The Global Business Mobility Visa is a category of five sponsored work routes, designed for overseas companies to deploy employees to the UK for specific business assignments. Whether you are sending a senior executive, a specialist, or expanding your company’s UK footprint, there’s a GBM route designed to support your business goals.
Each route has distinct eligibility criteria, sponsorship rules, and permitted activities. Our team can help you determine the best fit for your needs and help you through the Global Business Mobility visa process from start to finish with our comprehensive guidance on UK visa options.
As a multi-award-winning, SRA-regulated law firm recommended by The Legal 500 with over a decade of specialised immigration experience, we create the gold standard and benchmark in expertise, authority, and credibility to get the desired results. Moreover, this result driven approach has created an overall record of 5,000+ successful immigration and visa applications, enabling the companies and individuals to be confident that their visa process is in experienced hands committed to their success.
GBM visa: best for senior transfers, graduate training, new UK branch setup, client contracts, and secondments. This quick guide shows each route at a glance so you can choose the right fit, whether you are moving senior staff, placing a graduate trainee in your UK office, opening a branch, delivering a client project, or arranging a short-term secondment.
Each of these five GBM routes supports a different business purpose, from opening a UK branch to fulfilling a specific service contract. Examples provided highlight eligible job roles that match these categories. While these routes allow temporary business mobility, they do not directly lead to UK settlement (ILR). Applicants interested in long-term residence may need to switch to a different visa later.
Move experienced managers or specialists to your UK branch without lengthy red tape.
Gain real UK experience as part of a formal, structured training programme.
Send key staff to set up a brand new UK branch, even before you start trading.
Provide specialised services to UK businesses under international agreements.
Support UK projects as part of major contracts or investments.
Start your UK branch even if your company hasn’t traded in the UK before.
Relocate with your spouse and dependent children under 18 for a better quality of life.
Lay the foundation for long-term growth or future UK residency.
Get end-to-end support from UK-regulated Global Business Mobility visa lawyers trusted by 200+ business clients.
Is Global Business Mobility visa eligible for ILR? No, most paths do not lead directly to ILR, which may come as a surprise to applicants intending a longer move.
The Service Supplier route does not require a Global Business Mobility visa sponsor licence, whereas most other routes do, and many businesses underestimate the complexity of meeting sponsorship rules.
Decided in July 2025, the Global Business Mobility salary thresholds are increasing to £52,500 or the going rate, whichever is higher.
Graduate Trainees are limited to 12 months and Senior/Specialist Workers with maximum stay limits, which can disrupt long-term staffing plans.
Work with our advisors to determine which GBM visa route best suits your business and check eligibility. We evaluate a company's requirements to set up a UK company, eligibility, and long-term goals before advising which category of GBMs would best suit it.
Keep your documents ready, like the passport, Certificate of Sponsorship, and financial support documents. The application will be automatically rejected if all necessary documents are not submitted within ten days of the start date.
After visa sponsorship is done, fill out your application online or in person at a visa centre, then pay the required amount. The sponsor licence must be approved for the UK Expansion Worker route before applying for a Certificate of Sponsorship. This step is often misunderstood.
Await the decision, as the UK visa processing times are usually around eight weeks in the UK or three weeks outside. Priority Services: £500 for a 5-day turnaround, £1,000 for a decision within the next working day.
After receiving the approval, collect the visa and shift to the UK to begin the business operations. At this stage, businesses should now consider compliance responsibilities, set up a payroll system and ensure HR duties that start as soon as the first employee sets foot in the UK.
The application process is more complex and requires meticulous attention to detail. Even a small error in timing or documentation can cause rejection, which is it is a good decision to have professional guidance. This page gathers all relevant information, but one needs to consult an expert to apply for Global Business Mobility visa UK without mistakes. An advisor can help in every step through the application process until completion.
To meet the eligibility criteria for this visa, the applicant must satisfy the following Global Business Mobility visa requirements:
Applying for a Global Business Mobility Visa UK involves paying the visa fee, which differs by route and sometimes visa duration. The processing times vary as well, depending on whether the application is made inside or outside the UK.
The following are the Global Business Mobility visa fees for both overseas and in-country applications.
Note: Most Global Business Mobility visa fees are £319, while Senior or Specialist Worker fees vary depending on whether the visa is for up to three years or more than three years.
The choice between the GBM visa vs Skilled Worker visa depends on your purpose for entering the UK. The GBM visas are ideal for short-term business needs but doesn’t lead to settlement. If you’re aiming for long-term stay or ILR, consider switching to the Skilled Worker route to secure UK residency via the UK visa route. At A Y & J Solicitors, we often give advice to clients starting in the GBM route about switching into the Skilled Worker Category, where the long-term goal is permanent residence for ILR and also to retain international sponsored talent in a UK office.
At AY & J Solicitors in London, we're experts in Global Business Mobility immigration routes. We've got a long history of helping candidates move to the UK without any issues. Additionally, we offer practical, comprehensive legal advice and can quickly identify and remedy any flaws in your application. We know how costly mistakes in your application can be in terms of both money and time and that's why you can count on us to be there every step of the way when you're moving your business to the UK
Bad advice can lead to delays and refusals you can’t afford to risk. That’s why we assign a subject matter expert - a UK immigration associate - to manage your case throughout.
It’s frustrating when you don’t know what’s going on with your case. We guarantee a reply to all messages/emails within 24 working hours or we refund 20% of your fees.
"Successful application. Special thanks to Imad, who was efficient and knowledgeable to make a strong application under a tight deadline. Would recommend"
"Excellent Service and Support from A Y & J Solicitors I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to A Y & J Solicitors for their outstanding service in handling my Skilled Worker Visa and my wife’s application. From start to finish, the process was smooth, professional, and stress-free. A special thanks goes to Ikra Ahmed, who managed our cases with great attention to detail and care. She was incredibly supportive, always available to answer our questions, and guided us through every step with patience and professionalism. Thanks to her hard work and dedication, our applications were successfully approved without any issues. I truly appreciate her efforts and the excellent service provided by the entire A Y & J team. I highly recommend A Y & J Solicitors to anyone looking for reliable and expert immigration legal services."
"I had an incredibly bad experience. They dragged the process out unnecessarily. They work incredibly slowly if you get a reply to 1 out of 10 questions, consider yourself lucky. They got our Skilled Worker application refused because of a very obvious, amateur mistake. The odd part is that even though I spotted the error, they still submitted the application with it. Please don’t be misled by the five-star reviews here. Also, make sure to read the negative reviews I fell into that."
"Ikra was very clear and helpful to work with!"
"I like their concept but I'm confused how I can contact with someone I use their WhatsApp number wasn't help me enough what I actually need didn't get the information properly hope to get better contact from someone from you please"
"Very well work done .I had a good experience with them .very fast visa processing and good co operative people who reply’s quick. I would suggest go with them with all sort of immigration matters .thanking you very much."
Since 2020, A Y & J Solicitors has handled over hundreds of successful Global Business Mobility cases, making it a renowned leader in UK immigration law. Each case that we take is handled with meticulous professionalism by our experienced team, meeting every requirement and providing the highest possible likelihood of approval.
Many applications for GBM visas are denied due to preventable common refusal mistakes. The following pitfalls cause the majority of refusals.
Cause: Choosing a GBM visa path that isn't appropriate, like Senior or Specialist Worker visa vs. UK Expansion Worker visa.
Consequence: Causes needless hold-ups or outright rejection.
Cause: Underestimating expenses like maintenance funds, business expenses, and salary thresholds.
Consequence: Casts doubts on business credibility and will invariably lead to refusal.
Cause: Lacking the proper operational plans, proof of trading intent, or business structure.
Consequence: Casts doubt on the legitimacy of the company and may result in rejection.
Cause: Giving a lower-than-required salary or using the incorrect job code.
Consequence: Application is rejected as it fails to meet eligibility standards.
Cause: Failure to designate a UK-settled Authorising Officer or required key personnel.
Consequence: Triggers compliance problems and risks sponsor licence suspension.
Cause: Submitting missing or poorly prepared documents, such as business plans or financial records.
Consequence: Causes delays in processing and increases the odds of receiving a refusal
The UK Government has announced important updates affecting the Global Business Mobility (GBM) and Scale-Up routes. These changes are part of a wider effort to align salary thresholds with current labour market conditions.
From 22 July 2025, the minimum salary threshold for most GBM routes and the Scale-Up route will increase to £52,500 per year (or the going rate for the role, whichever is higher).
If you're unsure how these updates impact your plans, our team can help you assess your options.
Most of the applicants generally take the Global Business Mobility visa for employers but later on switch over to the Skilled Worker option for gaining long-term stays and settlement (ILR). Here are the things that you generally will need to know:
You must be current in the United Kingdom with a valid GBM visa and meet the requirements under Skilled Worker, which includes sponsorship by a licensed UK employer.
Dependants applying under the GBM visa will be allowed to stay in the UK while you switch to the Skilled Worker route as long as they meet the dependant eligibility requirements.
The applicant must meet the requirements of the Skilled Worker regarding salary threshold and job code, which may differ from the GBM rules.
Time spent on the GBM visa will not count for the five years required for ILR, but once you switch over to Skilled Worker, your settlement clock begins.
Switching is important as it changes the temporary status into a long-term pathway to settlement. A Y & J Solicitors regularly help clients and their families make this transition smoothly.
The Global Business Mobility (GBM) route allows overseas businesses to send workers to the UK for specific business purposes, like expanding operations or delivering services. It includes five visa types tailored to different roles, all requiring sponsorship. With the Global Business Mobility Visa, businesses can seamlessly enter the UK market.
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