Government Authorised Exchange visa (Temporary Work)

The Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) scheme enables sponsored researchers to come to the UK on a temporary basis where they are hosted at a UK Higher Education Institution (HEI). At Queen’s, sponsorship can be obtained through a Visiting Title nomination. If you have contacted a host academic at Queen’s and agreed for a visit to take place, you must formalise the process by completing the appropriate Visiting Title nomination form. Once your nomination has been signed off by the Head of School, the International Staff Support team will be informed and will contact you directly regarding the appropriate visa for your visit.

If you are nominated as a Visiting Scholar for a visit up to 12 months, you may also be eligible as an Academic visitor. If you are a student researcher whose visit will be less than six months, you may be able to apply for a Standard Visitor visa, in which case you will be contacted by International Student Compliance. International Visiting Students coming to Queen’s to undertake internships, traineeships, or work placements are required to obtain a GAE. This requirement applies whether the duration of the visit is for six months or less and extends to all Visiting Students who are undertaking an Erasmus internship.

As an HEI, we are permitted to use the GAE visa route to sponsor researchers for a maximum duration of two years. The sponsored researcher route includes academics, researchers, scientists, research engineers and other skilled research technology specialists who may wish to come to the UK on a temporary basis to:

Conduct research on a formal project or collaboration
Undertake a period of work-based training/work experience/internship/placement
Undertake skill development/knowledge transfer
Undertake a series of lectures, which doesn’t amount to a formal teaching post
Undertake external examinations

The researcher may be funded by their host, their overseas employer, or an independent UK or non-UK funding body. The researcher cannot be self-funded or rely on savings for the duration of their stay and must be in receipt of funding in line with, or above, the National Minimum Wage. Please note that this may result in your work hours being restricted to ensure you are paid at the right level.

The role must be supernumerary which means over and above the University’s normal staffing requirements, such that if the sponsored researcher was not there, the role would not be filled by another person and will not be automatically refilled once the sponsored researcher leaves.

Once International Staff Support are satisfied that all the necessary requirements have been met, a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) will be issued to the visitor after which they can submit a visa application to the Home Office for themselves and any dependants.

Please contact International Staff Support if you need further advice regarding this visa route. For questions regarding the Visiting Title process please contact Educational Governance and Partnerships (Visiting Scholars) or the host School (Visiting Students).

Visa application

Visiting Title nominees will be referred to International Staff Support either by Educational Governance and Partnerships (Visiting Scholars) or the host School (Visiting Students). The International Staff Support team will request that you complete a CoS form and, as applicable, will also request an ATAS research statement from the School and forward to you upon receipt. A CoS will be issued no more than 3 months ahead of the anticipated start date. The ATAS certificate, if applicable, must be obtained before the CoS can be issued.

When issuing the CoS, the University will certify maintenance for you (and your dependants, if applicable), which means you will not need to demonstrate that you have money to support yourself as part of the visa application.

For all successful applications, the grant (visa duration) will include 2 additional weeks at the end of the work period.

If any details on the CoS need to be amended ahead of your visa application, please contact International Staff Support.

The cost for the GAE visa is £298.

You and your dependants will also pay an immigration healthcare surcharge for each year of your stay.

The visa duration is tied to the duration of your nomination but cannot exceed two years.

If you’re a non-EU/EEA/Swiss national and wish to have your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) delivered directly to Queen’s, the Alternative Collection Location code is: 2HE572. Your BRP will then be delivered to the Student Information Point (located on level one in the One Elmwood Student Centre). International Staff Support will contact you by email once your BRP has been delivered and advise you on how to collect your BRP.
Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)
Relevant international researchers applying for a GAE visa must have obtained an ATAS certificate ahead of their visa application. The ATAS certificate, if applicable, must therefore be obtained before the CoS can be issued. The ATAS requirement only applies to certain nationalities, and in certain research fields.
Tuberculosis (TB) test
If you are applying to come to the UK for more than six months, from a country which is considered to have a high incidence of TB, you must provide a valid medical certificate (issued by a Home Office approved medical practitioner) which confirms you have undergone screening and have been diagnosed as free from active TB.
Dependants
Your partner and children can apply to join you or to stay in the UK as your dependants if they’re eligible. A dependant partner or child is any of the following:
- your husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner
- your child under 18 - including if they were born in the UK during your stay
- your child over 18 if they’re currently in the UK as your dependant
You’ll need to provide evidence of your relationship when you apply.

In addition, for children to be granted a dependant visa, they must be accompanied by both parents. If they are not, the parent in the UK must be able to show "sole responsibility" (generally by way of a court order) or there must be other compelling reasons (the test for this is quite high). There is a good article on the obstacles to be overcome here .

Dependant visa holders are able to work and/or study full time.

A dependant can apply at the same time as the main applicant to enter the UK. Alternatively, they can wait until you have entered the UK and started work before they apply. Dependants will not require a Certificate of Sponsorship, but each family member will need to complete a separate application and pay the visa fee. If their application is successful, their visa will end on the same date as yours.
Right to Work (RTW)
A RTW check must take place prior to undertaking any duties.

If you’re arriving from abroad and don’t have a UK entry stamp in your passport, e.g. if you have entered Northern Ireland through the Republic of Ireland, you must show evidence that you did not enter the UK before your visa became valid, for example by providing a bus or train ticket (in paper or electronic form).

If you enter the UK before the ‘valid from’ date on your visa, you will not have permission to work. If this happens, you must leave the Common Travel Area (UK, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man and Ireland) and re-enter the UK once your visa becomes valid.

Sponsorship duties

To hold a sponsor licence, the University must adhere to requirements set out by the UK government. To retain your visa to allow you to continue to work at the University, you are responsible for keeping your personal information up-to-date with International Staff Support and agree any absences with your host academic.