FAQ

Yes, upon request, WOMEX provides invitation letters; and our local partners may provide Visa application support letters. Please contact production@womex.com.

Please note: Visa letters and support can only be provided in case of a fully confirmed and paid Delegate registration!

Delegates are responsible for facilitating their own travel and attendance, including visa procedures. This means to obtain all information and meet all requirements for the procedure in good time, to arrange and attend appointments with the competent authorities.

While WOMEX provides visa application support in the scope of our knowledge and ability, neither we nor our local partners are responsible or in the actual position to facilitate a successful visa application, nor are we responsible for any costs related to your visa application.

It is your responsibility to fulfil this process as soon as possible. We may not be able to help you, if you leave this too late!

For more helpful information please visit our VISA INFORMATION FOR THE UK page and see the VISA tab here in the FAQs.

Please write to visas@englishfolkexpo.com for further help.

If you are a visa national, you will need to apply for a visa and gain entry clearance before travelling to the UK.

Most WOMEX visa national delegates, showcase artists, member’s of crew, film presenters, conference speakers and exhibitors will be able to apply for a Standard Visitor visa to enter the UK. However, if you are being paid, you need to consider alternative visas such as Permitted Paid Engagement visa or Creative Worker visa (Temporary work).

As a WOMEX delegate, showcase artist, member of crew, film presenter, conference speaker or exhibitor, you can visit the UK as a Standard Visitor for ‘business, including sports and entertainment’ and are permitted to undertake all the activities listed at Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities.

The permitted activities applicable to WOMEX attendees fall under the following categories:

Permitted General Business Activities:

• attend meetings, conferences, seminars, interviews;
• give a one-off or short series of talks and speeches provided these are not organised as commercial events and will not make a profit for the organiser;
• attend trade fairs, for promotional work only, providing the visitor is not directly selling.

Permitted Creative Activities
An artist, entertainer, or musician can:

• give performances as an individual or as part of a group.
• take part in competitions or auditions.
• make personal appearances and take part in promotional activities

Personal or technical staff or members of the production team of an artist, entertainer, or musician may support the activities provided they are attending the same event as the artist, entertainer or musician and are employed to work for them outside of the UK.

No one attending or performing at WOMEX receives payment.
However, you must still meet the Standard Visitor eligibility requirements to visit the UK whether you need a visa or not. You may be asked questions at the UK border about your eligibility and the activities you plan to do whilst in the UK.

It takes up to 3 weeks to get a decision on your visa once you’ve applied online, proved your identity, and provided your documents at a visa application centre.

You may be able to pay for a faster decision on certain visas and can choose ‘priority service’ if eligible when you apply. This is in addition to the application fee.

• Valid passport / travel document. It must be valid for 3 months beyond the date you plan to leave the UK after your visit. It must have at least one blank page for the visa.
• Completed UK visa application form (online).
• Two photographs (taken within the last 6 months, and in colour).
• Proof you have financial means to cover the living costs while in the UK. These can include bank statements for the last 6 months or pay slips for the same period.
• Proof of accommodation to show where you will be staying whilst in the UK. This can be a letter or reservation from hotel or friend, confirming address, booking details and dates of stay etc.
• Detailed travel itinerary outlining how and what you plan to do whilst in the UK. This information should include travel dates, intended flight/travel arrangements, WOMEX schedule and programme listing.
• Biometric information.
• WOMEX invitation letter which will be personalised and will provide a detailed explanation of the purpose of the visit and will act as a supporting document to convey applicants’ genuine intentions of visiting the UK.
• Receipt of payment of UK visa fees.

This depends on your nationality and what you plan to do whilst you are in the UK.

Visa nationals will have to apply for a UK visa whatever they intend to do in the UK. If you are only coming to the UK for WOMEX, and not being paid or working for a UK company you will be able to apply for a Standard Visitor visa which is valid for up to 6 months.

Non-visa nationals can come to the UK as a Standard visitor for up to 6 months without a visa, but you can only do certain business activities. These permitted activities include everyone who is due to attend or perform at WOMEX as long as you are not being paid or working for a UK company.

This depends on whether you are from a country on the Visa National list. Visa Nationals must always obtain some kind of visa before travelling to the UK.

This depends on whether you are being paid for any other performances whilst in the UK and how long you intend to be in the UK.

If you are not being paid for additional performances, then you can continue to come to the UK as a Standard Visitor and stay for up to 6 months.

If you are being paid for any other performances by a UK company, then it may be appropriate to:

• visit the UK for a Permitted Paid Engagement which means you can stay in the UK for up to 1 month and be paid by a UK-based organisation to take part in arts, entertainment, or sporting activities; or
• if you want to stay longer than 1 month in the UK, and will be paid by a UK company, then it might be appropriate to apply for a Creative Worker visa (Temporary work). Under this route, non-visa nationals are exempt from requiring a visa if working in the UK for less than 3 months and can come in under a Certificate of Sponsorship.

A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is necessary for employers seeking to sponsor Temporary Workers in various sectors like hospitality, agriculture, or creative arts. This must be applied for by a UK licenced sponsor and in assigning a CoS the sponsor is taking responsibility that the foreign national will comply with the conditions of the permissions and fill a genuine vacancy that can’t be filled by a settled worker. It is a virtual document linked to the individual’s passport. Each CoS has a unique reference number and contains the information about the job for which the CoS is being issued and the individual’s personal details. Companies can assign group and individual certificates of sponsorship. See the list of organisations licensed to sponsor workers on the Worker and Temporary Worker immigration routes.

This is necessary if you are coming to the UK under the Creative Worker visa (Temporary work) route and are a professional and contracted for paid engagements in the UK that last more than one month.

An electronic travel authorisation (ETA) is now a requirement for some people (including children and babies) who do not usually need a visa to come to the UK. It will give you permission to travel to the UK and it will be electronically linked to your passport. An ETA must be applied for online prior to travelling to the UK and is valid for multiple journeys over 2 years, or until the passport you applied with expires, whichever is sooner. An ETA will cost £10 per applicant and you will get a decision within 3 working days.

An ETA is currently required for nationals from Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, or the United Arab Emirates. People from these countries currently need to apply for an ETA before coming to the UK.

The ETA is a new scheme and nationals from more countries will eventually require one. There is a phased rollout from November 2023.

If you are a national from another country, you do not need to apply for an ETA now. More nationalities will be added but it is unlikely anymore will be added before WOMEX 24.

You also do not need an ETA if you have either:

• a visa.
• permission to live, work or study in the UK.
• a British or Irish passport.

You can sign up to get updates about the ETA rollout here.

You cannot use a national identity card from an EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein to enter the UK unless you: have settled or pre-settled status under the EU settlement scheme, or Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man’s settlement scheme. More information can be found here.

British citizens, and nationals from EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein can use these channels and can use automatic ePassport gates at some airports if your passport has a ‘chip’ on it and you are 10 or over.

Nationals from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and United States can use the UK/EEA immigration lanes and the automatic ePassport gates too.

This is unless nationals from these countries, have had to:

• obtain a visa for entry into the UK.
• are entering the UK with a Creative Worker certificate of sponsorship for up to 3 months (and you want to enter without a visa)
• or on a permitted paid engagement.

If so, you cannot use these ePassport gates and must get your passport stamped by a border control officer.

Please direct your visa related enquiries to Rachel Down and email visas@englishfolkexpo.com