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Celebrating 30 years if intercultural understanding through the arts

INFO & RESOURCES
Here you will find guidance and help sheets if you are planning to present arts and artists from overseas in the UK for the first time. You will also find these help sheets useful if you are an overseas artists and have never presented work in the UK. Please note, you will need Adobe® Reader® to access these documents.

As of November 27 2008 the procedure for obtaining an entry Visa to the UK changed. In general terms, Visas will no longer be issued solely on the basis of letters of invitation. You now need to be a sponsorship licence-holding organisation in order to invite artists to the UK. Please see the UK Border Agency (UKBA) website for information on how to become a Visa sponsor and the deadlines for attaining a licence. There is no guarantee that following this process will result in a Visa being issued: the final decision will be taken by the UK Border Agency. The key point here is that the international artist will cannot obtain a Visa without the backing of a UKBA approved sponsor.
           
In addition to this licence, each artist you invite will require a certificate of sponsorship. This can be obtained through the UK Border Agency website once you have acquired a licence for sponsorship.  We advise that you apply for certificates at least eight weeks prior to the date on which you require the visiting artist to enter the country. It is worth noting that if you apply for a certificate and are successful, your organisation takes responsibility for that artist whilst they are in the United Kingdom.

Unfortunately, Visiting Arts is not in a position to provide help for:

• Appealing Visa refusals
• Attaining sponsorship certificates for artists not involved in our programmes

For further guidance, please consult the UK Border Agency website and contact them directly. More detailed information can be found here.

The National Campaign for the Arts (NCA) may be able to provide additional advice on the sponsor system in cases that are not currently covered by the UK Border Agency website. Their website can be found here.

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Contents

Introduction

Work permits

Contracts and employment - the legal aspects

Artist’s contracts and written agreements

Visas; entry clearance; leave to enter

Police registration; CRB checks

Tax     

Insurance and medical services

Fees for artists and performers

Transporting equipment and ATA carnets

Passenger airport security in the UK

Final checklist

Glossary – list of forms

National Campaign for the Arts briefing paper: Changes to immigration policy and pricing

National Campaign for the Arts briefing paper: Changes to immigration policy and pricing - June 2008

INFO & RESOURCES

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