Frontier Worker permit
Printable version
1. Overview
You need to get a Frontier Worker permit if you want to work in the UK but live in another country.
You may be eligible if all of the following apply:
- you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
- you live outside of the UK
- you began working in the UK by 31 December 2020
You must usually have worked in the UK at least once every 12 months since you started working here. You may still be able to apply if you’ve had periods of unemployment or were unable to work during this time.
If you’re an Irish citizen, you do not need to apply for a Frontier Worker permit but you can choose to do so.
You cannot apply if you’re a British citizen (this includes dual citizenship).
If you have not worked in the UK by 31 December 2020
If you want to work in the UK from 1 January 2021, and were not working here before, you’ll need to apply for a visa.
The visa you’ll need depends on the type of work and how long you want to come for. Check which type of visa you’ll need.
You do not need a visa if you’re a British or Irish citizen.
What the permit allows you to do
Your permit allows you to enter the UK as a frontier worker.
It proves your right to access benefits and services, including NHS healthcare, if you meet the relevant eligibility requirements.
If you have a digital version of your permit you can also use this to prove your right to work or rent.
If you have a physical permit, you must prove your right to work and prove your right to rent online.
Fees
There’s no fee to apply for the permit, and you do not have to pay the immigration health surcharge. You may have to pay to submit your biometric information (photograph or fingerprints).
How to apply
You must apply online.
You’ll be told if you’ll also need to go to an appointment at a visa application centre or UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point.
You will not usually need an appointment if you can use a smartphone app and have a passport or ID card with a biometric chip.
If you need an appointment
Allow extra time to arrange your appointment and travel to the centre - there may not be one near you. You may need to pay for your appointment.
The centre may need to keep your passport and documents while they process your application.
Family members
Family members are not covered by your Frontier Worker permit.
Your family member may be eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme for settled or pre-settled status.
2. Who can apply
You can only apply for a Frontier Worker permit if you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, and you:
- live outside the UK
- meet the requirements for working in the UK
Living outside the UK
You must live ‘primarily’ outside of the UK. How you meet this requirement depends on how much time you’ve spent here since 1 January 2020.
You’ll be eligible if you’ve spent less than 180 days in total in the UK over the course of any 12 month period.
If you’ve spent 180 days or more in the UK within 12 months
You’ll still be eligible if, in that 12 month period, you returned to the country you live in at least either:
- once every 6 months
- twice in the 12 month period
You’ll still be able to apply if there are exceptional circumstances meaning you could not travel to your country of residence in this period, such as an illness or accident.
Working in the UK
You must:
- have started working in the UK while living elsewhere by 31 December 2020, either as an employed or self-employed person
- do eligible work
- usually have worked in the UK (as an employed or self-employed person) at least once every 12 months since you started working here
Eligible work
You’ll be eligible as long as your work in the UK is ‘genuine and effective’. This means it must be more than small, one-off tasks, such as:
- an interview
- taking part in a one-off competition or audition
- signing a contract
If you’re not sure if your work is eligible, the Home Office has guidance on what counts as genuine and effective work.
If you’ve been unable to work or unemployed in the UK during a 12 month period
You might still be eligible if you’ve been unemployed or not worked during this time because you were:
- temporarily unable to work because of an illness or accident
- temporarily unable to work because you were pregnant or had given birth
- unable to come to the UK and work because of coronavirus (COVID-19)
- voluntarily unemployed and doing vocational training related to your last occupation
- involuntarily unemployed, and either looking for work in the UK or doing vocational training
This is known as having ‘retained worker’ or ‘retained self-employed person’ status.
If you became involuntarily unemployed and are looking for work, you’ll keep your status for:
- 6 months if you worked in the UK for less than a year before becoming unemployed
- as long as you continue to look for work, if you worked in the UK for a year or more before becoming unemployed
You’ll need to be registered as a jobseeker with an employment office (such as Jobcentre Plus) and provide evidence that you’re looking for work in the UK.
3. Apply
You must apply online.
Once you’ve started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.
Documents you’ll need to apply
When you apply you’ll need a valid passport or national identity card.
You’ll be told which documents you need to provide when you apply. Some depend on whether you’re employed or self-employed, for example:
- an employment contract, or contracts to work in the UK
- payslips, or copies of invoices for work carried out in the UK
If you have ‘retained’ status, you’ll be asked for evidence for which criteria you meet. For example, a letter from a doctor if you have an illness, or copies of recent job applications if you’re unemployed and seeking work.
The Home Office has more examples of the types of evidence you will be asked for.
How you’ll prove your identity
As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity. How you do this depends on what identity document you use and whether you can use the UK Immigration: ID check app.
You’ll either:
- use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document (you’ll also create or sign into your UK Visas and Immigration account)
- have your photograph and fingerprints taken at a visa application centre (if you’re applying from outside the UK and cannot use the smartphone app)
- have your photograph taken at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point (if you’re applying from inside the UK and cannot use the smartphone app)
You’ll be told what you need to do when you apply.
Apply from outside the UK
Apply online for your Frontier Worker permit.
Apply from inside the UK
Apply online for your Frontier Worker permit.
4. After you've applied
If you need to change something in your application after you’ve sent it contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
You can ask to cancel your application by following the same process as cancelling a visa or citizenship application.
If your application is successful
You’ll be sent a decision notice saying your application has been approved.
If you applied using the ‘UK Immigration: ID check’ app, you’ll be issued a digital version of your permit.
If you do not use the smartphone app to apply, you’ll either be sent:
- a physical version of the permit (if you applied inside the UK)
- an email explaining how you can come to the UK and collect your permit (if you applied outside the UK)
Your permit will last for 5 years, or 2 years if you apply with ‘retained’ status.
When you’re working in the UK
You’ll usually have to pay tax on your UK income.
Check if you’ll need to pay social security contributions in the UK or in the country you live in.
You can change jobs or move from being employed to self-employed in the UK without needing to tell the Home Office.
You need to tell the Home Office if you stop working in the UK and do not meet one of the retained status criteria.
Reporting a problem with your physical permit
Your permit should arrive within 10 days of receiving the decision notice about your application. You should get an email with information about your permit being sent to you.
If your permit does not arrive, you should first contact the delivery service.
If you cannot resolve the issue with the delivery service, and it has been more than 10 days since you received your decision notice, you should contact the Home Office.
You’ll also need to tell the Home Office if:
- you did not get an email from UKVI with your permit delivery information
- your permit has a mistake on it (for example your name, date of birth or gender is wrong)
- your permit gets lost, stolen or damaged
You can report your problem by phone. You’ll need:
- your full name, date of birth and nationality
- your Home Office reference number (this is in the email you got with your application decision)
- an email address or UK postal address
You can get someone to report for you, for example a legal representative or employer. The phone number is different if someone is reporting on your behalf.
If you’re inside the UK
Telephone: 0300 123 7379
Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8am to 8pm
Saturday and Sunday, 9:30am to 4:30pm
Find out about call charges
If you’re outside the UK
Telephone: +44 (0)203 080 0010
Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8am to 8pm
Saturday and Sunday, 9:30am to 4:30pm
Find out about call charges
If you’re from an organisation helping others to apply
Telephone: 0300 790 0566
Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8am to 8pm
Saturday and Sunday, 9:30am to 4:30pm
Find out about call charges
If your application is unsuccessful
You’ll get a decision notice explaining why it was refused. It will explain if you have the right to either an:
5. Renewing your permit
When you renew your permit, you’ll need to show that you continued to meet the eligibility requirements over the period of time since you last applied.
If you’re not employed or self-employed at the point you apply to renew, or you’re temporarily unable to work, you’ll still be able to apply for a 2-year permit as someone with ‘retained’ status (as long as you meet the requirements).