Business Trip to the UK: ETA or Visa?
For most business travel to the UK — meetings, conferences, client visits, contract negotiations — a UK ETA is all you need. £16, applied online, approved in minutes. But if you're being paid by a UK entity, doing hands-on work, or staying more than 6 months, you need a different visa.
What the UK ETA covers for business
The UK ETA is sufficient for the kinds of business activity that fall under the "Standard Visitor" purpose:
- Attending meetings, conferences, training, or interviews
- Negotiating and signing contracts
- Site visits and inspections
- Attending trade fairs or sales events
- Short-term advisory work for a UK client (paid by your own non-UK employer)
- Up to 6 months per visit
What requires a UK work visa instead
If your activity crosses into being employed in the UK, you need a sponsored work visa (Skilled Worker, Senior Specialist Worker, etc.). Key red flags:
- Being paid by a UK company (rather than your home employer)
- Doing hands-on productive work (e.g. coding, customer service, manual labour)
- Staying longer than 6 months
- Recurring trips that effectively make the UK your base
Tips for business travellers
Apply for your UK ETA well in advance and keep the approval email easy to access. At the border, be ready to explain the business purpose of your trip clearly — Border Force officers ask follow-up questions about your meetings, who you'll see, and your return plans.
Find out what your family needs
Four quick questions. Personalised per family member. Tells you exactly what to apply for and when — UK ETA, ETIAS, EES, or nothing.
Take the quizCommon questions
Can I attend a conference in the UK on a UK ETA?
Yes. Attending conferences, trade shows, training, or meetings is explicitly allowed under the UK ETA / Standard Visitor route.
Can I do consulting work in the UK with just an ETA?
It depends on who pays. If your home employer (outside the UK) pays you for the work, generally yes. If a UK client pays you directly, no — that's employment and needs a work visa.