Immigration Rules Appendix VIP Delegate Visa
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-11)

This route is for a person accompanying a Head of State or Government Minister on an official visit to the UK for a temporary period (less than 1 month).

This route is not designed for people who are exempt from immigration control or other official visits to the UK.

There is a cap of 20 for Head of States delegations and 10 for Ministerial delegations per official visit. A VIP Delegate Visa will be issued for the duration of their official visit in the UK plus three days before and after the official visit takes place for travelling purposes. The official visit must not exceed the maximum permitted length of stay of one month.

Those visa nationals travelling as a VIP Delegate must obtain entry clearance as a VIP Delegate before arrival in the UK.

VIP Delegate visa is not a route to settlement.

Dependants are not permitted on this route.

Entry clearance as a VIP Delegate

Entry requirements for a VIP Delegate

DEL 1.1. A person seeking to come to the UK as a VIP Delegate must apply for and obtain entry clearance before they arrive in the UK.

Validity requirements for entry clearance as a VIP Delegate

DEL 2.1. A person applying for entry clearance as a VIP Delegate must apply online on the gov.uk website on the specified form: “A exempt, diplomatic, official visit vignette or S2 Healthcare Visitor visa” (https://www.gov.uk/exempt-vignette).
- (a) the applicant must be named in a Note Verbale provided by their government, confirming that they are part of the official delegation accompanying their Head of State or serving government Minister; and
- (b) the applicant must have provided a valid passport which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality; and
- (c) the applicant must provide a facial image in accordance with the application process, and which complies with the rules for digital photos on “https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports”; and
- (d) the applicant must be aged 18 or older on the date of application.
DEL 2.3. An application for entry clearance as a VIP Delegate must be made while the applicant is outside the UK and to a Visa Application Centre (VAC) designated to accept such applications.

DEL 2.4. An application which does not meet all the validity requirements for a VIP Delegate may be rejected as invalid and not considered.

Suitability requirements for a VIP Delegate

DEL 3.1. The decision maker must be satisfied that the applicant should not be refused under Part Suitability.

Eligibility requirements for a VIP Delegate
- (a) the applicant is visiting the UK with the intention and sole purpose of accompanying their Head of State or serving government Minister on official business of their government; and
- (b) the applicant is a government official; and
- (c) the applicant’s intended dates of travel are consistent with the dates of the official visit; and
- (d) the applicant is aged 18 or older.
DEL 4.2. The decision maker must be satisfied that the Note Verbale referred to in DEL 2.2(a) meets all the eligibility requirements in DEL 4.3. to DEL 4.6.
- (a) be issued by the government of the country sending the delegation; and
- (b) not contain a list of names that exceeds the allocated cap per visit.
- (a) for delegations accompanying a head of state – 20; and
- (b) for delegations accompanying a serving government minister – 10.
- (a) the applicant’s name, date of birth and passport number; and
- (b) confirmation of the title and purpose of the official visit and the dates that the official visit will take place; and
- (c) confirmation that the application is supported by the country sending the delegation; and
- (d) confirmation that the applicant has sufficient funds to cover all reasonable costs in relation to their visit without unauthorised working or accessing public funds.
DEL 4.6. The Note Verbale must have been issued prior to the application date and must not have been withdrawn after the issue date.

Decision on an application as a VIP Delegate

DEL 5.1. If the decision maker is satisfied the suitability and eligibility requirements for entry clearance as a VIP Delegate are met, the application will be granted, otherwise the application will be refused.

Period of grant for a VIP Delegate

DEL 6.1. Entry clearance as a VIP Delegate will be granted for the period beginning three days before the commencement of the official visit to the UK and ending three days after the end of the official visit to the UK and must not exceed in any case the maximum period of one month.

Conditions of grant for a VIP Delegate
- (a) no access to public funds; and
- (b) no work for purposes other than directly related to the purpose of their official visit as stated in the Note Verbale; and
- (c) no study.