The UK International Sportsperson Visa allows elite athletes and qualified coaches to live and work in the UK. Learn more about International Sportsperson visa eligivility, documents and application process. Book an appointment with Visa and Migration for expert guidance.
The International Sportsperson route replaced the 2 predecessor sports routes T2 Sportsperson route and the sporting element from the T5 (Temporary Worker) Creative or Sporting Worker route, from 11 October 2021. This new route is for an elite sportsperson or qualified sports coach who is internationally established as well as able to significantly contribute to the development of their chosen sport at the highest level in the UK.
This route is intended to be more straightforward for sponsors and applicants whilst still seeking to attract the same high level of sportsperson as the previous 2 routes mentioned above. It falls under the points-based system and requires applicants who are seeking permission for more than 12 months to demonstrate they fulfil the English language requirement.
Dependants (partners and children) are permitted to apply for this route. This visa also leads to ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) or permanent settlement in the UK.
A person who has applied for, or been granted, entry clearance to the UK or permission to stay here on the International Sportsperson route; or who a UK employer is sponsoring, or intends to sponsor, on that route.
A person applying as an International Sportsperson must have an endorsement from the relevant Home Office approved Sports Governing Bodies.
An employer will need to sponsor any overseas national (including most EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals who entered the UK after 31 December 2020) as a sportsperson or coach if that overseas national is not a settled worker or does not otherwise have immigration permission to work for them in the UK.
On the other hand, certain categories of workers, including Irish citizens, people who have been granted status (Settled or Pre-settled status) under the EU Settlement Scheme(EUSS), or people with settlement (indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK), are not required to be sponsored.
The applicant applying to obtain entry clearance to the UK or permission to stay here on the International Sportsperson route must apply online on gov.uk using the specified application form.
EEA (European Economic Area) nationals with a chipped passport (also called an e-passport or biometric passport) will have to apply as an International Sportsperson
using the "UK Immigration: ID Check” app or the “International Sportsperson visa” form, if they apply from outside the UK, or “International Sportsperson” form, if they apply from inside the UK.
Other applicants applying from outside the UK will have to apply using the “International Sportsperson visa” form, and applicants applying from inside the UK will have to apply using the form “International Sportsperson”.
An application for obtaining entry clearance to the UK or permission to stay here on the International Sportsperson route must fulfil all the following requirements:
The applicant must be 16 or over at the time of their application.
Any visa application fee and IHS (Immigration Health Surcharge) must have been paid;
The applicant must have enrolled their biometric information when required.
The applicant must have given a valid passport/other travel document to establish their nationality and identity.
The applicant must have a CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) issued to them no more than 3 months before the date of their application;
If the applicant for the International Sportsperson visa route has, in the last 12 months prior to the date of their application, received an award from an International Scholarship agency or Government covering their fees as well as living costs for study in the UK, they must submit written consent along with the application from that agency or Government.
The person applying for permission to stay (switch to, or extend) as an International Sportsperson must, on the date of application, be in the UK.
A person cannot apply to switch to the International Sportsperson visa if they are currently in the UK on:
A UK visitor visa - except where the applicant has been in the UK doing the permitted activities as a sportsperson
A UK short-term student visa
A UK Parent of a Child Student visa
A UK Seasonal Worker visa
A UK domestic worker in a private household visa
Outside the Immigration Rules.
Anyone in the UK with one of the above visas must leave the UK and apply for a UK International Sportsperson visa from abroad.
The applicant applying to switch to this route who currently has, or last had, permission as a student, must satisfy one of the following:
They have completed the course of study they were sponsored for; or
The start date of their job is after their course has finished; or
They have studied a full-time course for a PhD for at least 24 months
Any application for the International Sportsperson visa route that fails to meet all the validity conditions (listed above) may be rejected as invalid and not considered.
The applicant must not fall for refusal under the Immigration Rules - Part Suitability.
Those applying for permission to stay must not be:
(a) in breach of UK immigration laws, except that where the section called “Exceptions for overstayers” under the Immigration Rules - Part Suitability applies; or
(b) on immigration bail.
The applicant seeking permission to come to the UK as an International Sportsperson must apply for and obtain entry clearance before arriving in the UK.
Further, the applicant must have been awarded 70 points, have an endorsement from a relevant Sports Governing body, get a CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) from their employer, have sufficient funds to support themselves in the UK, and have been assigned to the UK to do an eligible job.
Unless exempt, they must also satisfy the English language requirements.
The applicant applying to obtain entry clearance to the UK or permission to stay here as an International Sportsperson for more than 12 months must be awarded 80 points as follows.
50 points will be awarded for Governing Body Endorsement; and
10 points will be awarded for Sponsorship
10 points will be awarded for fulfilling financial requirements
10 points will be awarded for showing English language ability at CEFR level A1
The applicant must provide a letter issued to them which contains the unique endorsement number, from the relevant Sports Governing Body listed in the Immigration Rules - Appendix Sports Governing Bodies, confirming the applicant is elite (top-level recognition in their sport), internationally established, and will significantly contribute to the development of their sport at the highest level in the UK.
Parental consent requirement for an International Sportsperson under 18
The applicant not applying as a dependent child must meet the parental consent requirement.
For an entry clearance or permission to stay application, the UKVI must be satisfied that the applicant genuinely intends to undertake the role described on the CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) and is capable of undertaking this role described on the CoS.
The applicant must also have no intention to undertake employment other than in the role their sponsor is sponsoring them for, or as otherwise permitted within the conditions of the grant.
The applicant must have £1,270 or more (held for a 28-day period) on the date of application, or their sponsor must confirm on the CoS that they will, if necessary, maintain and accommodate the applicant for the first month of their employment for the amount of £1,270 or more.
Those who, on the day they apply, have been residing in the UK with a valid UK visa for at least 12 months are not required to show proof of this fund.
Compliance with the NMW (National Minimum Wage) and the Working Time Regulations
The job role for which the worker is being sponsored must comply with the National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015 as well as the Working Time Regulations 1998 to the extent either of these regulations applies.
Any application seeking entry clearance or permission to stay on the International Sportsperson route will be refused where the decision maker has reasonable grounds to believe the role does not comply with the National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015 and/or the Working Time Regulations 1998.
The applicant for this route must show they can travel and their travel history over the last 5 years.
The applicant must have received a CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) from their employer, who must be a licensed and A-rated sponsor, unless they were last granted permission on the International Sportsperson route, and are applying to continue doing the job for the same sponsor as in their last permission.
The CoS must confirm the applicant’s name, their job details, the salary being offered to them, that they are being sponsored as an International Sportsperson, that the applicant intends to be based in the UK, that the job is one the applicant is qualified to undertake, and other details.
A CoS stays valid for 3 months starting from the date it is assigned to the applicant.
Where a person is applying to obtain entry clearance to the UK or permission to stay here as an International Sportsperson for more than 12 months, they must, unless exempt, show their English language proficiency on the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) for Languages in 2 components (speaking and listening) of at least A1 level.
The applicant will be required to provide:
Their CoS reference number – this will be given by their sponsor
Their valid passport (with a blank page in it) or other travel document showing their identity and nationality
Expired passports or travel documents if they need them to show their travel history
Proof of their knowledge of English if they are applying to obtain entry clearance to the UK or permission to stay here for more than 12 months (unless exempt)
Evidence such as bank statements that shows the applicant has sufficient savings to support themselves in the UK (unless their CoS shows their employer/sponsor can support them)
Proof of their TB (Tuberculosis) test results if they are from a country where they have to take this test
A letter of endorsement from their sport’s governing body
The applicant may be asked to give additional documents by UKVI.
Any documents not in English or Welsh must be submitted with a certified translation.
The applicant must apply online, and no more than 3 months before the day they are due to start work in the UK. This date is mentioned on their CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship).
They will have to prove their identity as part of their International Sportsperson visa application. Depending on where they are from and what type of passport they hold they will have their biometric information (fingerprints and facial photograph) taken at a VAC (Visa Application Centre) or they can use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan their identity document – they will also create their UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) account or sign into their existing UKVI account.
On the appointment date, the applicant will need to carry their passport to the VAC. They will be able to collect it the same day.
The applicant will need to pay the visa application fee of £319 if they are staying up to 12 months. Those applying for an entry clearance to stay for more than 12 months will need to pay the visa application fee of £769.
The applicant will be required to pay an immigration health charge, which is usually £1,035 per year.
The applicant can upload their documents along with their online application or have them scanned at the VAC (if attending an appointment to enrol their biometrics).
The applicant can ask to cancel their International Sportsperson visa application. They will only get their fee refunded if their application has not been processed yet.
The applicant must apply online from within the UK before their current UK visa expires.
They will have to prove their identity as part of their visa application. Depending on where they are from and what type of passport they hold they will have their biometric information (fingerprints and facial photograph) taken at a UKVCAS (UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service) service point or they can use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan their identity document – they will also create their UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) account or sign into their existing UKVI account.
The applicant applying inside the UK to switch or extend their International Sportsperson visa for more than 12 months will need to pay the application fee of £885.
They will also be required to pay the Immigration Health Charge which is usually £1,035 per year.
The applicant can upload their documents along with their online application or have them scanned at the UKVCAS (if attending an appointment to enrol their biometrics).
After having applied online, proving identity, and providing the documents, the applicant will, if they use the standard service, normally get a decision on their application for entry clearance within 3 weeks, and those who have applied to switch to an International Sportsperson visa will normally get a decision within 8 weeks.
The applicant will receive an email containing UKVI's decision on their application. This email will explain what they need to do next.
If the application is complex and will take longer, UKVI will contact the applicant, for example, because:
UKVI needs to verify the documents of the applicant
The applicant is required to attend an interview
Of the applicant’s personal circumstances (for example, if they have a criminal conviction)
If the decision maker is completely satisfied that the applicant has fulfilled all the suitability and eligibility criteria for the International Sportsperson route, the application will be approved; otherwise, the application will be refused.
Successful applicants will get an eVisa (a digital record of their identity and immigration status).
The applicant can come to or stay in the UK for up to 12 months, or the time stated in their CoS plus up to 14 days, whichever is shorter, if they have applied for up to 12 months.
On the other hand, those who have applied for more than 12 months can come to or stay in the UK for up to 3 years, or the time stated in their CoS plus up to 14 days, whichever is shorter.
The lead applicant’s partner (husband/wife or civil partner) and children can also apply to join them or stay in the UK as their ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible.
If the partner or child’s application is successful, their visa will usually end on the same date as that of the lead applicant. A child’s visa will end on the earlier date if their parents' visa expiry dates are different.
The lead applicant must give documentary evidence of their relationship with their dependent partner and dependent children. For example, a marriage/civil partnership certificate for the partner and a birth certificate for a child.
The partner and children applying as dependents must also have sufficient money to support themselves in the UK.
The applicant - or their partner or child - will need:
£285 for their partner
£315 for one child
£200 for each additional child
If you are an elite athlete, coach, or sports professional and internationally recognised in your field, you can be eligible for the UK International Sportsperson visa. You can live in the UK while working to contribute to the development and success of your sport.
We help you first obtain endorsement from a recognised UK sports governing body, followed by assessing your eligibility, collecting the necessary documents, making a valid application, choosing the right application, and applying for a period (up to 12 months or more than 12 months) that suits you and your sponsor’s requirements the most.
If you are a sponsor or looking to apply for a sponsor licence for this route, we can help you navigate the process and plan to hire the right candidate where they meet the requirements as a worker, and you fulfil the requirements as a sponsoring organisation.
For expert advice and queries, you can call us at +44 (0)20 3411 1261 or write to info@visaandmigration.com
This visa allows foreign athletes and sports coaches to come to the UK to provide a service in their sports.
Internationally recognised and established athletes and sports coaches who can significantly contribute to the development of their chosen sport at the highest level in the UK.
Yes, you must have an endorsement letter from a UK Home Office-approved Sports Governing body.
You can come to the UK for up to 12 months, or the time mentioned in your CoS plus up to 14 days, whichever is shorter.
Up to 3 years.
Where the applicant is applying to obtain entry clearance or permission to stay for more than 12 months must, unless exempt, fulfil the English language requirements.
Yes, switching to this route from within the UK before your current visa’s expiry date is allowed.
Yes, you can, if you continue to meet the eligibility criteria and additional requirements for extension.
Yes, if the job is on the Skilled Worker ISL (Immigration Salary List) or it is in the same sector as your main job.
Yes, you can bring your partner and/or children on this route.
Usually, it takes about 3 weeks after the application submission from outside the UK and 8 weeks after the submission from within the UK.
Yes, you may get a faster decision by using ‘priority’ or ‘super priority’ service.
No, you must not travel outside of the UK before you get a decision. Doing so will result in your application being withdrawn.
You can apply for an administrative review.
- March 6 2026
If you wish to change employers in 2026 when you are already in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa, you cannot simply move to a new job and start...
- February 25 2026
The student visa replaced the previous Tier 4 visa route on 5 October 2020. The visa is for an individual aged 16 or over who wants to study i...
- February 18 2026
Immigration Rules - Appendix Skilled Occupations 2026 lists eligible SOC (Standard Occupation Classification) 2020 occupation codes and going ...
- February 12 2026
You can apply to get a faster decision on certain UK visa applications, applications to extend your permission to stay in the UK, and applicat...
- February 4 2026
Most UK visas provide a pathway to settlement in the UK. Some UK visas permit extensions, but do not lead to settlement, for example, a UK Exp...
- January 27 2026
Since the rules for the Skilled Worker route have been tightened by the Labour government and the government’s focus is on reducing the number...
- January 19 2026
As UK start-ups grow, many find that recruiting internationally is essential to securing the skills needed to scale. To lawfully employ overse...
TBXH Sunley House, 4 Bedford Park, Croydon, CR0 2AP
