Domestic Worker in a Private Household

What is the Domestic Worker in a Private Household route?


The Domestic Worker in a Private Household route enables individuals to apply for permission to visit the UK with their employers so they may continue working in their domestic capacity. Domestic workers can include cleaners, cooks, chauffeurs, personal caregivers and nannies.

Key features

  • Work: overseas domestic workers are permitted to visit the UK with their employer for up to six months at a time, but must leave at the end of the six months or when their employer returns home, whichever is sooner.
  • Dependants: individuals under this route are not permitted to bring dependant relatives with them to the UK, and they may not effectively live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent, repeated visits.
  • Settlement: with limited exceptions for legacy applicants, this route does not lead to settlement in the UK.

How we can help


With in-depth knowledge of the rules relating to the Domestic Worker in a Private Household route, our team is well placed to assist clients with obtaining immigration permission in order to be able to continue working in their role whilst their employer is in the UK.

Our legal fees


Fixed fees
We work on a fixed fee basis. Our fees for individual applications typically range between £4,500 – £5,500 plus VAT and disbursements, depending upon the exact type of application, complexities and urgencies involved.

Disbursements
You can expect the main disbursements to include:

  • Home Office filing fees (click here for the government’s visa/entry clearance fee calculator and here for a list of all Home Office fees);
  • Optional premium service fees for in-country and out-of-country applications; and
  • other ancillary disbursements such as biometric enrolment, translations, courier and postage charges, etc.

Latest Insights


Change in thresholds for sponsor company size classification from 6 April 2025

On 6 April 2025 the criteria used to define small companies under the Companies Act 2006 changed, impacting relevant companies responsible for paying…

Laura Devine Immigration partners and solicitors featured on 2025 Pro Bono Recognition List

We are delighted to announce the inclusion of six LDI lawyers on the 2025 Pro Bono Recognition List published this morning – congratulations to…

British citizenship – addressing wrongs of the past

British nationality law has been riddled with discrimination, and it has evolved to put this right. This article focuses on one of the latest…