Representative of an Overseas Business

Copyright © 2025 LexisNexis

Previously, the Representative of an Overseas Business category provided a route of entry and stay in the UK for:

  1. •

    a senior employee of an overseas business (which does not have an active presence in the UK) who is being assigned to the UK in order to establish the company’s first branch or subsidiary, or

  2. •

    media employees of overseas newspapers, news agencies or broadcasting organisations who are being posted by their overseas employer on a long-term UK posting

Further to Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules HC 1118, the ‘sole representative’ provisions were closed to new entrants from 11 April 2022. The sole representative provisions under Representative of an Overseas Business now remain only for those wishing to extend their stay or apply for settlement under this route. The sponsored Global Business Mobility—UK Expansion Worker route was introduced from the same date to cater for those who would previously have entered the UK as sole representatives—for further details, see Practice Note: Sponsoring a UK Expansion Worker. The media representative provisions remain unchanged and continue to apply to initial applications as well as extension

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

Existing user? Sign-in TAKE A FREE TRIAL
Powered by Lexis+®
Latest Immigration News

Immigration weekly highlights—11 September 2025

Welcome to the 11 September 2025 highlights from the Immigration team, which provides links to key news stories from the last week, as well as a round-up of new and updated content in Immigration.

Home Office revokes record number of sponsor licences for non-compliance

The Home Office has announced that a record number of 1,948 sponsor licences have been revoked between July 2024 and June 2025—more than double the 937 sponsor licences revoked in the previous year. Common reasons for revocation included sponsors using work visas to enable individuals to circumvent the Immigration Rules, underpaying and exploiting sponsored staff reliant on their jobs to remain in the country, and failing to provide promised work. The announcement notes that a new approach in the form of improved data and intelligence sharing across government and law enforcement has resulted in increased numbers of employers being found in violation of their sponsor duties. The Home Office reports that sectors with the highest levels of abuse include adult social care, hospitality, retail and construction. Based on current trends, the Home Office anticipates sponsor revocations to continue increasing for the current year.

Home Office publishes guidance on proving pre-settled status alongside other immigration permissions

The Home Office has published caseworker guidance clarifying how holders of pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) can prove their status when they subsequently obtain other UK immigration permissions. Holders retain their pre-settled status if they hold pre-settled under the EUSS for one of the eligible reasons.  The eligible reasons include holders being from the EU, Switzerland , Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, or being a family member of someone from these countries, or possessing a retained right of residence by virtue of being a family member of someone from these countries who was living in the UK by 31 December 2020.

Adopted children more easily able to get British citizenship

The Home Office caseworker guidance for registering children as British citizens has been updated so that children adopted overseas by a British parent can more easily register as a British citizen. In general there is an expectation it is a recognised overseas adoption, but caseworkers would need to consider the welfare and best interests of the child in any case

View Immigration by content type :  
News
Practice notes
Precedents
Q&As

Popular documents

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companies

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companiesWhy does it matter?A company that is a member of a group and has incurred any of the types of losses available for surrender by way of group relief may, without any further rules, have more than one way in which to use the loss. There are a

Late payment penalties—inheritance tax

Late payment penalties—inheritance taxWhile interest often accrues on overdue tax, the late payment of certain taxes may also attract a penalty. For information on the interest accruing on overdue tax, see Practice Notes: IHT—payment deadlines on death—Interest on IHT and Interest on late paid

Can shares in a limited company that have not been paid-up at all be cancelled?

Can shares in a limited company that have not been paid-up at all be cancelled?A limited company having a share capital may not alter that share capital, except in the ways listed in section 617 of the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006). Shares in a company cannot simply be cancelled without following an

Template for regulatory references given by SMCR firms and disclosure requirements

Template for regulatory references given by SMCR firms and disclosure requirements[Insert addressee details]Dear [insert name][It is our understanding that [insert name of prospective employee] [was an employee of yours between the dates of [insert dates as appropriate] OR is a current employee of
Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companies

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companies

Priority between loss reliefs in loss making companiesWhy does it matter?A company that is a member of a group and has incurred any of the types of losses available for surrender by way of group relief may, without any further rules, have more than one way in which to use the loss. There are a

Late payment penalties—inheritance tax

Late payment penalties—inheritance tax

Late payment penalties—inheritance taxWhile interest often accrues on overdue tax, the late payment of certain taxes may also attract a penalty. For information on the interest accruing on overdue tax, see Practice Notes: IHT—payment deadlines on death—Interest on IHT and Interest on late paid

Can shares in a limited company that have not been paid-up at all be cancelled?

Can shares in a limited company that have not been paid-up at all be cancelled?

Can shares in a limited company that have not been paid-up at all be cancelled?A limited company having a share capital may not alter that share capital, except in the ways listed in section 617 of the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006). Shares in a company cannot simply be cancelled without following an

Template for regulatory references given by SMCR firms and disclosure requirements

Template for regulatory references given by SMCR firms and disclosure requirements

Template for regulatory references given by SMCR firms and disclosure requirements[Insert addressee details]Dear [insert name][It is our understanding that [insert name of prospective employee] [was an employee of yours between the dates of [insert dates as appropriate] OR is a current employee of