The Glastonbury Festival is back, and so are the top-tier international music stars! This year, the legendary Pyramid Stage will feature performances by some of the most famous rock and pop stars from around the world.
As one of the most renowned music festivals in the world, it attracts not only fans but also artists from all over the globe. Performers will need to plan ahead to make sure that their journey to the UK is smooth and that they can easily cross the border in line with the immigration requirements.
Among many great things about Glastonbury, one is that it is included in the Permit Free Festival List. This status makes it easier for artists from abroad to come to the UK and focus on their performance without worrying about immigration permits or sponsorship.
It is worth noting that even though the headlines focus on the artists in the line-up, they usually come with a support team including a production crew, backup dancers, stylists, make-up artists, personal assistants and many more. These team members are also subject to immigration requirements and may benefit from similar exemptions as the performers if they meet certain criteria.
What is the Permit Free Festival List and what are its benefits?
The Permit Free Festival List is published and updated by the Home Office and can be found in the Immigration Rules. The list includes a range of events around the UK, such as Brighton Fringe, Isle of Wight Festival, Reading Festival, and of course – the Glastonbury Festival. The festivals which are already on the list will remain on it until April 2025.
Musicians and their cast and crew coming from outside of the UK to participate in festivals like the Glastonbury benefit from a simplified immigration process thanks to the festival being included in this list. Artists invited to these festivals can perform without needing a certificate of sponsorship under the points-based system.
They can enter the UK as standard visitors, meaning that nationals who normally do not require a visa to enter the UK, can come as usual for up to six months, whilst those who usually need it, will still be required to apply for a visitor visa overseas.
Obtaining such a visa promptly requires good planning as the process typically takes a few weeks and involves booking a visa appointment, gathering and preparing documents to meet specific criteria, and waiting for the decision to be made on the application.
Performers do not need to obtain an immigration permit to be paid for taking part in the permit-free festival. They may not have similar benefits when participating in the events not included in the list when coming to the UK as visitors are subject to a review of the immigration rules and criteria.
How can a festival be added to the list?
The UKVI provided specific requirements that must be fulfilled by the festival to be included in the Permit Free Festival List. Such festivals or events must have been established for at least three years, with an audience of at least 15,000 during the last three editions and the same expected audience during the next festival. Additionally, at least 15 performers in the last three festivals must be non-British or Irish. The same requirement applies to the artists invited for the 2024/2025 season.
These criteria make it clear that, even though the audience requirement is a fraction of the number of people attending festivals like Glastonbury and many events could easily satisfy it, they also make it mandatory to have foreign performers taking part in the event, which means that immigration considerations will therefore be inevitable.
What documents are required?
There are several documents, which should be provided with an application such as copies of festival programmes for the last three years, a support letter from the Arts Council or other applicable body, press cuttings from the last three years, confirmation of attendance and ticket sales, evidence from the local police, details of non-British or Irish performers for the last three years and the upcoming festival.
As usual, the Home Office has the discretion to request additional evidence if they are not satisfied with the provided documents.
Most festivals have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including two cancelled editions of Glastonbury in 2020 and 2021, therefore it is worth noting that festivals will not be penalised for lack of supporting documentation covering those years and they can provide evidence for the year of 2019 instead.
How can the crew travel to the UK to attend a permit-free festival?
Additional crew members, such as choreographers, stage managers, make-up artists, personal bodyguards or others may support the performer, provided they are attending the same event and are employed to work for them outside of the UK. Staff from countries that require a visa will also need to apply for visitor permission well in advance to ensure they can enter the UK for the event.
Other events in the UK
It is common for performers to attend multiple events during their trip to the UK and indeed it is possible to take part in multiple permit-free festivals during one summer trip, as long as the visit length of six months is not exceeded.
If not all of these events are included in the Permit Free Festival List, it may require a careful review and comprehensive legal advice to be fully compliant for the whole tour.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.