Visa for the UK as an overseas domestic worker allows you to work in the private home of a visitor to the UK or in the private home of a diplomat who is posted to the UK.
The UK govt, laws which may differ from the country you live in and your employer must follow UK law when you are working in the UK.
Employee and employer must be agreed about the work employee will do in the UK. The employer must have agreed with payment and working hours. The employer also has to agree to your role and duties, which could include looking after children, cooking or cleaning.
You must have both signed a document showing what you have agreed. This must be submitted with your visa application and your employer should have given you a copy to keep.
The employee will get his/her passport back when his/her visa application is decided. Employee have rights to keep his/her passport with him then go to the UK and the employer does not have rights to take your passport from you in the UK. It contains your visa and is your identification. If your employer does prevent you from having access to your passport while you are in the UK, you are open report to the police.
When you arrive in the UK
When you get to the UK you will see a Border Force officer. The officer will check the visa in your passport and might ask you about your reasons for coming to the UK and how long you will stay. If the officer is satisfied that there have been no changes in your circumstances or your reason for coming to the UK since you obtained your visa, you will be allowed to enter the UK.
Your stay in the UK
An employee coming to the UK, either to work in the home of a visitor to the UK or in the home of a diplomat. If your employer is visiting the UK, you must travel with them, their husband, wife or child.
The employee is permitted to take new employment with a different employer once you are in the UK but you can only work as a domestic worker in a private household and you cannot stay more than 6 months. You will not need permission from UK Visas and Immigration to change employer.
If you are working in the home of a diplomat in the UK, you must travel with or join them there – your visa will initially be for 24 months but you may apply to stay longer if your employer is still in the UK and you are still working for them.
The employee is allowed to change employer once you are in the UK but you can only work for someone as a domestic worker in their private household. You will not need permission to change employment and you can stay until the end of your visa – if your new employer is not a diplomat you will not be able to stay longer in this category.
Further information is available on domestic workers in a private household.
Your employment rights in the UK
Like any other worker in the UK, you will have employment rights while you are working in the UK. This is very important because the rules could be different to the country you live in now.
If your employer does not pay you the National Minimum Wage, they will be breaking the law – you can report them if they do not agree to increase your pay. The UK’s Immigration Rules require that your employer must confirm in writing that they will not seek to claim an exemption from paying the National Minimum Wage.
