Immigration advisers Five Star International confirmed on 11 January 2026 that the dedicated ‘Permitted Paid Engagement’ (PPE) Visitor visa has been retired. Professionals who wish to deliver short, fee-earning engagements—such as guest lectures, artistic performances or expert legal advocacy—must now apply under the mainstream Standard Visitor visa, provided they meet heightened eligibility rules. (fivestarinternational.co.uk)
Under the new framework, applicants must be 18 or over, secure the engagement before travel and carry a formal invitation letter that links the activity to their overseas occupation. The paid work itself must be completed within 30 days, although the six-month maximum stay for broader visitor activity still applies. (fivestarinternational.co.uk)
![Visitor Visa Overhaul: Paid Engagements Folded into Standard Visitor Route]()
For applicants unsure whether their engagement fits within the tighter Standard Visitor conditions, VisaHQ offers an easy online route to verify eligibility, upload supporting documents and submit the correct visa application. Its step-by-step platform tracks real-time progress and keeps travellers informed, reducing the risk of paperwork errors that could lead to refusal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/).
From a compliance standpoint the change simplifies visa selection but increases on-arrival scrutiny. Border officers will expect travellers to declare the engagement and present supporting documents at primary control. Failure to do so can lead to immediate refusal of entry and could jeopardise future applications. (fivestarinternational.co.uk)
Corporate mobility teams should update invitation templates, ensure that engagement fees are clearly itemised, and brief hosting departments on the 30-day completion window. International conference organisers, universities and creative venues need to audit their guest-speaker pipelines quickly to avoid inadvertent breaches.
Under the new framework, applicants must be 18 or over, secure the engagement before travel and carry a formal invitation letter that links the activity to their overseas occupation. The paid work itself must be completed within 30 days, although the six-month maximum stay for broader visitor activity still applies. (fivestarinternational.co.uk)
For applicants unsure whether their engagement fits within the tighter Standard Visitor conditions, VisaHQ offers an easy online route to verify eligibility, upload supporting documents and submit the correct visa application. Its step-by-step platform tracks real-time progress and keeps travellers informed, reducing the risk of paperwork errors that could lead to refusal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/).
From a compliance standpoint the change simplifies visa selection but increases on-arrival scrutiny. Border officers will expect travellers to declare the engagement and present supporting documents at primary control. Failure to do so can lead to immediate refusal of entry and could jeopardise future applications. (fivestarinternational.co.uk)
Corporate mobility teams should update invitation templates, ensure that engagement fees are clearly itemised, and brief hosting departments on the 30-day completion window. International conference organisers, universities and creative venues need to audit their guest-speaker pipelines quickly to avoid inadvertent breaches.
