Overseas Domestic Worker Visa

The domestic worker category allows overseas companies to bring their domestic workers with them when he/she tours or moves to the United Kingdom. To be eligible as a domestic worker you must be a well-known member of the employer’s staff. You will only be given permission to live in the United Kingdom for a fixed phase of time, at the end of this period you will require to either return home or apply to extend your stay.
The domestic workers category can be a short or long-term migration category. Home office will only extend your visa if you are still employed as a domestic worker when your old visa expires. You will be allowed to change employers while you are in the United Kingdom, however, you must still be employed as a domestic worker. If you change employers you must inform Home Office, you will not be allowed to change into a different type of employment. Once you have been in the United Kingdom for 5 years as a domestic worker you are entitled to apply to stay permanently.

 Eligibility

In order to come to the United Kingdom as a domestic worker you must:

• Be aged between 18 and 65; and
• Have been working as a domestic worker in the same house as your employer for at least one year immediately before your application; or
• Have been working for at least one year immediately before your application, in a household that your employer uses on a regular basis and there is evidence of a connection between you and the employer; and
• Intend to travel to the United Kingdom with your employer, your employer’s spouse, or civil partner or your employers child who is under 18; and
• Intend to work full-time as a domestic worker in the house that your employer is living in; or
• Intend to work full-time as a domestic worker in a household that the employer users regularly and you can show that there is a clear connection between you and the employer; and
• Not intend to work in the United Kingdom except as a domestic worker; and
• You can support yourself and any dependants without the need for public funds; and
• Hold a valid entry clearance for entry under the domestic workers category.

Extending your visa
As a domestic worker you will initially be given permission to stay in the United Kingdom for a maximum of 12 months. At the end of this 12 month period you can apply to extend your stay in the United Kingdom providing you are still employed as a domestic worker. You should make your application before your permission to stay in the United Kingdom ends.

If your application to extend your stay in the United Kingdom is successful you will be given permission to stay for another 12 months. If you are still working as a domestic worker at the end of the 12 months you will need to make another application to extend your stay in the United Kingdom.

Once you have been continuously employed as a domestic worker in the United Kingdom for five years you can apply to stay in the United Kingdom permanently. This is called settlement.

How to apply

Home Office call extending your stay applying for further leave to remain. To apply for an extension of stay as a domestic worker you must use application form FLR(O). This application form and the accompanying guidance notes are available to download on the web of home office. You should make sure you read the guidance notes fully before you make your application.

You will need to provide us with the following documents to support your application:

• Your passport;
  • A letter from your employer confirming he/she want to continue to employ you;
  • Your duties;
  • Your rate of pay;
  • Your hours of work;
  • Both you and your employer should sign this letter;
• A letter from your employer confirming that they will comply with United Kingdom law on the national minimum wage. We cannot refuse your application if your employ does not provide this letter;
• Evidence that you can support and accommodate yourself without help from public funds.

You should provide the original document unless there is a good reason why you cannot.

You will need to pay a fee to cover the cost of processing your applications; you should read the page on cost for details.

Settlement

how you can apply to stay in the United Kingdom permanently (sometimes callled settlement) as a domestic worker. You should read this section if you have been in the United Kingdom as a domestic worker for at least five years.

The requirements for settlement

To qualify for settlement in the United Kingdom as a domestic worker you must:

• Have been living legally in the United Kingdom for the last five years; and
• Currently have permission to stay in the United Kingdom as a domestic worker; and
• Have been in the United Kingdom as a full-time domestic worker throughout the five years; and
• Have maintained and accommodated yourself and any dependants without the use of public funds throughout the five years; and
• Intend to continue as a domestic worker in the household of your current employer; and
• Have sufficient knowledge of language and life in the United Kingdom.

Appeals

Your right to an appeal and the process you need to follow will depend on the type of application you have made.

Refusal of your entry clearance application
Home office cannot processes appeals against the decision to refuse entry clearance. Entry clearance applications are processed by visa services and you may have a right to appeal their decision to refuse entry clearance. Visa services will provide you with details of your right to appeal their decision.
Refusal of your FLR(O) application to extend your stay in the United Kingdom

If your visa is refuse your application to extend your stay in the United Kingdom you may have the right to appeal. Home officewill write to you with details of why your application has been refused and the next steps available, including your right to appeal.

If you have a right of appeal you will be provided with full details of your rights and an appeal form which you will need to complete and return.
Refusal of your SET(O) application

If we refuse your application to extend your stay in the United Kingdom you may have the right to appeal. We will write to you with details of why your application has been refused and the next steps available, including your right to appeal.

If you have a right of appeal you will be provided with full details of your rights and an appeal form which you will need to complete and return.