Diplomatic Visas – UK Exempt Vignette

The Home Office may issue an Exempt Vignette to individuals whose roles in the UK are exempt from standard UK immigration control. These include individuals who play a major role in diplomacy or those who contribute to international relations around the world, defence personnel on official duties or high-ranking government officials. The Exempt Vignette facilitates their entry to and exits from the UK with minimal delays or hindrance. This relatively rarely used category was recently in the spotlight following a Russian diplomatic scandal that led to the imposition of new restrictions on the issuance of “diplomatic visas”.

For an individual to qualify for an Exempt Vignette, they will need to provide supporting evidence with their application which shows:

• their status and official role;
• activities they will undertake in the UK;
• purpose of stay and demonstrate that their presence in the UK is integral;
• duration of stay;
• nature of their duties, if possible, providing evidence from the relevant authorities such as accreditation.

There are advantages to holding an Exempt Vignette including the following:

• individuals who are eligible for an Exempt Vignette may be accompanied by their dependents;
• individuals are not subject to immigration control such as limits on the duration of stay or work restrictions. The visa grants the right to reside for the duration of the holder’s mission without the need to apply for an extension of permission to stay in the UK;
• the route facilitates movement into and out of the UK with ease;
• its holders may have access to services such as healthcare and education which may not be available in other visa categories (this is dependent on the agreement in place between the UK and the individuals’ home country).

Despite its obvious advantages, there are certain limitations and conditions associated with the Exempt Vignette:

• it is issued on the basis that the individual’s role and duties are carried out, and does not offer the flexibility of undertaking any employment outside these official duties;
• the individual does not have access to public funds, and is expected to be financially self-sufficient or supported by their government;
• the route is temporary and does not lead to indefinite leave to remain in the UK;
• due to the roles undertaken pursuant to this route being sensitive, there may be travel restrictions imposed or permission from UK authorities required;

If you require assistance with applying for an Exempt Vignette or have any questions with the points raised in this article, please contact a member of our immigration team.