsorship ends, or until a Home Office compliance visit has taken place, whichever is later. Sponsors should be prepared for unannounced visits from immigration officials who may want to review these records.

How to Apply for a Charity Worker Visa UK

When you’re ready to apply, you’ll need to complete the application process from outside the UK. You can’t switch into this visa category if you’re already in the country on a different visa, so even if you’re currently in the UK, you’ll need to leave and apply from abroad.

Step-by-Step Application Process

The application process is completed online through the UK government’s visa application website. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

Get your Certificate of Sponsorship reference number from your sponsoring charity. You’ll need this to start your application.

Complete the online application form on the UK government website. You’ll be asked for personal details, information about your sponsor, and details about your voluntary role.

Pay the visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge. The IHS gives you access to the NHS during your stay in the UK.

Book an appointment at a visa application centre to provide your biometric information (fingerprints and photograph). Depending on where you are and what type of passport you have, you might be able to use the UK Immigration: ID Check app instead of attending an appointment.

Provide supporting documents that prove you meet all the requirements. This includes evidence of your identity, your financial situation, and any other documents specific to your circumstances.

Required Documents for Your Application

You’ll definitely need a valid passport or travel document. If you’re from a country where tuberculosis is common, you’ll also need to provide the results of a tuberculosis test taken at an approved clinic.

Bank statements showing you meet the financial requirement are essential unless your sponsor is certifying maintenance. These statements should clearly show you’ve held the required funds for 28 consecutive days.

You might be asked for additional documents depending on your personal circumstances. It’s always a good idea to include anything that supports your application and shows you genuinely intend to do voluntary work.

Biometric Enrolment and Identity Verification

Most applicants will need to visit a visa application centre to have their fingerprints and photograph taken. This biometric information is used to create your biometric residence permit, which you’ll collect once you arrive in the UK.

Some applicants can use the UK Immigration: ID Check app to verify their identity instead. This is typically available if you have a biometric passport from certain countries. The online application system will tell you if you’re eligible to use the app.

Application Processing Times

Standard processing time for a charity worker visa application is up to three weeks from the date you provide your biometric information. However, this can vary depending on where you’re applying from and how busy the visa processing centre is.

If you need a decision more quickly, priority and super-priority services are sometimes available for an additional fee. These can reduce the processing time to a few working days, though they’re not available in all countries.

You can apply up to three months before the start date shown on your Certificate of Sponsorship. Try to apply as early as possible to give yourself enough time to receive your visa and make travel arrangements.

Charity Worker Visa Costs and Fees

Let’s talk about money. Applying for a visa isn’t free, and you need to budget for several different costs.

Visa Application Fees

The application fee for a charity worker visa UK is £319 per person. This applies whether you’re the main applicant or a dependant, so if you’re bringing family members, each of them will need to pay the same fee.

If you’re from certain European countries including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, or Turkey, your fee is automatically reduced by £55.

These fees are subject to change, so always check the current rates on the UK government website when you’re ready to apply.

Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)

On top of the visa fee, you’ll need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. This is an upfront payment that gives you access to the NHS during your stay in the UK.

For a 12-month charity worker visa, the IHS is £1,035 for adults (those aged 18 and over) and £776 for children under 18. This is paid at the same time as your visa application fee, and you need to pay it for each person applying.

The IHS might seem expensive, but it’s worth remembering that it covers all your NHS treatment for the entire year, which would cost significantly more if you had to pay for it privately.

Total Cost Breakdown

Let’s look at what a single applicant would pay:

Visa application fee: £319 Immigration Health Surcharge: £1,035 Financial requirement evidence: £1,270 (this money stays in your account, it’s not a fee)

Total fees payable: £1,354 Funds required to show: £1,270

If you’re bringing a partner and one child, your total fees would be:

Main applicant visa fee: £319 Partner visa fee: £319 Child visa fee: £319 Main applicant IHS: £1,035 Partner IHS: £1,035 Child IHS: £776

Total fees for family: £3,803 Plus financial requirement: £1,870 (£1,270 + £285 + £315)

These costs can add up quickly, especially for families, so it’s important to plan ahead and make sure you have the funds available.

Can You Extend a Charity Worker Visa?

The charity worker visa route is designed to be temporary, and there are strict limits on how long you can stay.

Extension Eligibility and Time Limits

The maximum time you can spend in the UK on a charity worker visa is 12 months in any 12-month period. This is a hard limit that can’t be extended beyond one year.

However, if your initial visa was granted for less than 12 months, you may be able to apply to extend it, as long as your total time in the UK doesn’t exceed 12 months.

For example, if you were originally granted a six-month visa, you could apply to extend for another six months. But if you were granted a full 12 months initially, that’s it – you can’t extend beyond that.

How to Apply for an Extension

If you’re eligible to extend, you must apply before your current visa expires. You’ll need to be in the UK when you make the application, and you’ll need to continue meeting all the requirements for the charity worker route.

The extension application is made online, and you’ll need to pay another £319 application fee. The Immigration Health Surcharge will also apply for the extended period.

You’ll be told whether you can use the ID Check app or whether you need to attend an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services centre to verify your identity.

Processing time for an extension is usually up to eight weeks, though faster services may be available for an additional fee.

One important thing to note: if you have dependants in the UK with you, their permission doesn’t automatically extend when yours does. They need to submit their own extension applications and pay their own fees. If they don’t extend, their visa will expire on the original end date.

Bringing Dependants on a Charity Worker Visa

You don’t have to come to the UK alone. If you have a partner or children, they may be able to join you, though they’ll need to meet specific requirements.

Who Qualifies as a Dependant?

Dependants can include your spouse, civil partner, unmarried partner, or children under 18. They can either apply at the same time as you or join you in the UK later, though it’s usually simpler to apply together.

If your dependants apply separately after you’ve already been granted your visa, they’ll need to provide evidence of their relationship to you and show that you have permission to be in the UK as a charity worker.

Partner Requirements

For a spouse or civil partner, you’ll need to provide your marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate. The relationship must be genuine and subsisting, meaning it’s a real, ongoing relationship and not a marriage of convenience.

If you’re not married or in a civil partnership, you can still bring your partner, but you’ll need to prove you’ve been living together in a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least two years before you apply.

You’ll also need to show that you intend to live together throughout your stay in the UK. The Home Office wants to be satisfied that your partner is genuinely coming to be with you, not to work or settle in the UK independently.

Dependent Children Requirements

Children must be under 18 when they apply. If they were previously granted leave as your dependent child and are now over 18, they may still be able to apply, but they can’t be living an independent life.

What does “independent life” mean? Essentially, if they’re married, in a civil partnership, have formed their own family, or are living independently and supporting themselves, they wouldn’t qualify as a dependant.

You’ll need to provide birth certificates or other documents proving the child’s relationship to you. If you’re not the sole parent or legal guardian, you may need consent from the other parent for the child to come to the UK.

Can Charity Worker Visa Holders Settle in the UK?

This is an important point that sometimes disappoints people, so it’s better to know upfront: the charity worker visa is not a route to settlement.

Settlement and Indefinite Leave to Remain

You cannot use time spent on a charity worker visa to count towards indefinite leave to remain (also known as settlement). This visa route is strictly temporary, and it’s designed to allow you to contribute your skills and time to a UK charity for a limited period.

If your goal is to live in the UK permanently, you’ll need to look at other immigration routes that do lead to settlement, such as the Skilled Worker visa, Family visas, or other qualifying categories.

Switching to Other Visa Routes

While you can’t switch directly from a charity worker visa to another category while you’re in the UK, you may be eligible to leave the UK and apply for a different type of visa from abroad.

For example, if you’re offered a paid job in the UK, you could potentially qualify for a Skilled Worker visa, but you’d need to leave the UK and apply from your home country.

It’s worth thinking about your long-term plans before you commit to coming to the UK on a charity worker visa. If you’re hoping to stay longer-term, you might want to consider other routes that offer that possibility.

Common Reasons for Charity Worker Visa Refusals

Understanding why applications get refused can help you avoid making the same mistakes. Here are some of the most common reasons:

The applicant doesn’t meet the financial requirement or can’t prove they’ve held the funds for the required period. The work doesn’t qualify as eligible charity work under the Immigration Rules. The Certificate of Sponsorship contains errors or doesn’t properly confirm the work meets the requirements. The applicant has been in the UK on this route or the religious worker route within the past 12 months. Required documents are missing or don’t clearly demonstrate eligibility. The applicant’s intentions aren’t considered genuine, or there are concerns they may breach the conditions of their visa.

How to Avoid Application Mistakes

Read the Immigration Rules carefully before you apply. Make sure your sponsoring charity understands their obligations and has filled out your Certificate of Sponsorship correctly. Get your financial evidence in order well before you apply, ensuring you’ve held the required funds for the full 28-day period. Provide clear, legible documents and make sure everything is translated into English if necessary. Be honest in your application and provide a clear explanation of why you want to volunteer and how your skills will benefit the charity.

If your application is refused, you may be able to request an administrative review if you believe a mistake was made, or you can submit a fresh application addressing the reasons for refusal.

Need Help with Your Charity Worker Visa Application?

Applying for any UK visa can feel overwhelming, especially when there are so many requirements to meet and rules to follow. One small mistake can lead to a refusal, delaying your plans and potentially costing you money.

At Deluxe Law Chambers, we understand how important your voluntary work is to you, and we’re here to make sure your visa application is handled properly from start to finish. Our immigration specialists have helped countless people successfully navigate the charity worker visa process, and we can do the same for you.

We’ll review your eligibility, check your documents, liaise with your sponsoring charity, and make sure everything is in order before you submit your application. Whether you’re applying for the first time or need help with an extension, we’re here to support you.

Ready to get started? Call us today on 0161 464 4140 or book your appointment online to speak with one of our immigration advisers. Let’s get your charity worker visa sorted so you can focus on making a difference.