Last Updated on March 21, 2022 by Visa Journal
If you don’t ordinarily need a visa to work in the UK because you’re exempt from immigration control, you can apply for an exempt vignette. It can assist you to avoid delays when entering the UK. A vignette visa is given to people who have been granted a UK visa for more than six months.
Exempt Vignette Visa
When your entrance clearance application is approved, a visa vignette is placed in your passport (or travel document). It will contain an image of your photographic identification and will specify the type of visa you have been issued, as well as the visa validity issue and expiration dates.
Although special arrangements may apply for specific visa routes, the commencement date will normally be the date you started on your visa application as your intended date of travel.
- The Certificate of Sponsorship usually specifies a 14-day start date for skilled workers and Tier 5 temporary visa applications.
- Student visa vignettes usually begin seven days prior to the stated trip date.
Vignette Visa Duration
This visa vignette is usually only valid for 30 days from the date of issuance. You must visit the United Kingdom within the next 30 days. You cannot enter the UK on your visa before the vignette’s validity date has passed.
Types of UK Vignette Visas
There are 3 types of UK vignette visas.
Uniform Format Visa
EU Member States employ the Uniform Format Visa (UFV) for visa nations visiting or transiting the UK under Category A, B, or C. This visa vignette is usually only valid for 30 days from the date of issuance. You must visit the United Kingdom within the next 30 days. You cannot enter the UK on your visa before the vignette’s validity date has passed.
CAT C vignette
From June 2019, the CAT C vignette was no longer usable for most visa types. It is now used in limited circumstances for visa nations who have been granted permission to enter the UK as a visitor or transistor for no more than three months (90 days).
CAT D vignettes
Most other entry clearances, such as visit, employment, study, and settlement visas, have been using the “CAT D” vignette from June 2019, mainly for long-stay categories with leave to remain of six months or more. CAT D vignettes are usually valid for 30 days, allowing the visa holder to go to the United Kingdom and obtain their Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) once there.
Eligibility Criteria:
If you meet the following criteria, you may be eligible for an exempt vignette:
- A member of the Commonwealth or Overseas Territories armed forces posted in the UK or training in the UK ahead of the state.
- Working for a head of state (e.g. on a state visit) exempt from immigration control for any other reason a member of the Commonwealth.
- You were a diplomat or working for a diplomatic mission in the UK when you were given the position, and you were not in the UK at the time.
- A foreign government minister on official business, or as part of your work, traveling with one.
- A member of the armed forces of the Commonwealth or Overseas Territories stationed or trained in the United Kingdom.
- Working as a head of state or for a head of state (e.g. on a state visit)
For visits of up to six months in the UK, citizens of these countries do not require a visa or an exempt vignette:
- Australia
- Canada
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- Malaysia
- New Zealand
- Singapore
- South Africa
- South Korea
- USA
- Oman
- Qatar
- United Arab Emirates
The Exempt Vignette is valid for 5 years or for the duration of the job assignment whichever is shorter & it doesn’t include children 18 or older.
Official travel in the UK by foreign personnel from diplomatic missions that aren’t based in the UK:
- Official travel in the UK by foreign personnel from diplomatic missions that aren’t based in the UK.
- Diplomatic couriers (agents) from other countries.
- Exempt employers’ domestic servants
- Exempt diplomats’ unmarried partners.
- Dependents of members of the Armed Forces. Not including dependents of those enlisting in the armed forces for training.
Fees: No Fees are required to apply for this visa.