Entertainment industry routes

Our team regularly secures global talent visas, paid permitted engagement visitor visas and numerous other immigration permissions for a wide range of artists, actors, musicians, directors, and television personalities as well as their spouses and families.

We successfully deal with the agents and entourages of high-profile individuals while providing a timely, hassle-free service. We make the process as easy as possible for you and your clients based internationally. 

We are used to working to tight deadlines and overcoming last minute obstacles. We have extensive experience advising on applications being made outside of the immigration rules where established options do not exist. We pride ourselves on catering to a diverse client base, and to provide services which are fully inclusive and sensitive to specific needs.

How we can help

Examples of our work include:

  • Advising an Oscar winner on a successful global talent visa.
  • Extensive long-term support to the partner of a high-profile British actor on their relocation to the UK, initially as a visitor, advice regarding a possible entrepreneur application and ultimately securing permission to stay as an unmarried partner.
  • Ongoing advice to prominent broadcaster in respect of the needs of his domestic household here in the UK and the USA.
  • Expediting a first British passport application for a prominent stylist with travel needs for international fashion weeks.
  • Advising an up-and-coming US musician on being refused entry to the UK border.
  • Advising a high-profile media entrepreneur and his wife on gaining British citizenship.
  • Making detailed representations to Home Office for an up-and-coming artist.
Meet our team
You May Also Be Interested In

Immigration White Paper to reduce net migration – what does this mean for employers?

The government released its White Paper on legal migration entitled ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration system’ on 12 May with a wide range of proposed reforms. These include restoring the Skilled Worker minimum skill level to degree level and increasing minimum salaries, restricting permission on the Graduate route to 18 months, raising the Immigration Skills Charge …
Read more

Chetal Patel urges cultural sector to support international creatives seeking moves to UK and boost film and television sector growth

While immigration remains a hot topic in the UK, Bates Wells is calling for the creative sector to lead in championing initiatives that increase the film and TV industry’s diversity. The UK’s film and television industry brings in more than £18 billion to the UK economy and supports almost 300,000 jobs. It is a fast-growing …
Read more

UK visa options as an alternative to the H-1B visa

March can be a tense time for American companies and international employees who are awaiting the outcome of the H-1B visa lottery, which runs from 7-24 March 2025.  Last year, there were 484,000 entries submitted for 85,000 available spots, and high demand is anticipated again this year. It’s likely that many candidates will be disappointed …
Read more

Two thirds of architect practices cannot pay new rates to sponsor overseas skilled workers

Law firms Bates Wells and Kingsley Napley are urging Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to respond to their letter, sent 16 December 2024 (see here), which highlighted the concerns of clients in the architect sector about the impact of minimum salary threshold changes on their ability to recruit and retain the right talent. The architect industry …
Read more

Refining the subsidy control regime: our response to the consultation

The introduction of the new UK subsidy control regime in 2023 brought with it a range of challenges for organisations distributing public money – mainly central and local government, but also non-department public bodies and charitable funders – as well as grant applicants, as they got to grips with compliance. The Department for Business and …
Read more

In the creative industry and need to travel to the UK? Here are your options.

Download