Government Authorised Exchange visa: who can apply, what it costs and how long you can stay

The Government Authorised Exchange visa is for short stays in the UK for work experience, training, an Overseas Government Language Programme, research or a fellowship, through an approved exchange scheme. GOV.UK says you need a sponsor. The fee is £340 and the visa lasts up to 12 or 24 months, depending on the scheme.

Who is this visa for?

It is for people who want to come to the UK for a short time to do one of these things through an approved government authorised exchange scheme:

• work experience
• training
• an Overseas Government Language Programme
• research
• a fellowship

It replaced the Temporary Worker - Government Authorised Exchange visa (T5).

Can I apply?

You can apply if you:

• want to come to the UK for a short time for one of the reasons above, through an approved scheme
• have a sponsor
• meet the other rules

You must also:

• have a certificate of sponsorship or a sponsorship reference number from your UK sponsor
• have enough money to support yourself in the UK, usually at least £1,270 (unless you are exempt)

You can apply up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK.

GOV.UK’s pages for this visa do not give an age limit.

What do I need?

A sponsor and a reference number

A sponsor is a UK organisation that is licensed to bring in people on this visa. Your sponsor gives you one of these:

• a certificate of sponsorship reference number: an electronic record of your job and your personal details, valid for 3 months from the day it is assigned to you
• a sponsorship reference number: valid for 90 days from the day it is issued to your sponsor

Your work, training or research in the UK must be related to the work of your sponsor.

Your sponsor can be any of these:

• an organisation running an approved exchange scheme
• a higher education institution (if you are a sponsored researcher, visiting academic or examiner)
• a government department or agency

You must confirm some information from your sponsor. This includes the job you are being sponsored for, the date you start work, your working hours, whether your sponsor is supporting you financially, and how long you can stay.

The job and pay

Your employer must make sure your job pays at least the minimum wage and follows the UK rules on weekly hours. If it does not, your application will be refused. GOV.UK’s pages for this visa do not set an occupation code or a going rate.

English language

GOV.UK’s Government Authorised Exchange pages do not set an English language requirement.

How much does it cost?

Cost	Amount
Application fee for each person (the same inside or outside the UK)	£340
Healthcare surcharge	Usually £1,035 per year
Savings to support yourself	At least £1,270 (unless exempt)
Savings for a partner	£285
Savings for one child	£315
Savings for each additional child	£200

You must have had the savings for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must be within 31 days of the day you apply.

You do not have to show your own savings if:

• you have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months
• your employer covers your first month, up to £1,270

Your employer must confirm this when it assigns a certificate of sponsorship or makes a sponsorship submission.

How long can I stay?

How long you can stay depends on the length of your visa and the start and end dates of your job. Depending on the scheme, your visa lasts up to 12 months or 24 months.

• You can enter the UK up to 14 days before your job starts, as long as you do not arrive before the start date on your visa.
• You can stay up to 14 days after your job ends, as long as you do not stay past the end date on your visa.
• You must leave the UK by the end date on your visa.

Once you have applied online, proved your identity and given your documents, you will usually get a decision in:

Where you are when you apply	Usual decision time
Outside the UK	3 weeks
Inside the UK	8 weeks

You may be able to pay for a faster decision.

With this visa you can:

• study (some courses need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate)
• work in the job on your certificate or sponsorship reference
• do a second job for up to 20 hours a week
• do a job on the Skilled Worker immigration salary list for up to 20 hours a week, as well as your main job

You cannot take a permanent job or get public funds (most benefits).

Can I bring my family?

Yes. Your partner and children can apply to join you or stay in the UK. GOV.UK calls them dependants. A dependant is:

• your husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner
• your child under 18, including a child born in the UK during your stay
• your child over 18, if they currently have permission to be in the UK as your dependant

To count as your partner, you must be able to prove one of these:

• you are in a marriage or civil partnership that the UK recognises
• you have lived together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply
• you have been in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply but cannot live together, for example because you work or study in different places, or your culture does not accept it

Your child must live with you, unless they live away from home in full-time education. Your child must not be married or in a civil partnership.

Each family member makes a separate application and pays the visa fee. Their visa will usually end on the same date as yours.

Partners and children can work, except as a sportsperson or coach. They can also study. They cannot apply for most benefits or the State Pension.

Some family members cannot switch to your visa from inside the UK. This applies to partners and children who are in the UK:

• on a visit visa
• on a short-term student visa
• on a Parent of a Child Student visa
• on a seasonal worker visa
• on a domestic worker in a private household visa
• on immigration bail
• with permission to stay outside the immigration rules

A partner or child on a Student visa can only switch if they have finished the course they were sponsored to study, or have studied for a PhD for at least 24 months.

Can I extend or switch?

Extending

You must apply while you are still in the UK, before your current visa expires. You must still meet the rules for the visa. You can apply to stay up to a maximum of:

Activity	Maximum stay
Work experience	12 months
Research, training or an Overseas Government Language Programme	24 months

You can usually stay for 14 days after the end date your sponsor gave you.

If you want to change your sponsor, you must apply again and meet all the rules. This is the case whether you move within the same organisation or to a new one.

The usual decision time for an extension is 8 weeks.

Switching from another visa

You can apply to switch before your current visa expires if you are one of these:

• a student, whether studying, resitting an examination or writing a thesis
• a student union sabbatical officer
• a student nurse
• a postgraduate doctor or dentist
• a student visa holder (including Tier 4)

You must have finished a UK bachelor’s or master’s degree during your last grant of leave. The work, training or research you are sponsored to do must be related to that degree. It can be:

• postgraduate training or work experience that will give you a professional qualification or registration in the same field
• an internship of up to 12 months related to your degree

You must also meet the other rules. The usual decision time for a switch is 8 weeks.