Immigration Rules Appendix Temporary Work - Charity Worker
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-11)

The Charity Worker route is for a person who wants to come to the UK to do voluntary work for no more than 12 months.

The Temporary Work - Charity Worker route is for a person who wants to come to the UK to do voluntary work for up to a maximum of 12 months.

A partner and children can apply as dependants on this route.

The Charity Worker route is not a route to settlement.

Validity requirements for a Charity Worker

CW 1.1. A person applying for entry clearance or permission to stay as a Charity Worker must apply online on gov.uk on the specified form as follows:
- (a) any fee and Immigration Health Charge must have been paid; and
- (b) the applicant must have provided biometrics when required; and
- (c) the applicant must have provided a passport or other travel document which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality; and
- (d) the applicant must have a Certificate of Sponsorship that was issued to them no more than 3 months before the date of application.
CW 1.3. The applicant must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.

CW 1.4. If applying for permission to stay, the applicant must be in the UK on the date of application.

CW 1.4A. If applying for permission to stay, the applicant must have, or have last had, permission as a Charity Worker.

CW 1.5. An application which does not meet all the validity requirements for a Charity Worker may be rejected as invalid and not considered.

Suitability requirements for a Charity Worker

CW 2.1. The applicant must not fall for refusal under Part Suitability.
- (a) in breach of immigration laws, except that where the Exceptions for overstayers section of Part Suitability applies, that period of overstaying will be disregarded; or
- (b) on immigration bail.
Eligibility requirements for a Charity Worker

Entry requirements for a Charity Worker

CW 3.1. A person seeking to come to the UK on the Charity Worker route must have applied for and obtained entry clearance as a Charity Worker before they arrive in the UK.

CW 3.2. A person applying for entry clearance as a Charity Worker must, if Appendix Tuberculosis applies, provide a valid medical certificate confirming that they have undergone screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis and that this tuberculosis is not present in them.

CW 3.3. An applicant for entry clearance must not have had permission as a Religious Worker or Charity Worker at any time during the 12 months immediately before the date of application unless they can show they were not in the UK at any time during those 12 months.

Sponsorship requirement for a Charity Worker
- (a) confirm the applicant’s name, that they are being sponsored as a Charity Worker, details of the job the sponsor is offering them; and
- (b) include a start date, stated by the sponsor, which is no more than three months after the date of application; and
- (c) not have been used in a previous application which was either granted or refused (but can have been used in a previous application which was rejected as invalid, made void or withdrawn); and
- (d) not have been withdrawn by the sponsor or cancelled by the Home Office; and
- (e) include confirmation that the role meets the requirement at CW 4.2.
- (a) it is voluntary fieldwork which contributes directly to the achievement or advancement of the sponsor’s charitable purpose; and
- (b) it must be voluntary work and not be paid or otherwise remunerated, including receipt of benefits in kind, except for reasonable expenses and the provision of accommodation as is reasonable in the circumstances as defined in the National Minimum Wage Act 1988; and
- (c) the applicant must not be filling a permanent position, including on a temporary basis.
CW 4.3. The sponsor must be authorised by the Home Office to sponsor the job in question under the Charity Worker route.

CW 4.4. The sponsor must be listed as A-rated on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors, unless the applicant was last granted permission as a Charity Worker and is applying to continue working for the same sponsor as in their last permission.

CW 4.5. The decision maker must not have reasonable grounds to believe the job the applicant is being sponsored to do does not comply with the National Minimum Wage Regulations or the Working Time Regulations.

Genuineness requirement for a Charity Worker
- (a) genuinely intend, and be able, to undertake the role for which they are being sponsored; and
- (b) not intend to undertake employment other than in the role for which they are being sponsored, or as otherwise permitted by paragraph CW 8.3.
Financial Requirement for a Charity Worker

CW 6.1. If the applicant is applying for permission to stay and has been in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer on the date of application, they will meet the financial requirement and do not need to show funds.
- (a) the applicant must have funds of at least £1,270; or
- (b) the applicant’s A rated sponsor must confirm on the Certificate of Sponsorship that they will, if it is necessary, maintain and accommodate the applicant up to the end of the first month of their employment for an amount of at least £1,270.
CW 6.3. If CW 6.2.(a) applies, the applicant must show that they have held the required level of funds for a 28-day period and as specified in Appendix Finance.

Decision on an application as a Charity Worker

CW 7.1. If the decision maker is satisfied that all the suitability and eligibility requirements for the Charity Worker route are met, the application will be granted, otherwise the application will be refused.

CW 7.2. If the application is refused, the person can apply for an Administrative Review under Appendix AR: Administrative Review.

Period of grant for a Charity Worker
- (a) the period of the job on the Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days before and after; or
- (b) 12 months.
- (a) the period of the job on the Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days; or
- (b) the difference between the period the applicant has already spent in the UK since their last grant of permission as a Charity Worker and 12 months.
Conditions of grant for a Charity Worker
- (a) no access to public funds; and
- (b) work is permitted only in the role the applicant is being sponsored for; and
- (c) voluntary work with another organisation is permitted, providing it is in the same role as the one listed on the Certificate of Sponsorship; and
- (d) study is permitted, subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS.
- (e) DELETED.
Dependants of a Charity Worker

Validity requirements for a dependent partner or dependent child of a Charity Worker

CW 9.1. A person applying for entry clearance or permission to stay as a dependent partner or dependent child of a Charity Worker must apply online on the gov.uk website on the specified form as follows:
- (a) any fee and Immigration Health Charge must have been paid; and
- (b) the applicant must have provided biometrics when required; and
- (c) the applicant must have provided a passport or other travel document which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality; and
- (i) has made a valid application for entry clearance or permission to stay on the Charity Worker route that has not been decided; or
- (ii) has entry clearance or permission to stay on the Charity Worker route.
CW 9.3. An applicant applying as a dependent partner must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.

CW 9.4. If applying for permission to stay, the applicant must be in the UK on the date of application.
- (a) as a Visitor; or
- (b) as a Short-term Student; or
- (c) as a Parent of a Child Student; or
- (d) as a Seasonal Worker; or
- (e) as a Domestic Worker in a Private Household; or
- (f) outside the Immigration Rules.
- (a) Condition A: the applicant must have completed the course of study for which the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies was assigned (or a course to which ST 27.3 of Appendix Student applies); or
- (i) be studying a full-time course of study leading to the award of a PhD with a higher education provider which has a track record of compliance; and
- (ii) have completed at least 24 months of study on that course.
CW 9.5. An application which does not meet all the validity requirements for a partner or child of a Charity Worker may be rejected as invalid and not considered.

Suitability requirements for a dependent partner or dependent child of a Charity Worker

CW 10.1. The applicant must not fall for refusal under Part Suitability.
- (a) in breach of immigration laws, except that where the Exceptions for overstayers section of Part Suitability applies, that period of overstaying will be disregarded; or
- (b) on immigration bail.
Eligibility requirements for a dependent partner or dependent child of a Charity Worker

Entry requirement for a dependent partner or dependent child of a Charity Worker

CW 11.1. A person seeking to come to the UK as a dependent partner or dependent child of a Charity Worker must apply for and obtain entry clearance as a dependent partner or dependent child of a Charity Worker before they arrive in the UK.

CW 11.2. A person applying for entry clearance as the partner or child of a Charity Worker must, if Appendix Tuberculosis applies, provide a valid medical certificate confirming that they have undergone screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis and that this tuberculosis is not present in them.

Relationship requirement for a dependent partner of a Charity Worker
- (a) P has permission on the Charity Worker route; or
- (b) P is, at the same time, applying for (and is granted) entry clearance or permission on the Charity Worker route.
- CW 12.2. The requirements of Appendix Relationship with Partner must be met.
CW 12.3. DELETED.

CW 12.4. DELETED.

Relationship requirement for a dependent child of a Charity Worker
- CW 13.1. DELETED.
- CW 13.2. DELETED.
CW 13.3. DELETED.

Care requirement for a dependent child of a Charity Worker

CW 14.1. DELETED.

Age requirement for a dependent child of a Charity Worker

CW 15.1. DELETED.

CW 15.2. DELETED.

Requirements for a dependent child of a Charity Worker
- (a) relationship requirement: entry clearance and permission to stay; and
- (b) care requirement; and
- (c) age and independent life requirement.
Financial requirement for a dependent partner or dependent child of a Charity Worker

CW 16.1. If the applicant is applying for permission to stay and has been living in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer on the date of application, they will meet the financial requirement and do not need to show funds.
- i) the applicant; and
- ii) the Charity Worker (P); and
- iii) if the applicant is applying as a dependent child, their parent who is lawfully present in the UK or being granted entry clearance, or permission to stay, at the same time; or
- (b) the Charity Worker’s A-rated sponsor must certify that they will, if necessary, maintain and accommodate the dependent partner and/or any dependent child as well as the Charity Worker, up to the end of the first month of each of their grants of permission, to at least the amounts required in CW 16.3.
- (a) £285 for a dependent partner in the UK, or applying for entry clearance; and
- (b) £315 for the first dependent child in the UK, or applying for entry clearance; and
- (c) £200 for any other dependent child in the UK, or applying for entry clearance.
CW 16.4. If CW 16.2.(a) applies, the funds held for the applicant must be held in addition to any funds required for the Charity Worker to meet the financial requirement and any other dependants in the UK or applying at the same time.

CW 16.5. If CW 16.2.(a) applies, the funds must have been held for a 28-day period and as specified in Appendix Finance.

Decision on an application as a dependent partner or dependent child of a Charity Worker

CW 17.1. If the decision maker is satisfied that all the suitability and eligibility requirements for a dependent partner or dependent child of a Charity Worker are met, the application will be granted, otherwise the application will be refused.

CW 17.2. If the application is refused, the person can apply for an Administrative Review under Appendix AR: Administrative Review.

Period of grant for a dependent partner or dependent child of a Charity Worker

CW 18.1. A partner will be granted permission which ends on the same date as their partner’s permission as a Charity Worker.

CW 18.2. A child will be granted permission which ends on the same date as whichever of their parents’ permission ends first.

Conditions of grant for a dependent partner or dependent child of a Charity Worker
- (a) no access to public funds; and
- (b) work (including self-employment and voluntary work) is permitted, except as a professional sportsperson (including as a sports coach); and
- (c) study is permitted, subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS if the applicant is over the age of 18.
- (d) DELETED.