Creative Worker Visa UK: Solicitors for Artists, Performers and Film Crew
Sponsorship, Creative Worker concession and visa applications for performers, crews and the UK companies that hire them.
Call 0207 100 2525 to speak to an immigration solicitor today. Available 24/7.
The UK Creative Worker visa lets actors, musicians, dancers, film and TV crew and other creative professionals work in the UK for up to 12 months with a licensed sponsor. It costs £340 to apply, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 a year. It replaced the old Tier 5 (T5) Temporary Worker – Creative and Sporting visa and is one of the UK’s Temporary Worker visa routes.
Adam Bernard Solicitors advises performers, production companies, promoters and venues from our High Holborn and Upton Park offices. Call 0207 100 2525 or book a free consultation.
What is the Creative Worker visa?
The Creative Worker visa is a sponsored temporary work visa for people working in the UK’s creative industries. GOV.UK gives actors, dancers, musicians and film crew members as examples (GOV.UK). It also covers directors, producers, writers, artists, models, presenters and circus performers whose work relates to their sponsor’s business.
It is a temporary route and does not lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain. Sportspeople use the International Sportsperson visa instead.
Creative Worker visa requirements
You need a certificate of sponsorship (CoS), a creative job that meets UK pay rules, and £1,270 in savings unless your sponsor certifies maintenance. The requirements are set out in Appendix Temporary Work – Creative Worker of the Immigration Rules.
- Certificate of sponsorship: a CoS from a licensed sponsor, valid for 3 months from the date it is assigned.
- Codes of Practice: if your occupation has a Code of Practice (for example dance, film and TV, or theatre), the job must comply with it. Minimum pay is set by Equity, PACT or BECTU where relevant.
- Unique contribution: if no Code of Practice applies, you must show you will make a unique contribution to UK creative life. Reviews, awards, audience figures or an established body of work can show this.
- Pay: the job must pay at least the National Minimum Wage and follow UK working-time rules.
- Maintenance funds: £1,270 held for 28 consecutive days, with day 28 within 31 days of applying. This doesn’t apply if you have been in the UK on a valid visa for 12 months, or your sponsor certifies maintenance on the CoS (GOV.UK).
- Suitability: your immigration history and any previous breaches are checked.
Several engagements: one sponsor can cover your whole stay with a single CoS, or you can hold a CoS from each sponsor. Gaps between engagements must not exceed 14 days, and time spent outside the UK doesn’t count towards that.
The Creative Worker concession: no visa for 3 months or less
If you don’t normally need a visa to visit the UK and your work lasts 3 months or less, you can enter under the Creative Worker concession instead of applying for a visa. You still need a valid CoS, enough money to support yourself and, usually, an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) (GOV.UK).
At the border:
- See a Border Force officer. Do not use the ePassport gates, because without the entry stamp you cannot work.
- Carry your CoS reference number, evidence of funds and your ETA.
- You cannot extend your stay in the UK if you entered under the concession.
Creative Worker visa vs Permitted Paid Engagement visit
Use a Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) visit for a short, one-off paid booking. Use the Creative Worker visa or concession when a UK sponsor is engaging you for a run, tour or production.
| Creative Worker visa | Permitted Paid Engagement (visitor) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor needed | Yes, a CoS from a licensed sponsor | No, an invitation from a UK organisation |
| Typical use | Tours, theatre runs, film and TV productions | One-off performances, lectures, festival slots |
| Maximum stay | 12 months (extendable to 24) | Visitor rules (GOV.UK) |
| Dependants | Yes | No |
| Second job | Yes, up to 20 hours a week | No |
See our Permitted Paid Engagement visa page for that route.
Creative Worker visa fees and processing times (2026)
The application fee is £340 per person, and each applicant also pays the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 a year.
| Cost or timing | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee (main applicant and each dependant) | £340 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £1,035 a year per person |
| Maintenance (main applicant) | £1,270 |
| Maintenance (partner / first child / each additional child) | £285 / £315 / £200 |
| Decision from outside the UK | Usually 3 weeks |
| Decision from inside the UK (extension) | Usually 8 weeks |
Source: GOV.UK Creative Worker visa. Faster decisions may be available for an extra fee. You can apply up to 3 months before your CoS start date.
How long you can stay and how to extend
You can stay for up to 12 months, or for the period on your CoS plus 28 days, whichever is shorter. You can arrive up to 14 days before your CoS start date.
You can extend from inside the UK:
- Same sponsor: up to 24 months in total.
- New sponsor: up to 12 months in total. A change of sponsor needs a new application.
Apply before your current visa expires. Don’t travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision, or the application will be withdrawn (GOV.UK).
Can you switch to a Creative Worker visa from inside the UK?
No, not from another visa category. Under rule CRV 1.3A of Appendix Temporary Work – Creative Worker, an in-country application must come from someone who has, or last had, Creative Worker permission. Visitors, PPE visitors, students and Skilled Workers must apply from outside the UK.
What you can and cannot do
You can:
- work for your sponsor in the role on your CoS
- take a second job in the same sector and at the same level, or a job on the Immigration Salary List, for up to 20 hours a week
- study (some courses need an ATAS certificate)
- bring your partner and children under 18 as dependants
You cannot claim public funds or start your own business (GOV.UK).
Creative Worker visa documents checklist
- Valid passport
- CoS reference number
- Bank statements covering 28 days (unless your sponsor certifies maintenance)
- Marriage or civil partnership certificate, or evidence of 2 years living together, and birth certificates for children
- TB test certificate if you live in a listed country
- Certified translations of any documents not in English or Welsh
If your application is approved, you get an eVisa rather than a vignette or BRP.
For employers: sponsoring Creative Workers
Only organisations with a Temporary Worker – Creative Worker sponsor licence can assign a CoS. We handle sponsor licence applications, CoS allocation and compliance. If your licence is under threat, see our sponsor licence revocation service. For long-term hires, compare the Skilled Worker visa and the Global Talent visa.
How Adam Bernard Solicitors can help
Our SRA-regulated immigration solicitors check that your CoS, the relevant Code of Practice and your maintenance evidence line up before you apply. Mismatches between them are the most common reason for refusal.
We help with:
- choosing between the concession, a PPE visit and the visa
- CoS and Code of Practice checks for sponsors
- dependant applications and extensions
- refusals, including administrative review
We have served 15,000+ clients over 15 years. Call 0207 100 2525 (24/7) or book a free consultation in person or by Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp or Skype.
Creative Worker visa FAQs
How much does a Creative Worker visa cost in 2026?
The application fee is £340 per person. Each applicant also pays the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 a year. Unless your sponsor certifies maintenance, you also need to show £1,270 in savings.
How long does a Creative Worker visa last?
Up to 12 months, or the CoS period plus 28 days if that is shorter. You can extend to 24 months in total with the same sponsor.
Do I need a visa if my UK work is under 3 months?
Not if you are a non-visa national. You can use the Creative Worker concession with a valid CoS and usually an ETA. You must see a Border Force officer rather than use the ePassport gates.
Can I switch to a Creative Worker visa from a visitor visa?
No. Only people who already hold Creative Worker permission can apply from inside the UK. Everyone else must apply from abroad.
Does the Creative Worker visa lead to ILR?
No. It is a temporary route. Long-term options include the Skilled Worker and Global Talent visas.
Can I bring my family on a Creative Worker visa?
Yes. Your partner and children under 18 can apply as dependants. Each pays £340 plus the health surcharge, and they need their own maintenance funds (partner £285, first child £315, each additional child £200).
Can I work for more than one company?
Yes. You can hold a CoS from each sponsor, as long as the gap between engagements is no more than 14 days. You can also do a second job in the same sector for up to 20 hours a week.
How long does a decision take?
Usually 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks for in-country extensions.
This page is for general information only and is not legal advice. Fees and rules checked against GOV.UK on 9 October 2026.
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