Are you a Permit Free Festival or interesting in applying for Permit Free Festival status?
Permit Free Festivals are able to invite international entertainers or artists to take part in their event without the need to issue a certificate of sponsorship under the points-based system. The performers can exceptionally be paid for their participation in the festival under the Standard Visitor route.
The requirements for inclusion on the list of permit free festivals are as follows;
·been established for at least 3 years
·had an audience of at least 15,000 for each of the last 3 festivals
·an expected audience of at least 15,000 throughout the forthcoming event
·at least 15 non-British or Irish performers who have performed at each of the last 3 festivals
·at least 15 non-British or Irish performers who have been invited for 2023 to 2024
Here are questions and answers from our on-line coffee morning that was held on the 5th of December 2023 with the Visit, Visa and International Trade Policy Team, UK Government Home Office. The Visit, Visa and International Trade Policy Team lead on the immigration rules for visitors, including the Permit Free Festival list, and immigration related aspects of UK trade deals with other countries.
Questions and Answers
Q. Are Biennial festivals eligible, and how do they evidence the numbers the criteria requests? For example, if the festival gets double the number of audiences as required by the criteria, but every other year.
A. Yes, Biennial festivals are eligible, and there are already examples on the Permit Free festival list. If you are unsure how to evidence the numbers within the set criteria, please email the PFF admin team with a query.
Q. Our festival is scheduled for April/May/June 2024. When would I find out if I have been successfully accepted on to the PFF list?
A. If your festival is in early April, you may need to make alternative arrangements for visiting artists (e.g. Certificates of sponsorship or PPE routes)
Q. Covid disrupted our festival and it is reflected in the numbers, how can I evidence the numbers in the criteria?
A. Allowance can be given for covid disruption, please contact the PFF team to discuss this.
Q. The criteria asks that an audience of at least 15,000 for the last 3 years and for the forthcoming event. Do these need to be audience numbers that have paid for a ticket to the event?
A. No it is not a requirement that the audiences have paid for tickets to the festival events. Please contact the PFF team if unsure how to reflect your audience numbers.
Q. The criteria asks that the festival has at least 15 non-British or Irish performers who have performed at each of the last 3 festivals; and have been invited for 24/25. Does this include all the individuals within one group? And does it include creative teams or just performers?
A. This includes the individuals with the group but doesn’t include the personal or technical supporting staff, or production team as they are able to enter the UK under the standard visitor arrangements separately.
Q. How would I count a company that is performing in the festival with artists of mixed nationalities, based in Dublin?
A. The criteria is about the nationality of the individual artists entering the UK to perform at the festival, not where the company is based. You would need to include the numbers for the non-British or Irish performers in this instance.
Q. Evidence from the local police or licensing authority concerning the cultural event or festival is requested to support an application. What sort of evidence would you require from a festival that works across multiple sites and venues that might change for each festival.
A. This is requested as part of the evidence to demonstrate the festival is a genuine event with all the safeguarding in place that you would expect. If you are unsure of what you need, please email the PFF admin inbox in good time ahead of the deadline.
Q. For visa nationals performing at a permit free festival, should the festival give them a Certificate of Sponsorship for their visa application or a letter of invitation and confirmation of permit free status?
A. These are 2 different ways of entering the UK with different processes and requirements, and each allows the artists to be in the UK for different timeframes. Neither is incorrect. You should ensure whether artists enter the UK via the Permit Free Festival route or sponsorship, that it covers the artists activity for the duration of the stay.
Q. Can you combine entering the UK for a Permit Free Festival with Permitted Paid Engagement if you have multiple activities in the UK?
A. Under the current rules you cannot ‘switch’ between these you would need to leave the UK and re –enter following the rules that apply. On 31 Jan 2024 the immigration rules around PPE will change and there will be additional information on the UK government website (Standard visit/PPE visit/Check UK visa )
Q. We are already on the Permit Free Festival list, and beyond the festival have a seasonal programme with activity all year round. Can artists enter the UK under PFF for this activity?
A. Potentially, if an established event was running specific events for a certain period of time. But in these very particular instances, the festival should contact the PFF team directly to check.
Q. Is PFF criteria reviewed?
A. It was reviewed following the UK’s departure from the Eu to reflect the end of freedom of movement. There are no further reviews planned, but this could change.
Q. If you are included on the Permit Free Festival list, do you need to reapply each year?
A. No, you do not need to reapply. If the festival ceases to exists it is removed from the list.
Q. Is there a cost to apply?
A. No it’s free to apply.
Q. If an application is missing information, or looks like it will be rejected from joining the Permit Free Festival list, would you go back to the applicant and ask for more information/ have a conversation?
A. Yes, the applicant would be contacted via email.
Q. I would like to apply for my festival to be included on the list, but I’m not sure I have all the documents / fulfil all the criteria. What do I do?
A. Get in contact with the PFF team as early as possible before the deadline date of 31 Jan 2024. There is flexibility and the list of documents is there to guide.