Visitors

What is a visitor?

A visitor will be an Academic or Researcher, normally from another institution, who wishes to undertake research on their own projects in the department, usually for a period of up to twelve months. They are not employees and don't usually work on departmental research projects although they may collaborate on activities relates to departmental research projects. 

Business visitors will normally be from another employer usually participating in talks, meetings and sales discussions but not participating in research.

For full details please see the Department policy and Visitor and Honorary types reference guide.

What can a visitor do during their visit?

There are limitations to the type of activity that can be undertaken by visitors and how long a visit can be in place for. If the visitor requires a visa there are further restrictions on the activities that can be undertaken.

Visitors can:

• carry out private research
• participate in collaborative research (limitations on duration where a visa is required)
• share knowledge or experience or to hold informal discussions
• take part in a conference or seminar
• take part in research, teaching or clinical practice (limitations on who can undertake this where a visa is required)
• take part in arranged exchanges

If you are unsure if the activities your visitor plans to undertake are eligible please contact hr@phc.ox.ac.uk before making any arrangements.

Note on student visitors: Only students that qualify to be a sponsored researcher or are an Erasmus student can be managed through this route. Do not submit a request for a student unless you have been advised by HR to do so.

Submitting a request to host a visitor

• You must obtain approval from the department before you can confirm to your visitor that they can be hosted
• Check if Trusted Research Approval is required for your visitor and ensure this is obtained before submitting your request
• If your visitor is applying for funding specifically to come to Oxford, you will need to get permission through the visitor process before the funding application is submitted.
• All requests must be submitted through the Visitor request form a minimum of 4 weeks before the arrival date
• Overseas visitors will require a visa, HR will determine what visa is required and provide any documentation to the visitor

• Building access, access to IT systems and access to department facilities must be fully justified in the request and will be provided as appropriate to the visit
• For visits of less than four weeks a University card will not be provided or access to department systems
• Annual leave, other absences and performance of work are not monitored by HR

When is the visitor process not appropriate?

• The visitor process is not suitable for data access only requests. Please contact the IG Team for data access only requests
• Student visitors are not managed through this process unless they qualify to be a sponsored researcher or are an Erasmus student. Student visitors are processed by the Post Graduate Team. Full information here.

Overseas visitors and visa requirements

• All overseas visitors will require a visa
• HR will determine what visa is required and if the visitor is eligible to get a visa for the requested activities
• Only HR can provide the invitation letter for a visitor to obtain a visa the visitor must not arrange their travel to the UK until they have been provided with the appropriate documents from HR
• Multiple and frequent visits requiring travel between the UK and home country are not usually permitted under a visitor visa. Please liaise with HR if your visitor will require multiple visits so we can advise on how this can on how this can be accommodated.
• Students eligibility to be a sponsored researcher are extremely limited please contact hr@phc.ox.ac.uk if you think this may apply to your visitor before making any arrangements or submitting your request

Visitor Request Form

Visitor and Honorary contracts Department Policy

Visitor and Honorary types reference guide

University visitor guidance

Visa guidance

Non-Employees main page

Requests to host a visitor are subject to the following approvals:

Please note that requests for the bench fee to be met by the department will only be granted under exceptional circumstances if the visitor has no recourse to any funding and the hosting group has no budget to cover the fee.